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“Listen-”
“No, you listen. I’ve been understanding all week, but you’re taking it too far now. You’re forgetting who I am.”
Something about that statement made me respond as CEO Victor, and not Fated Mate Victor.
I stood up, unconsciously sprouting my golden mane, wanting to show that I was the king. “You don’t talk to me like that.” I stabbed the surface of my desk with my pointer finger. “You forget your station here. I’m the boss, and you work for me. You’re a peon.”
As soon as I said it, I knew I went too far. Bobby’s mouth dropped open and the fire went out of his eyes. All that was left was hurt, all the way down to his soul.
“Wait, I didn’t mean that.”
“But you said it.” His voice was a whisper, his beautiful brown eyes clouding with tears. I just wanted the fire to come back. I wanted him to be mad at me. Anything but this. It was so silent in the room, you could have heard a mouse pissing on cotton. I had no idea what to say. An apology should have been the first thing bursting out of my mouth, but because I was a dunce, my tongue stayed tied.
“I…I…” I tried, but the right words wouldn’t come out.
Bobby pressed his lips together, then sighed. He was probably waiting for the apology, too, then I let him down even further.
“You know, Victor, I was about to suggest that you ask the new employees to pull five more hours a week each until we get the ship righted. Since you spared so many of their jobs when they thought they’d get the axe, I bet they’d be grateful and willing to do that for you. I don’t know, though, I’m just a peon.” Bobby did the last thing I expected.
He started to cry.
It split me in two. Bobby never cried. He disappeared into his office, and I jumped up to follow him. He slung his handbag over one shoulder, his jacket over his arm, and put his thermos in his hand. A tear ran down his cheek.
Alarm bells went off in my head. “Honey, what are you doing?”
He pushed past me and out of his office, past the small cluster of cubicles in the center of the room. The rest of the floor was executive offices, and everyone stepped out of their doorways to see what was going on. They were horrified to see Bobby tearfully rushing out of the office, me right behind him, panicking.
I didn’t care that they saw me plead with my mate. He was the most important thing in my world, even if I forgot sometimes because my head was up my ass.
“Bobby, wait. Let’s talk about this, okay? Don’t rush off like this.”
Bobby didn’t stop. “I need to leave, Vic. I need some air.” At the elevator bank, he tapped the down button. It lit up, but he kept pressing it, urging the elevator to come faster.
I touched his arm. “Don’t leave so fast, okay? Let me explain.” He didn’t shake my arm off, which was a good sign, but he did shake his head, denying my request.
“Just not right now, Vic. I think I’d better take some time off. Think about whether or not I’m doing the right thing here.”
“Will I see you at home?” I asked the question because I was desperate to hear him say yes.
“I’m going…somewhere else. I need to think about this, too.” He pointed between the two of us. The elevator bell dinged, and he stepped into it.
This was my worst nightmare. “Bobby, please. Let’s talk about it.” He lifted his arms and let them fall to his side with aflap. The dark circles under his eyes showcased his exhaustion. How hadn’t I noticed before now?
“Why, so you can humiliate me in front of the whole upper management team again? I don’t think so. Have fun with your right hand tonight. Don’t call your peon.” The elevator doors slid shut and he was gone.
I let my chin drop to my chest.What have I done?
I slunk back to my office. Everybody watched with bated breath. I grumbled and growled at them all, baring my lion fangs and hoping they’d do what they usually did and leave me alone. I had no such luck.
The moment I was back in my office, there was the fast click of high heels on the floor as Sue and Latrice barged through the door.
Sue stood in front of me, a hand on her ample hip. “Victor, what happened?”
“I…I don’t know,” I replied honestly. My billionaire ego had just gotten me in trouble with my mate.
Usually, my employees held back for fear of my temper. They weren’t doing any of that now.
Latrice pointed a damning finger at me. “Did I hear you tell him he was a peon? Are you crazy?”
