Worst is yet to come

As I sit nervously in the backseat of the expensive Maserati Levante, I notice the busy streets of New York. I awoke alone in bed this morning, with the events of the day before still fresh in my mind. I expected to wake up with Logan's warm hands wrapped around me like a cocoon, but I was disappointed when I didn't find him in the apartment. But, much to my surprise, he texted me around eight o'clock, asking me to come to his office within an hour to discuss something important with him. Seeing that message reminded me of something I'd seen before, and now I'm on my way to his office.

I bit my lower lip in nervousness as William dropped me in front of Logan's office. I scan my surroundings, and it was just as busy as I remembered, with people hurrying to get to work. The last time I came here, things didn't go so well, but given how Logan texted me with his infamous endearment 'love,' I'm hoping this time won't be the same.

I walk towards the reception area after entering through the fancy sliding glass door. From what I recall, everything appeared to be the same.

"Good morning," I say to the receptionist, smiling. However, the lady does not appear to be the same person she was on that day.

"Good morning. How can I assist you?" She asked, a professional work smile on her face.

"I'm here to meet Mr. Watson," I explain.

"Do you have an appointment?" She inquired solemnly.

"Not really, but he just told me to say my name here. "My name is Karolia Kingston." My voice sounded a little hesitant.

"Oh yes. Mr. Watson mentioned that you'd be arriving. He will be on the last floor, and his PA will direct you to his office. You are welcome to use the elevator." She directed me to the far end of the left, where I noticed a lift away from the crowded hall.

"Thank you," I said, nodding my head.

With my fidgeting hands, I stare at my reflection in the polished elevator door. I straighten my hair and adjust the V-neck white button-down cardigan I'm wearing with my high-waisted dark blue skinny jeans. I check the time on my phone and relax when I see it's only five minutes until it's nine o'clock. The ride to the twentieth floor took about a half minute, and as soon as the doors opened, I was greeted with a quiet and peaceful atmosphere.

I scan the entire area and take a moment to admire the stunning architecture. The main theme was white and light blue, which made the space look very classy and sophisticated. There were some plastic plants, large and small, placed in the corners to create a woody effect. I realize how much I've missed since my first visit here.

I noticed a modern desk set up at the end of the hallway that I hadn't seen before. But it makes sense because my entire focus at the time was on Logan, whom I met in the elevator. I approach it and greet the woman sitting in the swivel chair. She looked up as soon as I approached, and her expression indicated that she expected me.

"Miss.Kingston?" She asked, and I nodded with a small smile. She spoke through the intercom about my arrival and turned to me.

"Please wait; Mr. Watson's PA will be there shortly to guide you."

Within a few seconds, a petite figure about my height approached me with a file in her hand, wearing a pencil skirt and matching blouse and her tight ponytail sleeked.

"Miss Kingston. I'm Mia. This way please," When she smiled, her voice was as sweet as honey. I was starting to feel self-conscious about my clothing choices. Mia led me down a narrow corridor to a glass door that allows us to see what's going on inside. From what I could see, there were ten cabin partitions, with a few staff working on their systems, others talking quietly to their colleagues, and the faint noise of the printer working from somewhere.

Fortunately, I did not receive any stares from them, as I did the previous time. Mia led me to the large grey door at the far end of the room, which reached the full height of the wall.

She knocked twice on the door before sliding it open, and as I looked ahead, I noticed Logan in his fancy-looking tailored suit, sitting across the big desk and looking intently at his computer. As soon as I stepped inside, his face turned to face me, and his eyes lit up. Even though his face was expressionless, I could see the gleam in his eyes. When I saw his reaction, my heart skipped a beat and I let out a sigh of relief that I had been holding in. I'm sure everything will be fine.

His PA set the file she was carrying on his desk and stood at the far end of the table, awaiting his next order.

"You may leave now, Mia."." He told his PA that he didn't even bother to say thank you. I smiled at her as she walked away from us. Logan looked at me intently as I scanned his office in total adoration.

"Have you eaten your breakfast?" He inquired out of the blue. Not at all what I expected.

"Um, yeah. The sandwich you made caught my attention." With a smile on my face, I tell him. I recall reading the note he had taped to the refrigerator reminding me to reheat the sandwich before eating it. Logan let out a deep chuckle and looked at me fondly.

"Did you enjoy it?" He inquired, looking a little curious.

"Definitely, you should cook more." I nodded and stated the obvious. He was, in fact, a fantastic cook. Logan smirked as I complimented him.

"What made you call me?" I enjoy our normal conversation, but I know I wasn't summoned here to discuss his culinary skills.

