The clocks struck five o'clock and a human wave swept towards the two elevators. They chatted, laughed, threw paper airplanes, and looped their arms over one another's shoulders in celebration of another week of their lives swallowed by the tedium of the required occupation. The floor was cleared in five minutes, and I was left alone with only the sound of the keys to comfort me.
I, however, remained diligently at my post. The paperwork beside me was paper-thin. Another minute more and some furious typing, and I'd be released into the wilds of the streets.
That's when I heard a door open. I stood and peeked over the top of my cubicle. Bulla stepped out of his office and behind him came Dives. My supervisor was all smiles while the one on Dives's face looked strained.
"Now could I interest you in some dinner? My treat," Bulla offered.
Dives held up his palm and shook his head. "No, that's fine. I wanted to look over the floor for a while."
My supervisor set his hand on Dives' back. "Then I can show you around."
Dives slipped from the shaky grasp and shook his head. "No, I think I can manage."
Bulla laughed and nudged Dives in the side with his elbow. "All right, but don't keep the janitors waiting."
Dives's smile grew more strained. "I won't."
Bulla patted him on the back and strode over to the elevator. Dives turned away just as Bulla stepped into the lift. My supervisor turned and his smile slipped into a scowl that was directed at Dives. The elevator doors shut before the billionaire noticed the look of disdain.
Dives swept his eyes over the area. I ducked down and cringed. If Dives caught me here he might find out about Ruth giving me her papers. That was a big no-no in company policy, and the prospect of joining the unemployment line didn't appeal to me.
I got back to my typing, but winced at every clack of the keyboard. Dives's footsteps came closer. I cringed and furiously typed the last page into the computer. The last entry was finished and the work saved. I grabbed my purse and swung my chair towards the entrance to my cubicle.
David Dives leaned against one side of the entrance with his arms folded and a real smile on his face. "You do know you don't get overtime, right?"
I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes. "Yeah, I know, but I had to get this work done."
His gaze fell on the stack of papers beside my computer tower. "They give out a lot of work lately, don't they?"
I stood and tried to scoot past him, but the doorway was small and he wasn't. "I guess, but could I leave?"
He grinned and shrugged. "That depends."
I frowned. "On what?"
"On whether you can give me your name," he teased.
My frown deepened and I crossed my arms over my chest. "I might work for you, Mr. Dives-"
"David." I blinked at him, and he chuckled. "Call me David."
"Listen, Mr. Dives, I really want to get home. It's-" I fumbled to bring out my cellphone to check the time.
He glanced at his Rolex watch. "It's five-fifteen."
"That's fifteen minutes longer than I wanted, so if you'll excuse me." I slipped past him and into the hall.
My feet clacked against the hard carpet, and I heard his follow me to the elevators. I reached for the button, but he beat me to it.
"Going my way?" he asked me.
I turned my face away from him and stared at the closed elevator doors. "That depends on if you're going to the underground garage."
He chuckled. "By some strange chance, I am. My chauffeur is sick and couldn't come in today, so I drove myself."
"That must have been a traumatic experience for you," I quipped.
He slipped closer to me and lowered his voice to a sultry whisper. "I get the feeling you don't like me."
A wave of heat swept over my body. Here was this rich, handsome man putting the moves on me. He was also a notorious playboy who used women like Kleenex's and discarded them just as quickly.
I shook the blush off my cheeks and took a half step away from him. "What makes you think that?"
"Because you won't look at me," he pointed out.
I was saved by the opening of the elevator doors, and I stepped inside. Dives joined me. As I turned around I noticed the last few rays of sunlight break through the tall, wide windows at the opposite end of the floor. Evening was coming.
The doors shut. Dives positioned himself near the buttons while I took the rear. He pressed the button for the underground garage and looked to me with a smile. "You sure I couldn't offer you a ride home?"
"You'd have to offer me a ride back to work. It's the only car I've got," I told him.
He glanced over his shoulder and grinned at me. "I could do that. I wouldn't even need to pick you up."
My eyebrows crashed down and I turned to face the doors. The numbers above the doors counted down to the uppercase 'G,' but not fast enough for me. "I think I'll pass."
Dives leaned his back against the side wall and folded his arms over his chest. He studied me with a mix of admiration and perplexity. "Did I do something wrong? Because you're giving me a really hard time."
I pursed my lips and my eyes flickered to him. "You're not exactly known for your reliability, especially when it comes to women."
He sighed and shrugged. "I suppose you're right, but we all can't be beautiful angels like you."
That damn blush came back to my cheeks. He was good, real good. A strong, musky scent filled the small space. I breathed deep and regretted it as my body warmed with desire. I tamped down the rising lustful interest in him and shifted feet. The numbers above the door ticked down to the last few floors, and below those was the parking garage. Just a little further and-
Dives pushed off from the wall and dropped his arms. He held out his hand to me and smiled.
I glanced from the offered hand to his face, and raised an eyebrow. "What's this for?"
He shrugged. "For a good match. I can respect a woman who know who she wants to sleep with, even if it's not me."
I ignored his hand and looked back at the numbers. "Thanks. I think. . ." I mumbled.
