Chapter 1

My first week at Summers & Co Law firm was almost complete, it had been one hell of a week. It was Friday lunchtime, and the office was beginning to wind down. At least that was the case for everyone else. For me I still had far too many more hours to go.

I was the personal legal assistant to the CEO Jake Summers. Despite his name sounding warm and friendly the man in person was anything but. I have never gone home from a day at work and cried so much in my life. If it wasn’t for the ridiculous pay, I would have quit Monday morning at 9.01am. That’s how much of a despot he is!

One minute was all I needed to know that Jake was going to make my life a living hell.

His list of ever-growing demands were insane. If the tiniest thing was wrong, he would have a fit. I understood why so many of his previous personal legal assistants had quit. I would have been one of them two. If it weren’t for the money. Somedays I wasn’t even sure the money was enough.

I know your probably thinking that that’s what everyone says. They haven’t worked for Jake Summers. The first morning I brought him a coffee as he requested, he took one sip before throwing the hot mug of coffee all over me. The burn marks had only been minor thank goodness, but I had to spend the rest of the day with coffee spilt all over me. He then ridiculed and mocked me throughout the rest of the day.

The remainder of the week had continued much of the same. He would throw files of paper at me if they were in the wrong order, and I had to pick them up and filter through all 500 pages of a deposition. That might sound easy, but they weren’t numbered I had to read through each page meticulously to ensure it was correct. That took me most of the morning. In between fielding calls and visitors to his office.

Despite his shitty personality that doesn’t stop everyone from just walking in, I let one of my colleagues slip by and he called me in demanding to know why I was so incompetent at handling such a basic task. He said if I didn’t get my act together, I’d be lucky if I made it to the end of the day.

Unlike the others here my workday is for as long as he is in the building. I thought as the CEO he would probably be out schmoozing clients on the golf course or whatever shit you see in the movies. I thought I would barely see him.

No, Jake Summers liked to be the first one here and the last one to leave. He wanted to look over everything that all 25 of his other lawyers were working on. Which meant on average my workday was 7am – 7pm. One morning I had received an angry call at 5.30am demanding where I was, the asshole.

There was one perk with the job, I took it as I lived around the corner and wanted to avoid a long commute.

I would have preferred a commute given my current situation but with the ridiculous hours I was putting in there was zero time to be looking for another job.

The morning he demanded I came in at 5.30am I made it there by 5.45am to which he told me; I needed more respect for myself if I was willing to leave the house in the state I was in. I may have not ironed my shirt, had time to shower or run a brush through my hair. If he expects me to be at his beckon call then there are going to be days I don’t look so put together, deal with it. Is how I wanted to respond, instead I dashed to the bathroom trying to apply some make up and brush my hair.

I had given up hope that Fridays would be any different and if I would be let out early.

Doesn’t he have a life? Or is his life literally to torment those around him?

As my role requires me to be closest to him. That means I get the brunt of his rudeness, attitude and general big headedness, he has the ego of 10 men. Sure, he’s extremely handsome and loaded but that is not enough to put up with a shitty boss for the hours I work. Or is it?

I had headed to the staff kitchen to make myself my 5^th coffee for the day, after the long week I was seriously flagging. The office had one of those Nespresso machines it made the best coffee and indulged every chance I got, no instant crap for me! I had just brought the mug to my lips, the audible sigh of contentment ready to pass after the first sip, when I was summoned from the other end of the office.

‘STEPHANIE!’ his deep masculine voice flittered through the office, even at those decibels the office went silent under his presence I wrinkled my nose in annoyance before making my way out of the kitchen door.

It was one of those classic moments as I entered all eyes turned to me, their heads popping up over their desks, watching my every step as I made my way towards him, his index finger beckoning me over. I wanted to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all, what was this high school?

His cold eyes burning into me and I could feel his annoyance radiate from there as I took each step closer to him, when I was halfway, I picked up the pace not wanting to anger him further trying as hard as I could not to spill my coffee all down me. I will not have coffee all over me twice in one week.