Logan's face became solemn when I asked him the question, and he straightened his back before passing me the file on his desk. I frowned when he asked me to go through it, but I decided to do it anyway. I scanned the few pages in the file and realized it was a record of various jobs, with timings and salaries listed. Simple jobs such as payroll manager, typing job, assistant caretaker, and so on were available. There were nearly fifteen jobs like this on the list, each with its own briefing. When I listed the possible reasons why he would want me in his office, this was not one of them.

Logan looks at me with a questioning expression as he waits for my reaction. He was tapping his fingers on the desk in a rhythmic manner, and for some reason, I could see through him, the nervousness he was attempting to conceal.

"What exactly is this?" I asked him after I finished going through the entire file. I hope he understands my question. I wasn't asking him what was in it, but rather why he was giving it to me.

"What do you suppose it is, Lia?" He retorted to my question. I let out a frustrated sigh.

"Please tell me this isn't a job offer," I say, my gaze fixed on his. Logan remained deafeningly silent, his jaw clenched. His silence is the solution. I give a slight shake of my head.

"Logan, I can't do this-" I struggled to form my thoughts because everything was jumbled right now.

"What's the harm?" "Tell me one good reason why you can't accept this, Lia," Logan demanded, his face irritated.

I was about to open my mouth to argue, but I stopped myself because I couldn't think of anything good to say. I considered using my university hours as an excuse, but after reviewing the file, it appears that all of the jobs have a maximum of six working hours and nothing extra. The hours are also flexible, and the work is only three or four days a week, depending on the workload. Why does it appear that he created some new jobs to address my issues? It's as if everything is working in my favour.

"Didn't you do this for me? All of these jobs are like side work, and you could have your own people do them, but you combined them all into one job just so I would accept it." I tried to reason with him. Why does he have to bend all the rules for me all the time?

"I'm the employer, and I get to pick who does what. That isn't your concern. All you have to do is accept one of the jobs listed there, and we will proceed to the next step." He spoke too professionally.

"Why are you doing this?" I inquired, genuinely curious.

"I want you to have a job that is comfortable enough for you that you don't have to worry about it while you're studying. And I am willing to make your work hours flexible. I don't want you to work in an unauthorized location on the streets for shitload hours."

Logan sighs, "Also, given the circumstances, you should be cautious, and I care about your safety more than ever now." His explanation caused me to close my mouth in thought for two minutes.

I considered all of the benefits and drawbacks of working here, and true to his words, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks. I appreciated his concern as well. Overall, this was a fantastic offer that I would never have gotten even if I had wandered around the streets looking for work for more than ten days. I'd be a fool not to accept this.

But something was holding me back from accepting it right away. Maybe it's my ego refusing to accept a job from him, or maybe it's my curiosity about how I'd be able to work properly and focus if Logan Watson was my boss and gave me orders. I lose focus just being around Logan, so how am I supposed to work around him? Yes, it is the latter that I am concerned about.

I concluded that I would not be able to make a decision on this right away. I require time. When I looked up, my heart skipped a beat because Logan was standing right in front of me. He's managed to walk across the desk and stand in front of me, leaning on the desk, without my noticing. This guy is slick as hell.

"I...I'll think about it, okay?" I noticed his lips twitching. The action was so small that you would have missed it in a blink of an eye. What am I committing to, God?

********

When viewed from the twentieth floor, vehicles on the roads resembled medium-sized ants on the black sands. The trees on the sides of the road swayed, but the howling of the wind couldn't be heard inside because of this massive thick glass barrier that stretches the entire length of the wall. I was so engrossed in the scenery outside that I didn't notice the sound of a door opening and closing or approaching footsteps.

"Hey," a deep voice said into my ear. My heart lurched in my chest as I visibly jumped at the voice. When I turn around, I see a smirking Logan standing next to me, our chests almost touching.

"Log!" By pressing my hands against his chest, I pushed him away. He stumbled two inches back. "You scared me," I reprimand him. As he tucked his hands into his well-tailored pant pockets, his grin broadened.

"You appeared to be lost in your thoughts. "Are you thinking about me?" I roll my eyes at him as he winks at me.

"Psh, I've got better things to think about," I tell myself, hoping to irritate him even more. His brow furrowed in response to my remark.

"Is that so?" he asked, taking a step closer to me. With a sense of where this was going, I cleared my throat before changing the subject.

"So, what's my first assignment?"

Logan's mouth curled up before he nodded. "I need that you type a report for me."

