Angel (NSC Industries) (7 page)

I
gazed back out of the window as I chose my words carefully “Nate, you had your
career and life in Edinburgh. Our relationship would’ve just been a burden. I
loved you too much to become a burden. It was better that way.”

He
grabbed my chin and tilted my face back, his anger palpable in the confines of
the car. “God Damn it, Liv. I fuckin’ loved you. You were never a burden” his
voice a deadly hiss as his eyes scrutinised my face.

I
tensed at his forceful caress and knew he had sensed the change in me. I
snatched his hand away from my chin as I glared at him. “Don’t fucking touch me
like that again, Nate” I spat.

“Baby,
I would never hurt you, you know that” he worried, studying my face.

“Don’t
call me Baby either. It’s been twenty years since I was your
baby
Nate”
I snapped.

The
car came to a halt and the driver got out and came round to open the door. “You
will always be my Baby, Liv” Nate asserted, narrowing his eyes on me as he got
out of the car.

He
took my hand in his again as he strode into the bistro.

The
place was packed and I was sure there weren’t any tables free but Nate walked
over to the bar.

“Nate
man,” the barman exclaimed, giving Nate a powerful hug and slapping him on the
back “it’s good to see you. Where have you been hiding? Eh?” he demanded.

“I’ve
been in America for 6 months Ben, don’t worry, I would never abandon you” he
winked.

  
America?

What
the hell would he be doing over there? His career must have really taken off.

Nate
turned to introduce me, “Ben, this is Olivia. Liv, this is Benny. The namesake
for this place” he grinned.

Taking
my hand in a firm grasp, Benny lifted it to his lips. “It is a pleasure to meet
such a beautiful woman” he beamed with a twinkle in his eye, “You need to keep
this one Nate, such an exquisite smile.”

Nate
took my hand back and, with a wink and a grin, he asked Benny for a table.

He
led us over to a booth in the corner and I slid in as Nate wedged his large
frame into the opposite bench. “Here’s the menu,” Benny said, passing us each a
leather bound folder “would you like a drink while you choose?” 

“A
bottle of chardonnay, please Benny” Nate acknowledged, raising his eyebrows at
me in a query. Nodding desperately at Benny in confirmation to Nate’s choice, I
silently wished the man would hurry up with the damn wine.

I
needed alcohol before my nerves gave way, and I slid under the table, a
quivering mess.

“Still
enjoy the odd glass then, Liv?” Nate questioned with a smirk when Benny
retreated to fetch our wine. “Ha, of course,” I scoffed “wine and Haribos,
always been a constant in my life.”

He
picked up his menu and ran his fingers over the gold embossed lettering,
tracing each letter with a stern expression. “What else is a constant in your
life, Liv? Married? Partner? Kids?” he probed, searching my face.

“Divorced,
No and Yes” I answered honestly and elusively to the three questions. “You?” I
queried, quickly bringing the conversation round to him.

“No,
No and No” he answered frankly.

“Oh,
I expected you to be married by now” I stated directly. “Nope” he said bluntly with
a pop of the ‘P’, looking directly at me.

Benny
came over with our wine and to take our order. Pouring the wine into my glass
Nate continued with his interrogation.

“So,
how long have you been divorced?” Gulping my wine, I glanced around the room
for a distraction, “Ten years” I shrugged.

“Wow,
that long? No current interests?” he probed further.

Sighing
loudly I shook my head. “Nope!” I said with a pop of the ‘P’.

 “So,
how long have you been friends with Peterson?” I asked quickly to change the
subject away from me.

He
looked at me puzzled. “Friends?” he asked, “I’d hardly call us friends.” He
tilted his head to one side “He’s your boss. What do you make of him? Be
honest” he added with a laugh.

“Well,
let’s see. He doesn’t like me. He’s rude, arrogant and very full of himself” I
specified.

“I
find it hard to believe he doesn’t like you, Liv. How can he not?” he smiled
lightly, his eyes sparkling.

Taking
another large mouthful of wine, I sneered “Because he told me to get drunk to
help ‘loosen up my tight thighs’, so I told him to ‘Go Fuck himself’ but a bit
politer than that.”

Nate’s
eyebrows lifted to his hairline as he pursed his lips and I noticed his finger
twitch rapidly against the tablecloth. He nodded his head once, “Really?” he
said, more of a statement than a question.

He
went quiet for a while, his face tight with anger and fortunately our meal
arrived.

As
I picked at my salad, Nate looked deep in thought so I remained quiet until he
suddenly looked up and grinned at me.

“You
don’t fancy Simon then?” he mocked, “Everybody else seems to. He’s good looking
and wealthy.”

I
gagged on my food and stared at him. “What sort of question is that?” I asked
perplexed “No, I don’t fancy Peterson, Nate. Anyway, I’m off men completely” I
added.

