The Boss’s Unconventional Assistant

Croix always dreaded the drive to work. Not only was the traffic at that time of the morning bumper to bumper and very annoying, but there was also the sexy single women in red-hot convertibles that drove at the same speed as him, the ‘fun-loving’ drivers winking and blowing playful kisses at him through the traffic.

It didn’t matter if Lyner was sitting next to him or not, there was always, always a sleek sports car with a sexy female driver purposely matching his speed and playfully flirting with him.

It was bad enough trying to keep an eye on the road and other drivers, but he also had to be extra vigilant not to ‘accidentally’ run into the back of any of these sport cars and their sassy drivers.

Reaching the underground parking of his office building, Croix felt just a little bit better. The car park somewhat secure, as in no one other than those working at the Blue Zircon Enterprise was able to drive and park inside. It was something Croix had to initiate himself after one too many ‘events’ involving mysteriously vulnerable women and their unfortunate car troubles greeted him after work each day.

Yeah, they would wait all day for him if they needed to.

Making his way to the floor that his office was on, Croix offered greetings to some of his long-time employees, those that had worked for his parents and Croix kept on because of their skills and loyalty. He trusted a vast majority of his staff members and he paid them well, in apology for putting up the shit that MFOSs often threw at him – and ultimately them.

Walking into the break room situated near the lifts, Croix decided to make himself a cup of coffee, knowing that he was going to need it to get through the day.

“Croix!”

Furrowing his brow at the suddenly shrill of his name, Croix immediately turned toward the source of the voice and felt his frown deepened. Wearing a figure hugging red dress with black heels, a woman he unfortunately recognised seemed to strut over to him as though she was a model on a runaway, her curly dark brown hair bouncing seductively as she moved. Her green eyes were narrow and piercing and her luscious red lips slightly upturned into a confident smirk. Clearly she thought that she had everyone’s eyes on her and seemed to be relishing in it.

Croix, however, had to resist the urge to bash his head against the wall. He regrettably knew this woman. She was what Lyner and those in security referred to as a repeat offender. This wasn’t the first time she came strutting into Croix’s business and he was more than certain that it won’t be the last.

She was Jezabel Holmes, the heiress to a hotel empire that catered to the rich and famous. She was constantly on the party scene, hanging out with the celebrities and generally anyone who was in the media’s sights. She hadn’t worked a day in her life and did very little but to bring her ‘powerful’ family scandal and heart ache.

However, after the unfortunate death of her father, Jezabel claimed to be on the straight and narrow now, more than ready to take over her family’s empire…despite the fact that her mother and grandparents were still alive.

Great, Croix thought to himself. What a way to start the morning.

“What the living hell are you doing here?” Croix asked tersely, making absolute no attempt to hide his disdain for her.

Jezabel gave him a purely agitated look, while also appearing surprised that he would ask her such a question so harshly. It was as if she was expecting him to take her into his office so that they could discuss matters in private and to stop the gossiping of his employees.

“You know why I'm here,” Jezabel simpered in return.

“No, I don't,” Croix retorted quickly as he made his coffee (and making the mental note to put a coffee machine in his office). “I already rejected you and your idiotic demand once. I haven't changed my mind.”

Jezabel continued to regard him in an irritated and haughty manner, as if she was vastly superior to him in every way. “It must be done.”

Croix rolled his eyes at her statement and pulled out his phone to call security. Hopefully, though, they were already on their way. Jezabel here wasn’t exactly shy or discreet. “No, it doesn't.”

“I don't know why my father's dying wish was that I marry you,” Jezabel muttered in a purely complaining manner, even folding her arms under her bust as she glared at Croix as if the entire situation was his fault. “I know that a marriage between us will ease the tension between our warring families.”

…Warring what? Were they suddenly flung back to the middle ages or something?

“But I loathe your very existence,” Jezabel stated loudly with a hiss. “You are the last person on earth I would want to be in the same room as - let alone share a bed with!”

