One Night Stand with Her Obsessed Billionaire Boss

　　LIORAÉ

　　"Congratulations, Lioraé."

　　I had imagined this night a thousand times since the first time Evan kissed me and asked me to be his girlfriend. He is going down on one knee and asking us to spend the rest of our lives together.

　　"Your wish finally came through," Camille exclaimed, one arm crossed over her body as the other lifted the champagne glass to her mouth gently. Her smile did not tell me if she was truly happy or not, but I did not care; I was too happy to care.

　　"I am just so happy." I press my palms together and squeal happily as my eyes scan the hall, trying to locate Evan.

　　Just about twenty minutes ago, he had asked me to marry him, and I had said yes. Under the glittering chandeliers in the garden of his house. My house will be soon enough.

　　"Lioraé?" I turned to my mom, who was standing with a huge smile on her face. The cheap makeup she had made looked good under the bright light, and her signature red-stained lips were puckering at me.

　　"Where is Evan? We have to take pictures."

　　Her words carried the echoes in my mind as my eyes scanned, looking for him. I sighed gently and then tilted my head.

　　"He must be upstairs trying to get some work done." I turned on my heels. "I will get him." My voice lingered behind me as I stepped into the house and gently climbed the stairs.

　　Once I landed on the top of the stairs, voices and loud moans were in the air, and I froze at the sound of them. What the hell was happening? Did a guest think now was a good time to have sexy time? I shook my head and moved to Evan's room, but the closer I moved, the louder the sound.

　　My body feels heavy as goosebumps take over my entire skin.

　　"Oh fuck!" Evans's voice. A voice I have learnt to memorise hit my ears, and I blinked rapidly.

　　My palm connected with the cold doorknob underneath, sending shivers down my spine. I gulped the knot in my throat as I turned and pushed the door open, and on the bed lay three women coiled around him.

　　My boyfriend, who had just proposed to me, had one woman leisurely sucking on his dick aggressively, while another sat on his face, and the last one just sat there, trailing her hand over his chest while she had her breasts massaged by him.

　　Screams and gasps filled the room. I opened my mouth and closed it several times, no sound escaping. My fingers trembled as I tried to curl them into a ball.

　　"Evan?" My voice comes out louder than I had expected, and the thumping in front of me stops, all four of them turning to face me.

　　He sat up and then stared at me for a while before a smirk climbed his face. He tumbled out of bed naked with his hands stretched out as he staggered to me. The smell of alcohol carried with him as he approached me.

　　He stopped too close and pressed his hand onto my shoulders.

　　"Sweetheart," he exclaimed, and a hiccup followed. "Come join us."

　　I blinked rapidly as my heart thumped inside of me. "What?" The word falls out with great caution.

　　He smirked once again and shook his head. "We are having fun, and if you join us, you will…"

　　"You are cheating on me," I state the obvious, and his hands on my shoulders fall to his side as he shrugs.

　　"And you are asking me to…" My eyes wandered to the girls who were seated upright as if they were waiting for me to join them for real. They had huge smiles on their faces, and sweat clung to their foreheads.

　　"Evan, please," I whispered, unsure what it was I was begging for. "Tell me that this was a mistake." The words followed, dropping in the air.

　　"Oh my gosh! Can't I have a little fun to celebrate?"

　　"You call this celebrating? Having sex on the night you proposed to me?" My legs felt heavy even though I wanted to bolt out.

　　"I am celebrating our engagement and you should…" He touched my shoulders once again, and I shuddered underneath his touch. He tugged on the strap of my dress, trying to take it off.

　　"Stop." I took a step back and glared at him intensely.

　　"See that? That is the problem with you; it has always been the problem with you."

　　"Hmm?" I hummed, unable to process what exactly was happening.

　　"You refused to allow me to touch you, always claiming to be saving it for me, and even now, when it is certain that I was going to marry you, I have put a ring on your hand, yet you still won't let me touch you."

　　My eyes – he tried his body, landing on his dick that had not fallen. "See that!" His eyes followed mine and then went back to my face, a frown taking the place of the smirk.

