Under His Command

Riley POV

“How can one man be so annoying?” I asked, leaning against the breakroom counter, arms crossed tightly over my chest. 

My best friend, Chloe, nodded sympathetically, though her eyes were glued to the scene unfolding outside the large office window. Jaxon Steele, our boss and resident tyrant, was doing what he did best—tearing someone down.

“You’d think with all that money, he could at least afford some decency,” Chloe muttered, pushing a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear as she watched in disbelief. 

I shook my head. 

"Decency and Jaxon don’t belong in the same sentence. He’s all arrogance and cruelty" I said with disdain obvious in my voice.

We both stared as Jaxon’s deep, commanding voice echoed across the office floor. The poor guy he was ripping into—Eric from accounting—stood there shaking, his face turning redder by the second. 

Jaxon was relentless, his tall, muscular frame towering over Eric like a lion about to devour its prey.

I hated him. Every fiber of my being loathed Jaxon Steele. It wasn’t just his good looks or the way his expensive suits clung to his broad shoulders. It was his arrogance, the way he walked around like he owned the world, the way he treated people like they were beneath him. And maybe, in his mind, we were.

“Look at him,” I whispered harshly. “He’s tearing that poor guy to shreds.”

Chloe winced as Eric’s lip started to tremble. 

"God, he’s going to cry."

And sure enough, Eric did. His shoulders began to shake as he fought back sobs, but Jaxon wasn’t done. No, he never stopped until someone was completely broken.

“You really thought these numbers would pass?” Jaxon’s voice boomed. “How incompetent do you have to be? Fix it, or pack up your desk and get the hell out of my building.”

I gritted my teeth as Eric stumbled away, humiliated, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. My heart sank. As much as I wanted to hate the guy for caving under Jaxon’s pressure, I couldn’t. No one should be treated like that. 

“I’m going to check on him,” I muttered to Chloe, who shot me a warning glance.

“Riley, don’t. You know what Jaxon’s like.”

I didn’t listen. My legs were already moving before I could stop myself. Crossing the room quickly, I reached Eric just as he collapsed into his chair, burying his face in his hands.

“Hey,” I said softly, placing a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay. He’s an asshole. Don’t let him get to you.”

Eric sniffed, his voice cracking as he tried to hold back more tears. 

“I’m gonna lose my job, Riley. I messed up” He cried miserably.

“Everyone messes up. Jaxon’s just—” I stopped, glancing over my shoulder to make sure he wasn’t watching us. But it was too late.

Jaxon was already walking toward us, his stormy eyes locked on me with a look that made my stomach tighten. 

He crossed the room in a few long strides, and before I knew it, he was standing right in front of me, towering over me like an angry god.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Lawson?” he growled, his voice dripping with disdain. “Comforting him? What are you, his babysitter?”

I clenched my jaw, trying to stay calm, but my heart was racing. 

“He didn’t deserve what you did to him, Sir" I replied nervously, my eyes plastered on the floor because I was afraid of his dreadful gaze.

Jaxon’s eyes narrowed dangerously, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. 

“Oh, look at you, playing hero. Do you really think I care what you think, Lawson? You’re just as useless as him. Now get back to your desk before I remind you why you’re lucky to still have a job here" Jaxon said, his harsh tone leaving no room for argument.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. I wanted to tell him off, to say something—anything—but I couldn’t. 

I needed this job. With a final glare, Jaxon turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing through the now-silent office.

I sank back into my chair, my hands shaking with a mix of anger and frustration. 

Chloe shot me a sympathetic look from across the room, but I just shook my head. There was nothing to say. Jaxon Steele had done it again—reminded me of just how powerless I was.

By lunchtime, the tension in the office was still thick. People kept their heads down, avoiding Jaxon as much as possible. 

I needed to get away, clear my head. I headed for the restroom, hoping for a moment of peace.

As I pushed open the door, I noticed something strange. A low, muffled sound—like… moaning? My brow furrowed, and I took a step closer. 

The noise was coming from one of the stalls at the far end. It was unmistakable now—soft moans, the rustling of clothes. My heart pounded in my chest, and curiosity got the better of me.

I moved quietly, my footsteps barely audible on the tile floor. I shouldn’t be here. I should leave. But something kept me rooted in place, inching closer to the stall. Then, the door to the stall creaked open—just a crack—and I froze.

My breath caught in my throat.

Inside, I saw Jaxon Steele. His suit jacket was tossed over the stall door, his shirt unbuttoned slightly. Kneeling in front of him was Eric, the same employee he had humiliated just hours earlier, his face flushed as he... I couldn’t even process what I was seeing.

Jaxon’s gaze snapped to mine, his expression unreadable for a moment before it twisted into a furious glare. 

He didn’t move, though. He didn’t stop. He just watched me, his eyes dark with something between anger and... something else I couldn’t place.

One thing was for sure—things at Steele Enterprises had just gotten a lot more complicated.