He dropped his hand. "No problem, but if you-" He winced and clutched at his stomach. I half-turned to him and watch his face scrunch up and his body double over. Dives wrapped both arms around his stomach and fell to his knees. His hoarse, strained words reached me. "Damn it!"
I frowned. "If this is some weird way to get me interested in you, it's not working."
He didn't look up at me before he shook his head. "No, it's my-my stomach," he choked out. He leaned over and clapped one palm down on the floor. "Damn it! What the hell. . .is happening to me?"
His face was pale and I noticed sweat form on the side of his temples. I knelt down beside him and grasped his shoulders. They shook like leaves in a hurricane.
"Is it your heart?" I asked him.
He ground his teeth together and shook his head. "No. It's. . .it's everything. Ah!" He scrunched into himself and shuddered. I noticed the hand on the floor tensed and his long nails dug into the metal.
"Let me get you to a hospital," I offered.
He closed his eyes and nodded. His face was a mask of pain and I noticed his clothes were stretched and covered in sweat.
The elevator stopped and the doors opened. The parking garage was one of those dimly lit concrete constructions with thick columns that dotted the urban landscape. The three levels were separated by a railing and a drop of five feet. My breath drifted from my mouth. White puffs of air blew out of Mr. Dives's parted lips.
I slipped one of his arms over my shoulders and helped him to his unsteady feet. "Come on. My car's not far."
The distance was only fifty yards, but it felt like forever. The place was mostly empty except for my car that sat near one of the railings. The light above my vehicle flickered on and off, and cast the area in semi-darkness.
We reached the rear passenger door when two shadows slipped beneat
h the lower rung of the railing. They were gang-bangers with tattoos, bandannas, and no sense of hygiene. The pair leered at me with yellowed teeth rotted by drugs, and in their hands they each held a long metal pipe.
"Hey, lady, watcha doing here so late?" one of them asked me.
I took a step back. Dives let out another groan. His whole body shuddered. He didn't seem to be completely conscious.
"Please, I've got to get him to a hospital," I told the pair.
One of the thugs glanced down at Dives and his eyes widened. He looked to his friend and jerked his head to Dives's wrist. "Look at that watch."
His friend smirked. "Nice watch. We'll take that, and your purse."
I clasped my purse with my free hand. "Fine, but let me get out my car keys first."
The second thug snorted. "Like we're that fucking stupid, lady. Watcha got in there, a gun?"
The other one stalked around Dives and me. "Nah, she wouldn't have a gun. Probably mace."
His friend laughed. "
Dives let out a horrible, strangled gasp. His body convulsed. I lost my grip on him and he fell onto his stomach. He curled into a ball with his arms and knees beneath him. I knelt by his side and grasped his shoulders and whipped my head up to the thugs.
"Just back off! This guy could be dying!" I snapped at them.
"Then he won't need his watch," one of the thugs commented.
He stooped down and grasped the band of the watch. Dives didn't look up as his hand whipped out and grabbed the thug's arm. The thug's eyes widened and he tried to pull his arm away. Dives raised his head and looked at the man. I gasped and fell backwards so that I landed on my hands and rear.
Dives's face was covered in fur and his nose protruded outward like a snout. His yellow eyes glowed in the shadows and his lips curled back in a snarl.
"W-what the fuck?" his captive stuttered.
The other one stumbled back with his eyes wide and his mouth agape. "H-he's some kind of fucking monster!"
Dives stood. His tight clothes burst at the seams and thick mats of grayish-brown fur poked through the holes. His fingers lengthened and his nails curved into long, sharp claws. My eyes widened as his shoes close beside me burst open to reveal long furry feet that ended in more sharp nails.
He lifted the thug off the ground and shoved their faces together. The thug screamed and a noticeable wet spot appeared in his crotch.
"Don't kill me! Please don't kill me!" the thug pleaded.
Dives snarled, but his face contorted into pain. He stooped and panted for air. The thug grabbed Dives's hand and tried to pry himself loose. Dives's eyes flickered up and narrowed. He tossed the thug five yards and over the railing to the lower level, and then turned to the other thug. The man yelped and turned tail. He clambered over the railing and fell over the other side.
I stood on my shaky legs and stumbled backwards until my back against one of the columns. The thugs picked themselves up and ran away. A growl brought my attention back to the matter at hand, namely one terrifying boss.
I whipped my head to Dives. He stared back at me with those bright, illuminated eyes. The pain in his face remained, and he stumbled towards me with one hand outstretched. For a moment his eyes flickered back to their blue color.
His garbled, albeit mostly human, voice called out to me. "Please. Please help. . .help me," he choked out.
Another shot of pain stiffened his body. He cried out in a mangling of a growl and cry, and dropped chest-first onto the ground. His chest moved up and down from his panting and his eyes were half-lidded.
I took a cautious step towards him. He groaned and shuddered. I froze. His long, sharp claws dug into the concrete floor and left inch-deep scratch marks. My eyes were glued to the marks until I heard a familiar, and unwelcome, sound.
Police sirens, and they were coming this way.
CHAPTER 3