　　"You turned me off." He turned to the woman, and they rolled their hair in their hands, sending winks at him. He sent out a moan which pierced into my ears.

　　"Evan?"

　　"If you won't join us, then go and wait. I will be down soon."

　　My legs trembled as I stumbled back, my finger tracing the gold ring that now stood on my finger. What felt like a promise earlier now felt like a curse, turning my stomach and making bile rise in my throat.

　　"I take the ring off and throw it at the back of his head. He turned to me sharply, his eyes going down to the ring on the floor.

　　"What do you think you are doing?"

　　"Keep your ring." My voice was steady, even though my entire body shook. "And you filth," I spat out, holding my stomach to prevent myself from falling over.

　　"Who else would marry you if not I? Who would marry a prude like you?"

　　"I do not care if I ever get married," she scoffed and turned. "I never want to see you again," I murmured before tromping off.

　　"You will be back, Lioraé; you do not have the luxury of not being back." Evan's voice followed me as I stormed out of the room and down till I was at the front desk.

　　"Where are you going?" My mom's voice stopped me before I was finally outside.

　　"Away," I replied, not turning to her. She touched my shoulders and spun me around.

　　"But it is your engagement party," she replied, searching my face. I pressed my lips together and raised my hand to her face.

　　"The engagement is off; I won't marry him."

　　2. CHAPTER TWO: A STRANGER IN THE BAR

　　LIORAÉ

　　I did not let my mother stop me as I pushed back, ready to escape this world if I could. I was the only woman who would go down in history for losing her husband-to-be to a stripper on the night of the engagement.

　　The night breeze enveloped me, and I realised how foolish I was for storming off without my jacket. I called a cab service, ready to do everything I had not done because I was being good.

　　"Take me to the trendiest bar." The driver moved without judgement. Why had I always thought that being a good girl was going to stop everyone else from judging me as much as I was judging myself?

　　"Tonight ends the good girl era," I murmured to myself as I slipped out of the bar. I had to see what made people like sex that much; I was going to do it tonight. Have a one-night stand to escape from the gnawing feeling in my heart.

　　I slipped into the crowded bar. Of course, a Friday night like this meant that there were going to be a lot of people in here. My eyes scanned the lab. If I were going to have sex, then I couldn't do it by myself; I needed help.

　　Over at the bar with his head hung low and a whisky glass in hand was a man who looked like something out of this world.

　　I stood at the entrance, my eyes on him as I tried to make out his features through the dull lighting. If I were going to have a one-night stand, then I might as well have it with such a good-looking man.

　　When I slid right by him in the bar, the smell of his cologne hit me all at once. I turned to him, his features popping out to attack me.

　　"What would that be?"

　　"Something that burns." The bartender nodded and began to mix the drinks. I cleared my throat countless times, trying to make sense of what I was supposed to say. I could not just ask him to jump into bed with me.

　　"Hi," I murmured and he turned to me, grey eyes peering into mine.

　　"Hi," he mimicked my tone. He tilted his head gently, eyes running all over me before they stopped back on my face. "Rough night?"

　　"How did you guess it at once?"

　　"I have my ways," he smiled, and I nodded. "So, celebration or heartbreak?"

　　I laughed and looked away. How could he unravel me so easily? "Both," I finally murmured as the cup thudded against the marble in front of me. I took the cup, trailing my fingers against the rim of the glass gently.

　　"That is quite a rough mix." I swallowed the contents of the glass immediately and asked for a refill. Once the drink hits my system, I feel a wave of energy burst through my body.

　　I turned to him again, the conversation having died a natural death, not willing to let go so easily.

　　"I do not normally do this." I paused as he turned to me again; something flickered in his eyes, but it was too quick to catch.

　　"I have always been the girl who played by the rules, but sincerely…" I paused again, letting out a small sound from the back of my throat. "I am tired of being that girl."

　　"Then don't."

　　I was trying to figure out this man. Could it be that he was interested, or was he just trying to humour me, a strange girl he met at the bar who was showing him the real meaning of being strange?

