Page 1 of The Woman

Chapter 1

“A man who gets sex regularly is more likely to perform better at their job, Phoenix.”

My grandfather rises to his feet, adjusts the button to his dark charcoal-colored suit, then clasps his hands behind his back as he saunters over to the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, his salt and pepper hair glistens in the mid-afternoon sunlight shining through.

“You’ve done well so far with brains and logic, but it’s time you use passion and heart. That’s what a woman will bring out in you.” Turning to me, he adds, “It’s time for you to pick a woman. I sent the request, and it has been granted. We’ll go tomorrow to choose one.”

I shift in my seat, bringing my ankle up to rest on my knee as my heart begins to thunder in my chest, a crawling sensation traveling through my veins.

Senior partner and owner of this company, my grandfather Jeffrey, is someone you don’t ever cross. Carsen Architecture is the most prominent architectural firm on this side of the country, second only to one in the entire country, and they deal more so overseas.

My father, Allard, who can be almost as fearsome, is second to him, and I’ve just been promoted to Junior partner, not to be mistaken for Junior Architect. Once my grandfather is gone, my father will replace him, and I will replace my father.

Being a part of a powerful company like this means you have a greater stature in life, more sway, and more opportunities. And the more power you have in this world, the more choices you get to make. Hence, my being able to choose my woman tomorrow.

However, the pounding of my heart is not from being excited like others would be.

No, it’s from anxiousness.

Irritation.

Being unsettled and having no real control over the situation.

Even knowing this was a possibility hasn’t lessened the dread forming in the pit of my stomach, overtaking the happiness I should be feeling about being promoted.

Not all men get to pick theirs. In fact, most are just given a woman when they reach the age of thirty; they either have to accept the one they receive or live without one. I’m apparently one of the lucky ones, where at the age of twenty-five, I have the opportunity to browse through a selection of them and pick who I want.

But I don’t want to pick one. Nor do I need one. I personally think she’d only be an annoyance. A burden.

I won’t show him that, though. I remain poised, my face stoic and appearing calm.

“Take the rest of today off,” he continues. “And make sure your penthouse is set up for another person. Go get more pillows and all that shit. She won’t come with much.”

“Thank you, sir,” I answer with forced gratitude.

No way would I ever go against what he tells me to do, no matter how much my mind screams at me to do so. I want this promotion badly. I’ve worked hard for it. So, if that means I buy some shit and pick a woman, I will. I can always ignore her. I don’t have to have sex with her. Some men even lend out their woman to friends or others who haven’t gotten theirs yet, so there’s always that option.

A large hand lands on my shoulder before I’m able to stand, and I turn toward my father sitting next to me. “Congratulations, son,” he tells me in his gruff tone. “You’ll enjoy having one. And you’ll do good in your new position.”

I nod at him, my lips still pursed. “Thanks.”

The desire to get to my feet and walk out of the large office as the two of them begin discussing something else entirely has more to do with the lunch I just ate suddenly not sitting right in my stomach than an eagerness to go on this shopping trip.

I close the door behind me, nodding to Gary, my grandfather’s assistant outside his door, and then Mike, who sits outside my father’s office. Soon, I’ll have an assistant, too.

Deciding to make a detour, I peek into the office that is to be mine. It’s half the size of the other two up here but still quite large, with one entire wall being floor-to-ceiling windows – a personal favorite of mine – and a water feature wall on the opposite side that is unique only to this office. Water runs down the length over a textured back-splash and into an almost hidden gap in the floor. There’s also a large mahogany desk in the corner with a plant next to it, and a private elevator off to the side for if I don’t feel like taking the main one. A couch sits on the opposite side of the room, with a door to my personal bathroom next to it. The rest of the room awaits my personal touch.

Making my way out again, I step into the main elevator and lean back against the wall, looking at my distorted reflection in the shiny interior panels. I can make out my black hair, short on the sides and longer on top, neatly combed back, but my gray eyes aren’t as easy to see. It has me contemplating the woman I have to choose.

Do I pick someone with dark hair? Or maybe red? Then there’s the eye color to consider – the height as well. So many choices. Fuck, it’s just one more thing I have to think about in my already packed mind. She’s already a distraction, and I haven’t even gotten her yet.

Until my father mentioned the possibility of being able to pick early in passing last month, I hadn’t given any thought to having one. Not since I was about eighteen when someone had taken their woman to the bar I was having a drink at after work.

I remember thinking she was beautiful. It’s not uncommon for females to be seen out in public, but it’s not often that they’re brought into a bar, and I couldn’t stop staring at her. It wasn’t that I wanted her specifically, but that I wanted my own – at the time. I had gone home and watched the instructional videos on how to have sex and then stroked my cock until I came all over myself.

The problem was that I kept doing that day after day, until I realized just how obsessed I had become with it and how much I was slacking at work because of it. I knew then and there that I didn’t want a female in my life if they could have that type of control over me. I had to stop anything to do with women and throw away the videos so I could get my focus back on more important things – like my career.

I had successfully ignored any thoughts of a woman and worked my way up in the company.

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