The Assistant(63)

“We’re leaving,” he growled as I squealed in mortification, still aware that we had everyone’s attention on us.

I looked over at Allen with an alarmed and apologetic look before slumping in defeat in Adrian’s firm grasp as he crossed the busy road and took me all the way back up into his office. My face was tomato red – both from anger and embarrassment – by the time we arrived into his office, and he carelessly threw me onto the navy sofa before his tall figure loomed over my awkwardly sprawled one furiously. “Care to explain yourself?” He scowled, glaring indignantly.

“Explain myself?” I repeated incredulously. “Who the hell was the one who just broke a diner door, punched his best friend, and dragged their assistant all the way back up into their office during her lunch break after speaking the same 5 words to her for the past two weeks?!”

“We have a meeting in 20 minutes in the conference room down hall,” he snapped, completely ignoring my indignant reply. “Be ready.”

My jaw fell open in shock, before I quickly recomposed myself. “Hey, I’m not done talking with you!” I demanded while scrambling out of my sprawled position on the sofa.

Adrian shot me a flat look before taking his seat behind his desk. “I’m done talking with you. So get out.” He turned his attention to the large computer screen in front of him.

“Adrian,” I began, clenching my fists in annoyance, “What the hell did I do to you for you to be acting like this towards me? Not only me, Allen as well!”

“17 minutes,” he replied, still focusing solely on the computer screen.

I let out a frustrated groan before stomping out of his office angrily, fed up with his immaturity. I opened the door to my office and came to an abrupt stop when I found Suzie sitting in the chair I had in front of my desk. Once she heard my door open, she turned around with the usual warm smile on her face.

“Hello, Emily, I’m so sorry Mr. Kingston cut your lunch short. He got… very angry once I told him you were with Allen. It was a bit frightening to tell you the truth…” She trailed off, frowning. “Anyway, that’s not what I’m here for! I have all the files you’re going to need for the meeting. I was originally supposed to go but Adrian insisted you go once I told him you were with Allen…” She trailed off once again and gave me a guilty look, and I frowned at the newly received information.

“Thank you, Suzie.” I smiled before pulling her into a hug in an attempt to comfort her. “It’s not your fault. Stop blaming it on yourself.”

She laughed softly before meeting my eyes. “How did you know?” she asked with a grin.

I winked. “That’s for me to know and you to dot, dot, dot.”

She laughed and shook her head at my reply, before handing over the files and leaving the room. I placed my bag underneath my desk before leaving my office and locking it behind me, before briefly scanning the files given to me on the way to the conference room.

Once I had set up the table for the meeting, I sat down in my seat and continued to read over the files. From what I was reading, the meeting wasn’t a crucial thing that needed to be running, and the topic was brief and wouldn’t impact on the company as much as other things would have.

“Oh good, you’ve done something right for once in your life,” Adrian comment sarcastically as he entered the room.

I looked up from the paperwork in front of me and glared at him as fiercely as I could. “If you’re going to be a sarcastic * the entire time you and I are in the same room together,” I replied smugly, knowing I was going to hit a nerve, “I’ll just get Suzie to take my place here while I go continue my lunch date with Allen.”


And I did. “What did you say?” he asked through gnashed teeth, glaring down at me.

“You heard me,” I shot back, keeping my expression neutral.

“You and Allen were on a date?” Adrian asked, and I watched as his jaw visibly clenched from anger at the statement.

I hesitated before nodding. Mentally, I scolded myself for bringing Allen into this. I didn’t want him getting hurt – again – and I most certainly didn’t want to come in between their friendship. I made a mental note to text Allen a long apology text after this meeting was over.

“Why the f*ck are you hanging around him, Emily?” Adrian growled after he saw me nod, and I tried to shrug casually.

“I do what I want,” I replied.

He opened his mouth to speak just as two men and three women in suits entered the room, and he shot me a warning look.

“We’ll continue this discussion later, Ms. Johnson,” he muttered coldly, keeping his glare on me while the others took their seats around their table.

“There’s nothing to discuss, Mr. Kingston,” I replied, giving him an innocent look while slightly cocking my head to the side to feign confusion.

I watched as Adrian’s nostrils flared out in anger and tried to keep my smirk buried deep within me as four more people walked into the conference room and took their seats. Adrian walked up to the front of the room and instantly switched into business mode – launching into a factor within the Kingston Corp Real Estate department that needed fixing due to low publicity and demands in that area, and the suggested ways to improve it efficiently and at a rapid pace to get it moving again.