The Story of Blood and Roses

"I love the image of you on your knees in front of me. But I don't want you to worship me reluctantly," he said, playfully. Honestly, I quite enjoyed the playful banter that we engaged in once in a while. I also enjoyed the wicked arguments we had that ended in us making snarky remarks at each other for the major portion of the day. Not one single day with Anthony Murray was dull, or anything close to the definition of the word.

"I'm sorry to say that I find that image distasteful, Boss." I retorted. The words flew out before I could stop them, "I'd say that I didn't want to become like Cienna, but she says that you didn't get a piece of her." I should have stopped myself, but I saw something flash in his eyes that made me think otherwise. This was the part where I enjoyed his company the most: the argument. His eyes blazed with rage and he snagged a piece of fruit and turned away. He fiddled with his phone for a moment before he turned to me and seethed.

"What do you want me to tell you, Mia? I have needs. I don't care if Cienna runs her mouth about my sexual activities, because frankly, I don't hide it from anyone." He gave me a pointed look. It was true, he was purely a sexual creature and I was sure that he didn't hide that he used his charms to get laid pretty often. He was a grown man with needs, right. But it was a weird thought, thinking of him with other women. The fact that they held power over him to attract his attention made me want to strangle someone. He wasn't supposed to give in to temptation or the vice of women. He was all powerful and no one should have had the control over him. Wasn't that what I'd been hoping for? To break his absolute power by making him so attracted to me that he wouldn't be able to see straight? That I'd covet all his plans and his treasures and he would give it up willingly because he'd lose that tightly bound control that he seemed to hold on him at all points in time? It was unnerving.

"I was just cracking a joke, Boss. You don't need to get that defensive. And I know that who you fuck is none of my business." I shrugged. My mouth was running again, but I was glad that it remained as nonchalant as it had. I hadn't expected to sound so calm about the topic.

"Make it your business. I'm the most vulnerable when I'm fucking someone, as you put it," he grumbled demurely and I realized that the sudden flare of rage that he had felt was a defence mechanism that I didn't know why it triggered.

"Would you rather I guard you at all times when you are doing said fucking?" I tried to lighten the mood and I knew that I was successful when his lips quirked up, in what I assumed was an ironic smile.

"I'd prefer if you were inside the room with me, just to be sure that the woman didn't kill me after she blew me." I think I snorted because he chuckled at my reaction. "Maybe voyeurism is your thing?" he teased and I shook my head with a responding chuckle.

"But I'd do anything to protect you," I joked, but we both knew that it was right. Even to me and my deceiving ways, I was pretty sure that I would protect him against everything—everything that was not me.

"You're the perfect bodyguard, don't you think? You don't have people to go back home to, flexible hours... you aren't bad to look at... and you're extremely good at what you do." The smirk that graced his lips dared me to say something.

"Flattery won't get you anywhere. I already work for you. What do you want to achieve my complimenting me?" His eyes glittered as I spoke. I'd caught him, he knew.

"Always so perceptive! Yes, I want you to attend a conference with me and help me mess around with Luke's mind a bit. The old man needs to be shaken up just a little. Things must be getting so boring for him."

"Do I have a choice in this? Don't you know by now that I love ruffling people's feathers? What do you need me to do?"

"I'm going to call Darcy from your untraceable cell-phone," he gave me a pointed look letting me know just how well versed he was when it came to me. "And then I'm going to be a sarcastic asshole. You, my kitten, are going to be the good cop to my bad cop." I bit back a laugh at the comment.

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