-Prologue-
Today was my first day at Greene Industries, a beautiful high-rise building residing near the center of New York City. I was hired directly by Dr. Greene, whom I had met while working for a temp agency at a second company that he owned. He is a retired doctor that aided in founding the company alongside his son Jason Greene. I had never met Jason before, but now as I stood in his office, I could not help but fantasize about all six-foot five of him. His body was built somewhat like a Greek god with black shoulder length hair and a chiseled jaw.
The way his shirt strained against his arms and chest confirmed that this man was in fact sculpted from the purest of marble. I could not help but stare in utter shock for there was something about him that left me enthralled, unable to pry my eyes away. Dr. Nick had told me that Jason was a 30-year-old self-made multimillionaire.
‘That is very impressive’. I thought. He seemed very intimidating, but I guess that is to be expected of someone self-made and all.
“I asked you a question Ms. Tally.”
I snapped back to reality; only then did I realize that he had been speaking to me. My face reddened at the slight embarrassment I felt at undressing my new boss in my mind.
“I’m sorry Mr. Greene, can you repeat the question, please?”
His brows furrowed as he looked at me, clearly agitated at the fact that I was so obviously failing to pay attention. “Have you completed your paperwork with HR yet?”
“No sir”, I replied “not yet”. I barely missed the brief flicker of his eyes rolling.
“Fine” he sighed as he pressed the intercom button on his desk.
“Mrs. Bennett, I need you to escort Ms. Tally down to HR immediately”.
“Yes Mr. Greene” a woman’s voice replied. A moment later an older woman with fair skin and grey hair entered the room.
“Follow me Ms. Tally” she stated, with one of the sweetest smiles.
I turned and followed her out of the room feeling as if I was sporting a target on my back. I felt eyes burrowing through me, I refused to look back but did so involuntarily and noticed Jason watching me with a smirk on his face. I hurried away as my heart began to beat wildly in my chest.
“Hi, I am Annie Bennett”, she said as she extended her hand out to me. Taking her hand, I replied, “I am Nichole Tally, it’s great to meet you.”
“I know dear” she replied,” I’ve heard a great deal about you from Dr. Nick, he was very impressed with the work you’ve done with the Southbound Company”. I smiled as she said this,
“I’m very happy to hear that”, I replied.
She briefly nodded as she turned to me. “Okay this is HR they’ll assist you with your paperwork. When you are done just head back upstairs and I’ll show you to your office”.
“Thank you”, I replied as she turned and walked away.
An hour later, I am heading back upstairs where I was greeted by Mrs. Bennett with a big motherly smile,
“Oh, good dear you’re back, follow me”, she said as she walked past me explaining at the same time exactly what I will be doing.
“Mr. Jason is very reserved. He likes his privacy very much, he can be intimidating at times, but he is a particularly good boss, I’ve worked for him for 5 years now and I must say I love working for him.”
She truly sounded like she would trade her job for nothing else in the world yet somehow that did not ease my anxiety about the man. Something about him was eccentric yet enticing, he drew me in yet left me uneasy. I was not sure what, but something about him was just off.
As we approached Jason’s office, I noticed him sitting at his desk with a scowl on his face and a look in his eye that could kill, it seemed like he had zoned out, I could not tell if he was looking at me or just lost in thought.
“Ms. Tally are you okay?”
Mrs. Bennett’s voice broke through my haze,
“Um, yes” I replied slightly embarrassed.
“This will be your office; you have to be near Mr. Jason in case he needs you.”
My office was right across from Jason’s, despite being divided by a small hall, the man could see everything I did.
“Great”, I replied a little less enthusiastically.
As Annie leaves to go back to her desk, a slow shiver climbs my spine making the modicum of hairs on my neck stand erect as I once again feel a familiar unsettling gaze, only this time Jason appeared right next to me. I had not heard the footfalls of his approach nor did I even hear him leave his office, yet he stood next to me as if he had been there the entire time.
“Ms. Tally I need you to get settled in and come to my office”.
“Oh, um it’s Nichole or Nikki is fine as well,” I replied.