Croix sighed and rubbed his temples. “The feelings' mutual,” he muttered under his breath. “And what makes you think I'd want to sleep with someone like you, anyway?”

“You seem to have a problem with powerful and sexy women,” Jezabel suddenly sneered as she placed a hand on her hip.

Croix frowned. That statement came completely out of the blue.

Picking up his coffee, Croix reluctantly turned to face her while ensuring that he was in full view of his employees and that there was plenty of space between him and Jezabel. “No, I have a problem with deranged and obsessed stalkers,” he practically spat. “How many times do I have to tell you that there is no legal contract in this country that could ever possibly force me to marry you? It's not going to happen.”

Jezabel looked irritated and appalled by his response. “It is my father's last wish that we marry,” she said in such a way that her reasoning should prompt Croix to immediately go down on one knee and ask her to marry him there and then as it was the noble thing to do.

“I think it's more to do with money then honouring your father's final wishes,” Croix commented dryly. “I am under no obligation to marry you. Even entertaining the thought makes me sick to my stomach.”

Once again, Jezabel looked aghast that he was so against the idea of marrying her and actually had to audacity to speak of her in a way that was other than glowing praise. “Me too,” she sniped after gathering herself, her glare growing more intense. “But a contract states that for me to gain my inheritance I must marry you.”

“You seem to have a hearing problem,” Croix snapped before looking utterly relieved to see head of security and some of his finest step out of the lift. “I’m done talking with you. Randolf! Get this idiot out of my sight!”

Randolf and his crew immediately rushed the meal room and take Jezabel into custody, so to speak. “Understood.”

As Jezabel wailed something about how Croix was a ruthless and heartless playboy CEO, Croix sighed and picked up his coffee, expertly ignoring Jezabel as she was dragged from sight. He quickly made his way into his office, slamming the door shut behind him. Walking over to his desk, he sunk down in his chair and rubbed his temples again.

If that was any indication of what the day held for him…well, today was going to be very, very eventful.

After downing his coffee, Croix turned his attention to his work, something that was legitimate, if a little frustrating but fulfilling nonetheless. It was also a very good distraction to the pounding at his office door and the wailing of ‘It is of utmost importance that I speak with Croix in private’ before the shouting of security guards.

…He should think about sound-proofing his office.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After several hours of slogging through the enormous amount of emails (immediately deleting the ones he knew weren’t of the ‘business’ variety) and making a few phone calls (while purposely ignoring the numbers he did not recognise), Croix needed another coffee to get him through to lunch. He wasn’t entirely sure what he was going to have for lunch yet, probably more coffee.

Cautiously making his way out of his office and the short distance to the meal room, Croix tried to make his coffee as quickly as he could so that he wouldn’t be cornered again. He didn’t like working when Lyner wasn’t with him. He felt more safe and secure with that truly feisty woman sitting just outside his office. She made the fact that he was sought after billionaire just that little bit easier.

He loved her. A lot.

But he didn’t want to announce that to the world. Not yet. It was for her own safety. MFOSs and Ordinary Beauties were willing to do whatever it took to get his unwavering attention and to become a part of his world. Right now, with Lyner as his Personal Assistant, she was simply in the way and a bit of a nuisance.

However, if he announced that Lyner was in fact living with him and was his lover, then she would be ‘competition’ and a ‘challenge that needed to be overcome’. The MFOSs would turn their hatred to her to try to scare her off, belittling her in order to make themselves appear benign and perfect for him.

Croix couldn’t risk that. Oh, he knew that Lyner wouldn’t be scared off and had quite a sharp tongue; he was just worried for her safety. They might happen to hurt her in order to get to him. They wouldn’t even hesitate in getting rid of the ‘pesky girlfriend’ so that she and her true love could be together.

Before entering the meal room, a young male employee suddenly stopped him and skittishly pointed into the room. “There’s another one,” he whispered in warning.

Immediately, Croix spun on his heel in an attempt to make it back to his office.

