Naomi Rae's POV
"Was he for real, I mean, did he really think that I was that stupid? It was a bloody test, right?"
"How much to make you go away?" he said, not even looking up from the paper on the desk he was engaged in.
"What do you take me for?" I said after a moment of silence. "Just because you're some big shot billionaire and not that geeky high school runt you used to be, doesn't give you the right to insult me like that, Mr. Alistair." I said furiously, knocking over the contents on his desk, including an expensive-looking calculator.
"Stupid i***t; do you know what you've just done?" Nathaniel seethed, his voice dripping with frustration and anger. He loomed over me, our faces mere inches apart, the tension between us palpable.
I met Nathaniel's intense gaze with a defiant look of my own, unyielding in the face of his anger. I spoke with a mixture of exasperation and determination, "I don't care about the cost, Nathaniel. I won't back down, and I won't let anyone treat me like a common whore."
Our standoff continued. I refused to give in. The air in the room crackled with unresolved tension, but beneath the anger and defiance, there was an undeniable spark, a connection that neither of us wanted to admit.
"Well, I guess I'll just have to take it out of your wages then," he said with a devilish smirk. He was really enjoying this.
"No, please, I'm sorry. I will do anything. Just don't—" I began, but he interrupted me.
"—But what, Ms. Rae? I don't believe you, and I don't have time to stand here and—"
"Wait, please, you don't understand. I need this job, and I can. Look, I will do anything," I begged, desperation in my voice. "Anything, Nathaniel."
"I want...?" he said in a husky voice.
I needed this job to pay my father's medical bills, but I was starting to hate Nathaniel.
"Yes, anything."
I began to put my hair up and position myself on my knees, when there was a knock on the door.
"Mr. Allistair," Martha buzzed on the intercom. "Victoria is here to see you."
Who the f**k is Victoria? I thought as I stood up from the floor and cleared my throat.
"We will deal with this matter later, Naomi, but for now I want you to meet. Martha, please send her in," he said, sitting on the edge of his desk.
Minutes later, a petite and pasty-looking, bleached blonde woman with huge boobs, hazel-green eyes, and curves for days walked into the office.
"Sweet-tart, I need to see you, but I didn't think you were busy," she said in the most annoying baby voice.
"Not at all, Pumpkin," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "This is Naomi, a coworker..."
"Don't forget mate," Rose chimed in. "Where were you this whole time? Never mind," I said, pushing my wolf to the back of my mind. "I can't deal with you right now."
"I'm sorry, and you are..."
"Oh, silly me, where are my manners? I'm Victoria Fairchild," she said, extending her hand for a human-like shake, "his fiancée and chosen mate." The news hit me hard in the gut.
Nathaniel's POV
The plan was to ruin her. I hated that I was drawn to her. That she was so breath-takingly beautiful. I hated that sharp tongue and witty sense of humor. I hated that she bullied me for four years of my life and that she still had this effect on me. Her scent was making me wild.
Victoria and I agree to marry and become mates out of necessity not love. She knew that I didn’t want my fated mate and had rejected her and she was to be my chosen mate and wife, we were going to have a contract marriage but Naomi didn’t know that in fact no one but Victoria and I knew. I didn’t love Victoria but I could tolerate her and we had some of the same interest so her wasn’t that unpleasant to be around, I even got use to her scent of overly fixed perfume.
"Ms. Rae, this is Victoria Fairchild, my chosen mate and soon-to-be wife."
"Werewolves don't marry like humans."
"They do if they live in the city among humans and need to keep up appearances."
"Is she human? She can't be; she smells like a werewolf," she said, not hiding her annoyance.
"Sweet tart, do all your employees talk to you like this?" she asked, puzzled by the comfort level we shared.
"Good point, pumpkin, but it's kind of complicated. You see, Naomi and I go way back to our high school days, so sometimes she forgets that I'm the boss, and that she can't talk to me like that," I explained, emphasizing each word.
"This is cruel, Nathaniel. Don't hurt her; this is not you," Dom pleaded with me.
"She is not our mate, Victoria is now."
"No, she's still the mate...the bond did not break completely. There is still time to reinforce the bond," he grunted.
"No way. Marrying and mating with Victoria would break it completely, right?"
"If you do that, forget about Dom, I will cut you off."
"Fine."
"Fine!"
"We were just about to go out for lunch."
"Yes, hon. Would you like to join us?" Victoria asked, taking my arm.
"I insist that you come with us, Naomi, and meet Victoria's friends, Bambi and Barbie; they are international werewolf models," I smirked.
"Fine. Sure, why not? What the heck, I'll go," she said, pain and sadness evident in her eyes as she looked at Victoria's hand on my arm.
"Marissa, please have the car brought around," I commanded.
Not long after, we were in the car, driving to my favorite spot to eat, a little Italian place called Paris. This place was special because it accepted all kinds of creatures, except for humans who couldn't know we existed. That was a rule; that's why this place was cloaked, only seen by the eyes of supernaturals. Three rules of the restaurant: no fighting, no causing drama, and no deadbeats. No service.