　　"I want one night, no names, no relations, just…"

　　"Passion and sex?" he asked without skipping a beat, as if he took the words right out of my mouth.

　　"Yes," I nodded, and he smiled and looked away. "I just want to forget," I added.

　　The silence between us makes me want to tell him that I was just joking, but before I could utter a word, he got up and stretched his hands to me.

　　His eyebrows wiggled at me with a straight face; he looked familiar, like I had seen him somewhere, but I did not dwell too much on it. This was just a night for pleasure, and that alone.

　　"Don't you want that sexy passion anymore?" His voice was curt, like a good student asking for permission to do something wrong.

　　"I do." I downed the last of the alcohol, ready for some faux courage it was going to give. My hand clung to his as he pulled me up to him, our faces almost touching. His free hand sneaked to the back of my waist as he pulled me closer.

　　"Last chance to walk away," he whispered, his breath fanning my cheeks yet leaving a hot trail behind.

　　I straightened my shoulders, wondering how he knew I was reconsidering my recklessness, but being reckless for once won't kill me.

　　"I do not want to walk away."

　　The words barely leave my mouth when he slams his lips onto mine, gently at first, like soft silk grazing over your body. His hand tightened on my waist, causing a gasp, and my lips parted gently. His lips thrust into mine, his tongue exploring every inch of my mouth.

　　My legs danced with pleasure as my lower stomach churned with pride. He pulled away, his grey eyes darkened and almost all black. Our breath mixed as we stood there at the bar, everyone busy with their own lives.

　　"Wow."

　　It was only when I saw the expression on her face that I realised that I had exclaimed that out loud. He leaned in, and his lips grazed my earlobes gently as he bit the tip of it and then pulled away.

　　"If you think that was impressive, then you should wait till I show you more." He pulled away and winked. I nodded, and he held my wrist, leading me out of there.

　　And for the first time in forever, I did not feel like I owed anyone but myself.

　　3. CHAPTER THREE: THE MORNING AFTER AND MORE

　　LIORAÉ

　　My legs ache, but there is pleasure swirling on the inside of me. When my eyes flutter open the next morning, this strange man is sleeping beside me, eyes closed firmly and hair scattered over the pillow. Looking too ethereal to be on earth. I wanted to run my fingers over his jawline.

　　I stared at him for a moment; I had always thought Evan's looks were to die for, but this gentleman was on another level. Maybe I was being biased because of how gentle he had been with me last night, asking over and over again if I wanted this because he did anything.

　　I stopped staring and slipped back into the silky bronze gold dress I had walked in here with. I tamed my hair in the mirror and rushed out of the hotel room before he could wake up, leaving only a note of thanks.

　　"One night is enough!"

　　I murmured when my mind began to imagine scenarios of us sitting at a bar and sipping wine while talking about everything we wanted ourselves to be.

　　The rest of the weekend passed in a blur; I had refused to mourn the death of my three-year relationship with Evan, and he did not even bother to apologise.

　　My mom and sister were the only people pressed about everything. "Evan is such a good man; do not let him go." "Who else is going to marry you?" "Are you going to end up marrying a poor man like me?"

　　I had known for a long time that they only saw me as their way out of poverty, and when Evan, a manager at the Vale co-operative, took a liking to me, they thought we had hit the jackpot.

　　"Where do you think you are going?"

　　"It's Monday morning," I replied, not sparing a glance at my mom, who sat on my bed watching me as I applied the minimal makeup in the mirror.

　　"But you do not have a job."

　　"I got one."

　　The message had come last night; I was to resume for a new role as the assistant to the CEO of the Vale corporation tomorrow. Evan had said he was going to get me a job, and even though we were no longer together, I still needed the job, so I was going to take it no matter what.

　　"Was it Evan who…?"

　　"Mom, please do not mention him." My eyes squeezed shut as my finger coiled tightly around the mascara tube.

