CHAPTER 7

MILES:

“Mr. Pierce, you need to be gentle on yourself. Stressing your heart would only weaken your immune system. Take a rest and your drugs later. Also, consider the assistant recommendation, it would become necessary in the long run,” Grenada bombarded me as I settled down.

The dizziness was facing away, and I was collecting myself. “Fire the HR and everyone who provided access to that girl. Each one of them!”

“Yes, sir,” Brandon responded.

I wasn't angry that I was belittled. But, it was the type of girl that gathered such boldness. She was the opposite of what I would allow to water my garden. I had a peculiar taste when it came to my workers, except for Grenada again. For women, I loved tall, slim, model figure, blonde or brunette not some black-haired, curvy girl with no fear.

“Get me, Michael. Now!” He was my lawyer and with him, I would be able to come up with something that would make that girl's life miserable. He could also dig into her with just her phone number. That was the beauty of being connected.

As expected, the procedure was swift, and I had already arranged for the court to draft up something in my favor. I mean, I'm the victim here. Let her get a taste of her doing. Before Grenada left, she kept hammering on how important the assistant was. That woman was persistent, and I had to give in. The best candidate would be curvy since I knew I would make life hell for her, and she wouldn't last a week. Easy-peasy.

The next day, she came running. I was tempted to laugh but held it back. This was just the beginning of what I was going to do to her. A week was too much. She would give up by the third day. Then, Grenada will get off my back. That would be nice. First, ignore her then add to her workload and be as condescending as possible.

Since I was recuperating, I didn't have much to do. It was mostly as if I were vacating. Still, I insisted on doing a few things from home. I made sure I kept her waiting for over thirty minutes before going back to where she sat.

I stood directly in front of her, as dark and dangerous as anything that might have prowled out of the jungle, my body completely still, my eyes watchful. And I was watching her.

Her eyes locked on mine with the unwavering accuracy of a deadly weapon, and my energy sucked. For a wildly unsettling moment, I wanted to change my mind and have her thrown out. Then I remembered that I had a plan that would do that for me. If only she knew her place.

‘Miss Tate?’ The hard bite of my deep, masculine voice was sufficient to wake her from her dreamy contemplation of having the balls to stand up to me and gave her a glimpse of the coldness yet to rub off on her.

“Mr. Pierce, to be exact, how long are my working here? And--”

My mouth tightened, and my body shivered with impatience. ‘Rule number one, Miss Tate. You don't speak until I permit you to. Secondly, make sure to stay out of sight. I don't want to sore my eyes with your presence. Lastly, you'll work for six months. That's if you last the week. Your job is simple. Shut up. Attend to all my needs. And, stay invisible doing so.”

I could feel her body tensing from anger. Exactly what I wanted. This would be easier than I proposed.

“Can I ask a few questions?”

“Choose your words carefully while at it.”

“First, I'm your assistant. Not a slave. Secondly, I'm staying here or coming--”

Was she implying living with me? She was even cheaper than I imagined. Comfortable suggesting staying in the house of a man she barely knew. Scoffing, “this is not a shelter, Miss Tate. Clearly, you have a home. You would only stay over until when I need you no more. Thereafter, you retire back to your home.”

“Understood.”

“You address me as sir. Not Mr. Pierce or anything else.”

“Understood, sir.”

“Lastly, get rid of that car. I would rather not see it anywhere near my home.”

“That's what I can afford for transportation. Surely, I won't want to be late to work due to traffic or impossible means of transportation.”

“Whatever. Just keep it somewhere that my eyesight can't reach.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I also have a peculiar requirement for clothing. Always cooperate. I don't care if you're getting ice cream for me at the mall. You dress as if you were guarding the president. You go everywhere with me, at any time requested. No questions asked and no rebellion. One clumsiness and you're laid off.”

“Understood, sir.”

“Now that we're clear, Brandon would give you a brief tour of where you can access and the general rules for the house to follow.”

Observing her, I could read that she was holding her anger in. Her face was red, and her fist curled into a ball. She stared me straight in the eyes without shifting her gaze. “What is my first job since I'm starting now? Shouldn't I be given--”

“Again, the simple rules I gave you. Shut up. Do as you're told and stay invisible. Don't question my authority.”

“Yes, sir.”

'That's more like it,' I thought in my mind. Now, I only had to run a background check on her. Even if she wasn't staying for long, knowing who came and left my household was important. It was best not to be caught off guard.

“That would be all. After the tour, get ready, I have a business meeting to attend. One I would want to be done with as soon as possible.”

“Am I coming?”

“Are you not my assistant? What's your job? If you have no idea, Google it. While you're at that, make some research about your boss, so you won't have the audacity to call him a 'cleaner.'"

She lowered her gaze out of embarrassment and I nearly laughed.

“I apologize.”

Again, I left her mid-sentence. She would have to get used to me snubbing her. If she was uncomfortable with it, let her quit then. Moreover, I had more indispensable things to attend to than a girl who didn't recognize me. I'll make sure that even the sound of my footfalls frightened her.