Page 4 of Sassy Love
Closing my eyes, I draw in a long, ragged breath. The door swishes open, and I open my eyes to see a frantic Millie, wringing her hands at her chest, eyes wide.
I shake my head. “I’m so sorry, Mills.”
Chapter 2
LAWSON
The day I took the job for Cole Carlson, I knew I’d traded my soul for money. Today was the first time I actually saw evidence of that unfold in real time. And I stood there... not saying a damn word. I push the iron up for another rep. Fire burns through my shoulders and biceps.
I hold the weight, letting it burn every fiber in my arms.
Good, I deserve it.
I chose Human Resources to help people get a fair chance, and there wasnothingfair about today. After years slogging away at a double major, being the only son of four to head to college instead of staying home on the ranch or signing up for the army, I was desperate to prove myself.
So, a business degree with management and human resource electives was my choice. Fat lot of good that did in Carlson’s office today. Fairness didn’t even have a chance to raise her timid head in that stifling, toxic room that may as well have resembled a tundra of marble and chauvinistic ego.
“Someone’s quiet tonight.” Miles throws me a sideways glance as he settles onto the machine to my left. His bulky size from working out for his day job as kitten rescuer means he’s wedged into the machine. We started college together, buthitting the books made him restless. Running into burning buildings is apparently more his style.
“Shit day,” I utter.
He raises an eyebrow.
“Yeah, yeah. I know. Nothing life or death. Only the justice of the world and my conscience battling.”
He chuckles before settling into his first rep. Shoulder press. Probably lifting my entire body weight, let’s be honest.
“Hey, I have the easy job. Follow orders, save the day. Don’t die. You, my friend, dance with the devil. That will always have you trapped in here.” He points to his temple and lifts another rep.
His square jaw clenches. His biceps and shoulders strain with the weight, but the cheek in his brown eyes doesn’t waiver as he blows me a kiss.
“Fuck off, Milo.”
I lift another rep.
He eyes my form before starting his reps again. “You know, if you ever get sick of dancing with Satan, the FDNY would take you on.”
I chuckle at him now. “Yeah, sure, bud. I think I’ll leave you to the hero work.”
His machine returns to base, and his hands fall from the grips, his gaze squaring with mine. “You don’t think HR is important?”
“Of course I do. But my ability to help people is... limited. At least it is in Carlson’s particular realm of hell. And what am I doing for the big picture, you know? Celebrities don’t exactly need more people on their side.”
“I’ll bet the people that have to work for them do, though.”
I hang my head.
Yeah, they do.
And I failed them miserably today.
When I joined the business world, my father told me that careers were built on the backs of others. I’d always assumed that meant leaders paving the way for their teams. In the last few hours, I have come to realize that he meant men like my greed-driven boss standing on the backs of others, crushing souls and breaking bones to build his bank balance and his reputation as the biggest shark in town.
Or city. New York City. We’re not in Kansas now.
It will never sink in that I’m not the naive young guy who left Montana. At almost thirty-eight, I have an Upper East Side apartment, a career I love and, up until today, have been proud of and worked my ass off for. It’s a far cry from ranching. That’s always been my brothers’ thing, not mine.
Besides, I look better in a suit.
