My Boss Is My Tormentor.

9. Feed the mônster

ROSE

I took a deep breath as I stepped out of the building. And, for the first time since this morning I felt like there has been a weight lifted off from my shoulders. Closing my eyes, I gathered myself, rethinking all the things that happened with that asshôle.

I was just about to turn to the side pavement when a well attired man, in a three piece suit stepped up in front of me. "Miss Rose," The man extended his right hand for me to shake. His black eyes crinkled at the corner as he gave me a genuine smile. He looked in his forties, but I didn't know whether he was Indian or not as his accent sounded foreign but the manner and looks looked like he was familiar with the environment, with my country.

"Hi." Little awkwardly, I placed my hand in his and was surprised when he placed a chaste kiss on the back of it.

"I'm Gavin. I'm very honoured to meet you. And, let me tell you that you do the justice to your name." His complement brought a blush to my cheeks, my face heated up as I smiled shyly up at him. But, my smile vanished the moment he brought up his name. "Ryan told me to take you to the restaurant for his lunch.”

"Yes. You don't have to—" I started to say, but he placed my hand on his elbow as he ushered me toward the waiting BMW.

"Let me guess, he didn't tell you that I'll be waiting down here for you." When I looked up at him, clueless. Gavin said, "He called me, for taking you to the restaurant and to wait for you while you've his lunch packed and eat yours. And, then in the evening I'm going to drop you off to your apartment."

It took me a full minute to comprehend the meaning of what Gavin just said to me. As we neared the car, he opened the back door and I slid in a daze. The leather seat engulfing me as I settled. It was my first time sitting in this expensive of a car. And, for a moment I just forgot about what he just told me. Like a five year old I looked around, even to embarrass myself further I fiddled with the lights and air conditioner controller at the back.

I caught Mr. Gavin's eyes in the mirror and looked at him to find him smiling at me. With a sheepish smile I settled back, more lady like.

After a moment, when the car was emerged in traffic I asked him what I knew was going to be an another argument with that bastard. "What did you mean when you said that you're going to drop me off at my apartment?"

This time, Mr. Gavin's smile was restrained as he said, "I'm supposed to be there in the mornings and in the evenings to take you to the office and back."

By some miracle I knew it wasn't all that so eyebrows raised, I asked him, "And?"

"And, you will call me for anywhere you want to go."

Okay. So now that bastard-blackmailer has provided me with my own carriage with a driver. As I was adjusting to this, the car stopped in front of the restaurant that I can only dream about to eat in.

I was fiddling with the lock when Mr Gavin opened the door for me and waited for me to step out. I took two steps before I turned and smacked head first into Mr Gavin's chest. "Sorry." I muttered, blinking rapidly as a rush of emotions caught me off guard.

He steadied me, and laughed. "It's okay, Miss Rose."

"No, no. No, it's not okay." And, I knew now I was going to start blabbering but knowing it didn't stop me. "You're not going to drive me, back and forth. And, you're most definitely not going to open doors for me. He can't do this... He can't." And, I did the mistake of looking up in his eyes which were filled with genuine concern and I broke down. He reminded me of my uncle, my guardian.

Oh, how much I miss my uncle and Aditya, at that moment. I wished that they were here for me to hold me while I cry. Gavin ushered me inside, his hand curled around my shoulder as one would do for their daughter. "Please, sit." I sat down and looked around myself, grateful for the fact that he had chosen a secluded spot for us to sit. He brought me a glass of water while I tried to compose myself. I wiped the last of my tears as I took a sip and looked up to find him watching me.

"I'm sorry, about this." I gestured helplessly.

"It's okay." He replied back, still looking at me fixedly.

"I think, we should be going." I managed an eye-roll as I said, "We have to feed the monster or else he will start eating people around him."

At that he smiled and said, "You wait here, Miss Rose, I'll take care of it."

I waited for him to come back while debating with myself to call my uncle or Aditya, my Adi— my brother, my best friend. I took out my phone and was about to text Adi when Gavin placed a plate in front of me, filled with a burger and fries. I started to say that he shouldn't have, when I caught the sight of what he was holding in his hand.

I snatched the delicious looking glass from him, filled to the brim with chocolate chips. I dipped the spoon and collected the chocolate goodiness and wasn't too surprised to find the layered chocolate ice cream. I ate the spoonful of that, the chips and chocolate beads crunching in my mouth, and I closed my eyes as I savored the dark flavour of the chocolate.

I didn't know I was starving for it, to take away half of my problems. The chocolate was my comfort food. I finished almost half of it when I caught Gavin smiling at me as if indulging a child. "Thank-you so much. I can't tell you how much I needed it."

"It was a guess. And, I'm thankful to my daughter for it, as she almost forgets anything when it comes to this."

