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I shake my head and look around the space. I peek into Bella’s office and see her with her head buried in the screen of her computer. I go into her office and quietly shut the door behind me. The click of the door brings her head up and we lock eyes.
“Ben. Not now,” she says, her voice stern.
“What happened? Why are you pissed? What did I do?” I ask her in rapid succession.
“Oh, you can see that I’m pissed? Good of you to be so fucking observant. Congratu-fucking-lations, Ben!” she bites.
“I have no idea what is going on, so please help me understand?” I say as calmly as I can. I'm unprepared for a fight and I'm not exactly sure what I'm dealing with here. It's been a while since I've dealt with someone else's feelings.
“Understand? Ben, you’re pulling me out as your assistant and offering me up to that other company as if I’m expendable. It's like a slap across the face. That’s what you’re doing.”
I try to think back to the meeting and where she got that information and I’m coming up empty. She looks at me and stands. She grabs her cell phone and starts throwing random things from her desk drawers into her purse with finality. I walk around her desk and grab her wrist to halt her.
“Stop it. What are you doing?” I seethe through my teeth.
“I’m leaving,” she rages right back to me. She turns to face me. We are inches apart, and all I want to do is shut her up by kissing her.
“You can’t just leave,” I say, biting back a laugh at my first thoughts and stepping away from her.
“My employment here is at-will. I’m under no contract to work for you, so I can quit anytime. And that, sir, is what I am doing – effective now!” She points to the ground for emphasis.
“Isabella!” I say with so much anger. “There is no chance in hell I would send you to work anywhere that I’m not. I don’t want you to work anywhere else. I don't want you anywhere but by my side. What I was implying in that meeting – and maybe it wasn't conveyed correctly – was that you would work closely with their CEO’s assistant and maybe some of their staff. But you would not be leaving this company.”
“That’s not what I heard in there,” she retorts, crossing her arms stubbornly.
“Hey, you heard wrong. If I have any control over you, it’s that. You are still working here and if you ever leave me, there better be a fucking good reason.” My anger and frustration boils. She looks at me, really looks at me with steady eyes.
“Wait. If I quit here… did you think that also means I quit you?” she asks, her tone changing to worry.
“Wouldn’t that be what you would do?” I ask, almost fearing of her answer.
“No, Ben. I mean, it would likely make our relationship easier because we wouldn’t have to hide, but if I stopped working for you, I wouldn’t stop being with you.”
“No?” I ask.
“Not a chance. I kind of like you. You’re my beast – at work and in the sack.” She smiles as she whispers the last part.
“I wasn’t trying to make you feel like you were expendable. You are far from it.” I pull her to me and wrap my arms around her. She head lays against my chest and wraps her arms around my middle in return. I kiss the top of her head and move one my hands so that my hand holds her head to me.
“If I’m your Beast, you’re my Beauty,” I say quietly.
“Ugh. I did what I never wanted to do.”
“What’s that?” I ask as she pulls herself out of my arms.
“I brought our relationship into work.”
“Does that mean that I can bend you over the desk and fuck you?”
“Benjamin!” She holds my gaze. Her annoyance is tempered with mirth.
“Can’t blame a guy for trying.” I laugh. “Are we clear though? The conversation in the meeting? I would never… I don't want you leaving here. I just want to make sure you are fully aware of that. You are stuck with me. I'm a better person with you around.”
She looks at me with unshed tears in her eyes and nods.
“We're clear. And thank you.” She smiles.
“For what?” I ask. Why is she thanking me?
