Joanna is glaring at me like one would a dog who just pooped on his shoes. And I'm sure glad Lexi has fired her otherwise she would spit in my drink or poison my food in the future. And to make matters worse, the smug smirk on Reagan's face at my blatant possessiveness doesn't make me feel any better. Even Lexi is smiling in amusement while Danny wiggles his eyebrows suggestively at me.
"As I was saying, Mr. Aldrich," Joanna resumes while throwing one last glare at me. "I'm sorry about this and will make sure it never happens again. Please don't fire me yet." Aldrich? Reagan Aldrich. That has a nice ring to it. But the nerve of this girl, she needs to be taught some manners.
Reagan taps one finger on the table repeatedly as he presses his lips while having a thoughtful expression on her face.
Joanna looks hopefully at him. And she seems to be praying with both her hands clasped together in front of her. Lexi, Danny, and I are all staring at him in anticipation as he stares down at the table.
Reagan sighs out loud, "Okay. One last chance, Joanna." A sigh of relief is heard from her while my eyes widen in disbelief at him. Even Lexi and Danny are staring at him in shock, not expecting for him to accept her. From how he usually ignores her, I always thought he didn't like her and wouldn't waste any time to dismiss her. So why then is he still allowing her to stay? Daniel said this was her third time being late in a week, and that shows how irresponsible she was. Plus, I hate her.
"Oh, thank you, Mr. Aldrich." Joanna squeals as she hops in excitement. If she had the chance to, she would even throw herself at him and hug him. But she doesn't have the gut to, at least not with the cold look in his eyes.
"But this is your last chance." He warns her with a stern look.
She nods in understanding, "I'll make all your breakfast right away. What will you all be having?"
"Pancakes with some maple syrup on and coffee." Daniel is the first to order, not all that bothered she's still staying. Lexi mutters she's okay as she begins to type furiously on her laptop once more.
"What will you have, my sweet?" Reagan's deep voice whispers beside my ear, but I'm too pissed to even look at him. Why was he suddenly so nice to her?
"I already told you, nothing," I reply through clenched teeth.
"Make for us the same as Daniel's," He tells a happy Joanna, who frantically nods before going about to make the pancackes. I want to retort as I already told him I'm not hungry, but I doubt he'll even listen.
After she makes breakfasts and serves them to us, I eye the pancakes she lays down for me. They look and smell delicious, and I have to say she was a pretty good cook. They look inviting with the maple syrup dripping down them. But I'll be damned before touching that. She had to have put something in them.
"Eat." Reagan orders monotonously. But I only turn my head away in protest.
"I said I'm not hungry." I hear him sigh beside me and suddenly feel strong arms surround my waist. He pulls me into his lap and holds me there with his arms as I try to move away. I blush and look around to see Lexi and Danny barely sparing us any looks like what was happening was a natural occurrence. And Joanna was no longer in the kitchen as she had walked out a few seconds after dropping down breakfast.
Reagan uses a fork to chop out the pancakes and bring it to my lips with syrup dripping from then. I glare in defiance at him without opening up with my arms crossed over my chest. He forces me to stay here, dictates where I can and cannot go, and now he wants to control my appetite?!
His eyes don't say much, but they stare back at me in the challenge as he still holds the fork to my lips. I know if I continue to defy him, we would never leave this position. and I had to make it to school. Also, I can feel something down there, poking my thigh. My mouth opens quickly as I realized what it was, and I pull the pancake slice into my mouth. I chew on the buttery piece and would have moaned too but quickly stopped myself. Joanna has talented hands.
Another fork full comes up to my lips once more, and I don't waste time to take it in now. Even mum's pancakes didn't taste so good. Some slices taste better than some as they had more maple syrup, and I close my eyes to savor the taste. Soon, the plate was almost empty with my belly full. My cup of coffee was in hand as Reagan continues to feed me until it was wiped clean. He hadn't eaten much, and I was beginning to feel slightly embarrassed at eating so much.
"And you said you weren't hungry." I turn for my eyes to clash with Reagan's darker ones that sent shivers down my spine. His tool, still poking me down there, had only grown as I ate. And right now, his eyes are both glued to my lips. I dart my tongue out to lick the remnants of the maple syrup on them and squirm in his lap at the intensity of his gaze.
He groans like he's in pain as he quickly but gently takes me out of his lap and places me on the chair beside his.
"I don't get it." Lexi suddenly says as she looks up from her laptop. "I doubt she's going to change if you guys keep letting her off the hook. And since she's fucking one of the bosses," she throws an accusing glare at Daniel, who only smiles sheepishly in return, "she's only going to get more relaxed and arrogant, coming in whenever she wants. I mean, have you seen how she dresses to work sometimes?" I know Lexi is talking about Joanna, and she does have a point. Today though, Joanna dresses a bit more decently than how I had seen her yesterday.
