CHAPTER 1

ALINA’S POV

“What did you say?"

“Repeat that, repeat it Al.” He breathed down on me, the pounding now incessant. Hot, throbbing and so damn good that I could only spread my legs further apart, moaning.

“Roman. Roman please… pl-”

“Say it,” he grunted, “Say it to my face. I want to hear it.”

“I-I-

“You can’t now? Can't say you hate me with my cock filling you up, huh?” His voice grazed my ears, low. “You like this?”

“Oh God…” I rasped, gripping the counter. My fingers slipping. “Roman…”

He angled deep, lifting my ass off the counter. My whipping center opened to him, to us, both our eyes as the thickness of his rod drove deeper inside of me. Over and over, every stroke more maddening than the last. Like a punishment, and I loved every second. “Ohhh”

“Oh God!” I whimpered, gripping his hand on my waist. My voice echoed but I didn't care. Couldn't care, not with what he was doing to me. “More. Please more, oh God More!”

He responded. Giving me exactly what I begged for; our skin slapping, sleek with sweat. The smell of our sex thick in the air, and I only held on tighter. Series of pleasurable nonsense falling from my lips, a cry deep in my throat.

“Fuck!” He groaned, thrusting even harder. The counter slippery now. “So damn good, so tight… Fuck. Fuck Alina! Fuck you. Fuck you. FUCK YOU!”

“ALINA!!” A loud bang filled the air, and just like that my eyes snapped open.

Jolted awake, fast. Breath choked. Pulse racing like I’d ran a marathon, except that my ass remained planted on the rickety chair that was mine.

“Alina, wake up!” More bangs on the desk in front of me, my vision blurry. “The sky is falling and you still have time to nap here?”

Cleo. My best friend, that's her voice.

Wait hold on, blurry white desk, uncomfortable chair, a searing needle point pain poking at my left breast?

Yup, I was in the office. Definitely.

And that was all it took. My vision cleared, finally. The blinding fluorescent light above my head and Cleo's unimpressed face welcoming me. “Were you dreaming or something? You looked like you were awfully enjoying that it.”

I froze.

My mind taking me back instantly. The moans, pounding, flipping of nipples, wetness and… absolute disgust that I felt right now remembering it all!

“Don’t look so disgusted now,” Cleo teased, “You're allowed a break."

No I wasn't. Not when it involved him. Again.

Another wet dream. Third time this week and God was it possible if I said I felt even more disgusted than the last?

How was this even possible? Why would my subconscious betray me like this, conjuring ill contents about a man I'd erased from memory years ago.

Didn't I have enough problems already?

“There's a problem, Alina.” Cleo cut through my panic, pulling out a seat.

“What problem?” I managed to groan, already hoping it wasn't one of her regular gossips. Didn't have it in me for that right now.

“Oxygen project has been reassigned”

My head snapped up. “What?”

“To Nicole. Nicole Salvador!” She finished flatly, dropping the bomb shell.

For a moment I just stared at her, words jammed in my throat. “You’re joking.”

“I wish. Heard it myself—Joe’s giving it to her. Probably for the same reason most of her ‘luck’ happens.”

I blinked. “Y-you're saying-

“She’s fucking him, Lina. Nicole's fucking Joe. I heard them in the hallway.”

What?

The words echoed, heavy and wrong. Most importantly, Oxygen. That was mine. My project.

My one way ticket to promotion, salary raise, and actual stability for once in my life. Cleo's too.

So what's this? This scandalous, ridiculous news.

“What about our benefits? Our months of work?” I asked Cleo, hoping to hear at least some good news from that.

“What do you think? Think Joe's going to let his ‘fuck buddy’ work for free while we take all the benefits? Oh please Lina.”

Oh God.

“Oh my God,” I breathed, lost.

“Exactly my point!” Cleo fumed. “Two months of sleepless nights, overtime, caffeine… The presentation is next week. Yet he does this. Just wants to hand everything to her like we're some jokes! Our efforts all this time were pointless. Just how is any of this right or fair?!”

My pulse slowed down. The implication of these words starting to sink in, and with it an overbearing sense of dread in my bones.

This project… Oxygen. Without it I was nothing, back to square one.

Back to fighting for a better pay, position, getting tossed around like some errand girl. All because I wanted to be ‘good’ enough to handle better projects that would shine on my portfolio, creating room for a promotion.

What about mom? I still owed that loan payment she took out early this year. Still had to get an apartment too, a better one. Lord knows I need it.

I needed a car. Even the lowest of them all, I would take it.

This project was to fund all of these. But with it being moved… what was going to become of me now? Of all my plans, the pending monthly loan repayment. I was already down with a two months backlog because I gave mom money again!