　　"I know you are angry at what happened, but Evan is going to…"

　　"MOM!" I screamed, startling both of us. I dropped the tube on the table and turned to her. "Please"

　　"Do you intend to end in poverty? This is for your good. Whatever it is, I am so sure it is just a misunderstanding."

　　I bit the inside of my cheeks. Would she tell me to leave him if I told her the truth? Would she take my side and not the side of money for once?

　　"I would work for anything I need." She laughed long and hard as if I was crazy for thinking work was going to give me money. "I got a job," I added, my voice tight as my head raised.

　　"You think whatever measly salary they would give you would suffice? "Don't be delusional," she spat out as she shuffled to her feet.

　　"I will invite Evan over for dinner, and you will be home to make up with him." She turned and marched out before I could even say anything.

　　"The CEO's office is just this way." The door opened, and I was led inside. The cologne from Friday night hits my nose, and when I look up, I am met with familiar grey eyes staring at me.

　　"Mr Vale?" the man who had been leading me from the lobby called. His eyes snapped from me to Henry. "This is Ms Lioraé Alcott, your new assistant." He pointed from him to me.

　　I opened my mouth, but words failed to form. I swallowed the knot that seemed to stay put in my throat no matter how hard I tried to swallow.

　　"I will leave you two to get acquainted, and then you can speak with the last assistant for a handover." Henry turned on his heels, leaving me standing in the middle of the room.

　　Mr Vale held my eyes, and I began to pray to all the gods out there that he had a really bad memory, or I was certainly unrecognisable from last night.

　　"Ms Lioraé Alcott?" He said it as if he was testing the name out and then tilted his head.

　　"It's nice to meet you, Mr Vale. I hope we get along."

　　A teasing smile climbed his lips as his eyebrows furrowed, and he stood up. Even though the aircon was on full blast, I felt my palm slip on the leather bag I clutched in front of me, and my armpits dripped into my shirt.

　　"We already got along quite well." He pushed the chair back, spinning endlessly behind him as he moved from behind the table. He walked to me, holding my gaze and stopping just in front of me.

　　"Don't you think so?" he asked, hands stretched out to me.

　　"I…I…do not know what you are talking about, sir," I managed to blurt out without stuttering too much.

　　"You couldn't have possibly forgotten me already." He takes a step forward, and his breath fans my cheek with how close he has gotten.

　　I inhaled sharply and took a step back, still holding his gaze with my head held high.

　　"It was one night," I remarked and clutched the handle of my bag, afraid my knuckles were going to snap. "A night we both promised never to speak about again," I add, and his eyes flicker.

　　"That only stood if we did not run into each other like…" He invaded my space again, this time with a hand on my waist as his finger traced the outline of my face. I try to stand straight, but my toes curl in my stomach, and my heart rams against my chest.

　　"But now that fate has brought us together, we have to," he finished as his finger lingered at the base of my lips gently.

　　"Mr Vale, this is inappropriate; I am your assistant." My chest was rising and falling too rapidly as I tried to act as if his actions did not affect me.

　　"Call me Soren."

　　"Mr Vale, I can't…" His grip on my waist tightened, and a gasp escaped my lips, and he smirked in response.

　　"It's an order," he finished, and I shook my head. A knock on the door startled me as I jumped into his hands, but his hand already on my waist made me stay grounded.

　　He looked at me, grey eyes unravelling me gently. "Ms Alcott will be out shortly." His voice was loud enough, and his footsteps retreated.

　　"Why don't we talk about this over dinner? ... later tonight?" He asked, and before I opened my mouth to refuse, he finished.

　　"It's an order."

　　4. CHAPTER FOUR: THE BOSS AND DINNER IN PASSION

　　LIORAÉ

　　I wanted to escape whatever reconciliation dinner my mother was planning, but I did not plan to spend the night with Mr Vale in an empty luxurious restaurant. The classic smooth jazz music played over the speakers, silent but wrapped in comfort.

　　He pulled out the chair for me before I could. My entire body froze. It was something I had seen other men do to their women but never gotten myself ever.

　　"It's a waste of time, and it is better to be effective." Evan had always dismissed whoever I brought it up with. I learnt to live with it because I believed that he loved me in other ways.