Daniel huffs, "Aww, what's your problem with her, Lexi. Or are you jealous she's taking your loving brother's attention?"
"Seriously, Danny. I wish she would take you away instead." Lexi deadpan, making Daniel pout at her, feigning hurt. I stare at Reagan, also wanting an answer. Lexi was right. The way Joanna had dressed yesterday depicts how unprofessional she was. And sleeping with her boss makes it all wrong. And yes, you guessed it right, I also hate her a lot.
Reagan is quiet for some time before he stares at me with a smug look, "Let's just say I've had a change of heart this morning." He smiles mischievously with his eyes still focused on me while I stare at him, confused. What does that mean?
"I mean, everyone deserves a second chance." He finally looks away to Lexi, who blinks at him in response. She seems to have not expected that answer.
"You mean the hundredth chance." Lexi quirks an eyebrow up at him. His smirk widens in response as his hand once more snakes around my waist.
"As long as she's of use, then there is no need to dispose of her just yet." Once more, his mischievous eyes divert to mine, making me think there's some hidden meaning in his words.
Lexi furrows her eyebrows as she also thinks the same thing until her gaze moves to mine. Then they widen slightly in realization. I'm lost here while they all seem to know something I don't. Even Danny was smirking as he stares at me.
I watch them all warily, having amused smirks on their face. I'm tempted to ask, but Lexi sighs before closing her laptop.
"I need to get to school. Are you coming?" She diverts her question to me. I nod, and I'm about to stand and follow her when Reagan clasps his hand around my wrist.
"I'll be driving her today, seeing as you couldn't take proper care of her yesterday." He stands up to bring me closer to him with his arm around my waist.
Lexi cocks an eyebrow at him before rolling her eyes and walking towards the elevator. We follow suit to the underground parking lot and found Adrian already waiting for us in a grey colored Porsche. Lexi hops into her convertible while Reagan and I take the back seat of the Porsche.
Throughout the whole ride, my hand is gripped in Reagan's as he occasionally and playfully kisses on my fingers. I try to ignore him and the sparks flying up my hand from where he kisses and touches me, but it's a bit hard. I'm still mad and confused about the whole Joanna incident. It seems that whatever reason he's still keeping her for has to do with me, but I can't think of what it was. How was it that her staying would affect me?
I feel the familiar churning of my stomach as I stare at the large school building in the middle of the campus. Maybe I shouldn't have eaten so many pancakes. But I feel mostly sick because of the nervousness settling in my belly. I remember the whispers and stares I received yesterday, and I doubt it's going to all die down today. All I'll have to do is ignore it as best as I can.
"You know, I don't mind us spending the whole day together instead of you walking into that building. I mean, the stares you will receive, the whispers you'll hear with your werewolf hearing, the questions some might boldly ask you..." Reagan dramatically sighs as he explains all this. "It's probably all so... annoying. But with me, you'll feel safe and just fine."
I know he's trying to bait me to skip school and stay in his penthouse under his watchful eyes, but I'm not falling for it.
"I think it'll be fine." My voice comes out softer than I intended as I stare directly into his mischievous eyes.
"Of course you will." He mumbles as he plays with my fingers still in his hand. "When do your classes end?"
"Probably by four."
"I'll be here exactly at that time." He promises. "Take care of yourself and be a good girl for me, will you?" I can see the slight warning in his eyes, telling me not to try the little stunt I did yesterday. I nod before reaching for the door handle, and he reluctantly lets go of my hand.
Lexi is waiting by her car beside Reagan's, and I walk up to her as she waits patiently for me. The Porsche attracts a lot of attention from kids in the parking lot, with some even taking pictures of it. But I can still feel Reagan's eyes on me even through the tinted window.
"Hey, Lexi?" I ask, and she stares at me in question. "Why did Reagan let Joanna continue working at the penthouse?" I've been dying to know the answer to that ever since breakfast.
Both her eyebrows raise in surprise, "You don't know?" I shook my head at her in response. "Well, let's just say you shouldn't have let your jealousy show so much."
Then I understood what that sick bastard was up to. He thought keeping Joanna would make me start being openly affectionate and maybe possessive toward him. I have to give it to him, though. He was smart to have quickly thought of that.
But now's not the time for that. Now, I just have to complete my grand master plan of finally having some freedom. I feel suffocated here in school, with all the gazes now slowly turning towards Lexi and me. And I’m caged in that penthouse as I can't go anywhere, and Reagan's predatory eyes always on me. I need some alone time, outside of all this, and I'm going to get it whether Reagan likes it or not. It's time to show him I'm not the kind of submissive she-wolf he wants me to be.
So with a confident smirk on my face, Lexi and I strut down the walkway to the college building.