Page 5 of Married to My Grumpy Minotaur Boss

Courtney waves me off. “OK, OK, forget the blowjob. What’s the game plan here?”

I stuff a wonton into my mouth and say around it, “Don’t piss him off?”

“That’s all you got?”

“What else can I do?”

“Fight back!” Courtney stabs the air with her chopstick. “Show him how much he needs you.”

“He needs me?” I don’t even lift my head. I know it’s not true. It’s Asha he needs.

“Sure. You’re great. You’re thoughtful and you love Bullseye Media. Who doesn’t want an employee like that? Maybe you should show him just how much you’ve thought about Bullseye. Pitch him some of your ideas while you’ve got his ear.”

I groan. “I’m better off just keeping my mouth shut. He already thinks I’m an annoying snoop. Don’t need to act like a know-it-all on top of that. Besides, I’ll probably never be able to come up with anything good.”

Courtney gives me a sympathetic look and pours me more wine until I stop her.

“I’ve gotta be up at like half five tomorrow to get to work on time. Don’t tempt me.”

She pours the rest into her glass instead. “Ooof, that’s rough. Come on. Let’s watch this show. Did they kiss yet? I was so sure they were going to kiss last night.”

THREE

Ronan

I lean my head back against the mirrored wall of the elevator with a sigh. Boy, I’m glad this day is over. It’s hard work sounding upbeat and inspirational when I’ve got no fucking clue how I’m going to turn things around and fix the host of problems with this network.

Truth is, I’m not sure they’re fixable.

Maybe television networks are relics of the past and nothing I can do will resurrect this lifeless corpse.

It’s not all bad. I saw the writing on the wall years ago and diversified my investments. Only, I can’t bear to let go of the company my father founded all those years ago. The company he left me 49 percent shares to in his will. It doesn’t feel right.

Too bad the other major shareholders on the board of directors are all major pains in my ass. Telling me to improve my public profile and raise the profile of the company.

I scoff. Like anyone wants to know more about me. My life is more boring than they could ever imagine.

“Tell me there’s nothing else on the schedule today,” I mutter to myself, opening my phone.

I almost groan out loud when my calendar pops up with a reminder I’m supposed to go and have dinner with my mother.

I can’t face it tonight. It’s not that I don’t want to see her. I do. If I could see her from the other side of a soundproof glass wall. Talking with her is painful these days. All she seems to do is worry about my health and I don’t need someone else doing that, as well. That or she’ll hassle me about setting me up witha nice monster. If she had her way, I’d be married and breeding already.

I compose a message while I’m waiting for my car outside the building.

Ronan: working late. Let’s make it next week

Of course, I feel like an asshole. Iaman asshole canceling on my own mother via text message. I scowl out the window all the way back to my apartment.

Instead of pouring myself a double shot of whiskey like I want to when I get home, I swap my suit for sweats and head into the gym. A six-mile run pushes me more than I’d like in thirty minutes. By the time I stop, I’m sweating and breathing hard.

I tear off my shirt and use it to mop my brow between my horns.

I don’t get enough time to exercise these days. I don’t get enough time to do anything except work.

I don’t like the way my chest feels tight and sore, but I brush it off and step into the shower. My hooves ring on the tiles while the lukewarm water sluices away the rest of the frustration from this afternoon’s talk.

None of them got it. I saw them all there looking back at me with glassy eyes. Sometimes I think there’s not a single thought to rub together between them all.

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