Chapter 4 Ruffling My Feathers

• R
• We were barely out of the car before I rounded up on Jake. We were at a restaurant where we would meet our workers.
• “What is wrong with you? You…you made me look like a fool!”
• “Whoa! Easy there, tiger. I just had to show him that the project was in good hands.” He had the guts to wink at me.
• I was dumbfounded. “Good hands?” The fool flexed his biceps, still winking at me.
• “Are you trying to make me your subordinate? Some girl you can just order around?”
• “No, of course not! I'm not trying. You already are.”
• I shut my eyes, counting to ten and imagining what I would do to Jake Miller if given a knife.
• “You can dream all you want, Danny. You and I know you ain't got the balls for it. Literally.” The demon whispered into my ear, making me groan in anger.
• “Give me a knife so we can test that theory!”
• “Your sexual pleasures will be satisfied later on, by an unfortunate guy, of course, I can't stoop that low.”
• I rubbed my forehead, sighing. I was beginning to have a migraine and this was just the first day.
• “But, all your fantasies will have to wait. You must have those designs ready before the weekend, that's two days from now.”
• “You must be bluffing! How do you expect me to do that within two days?”
• “I don't know.” He shrugged. “But we already told Mr Montgomery that it would be ready this week, so you —”
• “We? If I remember vividly, you were the one who gave him your word, not mine.”
• “Thank goodness, you don't remember vividly. Your brain can't do that.” He said so casually, as though we were discussing the weather and he wasn't destroying someone's mental health.
• I growled, my composure ruined by the man standing before me, leaning casually on the table.
• “Ahem!” We turned to see a small crowd of our workers. Most of his workers were snickering, mine were gaping at the scene. Jake had just embarrassed me before everyone!
• “It's good you all are here. Take your seats please.”
• Doris sidled up behind me, looking grim.
• “Do we need to reschedule?”
• “No, of course not!” I stood beside Jake who was also rattling out instructions to his PA.
• “How do I look?” I asked. That was my only hope of little respect from Nate's workers. Doris gave me a quick once-over, tongue in cheek.
• “Ruffled.”
• “As I truly am. I'm going to need ten shots of tequila after this meeting.” I groaned. I heard her typing and turned to see her taking the order.
• “I'm exaggerating!”
• “Um…Danny, if you and your underling are done, we can proceed.”
• I heard a few more snickers and my cheeks flamed in embarrassment. The first thing I would do once I got home was to plot a detailed revenge against Jake Miller.
• “Enough! Let it be known that I won't condone any form of disrespect towards Miss Frost or her staff,” I hid my smile of gratitude, but it was wiped out the moment I heard the next words, “—however incompetent they might be.”
• ***
• “When you said you needed my help, I thought it was for the new designs, I never knew it was to be a victim of your sob story.” Clara downed her second shot of whatever she was taking.
• “And when you said you had the best inspiration, I never knew it was a club.” I eyed her, still mad at her for dragging me here. Clubs were meant for spreading germs and STD carriers.
• “Well, you never get out. That's why you ain't got no man in your life now.” She drawled and I rolled my eyes at how easily she got drunk.
• “I don't need a man.”
• “That's what they all say. But we all know you desperately need one and you won't find him in turtlenecks and slacks. Look around girl! Show some skin!”
• I knew Clara meant no harm but I couldn’t get over the tightening of my chest at her words. I loved skimpy gowns., skirts, and anything that exposed my skin but I couldn't wear them.
• “Even if I showed some skin, I'm sure it will chase them away.” I sipped my juice, watching out for any drunk that neared me. I didn't mind being banned from another club for using my pepper spray.
• “You don't know it until you try it out…” I didn't register her next words as I felt a familiar tingling and the hair on the back of my neck stood. Someone was staring at me. A particular person.
• “Jake is here.”
• “Oh God! How obsessed are you with this guy?” Clara groaned, attracting a scowl from me.
• “I'm not obsessed with him. I just know it.” And I was right because the double-faced idiot suddenly appeared from behind him with—Isaac?
• “Isaac?” I needed to be sure my eyes weren't deceiving me.
• “Hey Dee!” He smiled and the pronounced dimple on his cheek confirmed that it was truly him.
• I screamed and hugged him. I hadn't seen him in three years and Isaac was the closest thing I had to a friend in college. He was one of the few people who questioned Jake's actions that night…long ago.
• Surprisingly, he was also Jake's best friend.
• “I'm sure there's a room. Save us the drama, Danny.” I glared at Jake before turning to Israel. He had also grown much more handsome and had a light stubble.
• “Clara Newman.” Clara slurred, eye-raping him.
• “Isaac Smith.” He shook her and sat beside me while Jake sat beside Clara.
• “You're a friend of Elle? I’ve never heard about you. Just Jake the Jerk.” Clara sent me a you-owe-mean-explanation look.
• “Yeah. She doesn't remember any other guy once Jake is in the picture. Which is heartbreaking, seeing as even women suffer from that too.”
• “You know that's a lie! You're my friend, Iz.” I giggled as he pinched my cheek.
• “If I stay here one more minute, I'm throwing up.” That was when I remembered that Jake was around. He was used to being the center of attention, so he wasn't taking it well that he was left out.
• “Get used to it, Killjoy. Cause Iz and I have a lot to catch up on. Come on Iz, let me buy you a drink.”
• As we left the booth, I could feel Jake's searing gaze on my back and could hear his growl when Isaac held my waist and it made me oddly satisfied.