Cassie’s POV
First it was flowers. Now lunch. I really needed to figure out what was going on in that man’s head.
"Be quick, we’re leaving in five minutes." He said flatly, almost like he hadn’t been the one asking me personal questions ten minutes earlier.
"Okay, sir." I rushed through the rest of my meal, since apparently he was already done.
"Fast doesn’t mean choking yourself."
I ignored that he’d taken his time with the exact same pace five minutes ago. I finished, and we headed back to the office, me trailing behind him like a lost puppy.
He was already back in his chair, reviewing documents piled up on his desk, by the time I walked in.
"Mr. Blackwood, your father’s on the line."
He looked up, cold. "Tell him I’m unavailable." Flat, deliberate clearly not busy at all, just choosing not to answer.
"...He said it’s urgent," I offered quietly, unsure if I even had the standing to say that much.
His expression hardened instantly. "Are you working for him, or for me?" He snapped, eyes locked on mine. "Get out of my office and do what you’re actually paid to do."
"Okay, sir." A chill ran through me. I’d seen him angry before, but this was different, colder, sharper, closer to hatred. Whatever was between him and his father, it ran deep.
I left quickly, before whatever this was could turn on me too. I sank back into my chair, deflated, after relaying to his father that he was "unavailable." Then I just waited for the clock to move.
The clock was ticking slowly. The whole afternoon dragged like slow motion. A few hours ago he’d been almost kind. Now he was back to the man I’d first met on day one.
By the time it was finally time to leave, I packed up fast — every extra second in that building felt like punishment, especially with his door shut the entire afternoon, giving me nothing to go on.
I stepped into the elevator, hit the button for the ground floor, and watched the numbers count down, relieved the day was finally over.
Ding.
The doors opened, and my phone rang the second I stepped out. Mr. Blackwood. Had to be. I let it go to voicemail — if he asked, I’d say I never saw it. It rang again. I picked up my pace toward the exit, until his text stopped me cold:
If you’re not back here in thirty seconds, don’t bother coming back at all.
Fuck.
Thirty seconds? I sprinted back through the crowd, muttering apologies as I bumped into person after person, finally skidding in front of the elevator and jabbing the button over and over. It resisted opening, of course, right when I needed it most. When it finally did, I stepped in with my heart hammering and my palms slick with sweat.
I reached his office, knocked, and pushed the door open.
"Sir, you sent for me." My voice shook, still trying to catch my breath.
"Where exactly did you think you were going?" He glanced at his watch, tone clipped.
"It’s 5pm, sir. Time to go home." My heart wouldn’t slow down, and I had no idea if that was even the right thing to say. His expression gave nothing away. I just knew I’d woken the dragon.
"Are you genuinely this dense? You don’t leave until I’ve finished everything and I’m ready to leave. That’s the job I’m paying you for."
I stood there, head lowered, silently asking myself why he kept flipping like this — flowers and lunch one hour, ice and arrogance the next.
He stood, walked toward me, close enough that I caught his scent— expensive, deliberate, impossible to ignore.
"Pack those into here." He handed me an empty briefcase and gestured to the pile on his desk, then simply stood back and watched me work.
A few minutes later, everything was carefully arranged inside. He had me carry the briefcase along with my own bag and phone, both barely balanced in my hands.
We stepped into the elevator, headed down, and my phone started beeping. I tried to ignore it, but it only got louder. He shot me a look cold enough to say turn that shit off or I’m throwing it.
It stopped — then started right back up, and this time he grabbed the briefcase from me just to make it quiet.
I glanced at the screen. "Wait, what the fuck!" I clapped a hand over my mouth.
Kate’s birthday.
I have been so carried away by Mr. Blackwood’s shenanigans that I forgot Kate’s birthday. She’s going to kill me if she finds out.
The second the doors opened, I bolted, leaving Mr. Blackwood standing there.
I rushed straight to the nearest mall, scrambling for a gift. Kate was impossible to shop for her taste ran expensive, her jewelry alone worth more than my monthly salary. She called it "investing."
I settled on a cake and a handwritten letter, then flagged a cab home.
Twenty minutes later, I pushed through the front door and froze.
"Kate!" I shrieked, slamming my eyes shut against what I’d just walked in on. Again, but this time she and Alex, fully in the middle of it. Fucking right there on the couch.
"Oh my god." I dropped the cake on the table and bolted upstairs, desperate to unsee it.
"Cass! Cass, I’m sorry!" Kate chased after me. "Stop being so dramatic, you’re not twelve."
"It could’ve been anyone walking in, Kate. You knew I was coming home soon! why not just use your room?"
Before I could finish making my point, Alex appeared in the doorway.
"Hey, Cass." He gave an awkward little smile. "Sorry you had to see that."
"It’s fine. I’m fine." Lie. I hadn’t been touched in months, and watching that had done nothing but remind me I’ve not had a fucking dick for months.
"Anyways, happy birthday Katie."
"Thank you, I actually have news." Kate was grinning now. "I’m throwing my birthday tonight — masked party, same club as before."
"My boyfriend booked it. We’ve got the whole place for the night. Cassie, this is your chance to let loose without anyone knowing who you are."
"Wait — boyfriend?"
"That’s me." Alex pointed at himself, visibly pleased.
"So? What do you say, Cass? I really want you there."
Honestly, it wasn’t the worst idea. Between Mr. Blackwood and everything else piling up, I needed something to clear my head — and this felt like exactly that.
"Let’s do it."
"Yes!" Kate clapped, barely containing herself.
I couldn’t wait to shed everything for one night. I don’t need to be perfect for anyone.
I had no idea he’d be there too.