5 - JETT'S POV

I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at the dark screen for a very long time.

My hands were shaking so much that I almost dropped the expensive device onto the hardwood floor.

"Why the fuck does the new CEO want to see my personnel file?" I whispered to the empty living room.

Nobody answered me, and the heavy silence in my apartment only made my anxiety grow worse.

Dan had just dropped terrible news on my quiet life, and I did not know how to handle the sudden stress.

I tossed my phone onto the couch cushion, and I ran both hands through my messy brown hair.

My chest felt tight, and I struggled to pull a full breath of air into my lungs.

I spent the rest of my Saturday pacing back and forth across my worn living room rug.

My mind kept jumping between the mysterious man from the club and the terrifying new boss arriving on Monday.

I remembered the intense heat of the stranger pressing against my skin, and the memory made me feel sick with guilt.

I wanted a boring life, but I had ruined my own rules by sleeping with a man I did not even know.

I sat down on the edge of my bed, and I buried my face in my hands.

I wondered if I could just quit my job and find a new position before Monday morning.

The logical part of my brain reminded me that I needed the health insurance and the steady paycheck.

I had bills to pay, and I could not afford to run away from my problems.

I stood up from the bed, and I walked over to the living room window to look out at the city.

The busy streets below looked normal, but my own world felt chaotic and out of control.

I closed the blinds, and I went back into the kitchen to find a distraction.

I opened the refrigerator door to look for a bottle of cold water.

My eyes immediately landed on the package of raw steak sitting on the bottom glass shelf.

I felt the weird, intense craving in the back of my throat again, and my mouth actually watered at the sight of the red meat.

I felt a strong urge to tear the plastic open and eat the steak without cooking it.

The bizarre hunger scared me, and the mounting stress over my job quickly ruined my appetite anyway.

I slammed the refrigerator door shut, and I walked back into the living room to resume my endless pacing.

Sunday morning arrived with a gray sky, and the dread in my stomach grew much worse than before.

I needed to do something to keep my hands busy, so I grabbed a plastic bucket and filled it with soapy water.

I knelt on the kitchen floor, and I scrubbed the white tiles until my knuckles turned red and sore.

I wanted to scrub the scent of pine wood out of my memory, but the smell lingered stubbornly in my nose.

I washed every single dirty dish in the sink, and I dried them carefully with a clean cotton towel.

The repetitive motions helped me ignore the panic building in my chest, but the relief did not last long.

I finished cleaning the kitchen by noon, yet my anxious brain still refused to shut down and relax.

I carried the heavy bucket into the bathroom, and I scrubbed the bathtub until my arms ached from the hard labor.

I wiped down the bathroom mirror, and I refused to look at my own tired reflection in the glass.

I spent several hours cleaning every inch of the small apartment because I dreaded the arrival of Monday morning.

I wanted to hide under my warm blankets and pretend the corporate world did not exist, but I needed the paycheck to survive.

I finally collapsed onto my bed late Sunday night, and I stared up at the dark ceiling for hours.

I barely slept for more than two hours, and my stiff body ached when the alarm clock blared at six in the morning.

I groaned loudly, and I reached out a heavy arm to slap the snooze button on my nightstand.

I forced myself to roll out of bed, and I walked into the cold bathroom to splash freezing water on my face.

The cold water shocked my tired system, and I stared at the dark circles under my eyes in the mirror.

I looked terrible, and I knew I needed to dress perfectly to impress the strict new boss today.

I walked into my bedroom, and I picked out my most expensive grey suit from the small closet.

I buttoned my crisp white dress shirt, and I tied my dark blue tie as tight as I could stand.

I grabbed my leather briefcase from the chair, and I locked the front door of my apartment behind me.

The morning air felt crisp against my cheeks, but I was already sweating under my heavy suit jacket.

I walked down the busy street, and I swiped my plastic pass to enter the crowded subway station.

The loud noises of the underground station made my head pound, and I squeezed onto a packed train car.

The train car smelled like stale coffee and cheap perfume.

I stood near the doors, and I held onto the metal pole to keep my balance.

The train rattled along the tracks, and every loud noise made me flinch.

I watched the other passengers read their phones and drink their morning coffee.

They all looked so calm, and I envied their normal, boring routines.

The train ride felt absolutely endless, and I tapped my dress shoes against the metal floor the entire time.

I stepped off the train and walked the final two blocks toward the massive corporate headquarters.

The tall glass tower loomed over the busy city street, and I took a deep breath before I walked through the revolving doors.

I crossed the grand marble lobby, and I pressed the silver button for the main executive elevator.

The metal doors opened on the top floor, and I stepped out into the chaotic and loud office.

The entire floor buzzed with nervous energy because everyone knew the new CEO was arriving this morning.

Coworkers whispered in small groups, and nobody seemed to be doing any actual work.

I walked past the breakroom, and I smelled the burnt scent of old coffee brewing in the pot.

Several people stood near the copy machine, and they whispered furiously to each other.

I ignored them, and I kept my head down until I reached my small desk.

I saw Dan standing near the water cooler with a frantic look on his face.

"D-did you find out anything else about him over the weekend?" I asked while I set my briefcase on my rolling chair.