　　"I can't possibly…" My words are lost when he holds my shoulders and pushes me down into the chair, his hands lingering, leaving a hot, burning trail underneath his fingers.

　　He pushed the chair and took his place in front of me. My eyes wandered around the place, trying to figure out why it was empty. Rich people liked to show off, so they would definitely be at a place like this on a Monday night.

　　"I guess this place must not be that popular," I murmured.

　　"I rented out the entire space." My eyes landed on him with urgency. His voice did not sound like someone who would have spent a buckload to rent out the space for the night.

　　"Why?" I asked. He shrugged and tapped the button beside him. The waiter came and took our orders. All the names of the food didn't sound like something I was going to eat, but I let him make the order, silently waiting to hear the reason why he rented out this space and why we were sitting together.

　　My phone's ringtone cut through the air, and his eyes snapped to my bag sitting on the table. I took it out, and my mom's name flashed on the screen. I ignore the call and put it back into my bag.

　　"You can take your call. I don't bite."

　　"I don't need to take it," I replied, fiddling with my fingers gently. I looked away, taking the glass of water and drinking till the last drop.

　　"You must be thirsty," he said and pressed the button again, demanding more water as if we did not already have a jug of it in the middle of the table.

　　My phone began ringing again, and this time his eyebrows went up, and he gestured to my bag. "It must be important you can…"

　　"Mr Vale," I waved my hands in the air and shook my head. "You do not have to worry about that. It is just my mom…" I trailed off and added underneath my breath. "Not important"

　　"Soren," he corrected once again, and a smirk climbed his lips. He didn't need to say a word for them to know he was reading too much into my last words. "I insist," he added when my lips quavered, trying to come up with a response.

　　"Why am I here, sir?"

　　"For dinner"

　　"If this is about the night we had together, remember that we promised that we were going to forget all about it; it was supposed to be…"

　　"A one-night stand," he cut my rambling with his smooth voice. I nodded with my lips in a thin line.

　　"Lioraé." Something about the way he said my name made me want to giggle and bend my head shyly. "I have been thinking about you since that night. I was even prepared to look for you, to make you mine."

　　I am sure I looked ridiculous with how much I was staring at him. He flashed a smile at me, and I shook my head. "You couldn't possibly be serious." I laughed it off, but he did not laugh along, and that made my stomach rumble even more.

　　"I am serious."

　　"Mr Vale, this is…"

　　"For the last time, Lioraé, if we are alone, you have to call me Soren." He cut me off, and when I nodded, he let me go on.

　　"Soren" – the name is unfamiliar yet like a melody to my ears. I stopped. My hands dropped to my lap as they shook violently on their own.

　　"I can't give you what you want. I am sorry." I pushed the chair back, ready to storm off, but his hand caught mine, and he pulled me into an embrace, my head pressed onto his chest, with his hand guiding my head.

　　"Yes, you can," he murmured, his chest vibrating in response.

　　"You are my boss, and I need this job." I pulled out of his grip and looked straight into his eyes, which was a wrong choice. His gaze was burning me too much to handle.

　　"I am sorry, sir," I murmured again. This time, with all my might, I pulled free and walked away, not caring if he was following me or not.

　　I know what my mouth said, yet my heart was beating a different sound. I wanted him to feel his fingers all over my body and for him to hold me as delicately as he had done that night and kiss every inch of my body.

　　Yet I knew I had to be rational; it made no sense to date my boss. I do not know how long I had walked or what direction I was supposed to be going. He was different from what the other assistant had said.

　　She said she was quitting because he was very controlling and rude. The kind of boss that made you bite the insides of your cheeks while wishing you had a voodoo doll. This was not the rude boss she spoke about; he was someone different.

　　"I should have at least asked him for a ride home! Great going, L!" I sighed and wrapped my hands around my body gently.

　　"Ahh!"

　　5. CHAPTER FIVE: A THIEF AND A ROBBER

　　LIORAÉ

　　A firm hand gripped mine and pulled me back. I turned, and my eyes connected with something I had never seen before. Low, dangerous and vicious.

