Boss I Love to Hate An Office Romance - Mia Kayla Page 0,97
remembered Charles kicking my ass when I was twelve. I’d stolen his ex-girlfriend, thinking he was over her. He’d chased me into our backyard with our parents in the house. His eyes were begging for blood.
Charles was taller, buffer, and stronger than me. Puberty had hit him early. He had me on the ground, his knee on my chest. I was all out of energy and full of guilt. I called defeat before I could even get the first punch in.
“Are you a quitter now? Is that all you’ve got? You’re going to let me beat you, lying down?”
He called me every derogatory name in the book to get me to toughen up.
It had worked because I had flipped him over, my knee on his chest, and I hadn’t let up until he’d heard my whole apology and forgiven me.
Talk about no choice in the matter. I’d had him pinned to the ground.
“So, are you?” Charles said, breaking me away from the past. “Are you giving up?”
Was I? This time was different though. I had known I could take Charles. Jeff, on the other hand, had history with her, and I couldn’t compete with that; therefore, he had me beat.
“It’s like fighting to take over a company when the owner isn’t willing to give it up. The company isn’t for sale.”
Charles laughed. “You are giving up then. I didn’t think it was in you.”
I huffed and ran a frustrated hand through my hair. “You don’t get it. I can’t win if I’m not even in the race.”
Charles’s eyes narrowed, challenging me. “Who took you out of the race?”
“Her ex-boyfriend.” I threw up both hands, beyond exasperated.
“What does he have on you?”
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Maybe a law degree, but shit, I could get that if I wanted to. And, if that would win her over, I would. He doesn’t deserve her.”
If Jeff had been stupid enough to let her go, then he hadn’t known what he had in the beginning.
“Well then …” He lifted an expectant eyebrow. “Why don’t you jump back in the race?”
“Charles …” My tone was tired, already defeated.
“As I see it, you’re the one choosing to be out of the race. Sonia hasn’t said she’s still in love with him. And, even if she is, change her mind. An owner will sell his company for a price even if it’s not for sale.” He smirked, and years of being the older brother showed on his features. “Everyone has a price. The question is, how hard are you willing to fight to get what you want?”
Brad
I didn’t emerge from my meetings until six o’clock. Sonia had been long gone since five. She’d usually tell me she was leaving, but I’d had my door shut, preparing for our meeting with Titan Printing.
After I shut down, I jumped into my car and headed to her place. My mind should’ve been on this very important meeting that would add a twenty percent increase to our bottom line in the next few years, but it wasn’t. All that occupied my brain was the woman I’d been obsessing over. When the doorman told me she wasn’t in her apartment, I texted her.
Where are you? We need to talk.
There were so many things I needed to say, but I needed to say them in person.
I tapped my head against the wheel.
Come on. Come on. Come on. Text me back.
A long minute later, my phone pinged.
Sonia: Can this wait until tomorrow? I’m at my parents’ house.
I didn’t respond to her text. I just reacted. I drove to her parents’ house like the stalker I really was, using what was saved on my navigation from our previous dinner.
Rosa, Sonia’s sister, opened the door when I arrived. “Hey, Brad.” Her eyes widened right before she grinned.
At least someone was happy to see me. I hoped Sonia would have the same reaction.
“Hi, is Sonia here?” I shifted in my spot like a boxer ready to pounce. I wanted to barge in, given my normal lack of restraint, but remembered that her father had a gun. I needed to live through the next few minutes to say what I needed to say.
“Yeah, let me get her. Come on in.” She opened the door wide for me.
“No, I’m kind of in a hurry.” My fingers flexed at my sides, and I peered behind Rosa, getting a glimpse of the family party inside. “I can’t stay long. There’s just something I have to tell her.”