It
was Nate’s turn to choke now. “You’ve never turned gay, Liv?” he asked shocked.

Laughing
full on at his wide eyes, I drained my glass and motioned him for a top up. “Good
god, No!” I exclaimed “I just haven’t been interested since my div…..”

I
realised what I’d said and clammed up. Analysing my tight face and frowning
deeply, Nate swallowed. “Has there been
anybody
since your husband, Liv?”

Squirming
in my seat I shook my head and looked away. He blew out a large breath and
covered my hand with his “What happened, Liv? You must have really loved him,
to not be able to move on after he’d gone.” He gave me a sad smile and looked
down at his plate.

Laughing
sarcastically, I shook my head “You have no fucking idea, Nate.”

I
bit my bottom lip and looked away from his confused stare. “Anyway I have Bob”
I announced with a sly smile, trying to lighten the mood.

“Bob?”
he asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Mmmm,
Bob” I said, lifting my chin in defiance. “And who’s Bob?” Nate requested as his
eyes became hard and intense.

“BOB…my
B
attery
O
perated
B
oyfriend” I stated with a crafty grin. 

Waiting
for the penny to drop, I stared at Nate as I smiled to myself. The moment he
realized, his face split into a huge grin and he gave a belly laugh. “Now, I
would love to meet Bob” he said with a wink.

 “Dear
God, you haven’t changed a bit” I laughed, shaking my head.

We
chatted lightly for a while longer as we finished our food and wine.

Glancing
at my watch, I told Nate I would have to get back to work. “That quick?” he
said, looking at the time.

He
paid for the meal, escorted me back to the car and drove me back to NSC.

As
we pulled up in front of the building, Nate exited the car and walked round to
open my door.

“Thank
you for lunch” I said, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek.  “Always my pleasure,
Baby” he murmured as his arm slipped around my waist and he inhaled my scent as
he rested his chin on my head.

I
pulled away sadly before I walked up the steps and entered the foyer.

I
felt his arm slip around my waist again as I approached the elevator. Frowning,
I turned to him “What are you doing, Nate? I have to go back to work now” I
panicked.

He
regarded me with a sly look, “Me too” he said.

Then
it dawned on me. “Oh My God. You work here?” I asked him, shocked.

“Well…
Yes” he laughed. “Tell me Liv. What do you think NSC stands for?” He asked as
he pulled me into the lift with him. 

“Uhh,
I don’t know Nate. I never got chance to research the company before I took the
job” I told him, puzzled.

My
eyes widened as I worked it out. Looking at him in awe, I breathed “Nathan Sam
Carter.”

He
nodded his head as he grew serious and took my hand.  “I built the company, Liv.
I’m your ‘rude, arrogant and full of himself’ boss’s, boss’s, boss!” he
finished with a smirk.

Nate
escorted me to my floor and then continued up to the 50
^th
floor
where his office was situated.

I
dropped into the chair behind my desk and tried to get to grips with what Nate
had just revealed to me.

I
couldn’t believe after all these years Nate was now my boss. I had just slagged
my boss to my ‘big boss’. How unprofessional. 

Taking
a deep breath, I immersed myself into my work and about an hour later Paterson
called me into his office.

As
I was shutting the door behind me, he began to rant at me. “Miss Adams!” he snarled
with a furious look on his face.

Cringing,
I attempted to smile at him as I sensed his fury. “What the fuck has happened
to you this week, mmm?” he bellowed, “you’ve been late twice and your mind has
been far from your work today!” he continued, livid.

Rubbing
my hands together, I attempted to defend myself “Mr Peterson, I’m so sorry if
you feel I’ve been incompetent but…”

“INCOMPETENT?”
he cut me off, enraged “I’d say you’ve been downright UNPROFESSIONAL, wouldn’t
you Miss Adams? Hmm?” 

Worrying
where this was going, I started to get flustered. Chewing on my lip, I tried to
apologize again but he butted in once more.

“I’d
say having lunch with your boss is
very
unprofessional, Miss
Adams. In fact if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were a little brown nose
Liv!!!”
he sneered, articulating ‘Liv’ in the same tone Nate had used in the
foyer.

“Well…
Mr Carter and I are old friends, Mr Peterson. I can assure you that I am not ‘brown
nosing’ as you put it.” This arrogant man was now starting to piss me off.

“BOLLOCKS!
 Are you fucking him, Miss Adams?” he thundered.

“How
dare you!!!” I fumed.

Peterson’s
office door flew open and Nate stalked in. He looked calm but I could see the
fire in his eyes, the wrath on his face and his clenched fists.

He
turned to me “Could you leave us a moment please, Miss Thomas?”

