THE BOSS

Kyla blinked several times, hoping to God all of this was an illusion. How could Taylan of all people be her boss?

So his father’s company he talked about taking over was here?

This was so messed up.

Freaking messed up.

Taylan, clad in a well-tailored professional suit, had a sweet smile on his face as he stood in front of them. Their eyes met, and Kyla’s throat went dry. It was like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her head.

Someone nudged her from the side; only then did she realize she was still sitting.

“Oh,” the chair creaked behind her as she rose to her feet. “I’m sorry.”

Her fingers clutched onto the hem of her dress, her heart pounding in her ears.

Taylan began to address the crowd, introducing himself. Taylan Grason, a twenty-seven-year-old acting CEO of the company. It was pretty hard to tell it was the same man she had met at the club. The same man—she had told many things about herself, including her condition. She had strongly hoped they wouldn’t part, and now seeing him before her spins her world.

He glanced at her a few times as he spoke, so she tried her best to focus her gaze more on her file. What if Taylan was upset about that night? What if he brings it up?

Was she about to be sacked on her first day?

Besides, if Carlos finds out about this, it could lead to a problem.

After his speech, he excused himself for a meeting, giving her one last look before striding out of the room.

As they entered the elevator to the next floor, Kyla tried not to think of the unexpected boss. She distracted herself by counting the interns.

There are fourteen. Fourteen? Weren’t there fifteen who passed the application?

“He is hot,” a woman beside her said.

At first, Kyla wasn’t sure she was referring to her until those siren night eyes met with hers. She has beautiful light skin, full lips, a sharp nose, and long black hair that falls over her shoulder.

She’d seen her somewhere. Felt that sassy vibe.

The woman took her silence as a question. “I’m talking about the CEO. I saw the way you stared at him earlier.”

“Oh. I… I… No. Don’t get me wrong.” Kyla laughed nervously. “He just looked like someone I knew.”

“It’s fine. I mean, he is handsome, tall, rich, and sweet. Any woman would fall for him,” she said.

Kyla shrugged, unsure what to answer.

“I’m Shayla, by the way.”

Kyla’s smile flattered. Shayla?

Her head snapped to her, sighting the smirk lingering on her red lips. It was her. The weird unicorn woman at Jayden’s party, who had directed her to Jayden’s room. It was the same Shayla, the girl screwed by Jayden talked about.

“I’ve always wanted to meet you, country girl.” Shayla’s smirk widened. “Jay talks a lot about you. Kyla Harper.”

Kyla clutched her file close to her chest. “What are you doing here?”

“What do you mean, what am I doing here? I’m an intern, of course,” she shrugged. “You’re not the only smart person in the world, country girl.”

“Don’t call me that. I don't know how you got here or whatever strings you'd pull, but I'll advise you to stay away from me.” Kyla averted her gaze and took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

Why was she getting riled up all of a sudden? She wasn’t even with Jayden anymore. They’ve split. Seeing a total skank he'd hooked up with shouldn’t upset her this much.

What a great day to start her internship.

“I heard you are hooking up with his uncle.”

Kyla's jaw ticked. Oh, this bitch.

She continued, her voice a whisper for only her to hear. “And now you are hitting on the CEO. Men in suits are your type, huh?”

Before Kyla could give her a snarky reply, the elevator opened, and their supervisor, Elizabeth, was already waiting at the threshold, causing Kyla to shut her mouth.

They were taken on a tour, guided through different sections like the treatment rooms, the surgery wings, recovery kennels, and research labs. The great facilities made Kyla feel awe and nervous at the same time. It was both exciting and intimidating.

But each time she met Shayla’s gaze, her blood ran cold.

How was she going to work with this bitch around? She was even surprisingly taking the training well.

“Only a few of you would become a full employee,” Elizabeth said. “You are all dismissed for a twenty-minute break.”

While waiting for her food at the company’s cafeteria, Kyla checked her messages from Carlos. The Captain-nowhere had finally replied.

