Hired To Be Mine

Chapter 2

Salim had his trade mark grin plastered on his face, which made any hot blooded women's knees go weak, as he walked through the corridors of his office. He passed an elderly lady clerk who was fumbling with a stack of files in her hands, and winked at her. She blushed like a school girl though she could surpass Salim's grand mother's age. He smiled to himself at the older womans reaction. Satisfied that his charming effects still were intact, though he hadn't gotten a chance to use them much recently.

"Good morning Richard", he greeted his bodyguard c*m personal trainer c*m good friend, on his way to his cabin,

'Good morning", the intimidating Canadian male mumbled distractedly as he stared at a file with scrutinizing eyes. But as the greeting registered in his mind, he looked up at his boss who was walking into his office and received a shock. Salim was actually grinning.

He wasn't shocked by his boss's charming smile, he had seen it for a longer while now. But what shocked him was that there was a genuine smile on his face behind that sexy smirk. He haven't seen that look on his face since that woman left his life. And definitely not since she reappeared into his life, suddenly on a normal day, in the middle of a park, with her husband and a very pregnant belly. One year and here she was, happily married and moved on. Where as his boss, Mr.Salim Sheik, The Salim Sheik, who was regarded as the most sexiest man in business industry was still exactly where she left him. It angered Richard to heights. That how a mere woman changed his boss's life so drastically. How a happy, charming, full of life Salim turned into a moody, brooding, lifeless entrepreneur.

But today, just thirteen days after that unfateful day, his boss looked at peace. And no one else than him could be more happy, "The Shrink must be doing you some good, I think" he said, entering his boss's chamber behind him.

Salim rounded his glass table and sat his ass comfortably into the leather chair. He sighed, "You could say that", he said closing his eyes,

"You look better" he said carefully, not adding his thoughts, 'Seeing what you encountered two weeks ago'.

"Wasn't I well before?" Salim asked interweaving his fingers, his eyes still closed.

"I didn't mean it like that, Sir. I.." Salim cut him off by sitting erectly, placing his hands flat on the table and leaning forward,

"Relax Richard" he said with a mischievous smile after giving him a mock angry look. Richard inwardly smiled, knowing well that his boss wasn't a man you would cross paths with, if he wasn't pleased. He could be dangerous despite his charming nature. "I was just pulling your leg" he said resting his elbows on the table and his face in both his palms. He looked so young and carefree, no one would believe that he was twenty six years old.

"So, where's my favorite secretary?" he asked leaning back into the chair.

"uh.." Richard looked flustered at the mention of Ms.Kelly Foreman, Salim's thirty year old secretary. "She was waiting for you actually"

"Was she?" Salim asked in mock surprise, as he enjoyed his bodyguard's discomfort. Kelly and Richard has this thing for each other but they never act on it. Richard is too uptight where as Kelly is too shy to say anything. "Then lets call her in" he said, pressing a button on his intercom.

It soon buzzed and a female voice answered, "Good morning Salim" she said,

"Morning Kelly. Please come in" he said.

After half a minute, light tapping of high heels echoed outside the room, after which the door swung open and a tall, raven haired beauty stepped into his office, who still looked small when stood beside Richard. "Hello Salim" she said shyly and closed the door behind her.

"Hello" Salim said in an equally sweet voice. Today Salim was in such a good mood, that he wanted to enjoy teasing his two favorite employees.

"You look happy today" she said studying her boss's face and his smile.

"Oh I am! Very happy actually" he said leaning back into his chair and fixing Kelly with a firm gaze, "I am so happy that... I want to take you out on a date" he said giving her his marvelous smile.

"What" Kelly gasped in surprise,

"Why so surprised? Can't I take my beautiful secretary out for dinner?" he asked smugly, the same time Richard choked on his own spit and started to cough. Kelly turned her head towards Richard whose face has turned into a deep red by his coughing,

"Are you fine Richard?" Salim asked innocently where he was actually enjoying himself on the inside,

"Yeah. Would you like to have some water?" Kelly asked with genuine concern, unaware that Salim was pulling his leg and Richard knew that Salim was scheming. Richard stood up to his full height and regained his composure. Salim sighed inwardly, Gone's the moment, he thought as he observed how Richard skillfully masked his feelings.

