3. ~ R I V E R ~

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"Tell me if you want more, Riv!" Wilma, the housekeeper grinned at me as she placed the tea and chocolate chip cookies in front of me. I had to force myself to act like an adult and not bounce up and down right there on the couch because well, the King's baker was a world class baker and it showed in his food. 

I gave her a grin. "When have I ever shied away from these cookies, Wilm?"

Her laughter filled the room as she walked back into the kitchen.

I picked one up, letting the warmth spread through me.

I munched on my cookie, making sure I sounded obnoxious enough to grate on Edward's nerves. 

“You married, Edward?” I asked. I really wanted to know who the unlucky woman - or man - was. 

“Blissfully married with four children.” 

I had to double take at the fact that he had actually replied. Usually he treated me like the gum stuck to the bottom of his shoe. 

“Must be nice.” I said. 

“You wouldn't know.” He replied. 

Duh, I am not married yet. 

“What would an orphan know about the love of a family?” 

I froze. 

He did not just say that. 

I stared at him, fighting back curses and tears and the victorious look on his face told me that I was giving him exactly the reaction he was looking for. 

“That's none of your business.” I bit out. 

“Well,” He shrugged nonchalantly, taking a seat opposite mine and crossing his legs as if he was the boss of the house. “You seemed interested in mine. I was just being courteous and returning the interest.” 

I had to admit that I had walked right into this one myself. 

But I was also River Sterling. 

I did not walk away before having the last word. 

“So four children, huh?” I spoke up and by the way he recoiled like a snake, it was evident that he was bracing himself for the impact. “Must be tough. No wonder you are so desperate to jump from Mathew to Mr. King.” 

I knew I had hit the bull's eye by the way he flinched and lost color. 

But I didn't get the time to enjoy my moment of victory or him to respond to my absolutely true fact because right then, we heard the door to Mathew's room slam shut and the heavy, angry footsteps of my boss approaching. 

Edward quickly uncrossed his legs and the both of us stood up. 

“Is everything alright?” I knew it wasn't.  Because Xander looked around like he was about to explode. Though anger was his default emotion, there was something absolutely foreboding about the way he looked right now. 

“We are leaving.” He grabbed my wrist like he had done many times but today, his hold was much more firm and I did not think he realized he was hurting me as he dragged me to the front door. 

I stumbled alongside him, trying to keep up with his furious pace, Edward trailing behind us awkwardly.

"Mr. King, what happened?" I whispered urgently, tugging at his sleeve.

Xander whipped around, his eyes blazing with fury. "Do not fucking call me that right now!" he snarled, his grip on my wrist tightening.

Huh? What else was I supposed to call him but his name?

"You are hurting me, Mr. King." I dug my heels into the ground, trying to force him to a stop.

He stopped but I don't think for a second that it had anything to do with my strength. He turned around to face me and his eyes searched mine for a moment, before his expression softened into one of guilt and he released my wrist. "Sorry about that, Sterling."

Did my boss? My asshole boss? My pain in the ass boss? Did he just apologize to me? 

I wanted to say these words out loud but the way he looked told me that it was only right to cut him some slack for now and never let him forget this moment for the rest of his life!

I rubbed the red marks on my skin, my heart racing. "What did he say to you?"

Xander's jaw clenched, his eyes avoiding mine. "It's nothing."

"You are not in a position to demand answers from your boss." Edward huffed behind me.

I looked over my shoulder to throw a glare at him.

"Edward, go do whatever it is you do when you're not being a pain in the ass," Xander barked without turning around.

Edward turned red as a beet and I was sure that there were plenty of words that he wanted to use. But he didn't. Thank God for that. Instead, he turned on his heels and stormed off in the direction of Mathew's room.

"Are you okay?" I asked Xander.

"Do I look okay?" He raised a brow at me, his lips pursed so tight that they were nothing but a thin line.

"No." I said bluntly.

Xander looked at me for a moment, his eyes searching mine and then he smirked. "Always a breath of fresh air." 

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah yeah, gonna tell me what's going on or what?" 

"What did Edward say just now?" The smirk was still in place but his tone was firm. He did not want any discussion on it. 

Normally, I would have put up a fight. Because frankly, I liked to shove my nose in other people's businesses. But today, I needed to get home on time and I could not afford to piss my asshole boss off and end up working overtime. 

"Fine." I gave him my best saccharine smile and started to climb down the stairs. 

I could feel Xander's eyes boring into my butt as I did so but I refused to give him a reaction as I climbed into the passenger seat of the car waiting for us. 

I waited for Xander to get in the car before I closed my door but the prick just stood there staring blankly at me for who knows how long. 

"Are you sunbathing there or something?" I called out to him. 

Henry snorted next to me but quickly covered it up as a cough. Pussy. 

"You get going." He said finally. "I am going to go have lunch with my girlfriend." 

I raised a brow at him. "I thought you broke up with Trixie!" 

"I am talking about Trisha!" 

My left eye started to twitch again as I nodded. This man was trying to cause a pap frenzy, wasn't he? 

"Trisha?" Henry murmured as I closed the door. "As in Trisha Martin? Trixie's sister? No, right? It has to be someone else, right?" 

I sighed. "Alas..." 

"Damn, he rode them both sisters?" Henry whistled as he pulled out of the estate grounds. 

I shuddered and slapped his broad shoulder for putting those images in my mind. 

"He is going to make me pop a vein from stress one of these days." I told the older man, one of Mathew's most trusted drivers and security. 

"I would say you are doing pretty well, kiddo." He winked at me. 

I rolled my eyes at that. Why did everyone think that I had the Satan's PA role down pat? I did not. I was struggling everyday and I was going to die from an early stroke! 

My phone buzzed. 

I looked down and a smile appeared on my face. 

"Still going strong?" Henry hummed. 

I gave him a grin. "Stronger than ever." 

"What was his name again?" He asked. "Davis? David?"

"Dave." I rolled my eyes. 

"Don't keep me from you lovebirds sending each other flirty texts." Henry grinned like the old champ that he was. 

I could not keep the grin off my face as I texted him back, confirming that I was all set for our date tonight. 

"I have a feeling." I said. 

Henry chuckled. "You girls are always right when you have that feeling."

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