CARLOS: Be home on or before 8 pm. Don’t be late.

Kyla almost rolled her eyes. He didn’t even acknowledge her appreciation of the dress he had bought for her or ask how her first day at work was going.

The rest of the day went on with a few training sessions and tasks, and Kyla made sure she didn’t make any mistakes. And for Shayla, they didn’t exchange further words until the end of the training.

“Miss Harper”

Kyla paused at Elizabeth’s call.

“The CEO would like to see you in his office.”

Oh shit. She'd almost forget about this man.

Elizabeth led her to a private elevator, one that led straight to the top floor. The CEO office. It was grand as expected, with polished ground and high walls. They stopped in front of a double French door. Elizabeth announced her presence, and Taylan’s deep, gentle voice followed with permission.

The door groaned lightly as she opened it. And there he was. Behind the desk, head buried in his file with a serious look.

Was she in trouble?

“One moment,” he signed off the last file. “And… Done,” he mumbled.

He dropped his pen and met her gaze with a smile, which Kyla tried to mirror but might have looked awkward.

“It’s good to see you again, Miss Harper. I hope this isn’t overwhelming.”

“Maybe,” she swallowed. “Are you going to fire me?”

His eyes flew wide. “What? No. No. I’ll never do that. Our first encounter doesn’t affect this. I mean, I saw your resume and already knew we’d meet.”

“So you accepted me because…”

“Because you’re brilliant,” he completed. “Your file stood out among the others. There wasn’t any favoritism if that is what you were worried about.”

She breathed out in relief.

“Have a seat,” he offered.

She contemplated for a moment before obliging.

“If you aren’t sacking me, then… why am I here?”

Her voice cracked at the end. She cursed herself for it.

Taylan leaned back in his chair. Gaze unreadable as they pierced through her. One finger tapping his desk repeatedly sounded louder than it should. On his seat, he looked more like a CEO than a regular sweet guy she'd met in a crazy club.

"You here," he began firmly. "So we can clear the air before this becomes more complicated than this."

"Complicated?" Kyla's throat bobbed, her tone much lower. "You mean the club?"

A beat of silence. He nodded.

"Yes. The club. That night"

Her heart sank in her stomach. Fingers clutching her file closer. She knew they would talk about it but never expected it to be this soon.

"I don't regret it," he continued. "What I regret was walking away without a proper explanation."

Kyla blinked. Stunned. Unsure if he was apologizing or making it worse.

"Mr. Grason I won't say a word. We don't have to talk about this. I'll just pretend it never happened. I promise I..."

"Miss Harper," he stopped her, leaning forward. If she could guess the look on his face, she must have misunderstood him. "I'm not trying to erase. I'm just trying to say I shouldn't have left the way I did. I wanted you to know that I left because I had to. No choice."

Kyla pulled her lower lip between her teeth. Should she be relieved?

"Look, like I said, you won this position fair and square, and I'm not going to jeopardize that. I want you to succeed. But I'm not going to pretend that night didn't matter," he paused, then firmly added. "It did."

Kyla took a deep breath. "Mr. Grason"

"Taylan," he corrected gently.

Kyla's lips parted with no words. This felt like she was stepping on ice.

Taylan smiled. Subtle. Soft.

"Welcome to the company, Kyla."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh shit, babe, that is messed up," Chelsea said on the video call.

"Yes, it is. How am I going to work with all of these happening?" Kyla said, picking her fingers as she paced the room.

"How come you're just telling me this? About what happened with Taylan. About your guardian showing up and turning out to be Michael's boss. The freaking owner of the club."

"I have no excuse, and I'm sorry. I kinda freaked out and don't know how to tell you."

"It's almost a week since we went to the club, Kyla. I took you there and should have known everything."

Kyla sat in front of the dresser. Her phone was facing her. "I'm sorry. Scratch that. What am I going to do? Taylan is my freaking boss. A man I almost had a one-night stand with."