As we arrived at the Italian restaurant, Paris, the aroma of freshly cooked pasta and garlic bread wafted through the air, creating an inviting ambiance. It was one of those hidden gems in the city where supernatural beings could dine in peace, away from prying human eyes.
We were quickly seated at a cozy corner table, and I couldn't help but notice the awkward tension between Naomi and Victoria. Bambi and Barbie, the international werewolf models, were strikingly beautiful and, for some reason, they only added to the unease.
I quickly introduced them to Naomi. "Like Naomi, these girls can be a bit intimidating," and, my experience with Naomi's past behavior informed my caution, not that they ever targeted me. I have developed quite a resilience to bullies over the years.
"And you are again?" Bambi said, her expression disapproving.
"Naomi, Nathaniel's employee," Naomi replied, her voice holding a hint of defensiveness.
"No eww!" She scoffed
I chuckled slightly.
"Oh my Goddess, what's wrong with your hair and those clothes? Doesn't Nathaniel pay you enough, those clothes you wear are hideous?" Barbie sneered, her disdain evident as she wrinkled her nose.
Naomi struggled to hold back tears and looked at me, seemingly expecting some support. I felt a twinge of sympathy, but I knew it was time for her to face the consequences of her actions. I wasn't here to rescue her, just like those high school days. It was a lesson in karma – what goes around comes around.
I feel bad, but this b***h was going to learn that I wasn't here to rescue her. She was on her own just like so many times in high school. She was going to learn what you give comes around.
"Maybe you should fire her, she does need to represent the company and she doesn't look like it" Victoria said ruthlessly, never taking her eyes off me.
I saw her panic as tears welled up in her eyes. No, I wasn't going to fire her. That would be too easy by the time I was done with her. I was going to make her wish she had quit.
"Maybe Nathaniel, should tell you why he can't fire me?"she shot back. I was not expecting that.
"Maybe you should know your place."I said quickly, shooting her. You had better not say anything, look, or you're done for.
The menu arrived, and I ordered a variety of dishes to share. Throughout the meal, small talk was attempted, but the tension lingered. Bambi and Barbie did their best to keep the conversation flowing, discussing their modeling careers and travels, which offered a welcome distraction.
At some point, Naomi excused herself to go to the restroom, and I could sense the internal struggle she was facing – her feelings for me, the revelation of my upcoming marriage, and now sharing a meal with Victoria. When she returned, she appeared more composed, although a hint of sadness still clouded her eyes.
But Naomi wasn't done yet. She glanced over at the restroom door, reading the sign silently to herself. It was like a lightbulb went off in her head. I immediately mind-linked her, trying to dissuade her, but it was too late.
"I'm pregnant with your child, and this is how you treat me?" she exclaimed, her voice rising so that everyone in the restaurant could hear. "You just can't take me to dinner and tell me that you're going to marry this woman?" Her voice reached another octave, amplifying the embarrassment.
I scolded her in a hushed tone, looking around the room. "You're embarrassing yourself. You're going to get us kicked out of here and banned."
Naomi's outburst had taken an unexpected turn, and the entire restaurant seemed to freeze, their eyes fixed on our table. The situation had escalated quickly, and I knew we needed to find a way to defuse it before it got even more out of hand.
I could feel the tension in the air as Naomi's declaration hung there, like a bomb waiting to detonate. Victoria's expression was a mix of shock and anger, while Bambi and Barbie watched the drama unfold with a mix of curiosity and amusement. The entire restaurant had gone eerily quiet, and I was acutely aware of all the supernatural beings dining around us who had turned their attention to our table.
I leaned in closer to Naomi, my voice low and urgent. "Naomi, this isn't the way to handle this. We'll talk about it later, but right now, you're putting yourself in a difficult position. Please, let's not make a scene."
But Naomi seemed past reasoning, her emotions running high. "I deserve better than this, Nathaniel," she insisted, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and sadness.
"Tell her, Nathaniel, tell her the truth or..." Naomi's voice trailed off as she looked at me, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips. The tension between us was unbearable, and I felt like I was on the edge of a precipice, about to fall into an abyss of consequences I couldn't control.
Just as I was about to respond, the restaurant manager approached our table, a stern expression on his face. I knew what was coming – we were on the brink of being banned, as the restaurant had a strict policy of no drama, no service.
"Is everything all right here?" the manager inquired, his gaze shifting between the four of us.
I realized that it was time to salvage what I could of the situation. With a heavy sigh, I lowered my head into my hands, trying to convey a sense of embarrassment. "I'm so sorry for the disturbance," I muttered. "Could you please bring us the check?"
The manager nodded and walked away to fulfill my request. As I waited for the bill, I couldn't help but feel a sense of despair. The lunch had taken a disastrous turn, and I had no idea how I was going to fix the mess I'd created.
I couldn't deny the satisfaction on Naomi's face. It was obvious that she had scored a point in her own private game. As I glanced at her, I couldn't help but feel a sense of defeat. Naomi: one, Nathaniel: zero.