Chapter 7: Tit for Tat

~Anyssa’s Pov~

Do this. Do that. Fix this. Fix that. I know he is my boss, but he doesn’t have to be a dick while acting like one. It’s been a week since I came back to New York for my internship.

Ronan—oh, excuse me—Alpha Ronan, has been a complete dick this whole time. It’s like I can’t even stand him, but I have to bear it because he owns the condo I stay in, and it’s expensive here in this city. Luckily, I called in sick today. What? A girl’s gotta do what she has to do. A day at home resting and licking ice cream is not a bad idea.

I rushed down immediately as the doorbell rang, ice cream in hand. I hope it’s the pizza I just ordered. I opened the door and stared at Ronan, standing at the entrance. His hands were in his pockets, and he looked at me with disapproval, head tilted.

“You’re supposed to be sick, aren’t you?”

“W-What are you doing here?” I stepped back, allowing him in.

“This house is still under my name, so it is my house,” he said, eyes on my bucket of ice cream. “I thought you had the flu. Are you supposed to be taking that?”

Shit. I faked a cough, holding my hand to my mouth, faking a faint voice. “I’m still not feeling good. I just needed something cold, and I had to take the ice cream.”

“Is that so? Weird.”

“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at work. Do you want me to do anything for you?”

“Oh, no no. I came to see the sick girl,” he said, taking a few steps closer to me. I backtracked. Even though my hands were practically shaking because of this bucket of ice cream, I shouldn’t give him a reason to sniff out my lie.

He got closer and placed his hands on my forehead and neck, checking for a temperature, I assume. I froze as I waited for him to step back.

“You’re not hot. You’re warm.”

“Well, I’m getting better.”

“Hmm,” he nodded and walked back to the chair.

“What? Are you here to harass me in my home because you didn’t believe me when I said I had the flu?”

“Correction—my home. Secondly, I really do not believe your crap about being sick. No one gets healed from the flu in a few hours.”

“Well, I took really strong meds.”

“I really do not believe anything you’re saying right now,” he said as he sat down, crossing his legs.

“I want to believe you, Nyssa, I really do. But I can’t.”

“Why?” What a stupid thing to ask him. Jesus.

“For one, I know you don’t want to be here. Trust me, I’m doing you a favor. You get to experience the real world and get a paycheck to sort out your bills. You don’t have to act like you love it here, cut the crap out.”

“That’s—”

“And don’t lie to me. I know you’re lying,” he announced, pointing to the chair opposite him. “Sit.”

He knows now. I don’t know, it’s like he’s worse than that. He can detect when I’m lying and pretending… it’s like he’s using some voodoo or something. I listened, and like a good girl, I sat on the chair, no questions asked.

“So now you know I’m lying. Look, I’m sorry, okay? It’s just so hard for me to articulate everything that’s going on with me right now. I just left a city that I thought was my home, and I’m here in this big city—working. I know my father practically asked you to babysit me, but I don’t need that. I also don’t need you to act like you want me here; I know you don’t.”

“Glad we are making progress, but the only way we can work together is to at least understand each other.”

An opportunity is staring right at me, and I won’t take it?

“If you really want to understand me, I have a request to make.”

“I’m listening.”

“I’ll work seamlessly for months. No breaks. No quitting. But you don’t tell my father what’s going on with me here in New York. Agreed?”

“On one condition,” he said.

“Which is?”

“A party is coming up. It’s a big one with many of our clients, competitors, present and future investors. I received the invitation two days ago. The only thing is that I need someone to take me to this party since it’s a plus-one event.”

“So you need a date?”

He paused. “No. A plus one.”

“Same thing. Sure, I can be your date to this party.”

With a cocked eyebrow and questioning look, he scoffed.

“What? I’m serious. I’ll be your date to this party. Just give me your word that you won’t tell my father anything.”

“Definitely.”

“Since that’s settled,” he stood up and walked to the door. “I’ll be picking you up tomorrow by 8 p.m. Dress appropriately,” he said and walked out.

—------------------------------------------------------

The day came quickly, even though I spent half of it looking for a nice dress for the date. I had to settle for an off-shoulder, elegant mermaid dress, a high bun that lifted my face, and some nice heels to pair with it. I had readied myself and sat down when I heard the horn of his car.

He stepped out of the car, looking me straight in the eye as I walked down the patio to meet him. He just stared without saying a word.

“At least open the car door for me to enter. Isn't that what a real gentleman should do?”

He continued staring.

“Ronan,” I snapped my fingers. “The car?”

“Oh yeah.”

Weird.