"Does that bother him?"

"No. He is fine with me working. He doesn't mind as long as I do my job. He was surprisingly calm and sweet while I thought he was going to fire me."

"Then why are you freaking out?"

Carlos. He was the reason why she was freaking out. She doesn't know the exact reason. That man scares her and also doesn't. She hates him, yet her body felt safe around him.

"Maybe you should quit if it's too awkward," Chelsea added. "I mean, your guardian is freaking rich."

"Have you seen this company? Chels It's great. More like my dream coming true. They have all kinds of facilities. I could secure a great role and earn big."

"You sound like you're loving the city."

Kyla gave an eye roll. "No. Just the job, but every other thing else is choking me."

"Including me?"

"Stop being dramatic."

"Just be yourself, stronghead." Chelsea smiled. "By the way, my mom will be back from Paris soon. Told her about you already. She can't wait to hang out."

"Yeah. Thanks. Bye, Chels."

After the call ended, Kyla changed into a red bikini and headed to the private pool at the back of the house. Swimming was one of her hobbies. It helps her think.

So much had happened today. First, her therapist's advice. Jayden's bitch is her coworker and her new boss, who seem to still like her. Mostly the first bothered her.

‘I can’t give you what you want.’

Kyla recalled Carlos’s words as she swam. True, he can’t. He is not even into her gender. What if he keeps on denying her? Does that mean she has to find another man whose touch works on her?

Kyla emerged out of the water and gasped at the sight of Carlos.

He was sitting under the patio. Only in black pants. Shirt off. Chest bare, and good fucking Lord, his abs were fire. A silver necklace dangling, glittering along with his earrings. His hair was wet as if he'd just gotten out of the pool. The water trailed down his face, his eyes glasses and the curve of his jaw in a sinful manner giving him that exquisite look that would make heat sink in the depth of your stomach.

Her eyes travelled further, shifting down until his voice broke through her thought.

"Enjoying the show?"

Kyla blinked, face almost red. "I... I didn't know you... were home."

"Of course I am." He stood, grabbing his black shirt and putting it on. "Come out; we need to talk."

"What. No. I just got into the pool. You can't leave for almost a week and expect to throw commands to be obeyed."

He sighed and turned.

"Where have you been?" she asked.

"Working," he replied like she had just asked about the weather. "I don't live here; I've got my own places. Here is yours to stay."

So that explains why he was hardly home.

"Does that mean I can do whatever I want here?"

He stared at her for a breath longer. "That depends."

He paused enough for her to take his words in. "Now tell me. How is the job I asked you not to take but you did anyway?"

"It went well. Really nice. The facilities are insane, and I think that is exactly where I needed to be."

"Where you needed to be," he echoed.

"Yes."

His jaw flexed as he straightened. "I told you not to take it."

"And I told you I can handle myself. You asked me to live a life, remember? Just because you're my guardian doesn't mean you can control everything I do. I have dreams, Mr. Redd. If you can't accept the way I am, I would love to go back."

He said nothing for a while. "Guess you're doing alright. Just keep up with the time. Let me know if there's anything weird. Have a nice day."

"Wait!" She shouted before he could take the fourth step.

She pushed herself out of the pool. Then ran her fingers through her wet hair. The droplets dripping down her body. That was when she saw it. The way his Adam's apple bobbed as his eyes raked over her. Her stomach sank. She hated it. Hated the way her body betrayed her around him. This man scares her, pushes her, and corners her with his words. Barely around.

But each time he shows up, every inch of her feels it, even though she hates to admit it.

Kyla didn't grab the towel to cover up. Didn't stop approaching in a slow, deliberate, seductive way. She let those eyes rake over her. Neck, collarbone, the swell of her breast, down to her navel, to her thighs. Then slowly back to her face.

He looked away as if he had been caught in a crime.

She heard him mutter something in Italian under his breath. A curse, maybe.