　　"Hello, pretty lady." His gruff voice felt itchy as I shook my head, knowing what was happening. Who knew that men like this stayed on this side of the city?

　　"Please, sir, let me go. I will give you all I have," I stuttered as I tried to pull out of his grip.

　　"I do not want money," he spat out, and a chilling grin spread over his face. "Why would I take money when I can have a pretty girl like you?"

　　"You are hurting me," I cried when his finger dug into my skin.

　　"Oh, honey, I do not want to hurt you," he murmured, his teeth parting so his yellow tooth shone through. "If you come quietly with me, then I won't need to…"

　　"Please, sir, just take my money and my bag, but please let me go," I pleaded; tears fell from my eyes.

　　He bent over cackling, while his grip remained on me. I wiggled, but he held on tight. I pulled and pushed until his grip faltered, and then I took off running, my feet almost touching the back of my head.

　　"Damnit," I swore as I wondered why I wore heels on a day like today.

　　My mouth let out breath as my heart rammed against my chest. Why was I so unlucky? Hands gripped me and this time pulled me until I dropped to the ground.

　　"Where do you think you are going?" He sneered as he hovered over me. My palms pressed onto the pavement as pain surged through them. "I haven't had my fill yet."

　　I opened my mouth to beg, but I knew that with a man like him, it was going to be useless. I raise my leg and kick him in the groin. He tumbled over, and I stood up again, this time running back in the direction of the restaurant.

　　He caught up once again and slapped me across the face. "How dare you?" he screamed, spittle splashing all over my face.

　　"You know?" His tone lowered as he whispered. His breath fanned my face, and a shiver ran down my spine. "Your actions are only making me harder for you," he added and then let out a dry laugh.

　　He pulled my hand and tried to place it on his groin, and my eyes closed shut. The action never came, and when I opened my eyes, I saw him thrown on the floor with a figure hovering over him.

　　I stayed down, gulping and trying to make sense of the situation.

　　"How dare you?" I heard the voice. Soren? It clicked in my mind almost instantly. Had he followed me out? My eyes finally caught the car we had ridden in sitting silently by the road, humming on its own.

　　Soren held him by the collar as his fist connected multiple times with his face. He was grunting and muttering a string of unintelligible words. Blood was already oozing out of the corner of his mouth.

　　"Soren," his name escaped my lips, and strength found my legs as I rushed to him and pulled him back.

　　"Please stop," I cried when it seemed like the man on the ground was already half-dead.

　　Like a switch, Soren suddenly stopped and got up; his eyes ran up and down my body and landed on the side of my face that he had hit. His finger trembled and grazed against my cheeks.

　　"HE HIT YOU?" Each word was pronounced as if it were some kind of verdict. He turned to him and pulled him up until he was at the same eye level as him.

　　"Please, sir…" he groaned as Soren pushed him to a kneeling position. I could only imagine the amount of pain he was in.

　　"Don't beg me; beg her," he muttered, pressing his head down. "Until she agrees to forgive you," he added.

　　"Soren let him go." My heart heaved as I shook my head. "Please"

　　He finally let him go, and the man stumbled to his feet, running off as he staggered until he was out of sight.

　　"What are you doing?" I started screaming. I knew I should be grateful that he saved me, but what if someone saw something and his name was being dragged through the mud?

　　"Are you okay?" He ignored my scream, his hand holding my shoulders as he frantically searched my body.

　　"I am fine." I pulled away. His hand held my face, and my eyes caught it: blood seeping out of his knuckles.

　　With how hard he hit it, it would have been a miracle if his knuckles did not bleed.

　　"Your hand." I held onto his hand before my brain could even register what was going on. "You are hurt," I added.

　　"I am!" His voice, which carried worry, seemed to be calm now. I blinked and looked at his face, a smile sitting on it.

　　"What?"

　　"You care about me." His eyes twinkled like a child in awe of Santa.

