Deal With The Arrogant Billionaire

Dear Lilac,

After careful consideration, the hiring team has decided to extend an offer to you for the position of “Personal Assistant” to Mr. Ryke Kolynsky. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the candidate originally selected has had to part ways with the company, and we believe you are a great fit for our team.

Will you be available to start tomorrow?

***

At first, I couldn’t believe my eyes. What sort of unimaginable luck is this? Is it supposed to be a prank? These were the thoughts that ran through my mind as I stared at the email back at home that afternoon. I’d read it over and over again, unable to believe that somehow this entire thing had ended up in my favor.

It made no sense. Somehow, magically, the person they hired had to be let go the very first day on the job and I was apparently the next best candidate?

Hell no.

But, the very next day, I was walking through Silvercrest’s bustling departments as Helen, the hiring manager, took me on an orientation tour round the offices. Yep. I’d replied to the email that I was available to start, texted my boss at Golden Spoon cafe that I was quitting, and showed up at Silvercrest as was required of me.

Whether it made sense or not, I was going to be a fool to let this opportunity pass me by. My life was strange but slowly and surely, I was getting used to the fast-paced style the universe was adapting for me.

“And finally, here is the big boss’ office,” Helen said as we finally came to a stop in front of a huge door. Of course, we were on the private floor and hallway I’d accidentally been on that fateful day last week.

Helen opened the door and I held my breath as it swung wider and wider, expecting to see the man on the other side. But it was empty, merely a well-decorated office space most likely for an assistant. Which was me. So this was my office.

My eyes glittered as I took the space in. My own office. Seriously, how was my life real?

There was another door which I guessed led to Ryke’s actual office, and sure enough, as we entered, there Ryke Kolynsky was, bent over his desk writing something.

My heart rate picked up at the sight of him which was weird and annoying, but I ignored it.

“Good morning, sir,” Helen greeted, and I followed suit. “Good morning, Mr. Kolynsky.”

Ryke kept writing for a moment and when it seemed like he was done, he finally deemed us worthy of his time and looked up. His expression was bored as it took the both of us in, barely changing when he saw me. It was as if our meeting yesterday never happened.

But really, what did I expect? Just because we’d met, he should treat me familiarly? I rolled my eyes at myself in my head.

“Good morning.” Ryke greeted in return.

“This is your new assistant, Miss. Evans.”

Ryke nodded. His eyes met mine and held, undecipherable. “Welcome. I take it you’re starting today?”

“Yes, Mr. Kolynsky,” I nodded. And that was it. Just like that, my life had turned around.

***

I was finally allowed to settle into my space in the lobby outside Ryke’s office. I had a computer to myself. God, I’d never even owned so much as a laptop, but now, I could get one million of them if I so wished because goddamn my pay was obscenely high. I still couldn’t believe ten thousand dollars was going to be sitting in my empty account by the end of the month. Not until I saw it with my own eyes.

Snapping back to attention, I quickly turned on the computer, wondering what my tasks were supposed to be for that morning. I hadn’t been told anything by Helen and so I planned to just focus on organizing Ryke’s own tasks for the day. Maybe I should go into his office to ask if there was anything he wanted me to do…

I snapped my eyes shut at that, heart pounding stupidly from just the thought of being alone with him in his office. When I opened them again, my computer had booted up completely.

Just as I went to pull up the browser so I could log in to my email, I heard Ryke call, “Miss. Evans,” from within his closed office.

Okay. Here we go.

I got up, tugging my pencil skirt that had ridden up my thigh down. It was so short, almost tiny and toeing the lines of inappropriate, but it was the only one I owned. My small collection of clothes consisted of casual outfits and even though I had nothing else, I didn’t intend to wear this every single day. But at least for my first day, I had to show up in the dress code — business attire.

I hovered outside Ryke’s door, unsure of whether I was to knock. Eventually, I did, and after a muffled ‘Come in.’, I pushed open the door and stepped inside, closing it behind me.

“You called, sir?”

Ryke leaned back in his chair, frame highlighted by the floor to ceiling windows right behind him. The aura this man exuded in that simple position was so powerful, it was insane. His gaze was intense and I felt the urge to look away, but given what I knew about him, I wasn’t going to give him the chance to perceive me as weak.

“I’ve been waiting for my morning coffee for thirty minutes since you arrived. Did Helen not inform you of your duties?”

My eyes widened. Shit. She did, I’d completely forgotten. Only an hour here and I was already slipping up.

“She did. I-I’m sorry. I’ll get on that right away.”

Ryke frowned, replying, “I expect you to stay on top of your responsibilities, especially as a new hire. There’s no room for mistakes in this office.”

I grimaced. “Understood, sir. How do you like your coffee?”