I
opened my mouth to inform him I was now Miss Adams, but quickly shut it when he
gave me a slight shake of his head, his eyes blazing wildly.

Swallowing
and nodding, I escaped the room hastily, the tension thick and menacing.

Closing
the door behind me, I took a huge, calming breath and walked back over to my chair
on shaky legs.

“What
the Hell, Olivia?” Grace gushed, eyes wide “What was all that about?”

I
sat in my chair, shaking. “Peterson was laying into me, saying that it was
inappropriate to have lunch with my boss, and the twat even asked if I was
screwing Nate! And he has the cheek to call me unprofessional” I claimed,
disregarding Grace’s even wider eyes.

There
was now shouting coming from Peterson’s office and I shuddered, knowing that
Peterson was going to make my life hell for this. “You know Mr Carter?” Grace
asked, astounded. “Yeah, we were friends at uni” I told her, only giving her
the half-truth.

“He
was stood outside Peterson office for ages, listening to him rant at you. I thought
at one point he was gonna explode” Grace said with a slight giggle.

“Oh
Shit” I sighed “that means Nate heard every bit of Peterson’s outburst.”

Rolling
my head round my shoulders, I closed my eyes as Grace laughed. “Even the part
when Peterson shouted ‘BOLLOCKS are you fucking him, Miss Adams?’” she echoed in
her best Peterson impersonation, letting on that she had been listening.

“Wonderful!”
I exclaimed, “Nate’s gonna kill him” I added with a groan.

Peterson’s
office door opened and Nate stomped out, slamming the door behind him. He
looked over at me, shook his head, his anger still evident, and walked away.

“I
wouldn’t like to get on the wrong side of him” Grace wheezed. “Although, I
wouldn’t mind being under him” she concluded, laughing as my jaw hit the floor.

The
afternoon passed by and I didn’t see Peterson again, until he left his office
just as I was shutting down my monitor and preparing to go home. “Thank you for
staying late Miss Adams” he said to me politely. “Have a good weekend and I’ll
see you Monday morning” he finished with a sickly smile.

“Oh…
Yes. You too Mr Peterson” I flustered, baffled by the change in his attitude.
He smiled again and left the office, leaving me completely bewildered. “Thank
fuck its Friday” I smiled to myself as I rode the elevator down. 

Juggling
a large box of files, my laptop and bag, I scuttled hastily to my car before I
dropped them all on the car park tarmac.

Putting
them in my car boot, I climbed behind the wheel. “Take me home Betty” I smiled,
tapping her dashboard.

Turning
the key, she gave a grunt and chug but didn’t start. Trying again, she made an
even worse racket and then just clicked.

She
had never made a noise like that before and I had an awful feeling she’d
finally died.  

“Oh
come on Betty, not now” I pleaded. “After the day I’ve had, I need wine girl!”
I begged some more.

I
was already running late and wanted to get home. Matt was still ill and I
needed to get home to him. My mother had her yoga class tonight and she’d hated
to leave him until I got back, but she’d texted me about 20 minutes ago to say
she was sorry but she couldn’t wait any longer.

After
trying and failing a third time, I punched the dashboard and dropped my head
onto the steering wheel. “Arghhhh” I screamed into nothing, “Please, please,
please give me a break” I cried.

I
closed my eyes and took some deep, calming breaths. My door flew open and Nate
peered in at me. “Having car trouble, Liv?” he asked, frowning at my defeated
expression.

I
rolled my eyes at his stupid question. “No Nate, I’m just having a snog with
the steering wheel!” I bit back sarcastically.

He
chuckled and took my hand. “Come on, I’ll give you a lift home” he said,
pulling me from the car.

“I
need some things from my boot” I told him as I opened the boot and loaded his
arms with stuff.

Carrying
some things of my own, we loaded them in his boot and his driver opened the car
door “Miss Thomas” he smiled at me. “Miss Adams” I corrected him with a shy
smile.

Nate
turned to me. “Oh God, I’m sorry Liv. My mistake. I keep forgetting you’re
married” he apologised.

“
WAS
married, Nate” I rectified.

Smiling,
he slid in the seat beside me. “Where to Miss?” the driver asked, peering over
his seat to look at me.

As
I told him my address Nate slid his hand in mine. “Good day, baby?” he mocked. Laughing
with him, “The best” I replied with a sarcastic nod of my head.

His
thumb stroked across my knuckles in a soothing gesture and I felt my heart
skip, remembering how it always used to relax me.

“Liv,
why did you let Simon yell at you like that?” Nate asked with a frown.

“Because
he’s my boss, Nate. He’d sack me if I told him to fuck off.”  

“You’ve
told me to fuck off before and I’m your boss” he grinned. “You weren’t my boss
at the time though” I scoffed.