"I need to talk to you." She folded her arms with a smirk dancing at the corner of her lips.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. Shut his eyes tightly for a moment before giving her a questioning look. Blank. Unreadable.

"I talked to my therapist this morning,” she began, surprised her voice was steady.

“Therapist?”

“Yeah. About... you know. I flinch at men’s touch.”

He stiffened. Or maybe she had imagined it. He stayed quiet, waiting for her to continue.

“I told her about that night, of us.”

He raised a brow. "Of us?”

“Yeah, you touched me, and I didn’t flinch.”

“Kyla, you should forget about that night…” He paused. “I don’t want you near the club. I will stay away from you. You just have to tell me anywhere you go, who you’re with, and the things you need. I’ll have my eyes on you. Do you understand?”

“No, wait. You don’t understand. I want you to do more.”

He sucked in a sharp breath.

“No,” he shook his head. “I wasn’t really in my right mind when I showed you all that. I shouldn't have touched you by any means. We've talked about this before; I can't give you what you want.”

"Be my master..."

"We are not doing this. Ask a million times if you want. My answer won’t change. I won’t cross the boundaries of what we are." He removed her hand from his chest. "I am your guardian, Miss Harper."

"You can guard me with other things, Mr. Redd. I don't mind. And I don't have to be worried since you're not into women.

"Kyla..."

"You own the club. You must have experience or seen a lot of activities here." She stepped closer, placing her hands on his chest. "Just imagine me as one of those guys you'd ruin on your..."

He grabbed her hand in a swift movement, sending the last bit back to her throat. His eyes held the kind of darkness that intimidate, yet attracted her.

"No." He stated firmly, but his breath says the opposite.

She'd almost let in the thought that he must have lied about his sex preferences.

"Is this because of your boyfriend in Tokyo?"

Now that she thought of it. Chelsea might be right. What if Carlos had brought that up to draw a line between them?

"Hm. Yeah. That too and other things."

"Then let me see a picture of you and him," she demanded with a hand.

His jaw ticked as he released her. She thought he was going to bring out his phone. He didn't.

"I don't take pictures."

"Or he doesn't exist."

"We are not having this conversation," he snapped and raised his index finger. "Not now or ever"

He turned to leave, but she wasn't done.

"I guess I'll find another man to be my master."

He halted. Shoulder tensed.

"There are roughly millions out there that would want to hook up with me. I'll try every one of their touches and see who fits just like you. Starting from your club. I'll break every one of your rules and keep going there. And while I do," she began walking past him. "I'll need you to stay the fuck out of my way."

She didn't mean her words.

Or maybe she does.

She knew those words would rile him up, but she cared less.

Kyla hadn't taken her third step when he yanked her back. One moment, she was close to the door, and the next, she was pinned against the wall. Carlos's broad frame looming over her. Both of her hands pressed above her. She met those cold icy blue eyes pinning her in place. Her heart pounded as his breath ghosted over her cheek.

“Do you ever think before you speak, Kyla? Every time you open your mouth, you press against a button you shouldn’t touch. I am not the man you test. Stop dragging me to the brink of a fire you cannot extinguish.”

Her chest rose and fell, but she wasn’t hearing him the way she should. His words fade off the second he speaks. But her gaze was locked somewhere else.

His lips. Firm. Parted. Beautiful. Tempting.

She bit her own lip to stop herself from the painful craving to bite his.

“Look at me,” he demanded. “And not like that. Not as a man you want to… devour. See me as your blood. As your uncle. As your brother. As your father if you must. Any damned thing but this. Because I will not be that man for you.”

Her eyes didn’t budge. They stayed fixed on his mouth, hunger flaring in her veins.

Carlos noticed. His jaw clenched, his grip tightening on her wrists above her head. He leaned closer, his voice slicing through her fog.

“You’re not listening, Miss Harper.”

Her lips curved, wicked and reckless.

“I am... Daddy.”