“Oh, Mr Bartel~!” an overly sweet and soothing voice called out, stopping Croix in his tracks, his posture slumping forward in annoyance.

Damn it…

Reluctantly glancing over his shoulder, Croix’s vision was filled with the sight of a young woman with blonde hair formed into ringlets and gracing her shoulders, her sky blue eyes looking at him in sensual innocence. She was wearing a short flowery summer dress, white and blue in colour with white wedged heels.

While he did not immediately recognise her, he was fairly certainty he knew what her motive was.

She was probably one of those women who claimed to be a young, innocent English rose and considered Croix to be a ruthless billionaire. And you know how the story goes after that - only a sweet, innocent would be able to push past the icy defences that all single billionaires had surrounding their hearts. Only a ‘gentle’ beauty would be able to see past the ruthless tactics of business to the vulnerable man he was truly underneath.

Croix resisted the urge to break out into a run when the woman strode over to him, purposely swaying her hips in a 'seductive' way. But she was swaying her hips a little too hard, making her appear as if she was rocking side to side in a ridiculous manner.

“Oh, Mr Bartel,” she said sweetly again as she fluttered her eyes at him. “I need a moment of your time.”

Need or demand?

“Who are you?” Croix asked instead. Maybe her name might ring a bell as she seemed to know him. However, a lot of people seem to know him these days…

The gentle and sweet expression on her face dimmed a little from annoyance, but she continued to smile lovingly, probably thinking that he was constantly surrounding himself with a bevy of beauties that he didn’t remember any of the beautiful women’s names.

“It’s Josephine, remember?” she stated as she smiled oh-so sweetly at him. “But you call me Josie, remember?”

…Ah, he did know her. Again, rather unfortunately. His first assumption of her was right. She was Josephine McAllister and she did consider herself to be a beautiful English rose and stated that he was indeed a cold-hearted and ruthless CEO. Another repeat offender, expecting Croix to just hand over his cash for her benefit after fluttering those sweet baby blues at him.

“Please, you must help me,” Josephine suddenly pleaded as she pressed her hand against her chest in a ‘sincere’ manner. She then began to prattle on about how her fledging business was failing because of her ruthless landlord keeps raising the rent and because of her sweet heart that she can’t help giving away her goods to the people who so need her help.

Croix wasn’t entirely sure what a business like a nail salon had to give away to the people who so desperately needed it. What? Did a socialite chip her red nail vanish and needed a bottle of red nail polish - stat!

Although it would be wiser for him to simply ignore her and try to reach the safety of his office, Croix had this morbid curiosity, wondering exactly how and why Josephine here wanted him to help her. He was fairly sure he was going to regret it, but…

“What makes you think I'll even consider paying off your debt?” Croix asked her bluntly.

Josephine gave him this look that was supposed to be either very sensual or innocently seductive. “I'll repay you,” she said soft, her voice quite lusty.

Croix was pretty sure he knew where this was going. “And how are you planning to do that?”

“I'll settle the debts with...” she paused for effect as she slowly ran her finger over the hemline of her dress that settled against her chest. “My body.”

Croix’s eyebrow twitched…He really should have expected as much.

“So you're going to sleep with your debt collector?” Croix asked her, purposely ignoring the fact that he’s the one she’s trying to seduce. “How's that going to help?”

Josephine reeled her head back in shock before appearing flustered and angry. “No, you idiot, I'll sleep with you!” she practically shrilled.

“Uh huh,” Croix replied, less than amused as he folded his arms over his chest. “So what you're saying is that you want me to pay off all your debts to save your fledging business and in return you'll become my mistress. Is that it?”

Still looking highly agitated, Josephine folded her arms under her bust and nodded her head. “Yes.”

Well, she certainly was blunt. Was he supposed to be impressed with her boldness and straightforwardness or something? If a man stated such things to a woman it would be sexual harassment.

“I'm pretty sure that's called prostitution,” Croix commented in a snarky way. “I have no interest in such things.”

