Page 19 of Insufferable Boss

“I understand that you own this company just as much as I do,” he said. “But you need to understand that there is a pecking order. All of you need to understand this. I cannot do my job as CEO if I am constantly having to cater to everyone's moods and demands.”

I smiled.

“If you’re not capable of such basic duties, then perhaps you don’t deserve to be CEO,” I said, and he cocked his head.

“Maybe we should include replacing you as an item in our next meeting agenda. I’m pretty sure we might be able to find someone else just as capable or even better.”

His gaze lowered to my lips as I spoke, and I was thrown off. My mind completely went blank as I watched him and then he looked back into my eyes again.

He didn’t say a word. Didn't even try to remind me of where I had left off and it frustrated me to no end.

“Stop doing that,” I said, and his eyes narrowed.

“Stop doing what?” he asked.

“Stop looking everywhere you're supposed to fucking look but my face.”

At this humorless smile came to my face.

“You're a gorgeous woman Lena,” he said. There’s a lot to look at,” and just like that I was thrown off once again.

8

Kane

I had been mad.

But now, as I looked at the fire in her eyes and inhaled her scent of vanilla and something even sweeter, I could barely think. Yet, that annoyance that I had gotten up to address still burned in the pit of my stomach, and I needed to let it out somehow. Fucking her mindless would do the trick, but I didn’t imagine that it would be an easy feat, so I sighed and turned to return to my seat so that I could think clearly.

However, just as I moved, her arm closed around my bicep. I turned, ignoring the heat I felt at her touch, and watched her plump, full peach lips once again as she took another shot at me.

“I’m not done talking to you,” she said, and I grabbed her wrist. I saw fear flash in her eyes, and it gave me deep satisfaction.

“Don’t put your hands on me,” I warned her. “Ever, unless you want this to take a very, very different turn than what you’d probably want.”

She stared at me.

“What kind of turn would it take?” she asked, but I didn't respond, so I took a step closer to her.

She stood her ground and didn’t retreat. I stared deep into her eyes.

“On second thought, I think you do know.”

She didn’t say a word afterward, so I tapped the table and then returned to my desk. She also didn’t take her eyes off me, but for the life of me, I couldn’t read her. Because she soon spoke, and her voice was much calmer than before.

“I won’t accept the terms you stipulated. If you’re going to insist on that, then you better throw in the ten-million-dollar acquisition check as well.”

“If we throw in the ten million dollar check, then we get full control. 100-0. However, if we’re to provide you with all the resources needed, then it’s just as I proposed.”

“I don’t accept it,” she said, and I nodded.

“I understand.” She glared at me then and returned to her office.

9

Lena

I was close to losing my mind from the meeting, but you wouldn’t have been able to tell just by seeing me. As I headed over to my office, I returned every nod and smile I received, and soon I was within the safe glass walls overlooking the gorgeous skyline of Manhattan.

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