This project was mine anyway! I got us on the list, our company - Boldlines Creatives. And now they wanted to oust me from it? Moved to someone else??

“That air-headed bitch,” Cleo hissed, pacing now. “Sleeping her way up. I knew she had eyes for Oxygen, I knew it! All she's good at is steal other people's hard work.”

No.

Not this time, Cleo. Not this time.

With that I stood abruptly. “Where are you going?”

“To remind Joe who brought Oxygen on board.” I pushed the door open then, heading out.

“Lina, wait—”

I didn’t. Just continued down the hallways leading to the godzilla themed office occupied by the biggest jerk of the century!

Joe.

“Alina? What are you-

Didn’t even pay attention to Ava, his secretary before flinging his door right open.

Loving how it banged on the wall behind, effectively halting whatever was happening at his desk.

“What is the meaning of this?” Joe barked.

“I tried to stop her!” Ava rushed to explain, glaring. But I didn't pay her mind, not when my eyes were fixed on Joe's desk. The papers there, pen in his hand, and bitch Nicole's innocent looking face.

Don't want to get ahead of myself, but this scene sure makes you want to think something's been signed, doesn't it?

“You’re not about to sign her onto Oxygen, are you?” I questioned, staring at Joe.

He raised a brow. “And if I am?”

“If you are? That's my project.”

“Your project?” He laughed, “It seems you've forgotten how things work around here, Monroe. I am your boss. If I say you’re incompetent, you are. Now get out.”

What? Incompetent?

Where was that word when I ran all over the streets of this city just to land a presentation spot with Oxygen?!

Now I’d was suddenly incompetent?

“You will do no such thing, Joe!” I declared boldly, landing my hands on his desk. Nicole surprised. “You won't dare, else I will report you. Make petitions, against you and your fork-licking whore here!”

“Monroe!”

“Joe!”

He glared at me. His round jerk face meeting my stress ridden one, but I wasn't backing down, not now.

Had nothing to lose anyway. The only gaining was at the other side of this exchange and I'll be damned, literally if I go down without a fight.

“You're making accusations right now, Monroe.” He warned, “Harassing an employee. It's not Nicole's fault you're so incompetent and she more than capable.”

I almost laughed. Almost. “You think we're all blind here? Think we don't see that you're only doing this because you enjoy getting in her pants?”

“Monroe!”

“You're engaging in sexual relations with an employee, Joe!” I snapped, equally glaring.

“On top of that, you're misusing your authority. Playing favourites and handing out preferential treatments like cookies. That's all against company policy, isn't it? I’ll like to know what punishment awaits such gross level of misconduct.”

“I am still your boss around here, I am still the general manager here!” he tried to defend. His resistance was disgusting.

“Then act like it, Joe. Act like the manager and do your damned job!”

My voice echoed in the office. Silence and tension charged in the air. “Cleo and I have been the ones handling Oxygen,” I added, “We've been doing a perfect job if I dare say so. There's no reason for a transfer, don't you think?”

His eye twitched. The left one, letting me know this was sinking in. Every word.

Worked with him for almost 3 years now, I knew that much about him. I was winning.

To proof, “I don't,” he finally grunted out, unhappy. “The project won't be transferred anymore, Monroe you handle it.”

“What?!” Nicole shot up from her seat Finally abandoning the innocent girl cover. “Joey you said I will lead the project. I am the better option.”

“Plans changed,” Joe brushed her off. “Alina's doing the presentation. Tomorrow.”

Tomorrow? “The presentation is next week.” I corrected, but he smirked.

“You didn't receive the update, did you? Plans change, dates moved, Presentation is tomorrow. And it's on you.”

What?

“That's ridiculous!”

“Why? Are you pulling out now?” He taunted, “Want Boldlines to lose out on this big deal?

Oh see I what you're doing. I see.

Turning this on me now.

“No. I'll do it!” I declared, refusing to give him that satisfaction. “This project is mine, and I’ll land that contract.”

“You better.” He mocked, “Cause i have a lot of ways to make you regret it if you don't. I assure you.”

“Maybe start by not mixing business with pleasure?” I shot back, glancing at Nicole to make a point.

Her face went a biting shade of red, pissed. Making me smile in triumph as I saw myself out. “That’ll teach her not to steal people's things.”

But soon after leaving, reality started kicking in. My mind shifting from excitement at actually confronting my boss, to panic at the fact the presentation was actually tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

How was I to pull that off when I'd only been preparing for a presentation 2 weeks from now?

What if i flopped and ruined things instead? What happens to me then?

“Oh no…What have i gotten myself into?”