Love Me in the Dark novel Chapter 6

KREW

One thing I loved about being away from the city, I could focus on things at hand, making my work a lot easier. I had my office all to myself without someone barging in, and no traffic to piss me off and waste my time.

Aside from the charities I supported, I found more ways to help in my own way and be the son Dad had raised me to be. When I met Anna and Caleb, I realized how fortunate I was to have certain privileges that others had not.

“Can I help?” River asked warily.

Still, I tried and overlooked the fact that we were going to live under the same roof together. I fought with Kai over the phone when I told him about the woman he wanted to buy her silence was with me, thanked my sister. Considering she was a Rouge, Kai became raving mad.

“Make yourself useful. Just don’t break anything.” I cooked in the kitchen once a week to help Anna feed her guests, and now I just found an annoying and hot as fuck partner in crime. Her kitchen was old-school to the stone oven she used. Anna was very hands-on and very particular with cooking styles. She used most of her spices from the herbs she planted in her garden. And I would like to think it helped save mother earth, not that I was an environmentalist.

“I don’t know you can cook,” River remarked.

“Then you don’t know anything about me. You should try to be a little bit less judgmental to someone you don’t know shit about.” I was a douche again, but that was the truth. She did judge me even though she apologized profoundly.

She silently picked up the knife.

“I hope you’re not planning on using that on me.”

Instead of answering me with her sass, she sliced some mushrooms in silence. I felt terrible that I couldn’t keep my lividness to myself. She did change my life, though, but I learned to forgive her a long time ago, and she never had to ask. I wasn’t also this douche. I used to keep my opinion to myself rather than sharing my emotions, but with her, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut.

Still reveling in silence, she grabbed the bread and took the poor thing’s fate in her hands.

“If you wanna stay with me, and the fact that I’m now your boss, we should learn how to communicate. Don’t think for a minute that I would be lenient because you’re a friend of my sister. You’re now my employee, and you talk to me with respect when I am talking to you. That’s what an employee should do.”

“Yes, Mr. Selik.” Irritated countenance had crossed her beautiful feature. Call me Mr. Selik again, or you find your hands pinned above your head as I press you against this wall.

Two hours later, we were in front of three platters full of Artichoke crostini with mushrooms.

We had breakfast in silence. I spent an hour stealing glances at River while she appreciated the vast lush view around us. Up to this moment, I couldn’t shake off how beautiful her eyes were, so mesmerizing that I could get lost with a little effort. And how could I ever forget what we did in that break room? That was one of the boldest things I’d ever done in my life. I was supposed to ask her out and tell her what I knew, but things didn’t go as I planned when she was so gorgeous and showing some interest.

She was like an angel back then, so delicate, pure, and innocent as she stared at me with those big blue eyes, then I took that opportunity handed to my on a silver platter—I kissed her. Here we go again. I couldn’t believe I was bringing this up again.

Finally, we arrived at my house, and still keeping her mouth shut.

“Meet me in my office in ten minutes.” I didn’t like companions a lot when it was only to waste my time and strength, but they said no man is an island. I just disagreed with people doing the work for me when I could do it on my own, or when someone made decisions for me—what to do even to clothes I should wear. It would only piss me off.

She nodded before she headed upstairs. For the last four years, I learned a few things about River Rouge. She'd been working as an assistant in an advertising agency., had a roommate named Journey. She was a dog lover but didn’t have a pet. She was a foodie, coffee lover, and disliked white chocolate. Obviously, no boyfriend at this moment, but she’d been on a date a couple of times. I wondered why it did not work, though. On the other hand, and as selfish as I was, I was pretty damn happy about it.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts.

“Come in.” I kept my eyes glued to the screen of my laptop, but I could feel her checking out of my office.

Nothing too fancy about this room other than books on huge and tall shelves as a prop, the fern Anna gave me, a black couch, and my desk. She didn’t have to know that I had a secure man cave in this house with state-of-the-art surveillance. When I told her I would keep her safe, I meant every word I said. After I moved in here three years ago, I hired a company specialized in building a panic room to do something for me in case of an emergency. That was how I had a high-end office equipped with bulletproof walls that were built to withstand intruders and even hurricanes. It had an ultra-resistant and impenetrable armored door with cutting-edge technology that included a biometric recognition opening.

River had to gain my trust first to know that kind of ultra-secure sanctuary in this house existed, unless it was necessary, or her life could be in imminent danger.

“What is exactly the work you offered? My last job was assistant—”

“I know.”