“Seriously
though, the Liv I used to know wouldn’t have stood there and took that. She’d
have laid into him and tossed his arse all over the office” he said, giving me
a confused look.

“Well,
that was the Liv you
used
to know Nate, I’m not that girl anymore” I
told him, looking away from his analysing gaze.

Nate
nodded, more to himself than me “I nearly pummelled him when I heard him
shouting at you. Smug Bastard!” he hissed.

“He’s
not so bloody smug now” I smirked “he was all smiles and politeness when he
left. He hasn’t been polite to me in nearly three months.”

“Jesus!
What is that man’s problem with you?” Nate grumbled. “I’ve told you. He wanted
to get friendly and I didn’t… simple” I shrugged. “Especially now he thinks I’m
screwing you. I don’t think he can comprehend how I could turn him down in
preference to you” I sniggered.

“What’s
to understand? I’m gorgeous, hot and fuckin’
hard
” he grinned, wiggling
his eyebrows at me as my gaze lowered to his lap.

 “I
knew you wouldn’t be able to resist, Liv. Every time I used to say ‘hard’ you’d
always look at my lap” he laughed, squeezing my hand.

I
was very tempted to exchange my gaze with my hand and once again feel that hard
muscle enclosed in his trousers. I squirmed in my seat and Nate gave me a
knowing grin as the car came to a stop outside my house.

“Wait!”
Nate scolded as I reached for the door handle.

The
driver came round to open my door. “Thanks…” I started, realising I didn’t know
his name. “Blake Hunter, Miss” he informed me.

Nate
took my things from the boot as Blake shut my door. “I’ll carry them in for
you, Liv” he said walking up my path.

I
ran in front of him to open the door and gestured him in before he collapsed
under the weight of everything.

He
placed them on the kitchen table as he took a look round the room. “This is
nice, Liv” he smiled softly, “How long you lived here?” he asked.

“About
ten years now” I replied as I flipped the switch on the kettle “coffee?”

He
nodded his head as he removed his phone from his pocket and started typing.
“Give me your mobile number while I’ve got my phone out and then we can arrange
a time for me to pick you up Monday morning” he said without looking up.

“Pick
me up?” I asked, puzzled.

“Yeah.
Your car’s broke, remember? I’ll get a mechanic over to NSC this weekend and
get it fixed for you, then you can pick it up Monday” he said.

“You
can’t fix my car for me Nate, I’ll sort it but I would appreciate the ride” I
argued.

He
gave me his slow, sexy smile “I’d appreciate a ride too baby.” Tutting at him,
I handed him his coffee and told him my number.

He
rang it so I could store his as Erin walked in the kitchen. “Hi” she greeted
Nate, as she gave him an inquisitive look.

“Hello”
Nate replied, cocking his head, a wrinkle appearing on his brow “you look very
much like your mother did at your age.”

She
inhaled sharply “You knew my mum when she was 16?” She gave me a probing look
and I knew what she was thinking.

“Well
she was 18 when we met” Nate stated, “But yeah, we were…. uhh, friends.”

He
smiled slyly, looking at me. “Where’s Matt sweetheart? Is he any better?” I
asked Erin, to change the subject. She raised her eyebrows at me, chewing her
bottom lip just as Matt walked in.

 “Hey
Babe” I embraced him with a hug “You feel better?”

“Yeah,
I’m good mum” he said as he looked at Nate “You gonna introduce us?”

“Yes
of course. Matt this is Nate. Nate this is my son, Matt and daughter Erin” I
introduced. Smiling, Nate extended his hand to Matt “Pleasure to meet you, mate.”

Erin
was still stood silent in the corner of the room and I could feel her piercing
stare on me, I was starting to feel uncomfortable and glared back at her,
shaking my head a little in warning.

Nate,
noticing the silent altercation between Erin and me, looked at us both with a
confused expression on his face. “I’d better let you get on” I directed at
Nate, hoping he’d take the hint and leave before Erin said something stupid.

“Oh
right” he said, standing up and looking a little stunned.

Placing
his still full cup in the sink he reached for my hand “Can you see me to the
door, Liv?” Erin’s brows rose even higher and Matt grinned and winked at me.

As
we reached the door he pulled me a little closer. “Can I see you tomorrow night,
baby?” he asked as he dropped my hand and moved his hand up to my face, cupping
my chin and tipping my head back to look in my eyes.

“I
can’t tomorrow night, Nate. I’ve already arranged a night out with Beth and
Lexi. Sorry” I apologised gently.

“Oh
wow, you still see Beth and Lexi?” he asked, surprised and dropping his hand
instantly.

“Yeah,
we never lost contact” I swallowed when I realised what I’d said and hoped Nate
hadn’t picked up on it, but I was disappointed.

“Well
at least you kept in touch with someone” he glowered at me, “How about Monday
night?” he attempted again.