‘Yes Mr. Summers,’ I put on my best professional voice and face masking any of my own frustration from being summoned like a naughty child. He didn’t even respond just turned on his heels storming off into his office leaving me to follow behind him like a lost little puppy.

I entered his huge office; dark wood covered his large desk and shelves mixed with leather chairs and a Persian rug on the floor. A few potted plants graced his office, I was in charge of keeping them alive as it turned out, he had a large glass window taking up one of the walls that overlooked the city, we were on the 90^th floor so it offered a spectacular view. How anyone could be grumpy with a view like this was beyond me. He took the seat behind his desk hands braced in front of him his cold expression facing me.

‘Stephanie, do I need to remind you of the basics your job role entails?’ not this again, aren’t I allowed a coffee break, he raised an eyebrow at me his cold grey eyes staring back at me through his thick dark lashes. Why did men have suck great lashes? Fighting the urge to roll my eyes and replying in a mocking voice what is it this time sir. I took a breath.

‘No, Mr. Summers I’m well aware of your expectations,’ I gave him a professional smile masking my contempt towards him.

Why does he have to be such an ass?

He must get a kick of making everyone’s else’s lives miserable. His eyebrow raised even higher as he leant back in his seat. He was wearing a crisp white shirt and light grey suit that matched his eyes his dark short blonde, brown hair slicked back.

‘Then tell me Stephanie why you continue to fail at one of the most medial tasks you are expected to do.’ I thought I saw a smirk flicker on his plush lips, but it was gone before I could be certain. I tried to think over everything I had done today to see if there was anything I could have down that would cause him to be angry.

Who was I kidding, breathing made him angry.

‘If you let me know what it is I’ve done I can work on it, sir,’ I added at the end his eyes flicked to me a glint in them I didn’t like the look of but once again it was only there for a moment before it disappeared. He stood up and walked around his desk so that he could lean back against it to look at me. He was so tall and broad I felt he only did this to intimidate me further. I forced myself to stand still and raised my chin towards him despite the nerves pooling in my stomach.

‘If your little head can manage it, would you be able to file these transcripts from witnesses in the right order,’ he leaned down to me, his cold eyes met mine as he spoke.

I will not cry. I will not cry here that was more believable.

Must her berate me like a child, I could feel my eyes start to sting. I had gone over those transcripts’ multiple times triple checking them, I don’t understand how they got mixed up.

‘I’m sorry sir it won’t happen again,’ I looked away from him breaking eye contact as my shoulders slumped. He leaned in even closer, I could smell his cologne mixed with his scent, he smelt amazing I wanted to lean into him so his scent could consume me but held back.

‘Last chance,’ he all but whispered in my ear, his minty breath skimming my ear and hair, I let out a sigh my eyes fluttering, we were so close I could feel the heat of his body through his suit, I simply nodded still avoiding eye contact. He leaned back and resting back against his table.

‘Now get out!’ I legged it out the office not wanting to be called back for any reason. I rushed to the bathroom and splashed water on my face. The cooling sensation helped push back the tears not to mention cool me off from the heat from being so close to him.

Not only is my boss an absolute tyrant he also happens to be hands down the sexist man I have ever seen in real life. He rivals any move star and male model I have ever seen. The way he wears his suits and carries himself around the office, I find myself daydreaming after him until he catches me putting the fear of God back into me snapping me out of my trance.

Is it always the way that someone so good looking has to be so mean?

I hated the fact he was so good looking if he wasn’t terrifying me all the time, I feel I would be swooning at his feet. He clearly never heard the saying you catch more flies with honey than they stick. If he was charming, I’m sure he wouldn’t go through legal assistance at the rate he does. It had already been a week, the longest week of my life but it was just the beginning.

The rest of the day I managed to make it through unscathed, I avoided him the rest of the afternoon mostly by hiding in the filling room amongst all the cabinets just to be safe. I figured I’d make myself useful whoever had been in here last had done an awful job no wonder there was documents mixed up  together. They all seemed to be filled incorrectly. Just as the day was turning to night my phone buzzed seeing a message from my friend Ruby.

Hey girl drinks tonight at smokes 9pm don’t be late!!! xxx