Chapter 1 A New Start
Chapter 1
“A New Start”
POV Ivy
I step into an elevator, catching a whiff of a heavenly, musky cologne, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe.
I tap the 18th floor button and brush shoulders with a breathtakingly handsome man in a royal blue suit.
He eyes me up like prey, then taps my shoulder and slides one of my headphones off.
“Most people are afraid to stand next to me,” the man says.
‘Most people don’t have a demon wolf,’ Stella, my wolf, chuckles in my head.
“Well, you smell lovely. Are you fresh out of jail or something?” I ask.
He laughs, and his gorgeous hazel eyes sparkle.
I lean closer and breathe him in.
“My name is Augustine, and you are?”
“Ivy Shaw. First day.”
“Good luck on your first day, beautiful,” he says.
“Thanks, but I won’t need it. I’m pretty amazing,” I beam, getting my confidence back.
The elevator opens on my floor, and a middle age human stands there with her mouth hanging open, staring at Augustine.
“Are you Ivy?” the woman asks, her eyes still on him.
‘No, the hair police. Get a real haircut, human,’ Stella mutters.
“Yes, I am, and you must be Lucy?”
“Come with me, Ivy,” Lucy says politely.
Lucy takes me to my workspace, helps me log in to the computer, and leaves me to it.
I had the full tour and orientation a few days ago.
I put a picture of Bleu on my desk with one of his favorite toys and get to work.
Gorgeous baby blue eyes peer over my desk. “Hello, I’m Clayton. If you ever need to let loose and go for a drink, I’m your man.”
My heart stops, and I get butterflies in my stomach.
‘Definitely a player,’ Stella chimes in.
Are all the men in this building secret Calvin Klein models?
‘Seems to be a prerequisite for working here,’ Stella chimes in.
Next to him, a girl with brown, mousy hair and pale blue eyes pops up. “Hi, I’m Sarah. If you need anything, I’m your girl.” She smiles.
“I’ll keep that in mind. I’m Ivy, by the way.”
“We know,” Sarah says. “We’ve been dying to meet you.”
“Oh, really?”
“The last girl couldn’t handle the workload and broke under the pressure after six weeks of this job. She had a huge mental breakdown and snapped in front of everyone.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, your job has a high turnover rate,” Sarah says.
Well, now I know why I finally got the job.
Maybe they have it for people like me, who won’t stop applying and aren’t the right fit?
Damn it, Ivy, think positive. You can do this.
A well dressed older woman with a short blonde bob and brown eyes strolls over to my desk with her loud, clunky shoes like she owns the place.
‘What’s with the hair? It looks like something crawled on her head and died,’ Stella chuckles.
“Ivy Shaw,” she says coldly. “Welcome to the team. I’m Alice, your new boss. I need you to go through these files full of receipts and log them in your accounting software. Let me know when you’re done.”
By five o’clock, I’m starting to clue in about why people don’t work out in this position.
I haven’t had a break or lunch. I’ve only had a working lunch.
I am halfway through a stack of paperwork, and Alice just gives me more.
I’m getting ready to leave when Alice drops another stack on my desk.
“Get these done before you leave, or don’t bother coming back tomorrow. The instructions are on the sticky note,” she says, walking away.
‘I think we should kill her. It would give us a few days off this annoying workload,’ Stella says.
“It’s only my first day.”
By the time I’m done, it’s almost eight o’clock.
I dart for the elevator and hit the button, eager to get home to Bleu.
“Mr. Handsome himself is the only one in the elevator.”
“How was your first day?”
‘Better now that you’re here, handsome,’ Stella purrs in my head.
“Ugh, long. No break or lunch. Apparently, I got the high turnover job. It won’t break me, though. I’ll get through it. Now I’m just excited to get home to Bleu.”
“Is Bleu your boyfriend?” Augustine raises a brow.
“No, my cat. He gets separation anxiety when I’m gone too long. He shreds my favorite items as punishment.”
“So, no boyfriend?”
“No, I left him at my pack back East.”
“Do you know anyone in Vancouver?”
“Nope.”
“No regrets?”
“I’m only twenty-one. I want to live in a big city, not a small pack.”
“Better chances of meeting your mate?” he asks.
“Oh, I have a special charm on my ankle that stops me from meeting any mates.”
The elevator opens, and he steps out with me on the main floor. We walk out the sliding doors at the same time.