"I am fine. Sir, I will be in my cabin, if you'll excuse me" he took his leave as soon as Salim gave him a slight nod. Kelly followed the retreating man's back wistfully, her innocent eyes, revealing her heart's wishes.

Kelly has always harbored feelings for Richard. But him being him, always intimidated Kelly with his impervious structure. She couldn't dare ask him upfront why he wasn't acting upon his feelings that she knew he held for her. And Richard was blinded by his male ego to come and approach her directly. Salim has observed this for quiet a while now and now he took a decision to change this observation.

Kelly and Richard were the two employees whom Salim trusted blindly. And they were the one's who were not only loyal but also affectionate towards Salim, who was nothing but a lonely rouge. And Salim knew that it was high time for him to do something for them, instead, for a change.

"Get my meeting with Eugene Winston rescheduled for the next week" Salim ordered Kelly, slipping into his business mode.

"Eugene Winston" Kelly's voice was hardly a whisper. "As in that Scarred Billionaire?" Her eyes as big as coins, she asked with a tremble in her voice. Salim sighed, looking irritated with Kelly as he saw the fear and indifference in her voice. Eugene was a good friend of Salim. Not the favorite person in the world right now but nevertheless, Salim considered him as an ally and Kelly referring to Eugene like the rest of the world, infuriated him.

"The Eugene Winston from the P. R company. Yes. Reschedule the meeting for next week" he said in a 'no more arguments' tone. Kelly knew better than to argue. She nodded and scribbled it down onto her notepad with trembling hands

"And what about the Interviews, Sir?" she asked gaining her composure immediately,

"Oh, that. I am gonna do them personally. I don't want the H.R department to find me a new assistant this time. Their selections disappoint me" he muttered, Kelly winced inwardly. She was also a H.R selected member. Salim didn't mean her in particular, she knew it. But the fact that her boss despised the H.R departments recruits irked her slightly.

"Sure Sir. Shall I schedule them for tomorrow?" she asked, "You don't have any important engagements tomorrow"

"Tomorrows's Friday Kelly. No one works on a weekend" He sighed dramatically, thinking 'what am I gonna do with you'. "make it Monday" he added and started to work through the new designs submitted from a new designer.

"Okay. And you need to make a trip to Auckland. New buyers have contacted us and they want to talk to you personally" she reminded him.

"Great. Now schedule my trip to Auckland for.... say now" he said checking his watch.

"Now?" Kelly shrieked in surprise,

"Yeah. What's better way to celebrate the weekend than having a nice holiday trip to New Zealand?" he said getting up from his chair and buttoning up his coat. Kelly got the signal that his boss was dead serious and she started to make bullet points on what she needed to do.

"Okay. I will page the flight captain and get your bags packed from the penthouse" she said, looking at the notepad seriously. She also scribbled down a few other important details like calling up the new clients to inform them about Salim's arrival and booking a hotel for his boss, etcetera, but he didn't need to know them all. It was her job and she was good at it.

"Great. Know that I love you, Kelly" he yelled as he began to leave.

"Wait. Where are you going?" she asked looking at his retreating back. Richard emerged out from his cabin and looked at the duo,

"To get some fresh air. Call me when you have arranged for everything. And Richard, you don't need to come" Salim quickly added as he saw his bodyguard following him.

Kelly and Richard looked at each other and shared a look. Their boss had actually changed a bit. He looked.... fresh. And as their stare started to ignite something else, they both soon broke the eye contact and made their way to the opposite ends of the hallway, awkwardly. There was only one thing that bothered them both, 'They were stuck here, alone, for the rest of the day'.

*****

Nicole looked across the bushes with acute assessment. She scanned the waters of the clear lake, for any signs of intruders, but failed to spot one. She walked back towards the bench and looked at the three backpacks lying on it and narrowed her eyes. The three identical yet different backpacks. They were here, she knew. But where exactly, she had no clue.

Her kids had this tendency to run around and hide in this nature park whenever Nicole brought them here for a walk. It all began since the day Ray, her elder son took his first step. The other two followed his lead, or rather took up on the challenge their twin brother set and started to take small small steps. Soon the walks turned into runs and the kids became impossible for her to catch. They would chase each other, run around everywhere, without stopping for breath. It was as if they were born with wheels on their heels. They run away in all three different directions whenever they find an opportunity.