　　"You got hurt because of me," I muttered, looking down at my feet.

　　"Then take responsibility." I looked at him, wondering what he meant. "Take responsibility," he repeated as if that was going to make it clearer to me.

　　"What do you…"

　　"Treat it." He pushed his knuckles closer to my face. "So it does not hurt anymore."

　　"I will go find a pharmacy for that; you just stay here." I turned to leave, but his hand held my elbows and spun me back to him.

　　"No need."

　　"But…"

　　"I have a first-aid kit back at my house, and it is only a few minutes away, so come with me and get it treated there."

　　"I…" He pulled me away to the car before I could refuse. I slid in, promising myself that I was not doing anything more than getting his injuries treated. He got them because of me after all.

　　"I will only treat the injuries and leave after," I said as he slid into the driver's seat. He nodded and started the car, but from the smirk on the corner of his lips, I knew he had other plans and yet I did not want to run.

　　6. CHAPTER SIX: THE MAN WHO HELD ON.

　　LIORAÉ

　　"Here." Soren handed me a first-aid box. I took it from him as he sat carefully next to me. I dropped it on the coffee table, opening it and carefully rummaging through the contents of the box.

　　I took out an ointment and some Q-tips alongside bandages. I turned to him, and his steady eyes on me made me shift in my seat. I cleared my throat, trying to figure out what my next action was supposed to be.

　　"Can you please stop looking at me like that, sir?" I murmured, looking down, still feeling his eyes burning holes into my skin.

　　"Like how?" His voice was steady and slow, as if he was truly trying to decipher what my words meant.

　　"Like that," I murmured, unable to truly explain what that meant. I just knew I did not like the way he stared at me. I pulled his hand and checked out the wound on his knuckles.

　　"That must hurt," I said as I first wiped down the blood on them gently until the surface was cleaned up. I pressed the ointment out onto the Q-tip and rubbed it over the wounds. I was not sure if I was doing well because he was not reacting, and even though I did not look up, I could feel his gaze on me.

　　Once I was finished cleaning up the wound. I finally looked up. I gulped loudly and looked around the room.

　　"I cleaned up the wound, so I will take my leave now." I tried to get up, but as soon as I stood up, he pulled me down so that I almost landed on his lap.

　　"Mr Vale!" I gaped as I shifted away, creating a reasonable gap between us.

　　"Where are you off to?"

　　"Home"

　　"Are you going to leave me hurt here?" he asked, pulling a puppy face. He almost had me convinced. I cleared my throat and shook off the feeling that hovered over my shoulders from his look.

　　"I cleaned up your wound, and it is not anything serious; you should be okay," I said, trying to dismiss the conversation. Why was I even having this in the first place?

　　"I got hurt because of you," he added, like I were not aware of the fact. I felt words bubbling in my chest, but none of them were going to make sense in this situation.

　　I would have been really hurt if he had witnessed that man trying to get me to sleep with him and just turned a blind eye, yet his actions of saving me made me feel like I had been boxed into a corner.

　　"What else do you want me to do?" I asked even though I felt like I was stepping into a pit of my own free will.

　　His lips curled as soon as the question left my mouth. "Are you going to do it?" he asked and ended with a snicker.

　　I gulped and nodded. It was better to accept and get whatever this was over with. The faster I paid off my debt to him, the faster I got out of here.

　　"You can't take your words back," he said, and silence descended. I opened my mouth to refuse the offer because of the sudden, eerie feeling that crept up my back, but he already beat me to speaking.

　　"Stay here tonight and make sure that I am fine," he finished, and I shook my head.

　　"I…I…I…poss…possibly can't," I managed to stutter, trying to get up and find a way out of there. His hand enclosed mine and pressed against my wrist. "Mr Vale, I can't," I said with a headshake.

　　He leaned in, his breath fanning my cheeks with how close he was, and I felt my breath hitch in my throat. "Soren," he corrected, like that was the key to saving the world from its ruin.

　　"You are my boss, and I can't be found at your home."

