Page 311 of Savage Bosses

I look into her eyes, the depth of her warmth pulling me closer to her soul. "I just want to look at you a little while longer, so I will never forget how you look, naked in my bedroom. Promise me you'll never forget this moment either."

Her smile softens, tender and full of promise. "Forever etched in my mind."

CHAPTER 11

Tahani

DEN OF SNAKES

B

oss Be Damned is booming.

With over a thousand new members, the Boss-Hole Forum is jumping a week after its creation.

Today, we’re rallying around @Raven88. She works for a furniture store and has been accused of stealing a customer from one of her coworkers. Her boss took the other employee's side without giving her a chance to defend herself.

@Raven88:#MBIDAF. He’s called me back to his office for another meeting. I know he will write me up for not following sales policy, but I didn’t take my coworker’s customer (a coworker who shall be noted as “the crusty witch” going forward??). The customer called me and asked me to help them pick out a couch. They said they no longer wanted to work with the crusty witch because she didn’t complete their last order. Since the customer worked with her in the past, my boss wants me to give her the sale even though I’ve already done the work. It feels like I’m being double-teamed by the crusty witch and my boss??. What should I do?

@TestyTesty:Let’s just be real. There is no “feels like;” youarebeing double-teamed. My advice to you is to try to explain that it was the customer that requested you and the reason, but if that doesn’t work, you could always stab them both. ??????

@Raven88:Lol, I don’t want to go to jail today. But seriously, if I had not helped the customer, they would have gone to another store. This is a clear situation of damned if I do and damned if I don’t.

@BlacqQueen333:I see where you’re coming from. I hate when that happens. It’s like you have no option but to be in the hot seat. This is a hard one.

@99ProblemsButaBossAintOne:If you decide to stab them, I have bail money ??

@ImBossy26:Lol, don’t listen to @TestyTesty and @99ProblemsButaBossAintOne. Just go in there and listen to what your boss has to say. Calmly explain what happened with the client and see where that gets you. You can only deal with the truth; if he doesn’t respect that, he’s toxic, and it may be time to start looking for a new job.

@Raven88:I will try that @ImBossy26. Though, @TestyTesty and @99ProblemsButaBossAintOne’s ??????ideas sound mighty tempting.

@TestyTesty:?? ?? Please don’t listen to me. Listen to @ImBossy26. She’s still employed, and I’m not.

@99ProblemsButaBossAintOne:Yeah, @ImBossy26 probably has the best plan today, lol. But if your boss is still acting #DAF after your meeting, we roll out at dawn! ??? ???

I chuckle as I log off of theBoss Be Damnedwebsite and pull up my work screen. Lines of code instantly bring me back to the current project I’m working on, but the thought of being able to talk to women from all over the world about their boss puts a smile on my face. We’re not only saving careers; we’re lifting spirits and saving livelihoods.

It doesn’t take long before the hum of the computer and keyboard keys drown out the world as lines of code in various colors puts me into my zone.

"Ah, Tahani, still working away I see," says a voice that simultaneously oozes charm and malice. I look up to see Mason Hughes leaning casually against my wall, his short-cropped blond hair glistening under the fluorescent lights. There’s an intimidating air about him – tall, athletic, with arms crossed over his chest, observing me like a hawk.

"Of course, Mason." I force a smile onto my face, trying to keep my tone light and friendly. “You know how much creating the best software means to me."

"Indeed, I do." He smirks. "You know, Tahani, I've always admired your dedication. It's not every day you find someone who's so... committed."

"Thanks, I guess?" I respond, feeling uneasy under his gaze. Why is he here? What does he want from me? I take a deep breath to quell the rising anxiety in my chest.

"Which is why it's such a shame." His voice drips with sarcasm. "That things have a way of going wrong just when they seem to be going perfectly."

I narrow my eyes at him. "What are you talking about?”

"Oh, nothing in particular. I'm just saying... we all know how things can change in the blink of an eye. And it would be such a shame if something were to happen to jeapordize your beloved position as the star engineer here at Iconic."

"Are you done?" I ask, my voice cold and hard. Because I’m done playing games with him.

"Not quite." He pushes away from the wall to my desk. "You should know there's always someone waiting in the wings, ready to swoop in and take what's rightfully theirs."

“Well, thankfully, I have nothing that belongs to anyone else. I work hard for every achievement I get, so no one can take what’s mine.”

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