Yesterday he had called me incompetent, and today he demonstrated that time hadn’t improved his perception of me. I knew it wouldn’t matter if it had been twenty-four hours, days, or months, it wouldn’t change. Thane Carthwright was a complete jackass.
A jackass who believed I was inept and unqualified for any job.
The decision upon me now was whether I would continue to feed that belief, or was I going to knock him on his fucking ass?
Maybe I could accomplish both.
“Yes, sir,” I ground out and turned to leave.
“Oh, and by the way, you’ll need to wear a blazer.”
I stopped and swirled back around. “Why?”
“Because the position requires it.”
“Does that mean if I don’t, you’ll fire me from this position and I’ll go back to my real job?”
His jaw ticked and his lips formed a thin line. “No.”
“Are you going to buy me these blazers?” I asked.
“No.”
I smiled at him. “Then no, I’m not going to wear one.” I spun back around and continued my path out the door.
I sighed as I gave the desk a look of disgust, then sat down and opened the binder.
Surely, I was in hell.
It didn’t take long before his phone began to ring, but I didn’t pay much attention to it. I was still reading the extremely boring binder. It circumvented itself so many times, it was no wonder the temps didn’t work out. I was having trouble deciphering it, and I’d worked for the company for years.
“Pick up the phone!” Carthwright yelled.
I huffed in annoyance before picking up the receiver. “Carthwright’s office.”
“Oh, hi, is Crystal there?” a female voice asked. She sounded a bit older, so I had a feeling it wasn’t some strumpet. He probably had a dozen of those in the wings.
“She’s out for a while. Can I help you?”
“Sorry, yes, I’m calling for Thane.”
“Hold, please.”
“Who is it?” Carthwright asked from behind me, making me jump.
I glared up at him. “Some woman.”
“Some woman?” His jaw ticked. “First, you need to answer the phone by the second ring. Second, you say ‘Thane Carthwright’s office, how may I help you?’ Third, you find out who is on the phone before sending it back to me.”
I gave him the fakest smile I could muster. “Yes, sir.” Then rolled my eyes.
We glared at each other for more than a minute before he grumbled something and walked away.
My reprieve from his attitude didn’t last but a few pages of the binder when he retaliated.
Copies, coffee, filing, arranging his schedule, getting his lunch. It was midafternoon when I had two seconds to even log on to my laptop to check my company email.
The first was an email that set my blood to boil.
To: Pierce, Roe
From: Carthwright, Thane
Subject: Duties
Miss Pierce,
Perhaps my directions were not clear, so I have wasted my valuable time and spelled them out for you. Please show me you are more competent with following directions than you are with superior interaction.
Arrange my schedule. This means that there needs to be breaks for lunch at noon and breathing room between meetings. My day needs to flow with ease.
Coffee. All day my cup needs to be filled.
Answer the phone in two rings, and, to remind you, you will say “Thane Carthwright’s office, how may I help you?” Then, make sure to find out who is on the line and notify me so that I may accept or reject the call.
Get my lunch. I will email you my order so that you can place it and then pick it up. I expect to have my meal at noon every day.
Any and all miscellaneous functions I require—copies, filing, etc.
If any of this is unclear or if you have any questions, come to me.
Thane Carthwright
President of Acquisitions
Donovan Trading and Investment
Superior, my ass. Maybe he was my temporary supervisor, but he was not superior.
Anger rolled through me and before I knew it, I’d accidentally torn a sheet from the binder into shreds. Crap.
I knew I should have paid closer attention in the break room, but he should have as well. I’d apologized and I was still being punished for it.
The subject of the next email in the list had me smiling.
To: Pierce, Roe
From: Arnold, Donte
Subject: In the arms of Hades
Persephone,
I’ll pray for you.
Still here, awaiting the return of spring. Awaiting the end of your imprisonment.
Stay strong.
Donte Arnold
Marketing Associate
Donovan Trading and Investment
I couldn’t help but laugh, something I desperately needed. Immediately I responded, thankful for the moment that wasn’t filled with animosity and annoyance.
To: Arnold, Donte
From: Pierce, Roe
Subject: Darkness envelops
Donte,
The blackness that holds me knows no end. Freedom from the cold gaze of Hades cannot arrive soon enough.
P.S. He’s good looking. Maybe we can put him in some of the promotional materials or the commercial.
P.P.S. Thanks, I needed that levity.
Roe Pierce
Marketing Associate
Donovan Trading and Investment
It was only a moment before another email popped up on my screen.
To: Pierce, Roe
From: Arnold, Donte
Subject: Re: Darkness envelops
I got you, dog.
Donte Arnold
Marketing Associate
Donovan Trading and Investment
“Something amusing?” a voice called from behind me.
I had to bite my tongue from saying, “Your face,” because that was beneath me and childish and completely untrue. It burned me with how untrue it was.
My reaction to his face? That tingling between my thighs every time he scowled at me? I wished that was amusing instead of incredibly hot and frustrating.
“What do you need?” I asked, failing to hide my annoyance as well as that stupid tingling he was creating.
His gaze slowly moved down my body, then back up. I was leaned back in the chair, one leg crossed over the other.
By his perusal, I expected more than the static disinterest when our eyes met. Guess he didn’t like what he saw. Oh, well.
“I emailed you a contract. I need fifteen copies made, collated and stapled.”
“Of course,” I said with a grimace.
It didn’t take long, especially when you knew how the big machine worked and knew the pathway to it. The beast did it all, and all I had to do was send the file and select how I wanted it printed.
Did Crystal know that? Or did she use it as a buffer from his arrogant ass?
Then again, there was the age-old saying—never let them know how long it really takes, because they’ll want it done in half that time.
Maybe it wasn’t age old, but I’d heard it from my friends who were assistants.
If I could still call them friends. I think I was the one cut from the group when Pete and I split.
I was able to go through my email and read more from the binder of doom before half an hour passed and I walked over to the copy room that held the beast.