I was surprised to know that he has a daughter, but then of course he'd have a daughter or son and a wife. "Oh, you've a daughter? I bet she's very lucky to have you as a father."

"Yes, she says the same when I give in to her demands," He replied back with a fond smile that I suppose one would reserve for their children.

I imagined what it'd be like to have a father who indulged you and cared for you, I never had that. But my uncle was there for me and he did everything he could to not make me feel like I didn't have my parents. But still something I wondered and wished to have my parents with me.

"Miss Rose." Startled, I banished my wayward thoughts and asked him more about his daughter. "She is currently graduating from NYU."

And just like that I lost myself in the conversation, forgetting all about the asshole waiting for me, as Gavin told me more about their lives in New York.

.

.

RYAN

I was waiting for my little firecracker when Arjun entered my office. It took everything in me not to snap at him for entering without knocking first, but the fact that he was my friend, my only friend, gives him free reign to do whatever he wants and the fûcker takes advantage of it.

He came whistling, and slid a folder on the table towards me. "I got that contract." Arjun settled down on one of the chairs. "Those damn Sullivan brothers placed the value higher every time I made the offer."

He mumbled something under his breath and I got suspicious thinking about the "offer" he made.

"What offer, Arjun?"

"Nothing drastic, mind you." Arjun looked everywhere but at me.

"What offer?" My voice dropped an octave and I knew he sensed it, friend or not, I seriously don’t like to repeat myself.

"The owner's daughter is infatuated with you..."

"And?" He was really testing my patience.

"And, she wants you to attend her birthday party." I knew he wasn't finished, so I just waited him out. "Like, you escorting her to her birthday party, while all the media..."

I launched myself at him, and managed to lend a punch before Arjun pushed me hard and we both stood up panting hard as we faced off.

Arjun was of the same built as me, back at home in New York, we've often sparred with each other, so it wasn't a surprise when he managed to side step my next punch and landed one on me. I backed away with the force of the punch but not before I managed to kick him in the shin. His balance unsettled and just when he was about to fall down, the door opened....

Rose screamed as Arjun managed to collide with her, they both fell down and I closed my eyes, so sure of the fact that she was going to have at least one broken bone by the force with which Arjun was going to land on top of her.

But the next thing I saw was her on top of him. The fact that Arjun must have turned mid fall to save her was a vague thought in my mind and that when she tried to get up Arjun turned with her, now she was lying under him and he was holding himself up by his elbows, and they both were gazing into each other's eyes like long lost lovers was foremost in my mind and made me snap.

In two quick steps I rolled Arjun off her, and took her hand in mine as I helped her to stand.

"Oh my god, what happened?" I didn't realise that I got a split lip until Rose almost touched me. Her fingers hovered half an inch from my split lower lip then she met my eyes and just like that, she backed away from me. I felt cold, like someone took my warm blanket in the middle of the night, shaking my head at the thought I too took my own two steps back from her.

"I think I'm gonna die. This bastard must've killed me," Arjun groaned from the sofa where he was sprawled.

"I... I brought your lunch." Rose stammered.

I looked at her, and this time I really looked, noticing the redness of her eyes, the brackets around her lips and the frown on her forehead. I didn't know from where it came but I asked, "Did you eat?"

Her eyes snapped up to me, as surprised as I felt, "Yes, I did, Mr R K."

"I could also eat, if you guys don't mind,” Arjun moaned out, still faking the dying act.

Just barely resisting myself from going after him once again, I said, "You can bring it in for us."

As soon as the door closed behind her, Arjun sat up straight and asked me point blank, making it clear how well he knew me. "What did you do to that poor girl?" When I remained silent, he added, "She looked like she has been through hell and back."

"It's none of your business."

"I knew you were planning something but please don't do something that later you'd despise yourself in lieu of the revenge that you think you should have."

"She slapped me!" I hissed out, through clenched teeth, still feeling the echo of that slap. But besides that, I just didn't want to let her go. Not yet. Rose was like a new drûg to me. And, I've to have her before I simply detox her out of my system.

At that very moment, Rose entered the office. She was holding my lunch in one hand and a first aid kit on the other.

"I'll be back." Arjun said as he hopped up from the couch and left us alone.

I watched her as without meeting my eyes she placed my lunch on the table and then the first aid kit beside it. Curious, I waited for her to look at me, her hands fidgeted with each other, her eyebrows bunched in a frown as if she didn't know herself why she bothered with it. Then she turned around while murmuring to herself, "Arjun sir, will probably help him with it."

This was a first for me, someone wanting to take care of me, making sure I was okay. Growing up I never had that, but at this moment I was curious to know what it felt like.

"Stop." The word was out of my mouth before I fully made up my mind.

.

A Gupta

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