　　"You are my assistant," he said, like that was some magical word and it should solve all the world's problems. I swallowed, feeling his cologne leave a trail down my throat. "If anyone has an issue with how you work, then you can tell them to take it up with me," he finished and then got up for the first time that night.

　　His hand wrapped against the first-aid box, and the other on my wrist. "You would stay here tonight and take care of me."

　　"Is that part of my responsibilities?" I asked. I knew the answer to that question, but I wished he would say yes so it would at least make me feel better.

　　"If I say yes, would you feel a bit more at ease?" I nodded, and he smiled as if he was mocking me before the words slipped out of his mouth. "Okay then, yes!"

　　He did not wait for me to say anything more before he pulled me out of the living room and deeper into the mansion. I tried to wiggle out of his grip, but no matter what I did, his grip tightened against my hands.

　　He pushed open a door and stepped in before pulling me in. His hand found the switch on the wall, and he pressed it. The dark room came alive with dim lights shining against the very neatly arranged room.

　　What was this place? Why were we here? The questions spun around in my mind, but his voice cut them off at once.

　　"You will sleep here."

　　"Sleep here?" I asked, and he nodded.

　　"Oh, sir, I do not need to sleep if I am taking care of you all night." I was here to work, and I was not going to allow anything he said to get to my head. This was work and nothing more.

　　"You have to sleep."

　　"Then is…"

　　"You sure have a lot to say, don't you?" He cut me off, and the trail of words got lost in my brain. "Just rest." He pushed me deeper into the room.

　　I stood still as I waited for him to leave or do something else. "I am waiting. Aren't you going to climb into bed?"

　　"Aren't you going to bed?"

　　"Not until I have seen you go to bed." He pointed to the bed, and I shook my head.

　　"I can't possibly, sir; I have to change and…" I wrapped my head over my body; the memory of that night and how his hands trailed against my body crept up into my mind like a memory I could not forget.

　　"I have seen it all; you can change in front of me." He was too calm to be saying something like that.

　　"Mr Vale…"

　　"Soren, and this is going to be the last time I correct you," he said, like a warning. I gulped and tried the name against my tongue again, feeling my heart ready to leap out of my chest.

　　"Soren," I tried once more, and it felt like something I was born to say, yet my heart beating against my chest was an indication that it was wrong. "Can I at least get something comfortable to change into? Maybe an old t-shirt?"

　　He spun at once, leaving me in the fairly lit room; he came back a few moments later with a bundle of shirts in hand. Considering how much bigger he was than I, the one I picked out of the pile ended up being a short gown for me, stopping right underneath my bum.

　　I hurried to the bathroom, changing into it before I stepped out to face him. "Come on," he said. I watched as his eyes followed me as I climbed into bed and pulled the covers over my body.

　　"Are you going to stand there and watch me sleep?" He shook his head.

　　"I just want you to get in bed before I leave," he replied, and I nodded. The faster way to get him out of here was to say what he wanted.

　　As I closed my eyes in bed, I felt his hand pull up the blanket to my neck. I wanted to look at him once again, but I feared that something I had not bargained for was going to happen. Of course, my life was that messed up because I surely did not have that kind of luck ever in my life.

　　The man I thought I was having a one-night stand with had to be my boss. I felt his hand brush my hair gently, and my breath caught in my throat as I tried to ignore the burning feeling of his fingertips against my skin.

　　'Maybe you need to quit, Lioraé,' my mind screamed at me. I was so sure that this was nothing I couldn't handle.

　　"Good night," I heard him finally murmur. He moved, the light in the room going off, and then the door closed after him just a moment later.

　　I hurried into a sitting position, the darkness of the room overwhelming me at once. Was I growing into something else? Because why did his weird attitude make me feel safer than I have ever been?

　　My phone buzzed with messages, and when I looked down at it, my mom was sending messages, angry that I had not shown up for dinner that night with Evan, and now she was embarrassed.

　　I threw myself back onto the bed, my head bouncing off the pillow. "How the hell am I going to explain this?" I murmured to myself as I shut my eyes, trying to at least catch a moment of sleep.