"Take a seat," he said as he walked over to his minibar. I looked around the room, trying to decide where to sit. Logan's large leather swivel chair appears to be the most comfortable of the chairs in the room. I sat on the swivel chair, shrugging my shoulders. I mean, he didn't specify which chair I should sit in. It was entirely up to me to make the choice, so why not go with the most convenient option?

He turned around, grabbing two glasses of fizzy water, but came to a halt when he saw me. Logan chuckled as he approached me.

"What?" In amusement, I asked. Placing the glasses on the table, he circled it, towards where I was sitting on his chair. He knelt to my level and grabbed the back of my neck before kissing me on the lips and taking my breath away. After two or three seconds, he drew back.

I gave him a wide-eyed look before glaring at him. "Be professional, Mr. Watson," I reprimanded. He threw back his head and laughed loudly, which irritated me.

"Miss Kingston, you're sitting in your boss's chair, and you expect me to be professional?"

My cheeks flushed, and I averted my gaze from him in embarrassment. I slowly and awkwardly began to rise. Logan, on the other hand, shakes his head and gently pushes me down.

"Sit, I don't mind," he says, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table, where I was supposed to sit, as I realize now.

"But you'll be the first and last person to sit there beside me, so consider yourself special," he says solemnly, and I smile inwardly, but a frown soon forms on my face.

"And what about your future son or daughter?" I inquired, genuinely interested. Wouldn't he give it to them? Isn't that what happens most of the time? "You'll have them one day, right?"

"It's entirely up to you, love.....when to have children," he winks. I give him a blank stare. It took me a moment to grasp the significance of his line. That left my mouth agape, completely perplexed.

To avoid the subject, I decided not to comment on it. I wanted to slap myself for asking that question. What on earth was I thinking?

"Do you serve drinks to everyone who comes here?" He shakes his head when I point to the two glasses on the table.

"Only for the special ones," he winks as fireworks explode in the pit of my stomach. Damn, he and his words will be the death of me!

I began my new job by taking a deep breath. Logan walked around the room, reciting the sentences I needed to type into a document aloud. My mind wandered back to the day I accepted his job offer as I typed the words absentmindedly.

"Karolia" Grecia was taken aback when she noticed me standing in the foyer. I smiled at her and approached her, luring her into my embrace.

"How are you, dear?" she asks as she strokes my hair. "I'm doing fantastic. "Thank you for the amazing food," I kissed her cheeks, referring to the dinner parcel she sent to my apartment via Thomas. We talked for a while longer before I asked if Logan was home.

"You didn't come to see me, did you?" Grecia smirked at me, and I awkwardly laughed.

"No, it isn't like that. "I want to talk to him about a job," I said, and Grecia's eyes lit up with recognition.

Logan mentioned, "Oh yes." So, what is your final decision?"

"I'll take the job," I said, and she smiled brightly. "Good. He's in his office upstairs," she says, patting my back. I went upstairs and down the hall to his office room, which was at the far end of the hall. I knocked on the mahogany door, clutching the file closer to my chest.

I twisted the doorknob and entered his office after hearing the familiar voice say, "Come in." It was a large room with a large office table at one end with a black swivel chair, where Logan was currently sitting, and two large shelves at the opposite ends of the wall, both filled with files and documents. I also noticed other doors at the corners, which I assumed were storerooms. Logan looked up at me with a puzzled expression on his face. He got to his feet and walked towards me.

"What's the matter? "Are you okay?" I smiled at his concern as he bombarded me with questions. He's always been concerned whenever I meet him without any prior phone calls or messages since he learned about the killer being out on the streets.

"Yes, I'm fine." I stand on my tiptoes and press a kiss on his cheek. "I came here for a different reason," I explain.

"What is it?" he asks, and I hand him my file. He grabs the folder from me and reads the contents of the file. His eyes lighten up.

"Resume?"

I nod, a broad smile on my face. "I have accepted the job offer."

I could tell Logan was happy, which he expressed when he grabbed my lips for a kiss. "You didn't have to bring your resume, love," he smirks as he throws the file away.

"But it took the majority of my night to type this," I pout sadly.

"Aw..." he says as he kisses the crown of my head. "However, I am pleased with your decision. So I could always keep an eye on you this way," he winks at me. I let out a loud gasp in response to his innuendo.

"Jerk" I slap his chest, and he bursts out laughing.

********

(A few days later)

Logan's fingers played with mine, kissing each of my fingers ever so softly, making a tingly sensation explode everywhere inside me. Swallowing heavily, I once again tried to grasp the scene of the movie we were watching on the laptop but it was in vain. Now I regret sitting in between his legs to watch the movie. He's definitely not concentrating and worse, he's distracting me as well.