Josephine openly gaped at him before blushing deeply and looking absolutely appalled. “I am not a prostitute!” she shrilled.

“Then what do you call those who offer their bodies in exchange for money?” Croix asked her.

“…This is different,” Josephine insisted as she glared hatefully at Croix.

“Of course it is,” Croix snorted unsympathetically as he turned his back on her and began to walk away. “Still doesn’t change the fact that I’m not interested.”

“Doesn’t matter if you’re interested or not,” Josephine suddenly shrieked. “You should be helping a cash-strapped beauty like me anyway!”

That made Croix pause in his movements and he slowly turned around to face her. “So, just because I am a male billionaire, I have the obligation, or rather requirement, to help every cash-strapped ‘beauty’, as it were, and use my money to pay off all their debts? Is that it?”

Josephine folded her arms defiantly under her bust again and nodded her head, almost smirking. “It is.”

Croix was left stunned by her…brainlessness.

He had no problem using his money to help others – when they truly needed it. He gave to charities and he had no problem giving money to a beggar on the street without any expectations of getting anything in return. Hell, there had been a few occasions where he paid for a sick child’s medical treatment and helped out a few down on their luck pensioners. Those people needed help and he was more than happy to offer his help. They never asked for it and he simply gave without making a fuss.

But that didn’t mean he was going to skip down the street and throw coins at every person he came across. People like Josephine here seemed to believe that just because he had more money than they did, he had to help them out regardless of whether or not the situation they found themselves in were of their own doing or not.

It wasn’t Croix’s fault that Josephine’s business was going under. It wasn’t his fault that she couldn’t handle the finances. It wasn’t his fault she wasted her money on risky share schemes and or whatever.

So why should he have the obligation to fix all her problems?

It might sound cruel, but what made Josephine so special? There were plenty of people out there in the same situation. Yet they weren’t grovelling to billionaires, offering to sleep with them if they paid off their debts.

What made Josephine even think that he would agree? Was it because he was a man? Men, after all, only saw women as sex objects and possible conquests. And she, a single, sweet, beautiful woman would be the perfect conquest for him to take to bed.

It was fucking annoying.

Before Croix could tell Josephine what he really thought of her request, security thankfully rushed in and diffused the situation before it got more out of hand. Watching her as she was being dragged away, fighting and kicking the security guards every step of the way, did little to lower Croix’s frustrations. He was fairly certain that it won’t be the last he’d see of Josephine.

And he was even more certain that Josephine won’t be the last MFOS to offer her body in exchange for his ‘assistance’ in paying off of debts or other such things.

“Are you ok, Croix?”

Snapping his head up, Croix immediately turned to face the direction of the thankfully familiar voice. There, just in front of his office with the door open and a look of concern on her face was Lyner. Dressed casually in a blue kaftan, shorts and simple brown hiking boots, she beckoned him over by showing that she had brought lunch.

Quickening his pace, Croix practically crash-tackled Lyner into his office, clinging to his beautiful partner as the door fell shut behind them.

“C-Croix?” Lyner spluttered but returned the embrace nonetheless as she sighed. “An eventful morning?”

Pressing his face against the curve of Lyner’s neck, Croix nodded his head once.

“I have too,” Lyner murmured in reply.

Croix couldn’t help but wince. He felt sorry that he had to drag Lyner into such outrageous situations, making her face those petty MFOSs and Ordinary Beauties every single day, several times a day. But that didn’t mean he was going to let her go. He wouldn’t know what he would do if he didn’t have such a generous, intelligent, dedicated, loyal and just fucking amazing person like Lyner by his side.

“I want to sell my business and become a hermit,” Croix muttered against her neck.

Lyner chuckled softly and shook her head. “Not going to work. They’ll just hunt you down with the intention of becoming the saving grace that pulls you from your despair and back into society where you truly belong so you can tell the world how an angel saved you from your personal darkness.”

“…God damn it…”