Ryke’s eyes held mine for a moment, then slowly, purposefully, they dragged down my face to my neck, my body, lingering for seconds too long so I felt my face begin to burn. Then, those green eyes flitted back up to mine and he leaned forward and propped his head up on his hand.

“I like it sweet, Miss. Evans.”

Nodding hard, I swung on my heels and left the office as fast as possible, unable to stay there one second longer. To make matters worse, even as I had my back turned to him as I fled, I could still feel those eyes burning a trail across the back of my body.

The air conditioning on my side of the office was on full blast, but my body still felt overheated from his actions, sweating as I searched for a mug. That’s how insane I felt, how I was coming to realize that Ryke could unravel me with just a few words.

At least, by the time I found where Ryke’s mugs and cups were kept, I had cooled down. Still, red remained in my cheeks. How unlike myself I was acting, just because a man decided to look me up and down. Maybe I needed to get laid. It’s been too long, I was basically a virgin once again.

I’d set the coffee beans into the machine before I went searching for a mug, so I didn’t have to wait long for it to finish processing. My years of working as a barrister at GoldenSpoon kicked into gear and soon, I had a fully made cup of coffee on the tabletop. I grabbed a saucer and set the mug in it, then made my way back into Ryke’s office.

Ryke stopped what he was doing as soon as I walked in, focusing that laser attention of his back on me again. I moved closer to him, leaning over the table to place the drink in front of him. As I pulled back to stand properly again, Ryke’s eyes jerked up to mine, guilty, like they’d been looking at something they shouldn’t have.

Confused, I blinked at him, but he didn’t say anything. He picked up his mug and took a sip. For whatever reason, I felt nervous about him tasting my coffee. Ryke wasn’t the first person I’d made coffee for. It used to be my job till literally just yesterday and I didn’t give a shit about my taste as long as it met GoldenSpoon’s standards.

Yet here I was, watching every one of Ryke's reactions to the drink.

“Hm,” he hummed. “This is good; really well made. The taste is almost familiar, though,” Ryke raised an eyebrow at me.

I smiled bashfully. “If you’ve ever frequented Golden Spoon, that might be the reason why. I used the cafe’s techniques because I used to work there.” Bringing up GoldenSpoon reminded me unnecessarily of that moment between us yesterday in front of it.

“Really?” Ryke’s eyes lit up at this information. But, his expression shifted into a confused frown. “Wait. How come I never saw you?”

“I worked in the kitchen. It’s the cashier who handles the customers most of the time unless I needed to serve a table, and… no offense, but I’m assuming you wouldn’t eat in a public place like that. There was no way you could have seen me.”

Ryke chuckled and shook his head. “I suppose.”

Now that he’d approved the drink, I guessed there was no need for me to wait around in there any longer. I could come back later to pick the mug and saucer. But before I could leave, Ryke spoke again.

“I’m glad I was safe this time.”

I blinked. “Sorry?”

“I’m not in the habit of repeating myself, Miss. Evans. But I said, I’m glad I was safe this time. You seem to have a frightful habit of spilling… liquids all over me.”

I blushed in embarrassment. He was right, but did he have to bring it up? But, frowning, I realized something. “Habit?” Wasn’t that a stretch? As far as I was concerned, I’d only ever poured something on him once because before that day, I’d literally never even met him.

Ryke stood up from his chair and circled around his table, walking slowly, closer and closer toward me. I wasn’t sure of what was happening, but I knew one thing. My heart skipped several beats, the poor thing pounding away in my chest and I felt very much like a prey being stalked by a predator, hungry. Gearing to devour.

“Yes, Miss. Evans. Habit.” My confusion must have shown all over my face because Ryke continued, now in front of and looking down at me, “You don’t remember? Say you don’t remember it, Angel.”

Angel?

I jolted, almost stumbling back.

As I stood there, shocked out of my mind, memories made blurry and forgotten by the alcohol that night came sharply into focus at the sound of that nickname.

Angel. Angel. Angel.

My eyes widened as I took in the beautiful face in front of me. The face that had been so distantly familiar for reasons I couldn’t make sense of. Except I knew why now.

--------------------

I swayed over the man. He was so sexy I could feel my panties dampen just looking at him. “Hi, Miss…” Fuck, even his voice was just as sexy.

“Lilac.” I supplied, the word slurred on my lips. “Just Lilac. And you?”

He grinned, “Ryke.”

---------------------

A club—dim lights, inescapable noise. The stench of booze and hot, sensual movements. Lips sliding. Green eyes.

‘Angel’ groaned hotly into my ear.

As if he could see where my thoughts had been, Ryke’s eyes burned with satisfaction and relief. And I swallowed hard as the reality settled deep into my bones. I made out, quick and dirty, with Ryke fucking Kolynsky in a club. I remembered, with humiliation, that I threw up all over him.

And now, he was my boss.