Chapter 26: Chapter 26: Trapped in the stairwell with my boss
I was effectively trapped with nowhere to go.
The polished steel walls of the elevator boxed me in from every direction, but it was Rhys’ imposing frame standing inches from me that truly made my breath catch. His hands were braced on either side of me, caging me in completely, and the heat radiating off his body made the confined space feel ten times smaller.
My heart slammed violently against my ribs, each beat louder than the last, but somehow, I managed to keep my voice steady.
"I’m helping you," I said matter-of-factly, though even to my own ears, my words lacked conviction.
His jaw tightened.
"I don’t need your help," he snapped.
The sharpness in his voice made me flinch.
His dark eyes narrowed as he tilted his head, studying me with an intensity that made my stomach twist into knots. "What about yourself, hm?"
The weight of his stare was suffocating. I instinctively shrank back, only to realize there was nowhere left to retreat. Swallowing hard, I forced down the lump lodged in my throat.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. "It doesn’t matter. I will be okay, but I’m not going to be the reason why you lose your job."
He had already suffered enough because of my mistake seven years ago. Of course, I wasn’t about to fuck everything up for him again.
He dragged his hand through his hair, frustration flashing across his sharp features as an exasperated sigh rushed out of his lips. "I don’t care if I lose my job."
My eyes widened.
"What?"
He leaned even closer, his voice low and deliberate. All I could smell was his cologne.
"Didn’t you tell me how badly you needed this job? Are you seriously willing to throw everything away because of me?" His gaze sharpened. "Because I’m not letting that happen."
He paused. "Just tell me one thing, Evelyn."
"What?" My voice came out breathy, his face mere inches away from me.
"Why did you accept this job? Why work for me?" His brows furrowed as he searched my face. "I didn’t think you would want to be around me given everything that happened between us."
"I...I need the money."
"Bullshit." I looked away. The truth sat heavy on my tongue, begging to be released. He clicked his tongue. "The truth."
When I remained silent, his voice dropped lower. "Don’t make me force it out of you. I could do this all day."
I hesitated for a while before the words finally left my lips. "I wanted revenge."
His brows lifted.
I took a shaky breath.
"On my ex-husband. On his family."
My confession hung heavy in the air, but I continued anyway.
"I came here because I needed power. Influence. Access." My fingers curled tightly at my sides. "TechHub is the only company strong enough to stand against Smith Enterprise and Hart Group. If I want to destroy them, this is where I need to be."
I watched his expression, curious about how he would react. Would he think I was foolish for this? Or would he understand? What would he think?
His brow shot skyward, and a smirk slowly crept across his face. Thousands of possibilities ran through my mind, but the words that left his lips were not what I expected.
"Then let me help you."
What?
Ding.
The elevator doors slid open, and we had arrived at the lobby. But he still had that damn smirk etched onto his face as he slowly backed away from me, his eyes never leaving mine.
I was still staring at him in a daze when his voice broke me out of my trance. "Are you coming or what?"
I scurried out of the elevator, quietly following behind him. I didn’t miss the way people’s eyes snapped to us almost immediately, whispers erupting like wildfire. And suddenly, we were the center of attention once again.
Heat flooded my face. I wanted nothing more than to disappear. To melt into the floor and escape every curious glance.
But Rhys? He didn’t seem to care. He strode forward with the same confidence, unfazed by the murmurs and the stares thrown our way.
I was just about to turn away when I felt his cool hand wrapped around my wrist. My breath hitched in my throat, and I looked up at him, startled.
"What are you doing?" I hissed in a soft voice, but he didn’t say a word. He simply tugged me towards the stairwell tucked away at the far corner of the lobby.
This is a horrible idea.
"Rhys!" I whisper-yelled his name, trying to yank my arm free from his tight clutch as my heart thudded in my chest. "We are not going—"
He stopped abruptly, only a few steps away from the entrance to the stairwell. Whipping his head back around, his dark eyes swept across the lobby, and his expression hardened.
"What are y’all looking at? Mind your own business," he warned, and I watched as everyone turned their attention back to whatever they were doing before he dragged me inside.
The door slammed shut behind us with an echo, vibrating against the concrete grey walls that surrounded us. I was backed against a wall behind me while his broad frame towered over me.
"What the hell are you doing?" I snapped, a frown resting between my brows as I pinned him with a glare.
"We need to talk."
"Talk?" I scoffed. "What’s there to talk about that we can’t do in a public place like normal people?"
He shrugged casually, his eyes scanning the empty stairwell. "I like it here." His lips curved into a knowing smile. "Plus, there’s privacy."
"But people are going to—"
"I told you I don’t care what others say," he interrupted firmly, his gaze locked onto mine. "I’m going to help you."
I let out a breath. "Why are you helping me?" I averted my eyes this time, and my voice turned quieter. "I don’t deserve your help."
"Stop saying bullshit like this. I told you I’m helping you, and you are not going to change my mind."
"But I—"
"Not. Changing. My. Mind."
The finality in his voice made it clear that arguing was pointless. I sighed.
"Fine."
"Good." He crossed his arms over his chest. "So tell me about this revenge of yours."
And I did. I told him what they did to me, and I told him how I planned to take down Smith Enterprise and Hart Group someday. I just needed the power of TechHub to do so. I needed to find out their dirty secrets and bring them down.
"Perfect," he said with a smile. It was slow, sharp, dangerously amused.
I frowned.
"Perfect?"
He leaned casually against the railing.
"Yes."
I crossed my arms. "So how exactly can you help me, Mr Carson?"
He casually leaned on the railing behind him, and the smirk on his face widened. "First, I’m going to make sure no one fires you, not under my watch."
I stared at him.
"And second?"
His dark eyes gleamed. The smirk on his face turned positively wicked.
"Well..." He straightened, pushing off the railing. Then he stepped toward me again.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Until he was standing right in front of me.
My pulse thundered, a million thoughts racing through my mind.
"You’re going to be my girlfriend."