And today was no different. Nicole didn't panic anymore. She got habituated. Though they were still infants, they could be serious monsters when they want. And everybody who comes to this park knows her and her kids very well. This nature park in Brooklyn, was one of the most friendliest neighborhood. People knew her, so she didn't worry for her kids getting kidnapped anymore. But she couldn't be careless about it, she was a mother and a part of her was always worried to death for her kids.

She walked towards the ice cream joint, where they came last time and somehow knew her second eldest would be there. She spotted a seven year old girl walking with her mom, with a strawberry scoop in her hand. And she followed the direction from where the mother and daughter came from. Surely the ice cream parlor must be there. She spotted another kid with a chocolate cone this time. And then two more kids with their parents, walking towards them, enjoying a nice family time obviously, with ice cream and walk in park. She could see lot more kids and also adults walking around with different flavors of ice creams. She smiled to herself that she was in the right path and to her happiness, she actually spotted her second eldest near the parlor.

Dressed in a white polo shirt and Grey pants, her son, Zion looked like an innocent angel. His dark hair, and those chocolate brown eyes, anyone who stares at those eyes, would give him anything he desires in a heart beat. His charms were already renowned in the entire neighborhood. The three scoops of chocolate ice cream in his hand was the best example.

She shook her head and walked towards him. He sat himself on the high grounds of the park, where he had a little space around himself. His thoughtfulness never ceased to stun her. "Zion!" she exclaimed.

"Mumma" he exclaimed excitedly. A little of the ice cream smudged on his chin, which he quickly wiped off with his palm. "you foun meee" he said in his baby voice.

"Yes" she said and scooped to his level. "Now tell me, whom did you charm your ice cream today from?" she asked in a motherly warning tone. Though he could barely comprehend her words, could perfectly understand his mother when she gave them those particular looks.

Zion pointed his small hand to the elderly woman who sat on a bench a few yards away with an elderly man, probably her husband, and was enjoying her own ice cream. Nicole stared at her until the woman sensed her eyes and turned to return the gaze. She warmly smiled at Nicole and she instantly recognized the woman. She was the book shop owner, just two blocks away from her coffee shop. She often got her cappuccino's from her cafe, and sometimes got them delivered to her shop by Paul, Nicole's youngest server who goes to that book store regularly.

Nicole smiled back at her warmly. She decided to serve the next cappuccino to that woman for free, and may be she could even send her some cookies too as a token of gratitude. She never takes anyone's kindness from granted, since she never received any from the people she should have received from, she knew its value.

"Come lets get your other siblings too. It's getting dark." Nicole said as she carefully scooped the boy onto her hip. She carefully made her way through the playing kids towards the lake, where ducks are. She knew that her youngest of all, Ryan might be there, because last time he was so captivated by them that he didn't want to go at all.

She walked towards the lake, and rounded the clear waters along the metal barriers, looking for any signs of her boy. As she looked past a small growth of lilies, she found a dark haired head bending through the gaps of the barriers and reaching for the duck. He was just an inch away from falling into the waters when Nicole made it to him,

"Ryan" she made a dash for her young kid. The boy leapt in fear as he heard his name being yelled and panicked. He pulled his head back and stood up trembling, "How many times did I tell you not to reach for the ducks? You might fall into the water" she said. Little Ryan shuddered in fear and Nicole instantly regretted yelling at him.

"Oh baby, come here" she said scooping down and lowering Zion on the ground. She hugged them both tightly, "Why do you guys do this huh?" she asked, her eyes moistening up. "Scare your mom, like that?" she asked as she snuggled her kids closely.

Ryan didn't utter a word, while Zion mumbled something close to 'we are sorry'. Ryan was still trying to speak, but was having a hard luck at it. That boy had difficulties with speech.

The second birthday of the three boys was just a couple of months away, so they should be able to talk now. May be not complete sentences but at least bits of it. Ray and Zion were doing well, actually they were doing better than many kids at their age. But Ryan, he was something Nicole was a little worried about. Born as triplets they were a wonder to everyone. Because delivering three kids was not an 'every other day' scenario. Doctors couldn't judge that being identical triplets, they will or will not show identical behaviors. And Nicole had to monitor each and every move of them all, just to make sure they were doing fine. So far all she could figure out was that, three of them were as different as any siblings can be. They had no resemblance other than few looks. They were complete opposites. She often thought about it.

But now, she had another situation at hand to worry about, her eldest son, Ray, who she yet had to find out.