"Log" I groan, resting my head on his hard solid chest and pulling my hand away from his grip "I'm trying to watch here" I whine.

"I'm not bothering you, Babe," he says, but groans when I pinch his thighs.

"Liar," I chastised him. " You keep kissing and touching me, asshole," Logan smirks at me as our gaze meets.

"The movie is so boring," he says and I raise my eyebrows. "Then go to bed. Allow me to watch" I chastise him once more.

"No, you're more interesting," he says, taking a long sniff of my hair.

"Gosh, your smell drives me insane," he says quietly, and my heart skipped a beat. I leaned forward to move away from my current position, but Logan drew me back, his arm around my stomach.

"All right, I'm sorry. I won't bother you again.... I'll try at least," he chuckles, and I huff in irritation. "Last chance," I muttered to him before rewinding the scenes I'd missed.

Logan's cell phone rang loudly twenty minutes into the film. He gently pushed me away before taking his phone from his pocket. When he answered the phone, his face became solemn and his body stiff.

"I'm currently preoccupied." He said it over the phone. There was a minute of silence before the person on the other end of the line spoke.

"Alright. I'll be there in 15 minutes." He said this before hanging up the phone. In frustration, he ran his hand through his hair.

"Lia... I have to leave now. I'll send you a text later." He said this while standing up and not looking at me.

"Where are you going at this time of the hour?" I frowned, my gaze drawn to the wall-mounted clock. It was half-past eleven o'clock at night.

"Office…..

I have some urgent signing work to complete." He scratched the back of his neck and said bluntly.

"I'll accompany you," I said.

"No, love. You've had a long day. Take a break. I can handle it on my own." He said this as he walked to the door. This confirmed my suspicions. He is lying. But I didn't press him any further. Before leaving, he kissed my brow. Did he really think I'd let it slip that easily? No way!

I quickly pull a black hoodie over my tank top, straighten my 3/4th joggers, and slip on my white Converse before rushing down to the ground floor. It's a good thing I'm only on the third floor. I ordered an Uber and was pleasantly surprised when it arrived within a minute. I got into it and requested that the driver take a shortcut to the main road. Fortunately, we caught up with Logan at the traffic light. I requested that the driver follow his car until it came to a halt a few streets away. Logan, on the other hand, was not driving to his office. Instead, he drove into a small alley and parked his car quickly in a corner. This location felt strangely familiar to me. Before I got out, I paid the driver. I followed Logan, keeping a safe distance between us so that I could quickly hide if he suddenly turned back. I'm surprised Logan hadn't noticed me yet, given how sharp this guy is.

He abruptly turned right, disappearing into a dark basement. I had second thoughts because the place was so creepy, but I needed to know why he was here. I followed him until I realized I was in a room. Logan quickly turned around, and I hid behind what appeared to be a large wooden cupboard, my petite figure safely hidden from his view. I was in the opposite corner of the room, and unless he looked behind the cupboard, he wouldn't notice me. He shut the door that we entered through and turned on the lights. Great! How am I going to get back? I take a look around at my surroundings. There was a small dirty couch in the room, as well as a full-length dusty mirror beside it. By now I got an idea of what is going on here and what this place really is.

His back was to me as he yanked his shirt off, revealing toned muscles that flexed as he stretched. I had to pinch my lips shut to keep myself from gasping and drooling over his back. His hands moved on to unzip his pants, which he pulled down in one swift motion. Before I could stop myself, a shriek escaped my lips. It was almost as if it were a reflex. As soon as I realized what I had done, I put both hands on my mouth. Logan turned around with a horrifying expression on his face. He approached the cupboard and drew me out of my hiding place.

"Lia?!" He was taken aback. Okay, I messed up. What am I supposed to say now? Should I say he looked really hot shirtless—no, wait, scratch that.

"Um, hello?" As soon as the words left my mouth, I mentally palmed myself. Karrie, are you sure? A 'hi'? Is that the best you could come up with?

"What in the world are you doing here? I had asked that you stay in your apartment! Not to stalk me all the way here!" He snapped angrily, which irritated me.

"First and foremost, I wasn't stalking you!" Which I certainly did. "And I was just looking for you! You abruptly left me, and you expect me to believe your excuse of "I have work at the office"? No way!" I expressed my displeasure.

"Karolia" he groaned. "Do you even have any idea where you are?" He asked as I shrugged. I know I made a mistake by coming here, but will that be a problem? As long as he is with me, I'm fine. Anyway, it's not like he's planning to murder anyone. Right?

