Chapter 5: Sheep Among Wolves

Avery

"What the hell are you doing sitting on that chair?!" she retorted, striding across the large glassy office to the table.

"Are you blind or plain dumb? This is my chair, of course!" he retorted.

"I don't believe you one inch. You think people's lives revolve around your scrawny fingers?"she said, dramatically. "Get off that chair and tell me where to find Michael King!"

A couple of hours ago, the same stranger had almost ruined her chance at a good day. He'd called her names and hurled insults on her. Rich boys, she concluded, are a rotten piece of arrogant minions, spoilt to a fault.

If he had any funny intention of stifling her chance of getting this job, Avery swore that she'd fuck him up in the ass first.

"How dare you call my fingers scrawny?!" he raved, "Do you know how much it takes me to perfect my manicure?" he said, displaying his fingers as if she cared on bit.

"Awww, " she pouted comically, "someone's ego just got bruised. Sorry, big baby, don't cry. Mama is on her way."

He slapped his large hand on the table "Show your boss some respect, young lady! I'll not condone such insolence!"

"Boss my fucking foot!" She spat, undeterred by his show of anger. "The Michael King I know would never strive with a gentle girl like me over a taxi he didn't call, because he commands a fleet of expensive model cars."

He opened his mouth to say something, but Avery shushed him. She's far from done.

"And you know what?" she continued, tamping her voice to a low murmur, leaning her hands against the table. "Michael King is my crush. He's the first person I think off when I wake up, and the last image on my mind before I go to bed. I'd be the luckiest girl in Empire City if he kisses me." Her voice rose to the former growl, "But you, you're just a decayed piece of shit! I'd rather kiss a skunk's butt than be in the same room with you!"

He frowned at her villainously, his face burning with bottled anger. Choosing rather to be a gentleman, he punched the button on the intercom. "Mr Brown, come to my office right away!"

Mr Brown? The same Mr Brown? Her heart picked up a heightened pace.

She stood straight, maintaining a reasonable distance from the table. He just called Mr Brown! Does that mean he's...

No, no, no! It can't be! He can't be him!

"Ms Lilly, bring the files to my office right now!" he said in a near yell, speaking into the intercom.

By now, Avery's face had gone ashen. She drew in long breaths, dousing the inferno raging inside her. The fear of losing the job twisted her stomach. How would she raise two million dollars to save her mother?

When he detected the change in her mood, he leaned into the swivel chair and crossed his legs on the table, fingers steepled. A contemptuous smirk lifted the corner of his lips. "Who else were you expected?"

Definitely not you, she thought.

He dropped his legs on the tiled floor, and rested his elbows on the table, fingers crossed, "Are you disappointed, Ms Avery Sallow?"

Her heart skipped a beat. How did the jerk know her name. Suddenly, she glanced over his shoulder and saw the bill board advertising Michael King. Only that the Michael King she knew -sported a smooth low-cut beard. The Michael King sitting across the table was clean shaven. Now, her stance was beginning to tremble.

He's the one. Shit, he's the one!

Michael King, the famous multi-millionaire, prolific designer, and the most eligible bachelor in Empire City...her crush. Mortal mortification enveloped her when she recalled how she'd indirectly blurted out her feelings for him.

"But, your beard," she said in a whisper. The fountain of courage dried up instantly, replaced by a parched desert of fear. "What happened to it?"

He leaned back into the chair, and assumed his former position. "I decided to wear a new look. You know, change is constant," he shrugged, punching the end of a pen repeatedly. "What do you think? Do you like it?"

'You look delicious', she wanted to say. 'I want to jump over this table and kiss you senseless. Do you know what you've done to me? Mere looking at you, I rub my nipples, and clit until they're red and sore.'

"It suits you, sir," she finally said, biting her bottom lip, aware of herself.

Her hands clutched her folder tightly. Her legs are tired of standing, and she realized she needed to sit. A minute longer and her knees would give out.

She eyed one of the visitor's seats, and wished she could dive into it. But she held back, remembering the tasteless episode she had with Mr Brown. She wondered what the lecher said about her to convince his boss to hire her.

He'd sworn she'd never step foot on the premises for as long as he's in the establishment. It's either Mr Brown had a change of heart, or Michael King had sinister plans up his royal blue sleeves.

She remembered Michael promising her hell on earth, if she crossed paths with him again, and her skin crawled. However, she's made up her mind to raise the money for the heart surgery, even if it meant dining with the devil.

Soon, the elevator dinged open. She decided not to look behind her to know who it was. She knew who entered. Mr Brown took the space beside her, looking everywhere but her.

A sliver of courage rose up in her. The urge to dent his bald head another pride-shattering slap crippled her, but she decided against it. There'd be plenty of time for that.

"You sent for me, boss,'' he said, bowing slightly.

"Yes I did." he cleared his throat, wearing a frown. "You'll be in charge of putting Ms Avery through the rubrics of her job. I don't want her faltering while working or me-"

"I don't need him," she intercepted strongly, raising her chin. The last thing she wanted was to be answerable to the sleazeball. "I know what is required of me as a personal assistant, and I'm a fast learner."

She glanced at Mr Brown, giving him the 'do-you-want-me-to-talk' look. He dropped his gaze to Michael, sweating, despite the blast from the air condition.

"I think Ms Avery is capable of handling the job. She's proven to be industrious in many ways that'll benefit the company."

Michael shifted glances between Mr Brown and Avery, brows furrowed. He was about to say something when the elevator opened the second time, ushering in the awaited Ms Lilly.

"I'm sorry for coming later than expected." A lively voice echoed behind a towering stack of papers. "I had to gather all the files as you said, sir."

When Avery heard Michael asking Lilly to bring the files, she thought it was nothing more than a couple of papers. Her jaws dropped to the ground, staring at the heavy stack in Lilly's hands.

What the...

The pretty lady was just as tall as Avery. Like Avery, a pair of glasses sat on the bridge of her nose. Avery doubted if she had impaired sight. She wore it purely for the aesthetics.

She wore a tight sky blue shirt that had its sleeves rolled up to the forearm. Its top buttons were left open, exposing her fair cleavage. Her black skirt was cut to kill. It barely reached the middle of her thighs.

What's wrong with the females in this establishment? Did she by mistake, stroll into a strip club? she wondered, shaking her head distastefully.

Mr Brown licked his lips, trailing his bulbous eyes over her. Lilly dropped the stack on Michael's table, bending more than necessary to feed him her jugs, pinning a stray brown strand behind her ear.

Michael looked away and picked the top file. He seemed the least interested. Setting the paper aside, he told her, "From now henceforth, you'll work with Mr Brown as his secretary. Ms Avery here will take over from you as my personal assistant."

She jerked upright, obviously not in favor of Michael abrupt decision. "But, sir, I've done my job well all these years. If you're not satisfied with my work, please, tell me, and I'll do my best to adjust to your taste," she pleaded, smoothing the regions around her breasts, which made Avery develop an ache in the head. "I can do anything to keep my j-"

"Are we clear on that, Ms Lilly?" His face was rid of emotions.

She flashed Avery a devious look before responding, "Yes sir."

Michael extended his hand to Avery, his mouth curved in a charming smile, "Congratulations, Ms Avery Sallow, you've been employed as my personal assistant."

While Mr Brown couldn't get enough of Lilly's boobs, unbothered by the latter's furious gaze at her, Avery knew that her employment at KFH would be the end of her. She's the proverbial sheep who has wandered into a pack of hungry wolves.

Shit!