Page 37 of Boss Agreement

ADDISON

What’s Phillip doing?His song is up next, and he’s walking away? Is he really fleeing the scene so he doesn’t have to sing? Trish may have said he doesn’t have to, but I want him to. Once he does, he’ll be a part of the group. Just like what happened to me.

And I want him to have friends. Or at least break down some of the mistrust that everyone at the table is feeling. I don’t know if this will do it, but it’s the only thing I could think of. I had to argue with Sera and Trish for a long time outside that thrift shop this morning to convince them he’s different outside the office.

They still don’t believe me. Even though Sera’s sat in a cubicle with him for a week, and she hasn’t been burned alive or even fired yet.

Now he’s running away?

My heart sinks. I want my friends. I’ve lived my whole life basically on my own. It wasn’t really possible to have many friends in school with the family life I had. Between always working and being as poor as I was, it just didn’t work out.

Now I have three friends that I absolutely love spending time with, even if I barely know them.

But they hate and are terrified of the guy that I’m quickly falling for. After last night, I knew I needed to mend some broken bridges between them. I don’t want to distance myself from my friends, but I don’t know if it’s possible for me to distance myself from Phillip. Not with how he makes me feel.

That’s why we’re all here. To mend broken bridges and close some gaps so I can have all of them. Maybe that’s selfish of me, but truthfully, I don’t care. Plus, I know everyone would be happier if they all could just understand that Phillip isn’t the guy they’re all so afraid of.

I catch Phillip’s eye from near the DJ booth, and he’s grinning. What the hell is he doing?

When the music for his song comes up, my heart sinks even lower. It’s not his song. I decided on Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”, and instead, Madonna’s playing.

Yet, Phillip walks up the stairs as the intro plays. He picks up the microphone just as the beginning lines play. “I made it through the wilderness…” he sings.

I thought he said he was a terrible singer? Low and rumbling, his voice doesn’t match the original song’s pitch at all, but it fitshimperfectly. He doesn’t just stand in front of the lyric box, either. Actually, he reminds me a hell of a lot more of Trish than of me and Sera…

I glance around the table, and all three women’s eyes are wide as they watch their boss strut across the stage, so reminiscent of Madonna in the video.

“Yeah, you made me feel shiny and new,” he sings as he turns to us. He looks just as serious as I’d imagine him standing in front of a boardroom of New York’s elite. But as he walks down the stairs toward us, the chorus starts…

“Like a virgin…” I didn’t know that a man singing this song could turn me into a slutty puddle of goo, but Phillip’s done it.

Each step down the stairs terrifies me because I know what he’s doing. He’s not singing to the audience. He’s singing to us. To me.

And holy shit, it’s terrifying to have that much attention on me.

“Yeah, your love thawed out what was scared and cold…”

My heart’s racing, and I glance at my friends. Every single one of them is damn near panting. It’s not just me he’s turning on. The audience is as silent as when Trish performed. He’s halfway to us and halfway through the song. He’s really drawing it out.

God, this man is so freaking hot. I don’t know what to do, and I’m sure if it were anyone else, I’d be cringing, but the way he does it, there’s absolutely nothing cringeworthy about it.

Phillip Loughton is sex personified.

When he gets to us, instead of turning around or standing still, singing the final chorus to us, he drops to his knees, finishing that last line looking directly up at me.

The crowd is explosive as the music ends, especially the women, and I’m a little surprised that there aren’t half-naked women throwing their clothes at him.

“Fuck… That was hot.” I turn to see Trish fanning herself as Phillip stands up. “Okay, get your ass back on stage. My song’s next, and you’re dueting with me.” His eyes get wide as he looks at me questioningly. “I mean, if you want to. I… I’d like it if you did because that was awesome.”

I just shrug. “Your call,” I mouth.

He pauses for a second in the middle of brushing off his pants. He sighs and says, “Fuck it,” just loud enough for the microphone to pick it up, and the entire crowd laughs.

Trish jumps out of her chair and hurries to the stage wearing the same red dress she wore the last time. I look around at Victoria and Sera, who are still stunned.

“Did he moonlight as a pro karaoke singer like Trish?” Victoria finally asks.

“I have no freaking idea. All he’s said is that he’s a terrible singer. I expected him to be as bad as me. Not… that.”

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