“Did you need a ride, Miss Shaw?”
‘What kind of ride are you offering?’ Stella lights up.
“Thanks, it’s lovely chatting with you. But you could be a serial killer. I’ll take the bus. Have a good evening, Augustine,” I say, strolling over to the bus stop and pulling out the rest of my lunch while I wait.
‘You just turned down a hot serial killer. What’s wrong with you?’ Stella grumbles.
Clayton pulls up in front of me. “Want a ride, beautiful?”
‘Yes, we do.’
“Sure, that will be awesome. Why are you still here?”
“I hit the gym, then went for a swim. Are you hungry?”
“Famished,” I say, getting in his Honda Civic.
Clayton’s baby blues are dreamy up close. His dark hair and sharp jawline make him look like he should be on the cover of a magazine.
He has a silk button up shirt that shows off enough of his chest that I try not to drool.
I lean over, smell Old Spice, and my heart flutters.
“What do you like to eat?” he asks.
‘I could eat you,’ Stella purrs.
“Fruit, anything with eggs or beef.”
“How about a burger?”
“A burger sounds lovely.”
“So you’re a wolf, right?”
“Depends who’s asking.”
“I’m a dragon.”
“Wow, really? I’ve never met a dragon before.”
“This whole city is in dragon territory. I’m sure you’ve met plenty. You just didn’t realize it.”
He takes me to a burger joint and buys my food.
“Aww, thanks, you’re sweet.” I flush at his kind gesture.
“Are you always this easy to please?” His lips curl into a slight smile.
‘Wouldn’t you like to know,’ Stella purrs.
He leans forward, moves a strand of hair out of my eyes, and places it behind my ear.
I feel his hot breath on my face, and I start to lean in to kiss him.
He smells divine.
I catch myself and pull back.
“Like what you see?” he tilts his head.
“We work together, Clayton.”
“So?”
“I don’t mix work with pleasure.”
“If we didn’t work together?”
“I guess you’ll never know,” I tease.
“I doubt that. Once I set my eyes on something I want, I always get it.” He leans back and starts to eat his burger.
“So, what brought you to Edgewood Enterprises?” I ask, changing the subject.
“My father is friends with the CEO and got me the job.”
“What’s the CEO like?”
“Arrogant, entitled, and everyone’s afraid of him.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s a dragon king, and he’s an asshole. He’ll fire you if you look at him the wrong way.”
“Are you sure that’s just not a rumor?”
“Maybe. I’ll tell you what’s not a rumor. He doesn’t date. He does three month contracts and rarely extends. The girls are always a mess when he’s done with them.”
“Like, in love with him?”
“Literally obsessed. They think they’re the shit while they’re dating him. Then reality hits, and he moves on and leaves them heartbroken.”
“Oh.”
“Watch yourself. He always goes for the new, beautiful girls on the lower floors, so he doesn’t have to see them again.”
“I just got out of a three year relationship. I don’t need another.”
“It’s not a relationship. It’s a fuck partner for big bucks.”
“Hmm.”
“Get the idea out of your pretty little head,” he laughs.
“Hey, I got debts from school, rent to pay, and a cat to feed.”
“A cat to feed. That’s a first,” Clayton laughs.
He drives me home after we eat.
“Hey, I’m a couple of blocks away if you ever need a ride. I’m happy to help,” he says, handing me his number.
“Thanks, I appreciate it. Have a good night,” I smile and head inside.
He suddenly leans into me.
“If you ever get lonely in the middle of the night,” he smirks.
I shut the door in his face before he can finish.
‘Oh, come on, he’s hot. I wouldn’t kick him out of bed.’
The minute I get to my door, I hear distressed meowing.
Bleu has somehow gotten himself tangled up in the small chandelier in the dining room.
“Who the hell puts a chandelier in such a small apartment?”
‘Cat haters,’ Stella pipes up.
I grab a chair and climb on the kitchen table to get Bleu untangled.
He’s freaking out, waving his little paws everywhere like he’s about to die, and the chandelier is swinging.
I end up falling off the kitchen table and taking the chandelier and Bleu with me.
I smack my head against something metal and sharp, and Bleu lands softly on me with the rest of the chandelier and frees himself happily.
Someone pounds on my door. I try to get up, but I’m too dizzy and slide down the wall.
“The door’s open,” I shout, hoping for a saviour.