"Please, Lia... I know I shouldn't have come here, and I certainly shouldn't have lied to you. But this is a crucial fight. My opponent is someone I wanted to exact vengeance on, and I refuse to let it go. "Please, love..." he begged. His voice was genuine, and it made me weak in the knees. I sighed and turned around to face him.

"Okay. But this will be your final fight." He curved his lips into a small smile as I spoke sternly.

There was a gentle knock on the door. Logan opened it to reveal Patrick, who was dressed in sweatpants and a shirt. His hair was styled in a haphazard manner.

"It's showtime!" He said cheerfully and turned to look at me. His movement slowed and he shifted his gaze between me and Logan.

"Hello, Karrie!" He asked, surprised to say the least.

"Nice to see you here." He gritted his teeth and stared at Logan.

"I had no idea she was following me. So quit giving me that look." Logan defended himself.

"I wasn't stalking anyone. I was simply following him." The last part was mumbled, which elicited a chuckle from Patrick and an eye roll from that jerk.

"Pat, keep her safe." Before turning to face me, he said to Patrick. He kissed my temple passionately. "Stay with Patrick, please. "Don't leave his side," he warns, and I nod. He gave me one last look before nodding and exiting through the open door.

Patrick and I were sitting in the boxing ring's front row. After only twenty minutes, people began to pour in like a flock of sheep. Soon after, the host called out the names of the fighters, and when Logan's name was called, the audience erupted, nearly deafening me. Logan walked up to the front, a smirk on his lips. His gaze moved through the crowd until it came to rest on me. He gave me a wink before shifting his gaze to the ring. When they saw him without a shirt, all the girls went crazy. Some even tried to flaunt everything in front of him, making me want to vomit.

He was quickly in the ring with his opponent. The other guy looked like a hulk, with massive muscles and biceps. I'm sure he can give me some fitness advice. He appeared to be about to rip someone's head off. Logan, on the other hand, stood there with a smirk that never left his lips. I hope nothing bad happens to either of them, which is impossible given that this is a so-called fight with no rules requiring the opponent to stay alive. When the bell rang, they both began to charge at each other. The hulk-man was the first to make a move. Logan, on the other hand, moved quickly, sidestepping him and causing the man to stumble on his steps. Logan took advantage of the situation by punching the man in the ribs, causing him to groan in pain. As both men began fighting ruthlessly, I covered my face with my hands, peeping through the gaps between my fingers. I wasn't a big fan of violence.

Logan continued to throw punches in the guy's face until fresh blood oozed out of his broken nose, and the crowd cheered louder and louder. Even now, I couldn't understand why people find such ruthless fights entertaining. I couldn't see anything but blood, which makes me want to throw up. I couldn't stand it any longer. I turned around, covering my face in the process. As the image of the man bleeding on the floor lingered in my mind, I began to shake. Patrick started rubbing my back, which helped a little. I remained in that position for what seemed like hours until the host declared Logan the winner of the fight.

When I turned around, Logan was shaking hands with the referee, and the bulky guy was struggling to get up from his crouching position on the ground. Two men rushed to the man's side, armed with towels, to clean the blood from his mouth. Someone appears to have exacted a harsh vengeance. But I felt sorry for the guy. When Logan was finished freshening up, I met him outside the arena. I dashed up to him and wrapped my arms around his neck, burrowing deep into his chest. He was surprised by my sudden action, but he quickly wrapped his arms around me, nuzzling his nose into my hair and sniffing it.

"Please don't fight ever again. I-I can't stand it when you're like that... so merciless." I hushed, and he stiffened.

"I... I swear I won't fight again. And this time I'll keep my word. It's for you. "For mom, too," he added, and I nodded gratefully.

We walked to his car, his arms tightly wrapped around my waist. A man appeared out of nowhere, whispered something to Logan, and then left.

"Remain in the car. I'll be right back." Logan said as he walked away. I sat there for what seemed like an eternity. I'm becoming concerned. What happened to him? Please don't tell me he went to fight again right after promising me! Then I'm going to kick his balls really hard.

I got out of the car and began looking for Logan. I noticed him near the main entrance, his back to me. I could tell he was having a serious conversation with the person in front of him. I couldn't quite make out the man's expression. Logan stepped aside and shook his hand. When I saw him, my entire body went numb. What exactly is he doing here? And, most importantly, why is Logan shaking his hand? I was terrified when I saw him. As his words replayed in my mind, new tears formed on my eyelids.

'How dare you run away from me? Because of you, he murdered my wife! Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now, right here?!

In fear, my body began to tremble. He was the same green-eyed man. The man who was a nightmare to me is shaking hands with someone I adore. I bolted before he could notice my presence.