The Bastard Boss

"If I wanted you for more than a quick fuck, I'd have told you!"

Anya Miller winced as she heard her boss, Xavier Leigh, speak harshly to another woman. She wanted to go in and comfort the woman, but she stayed still. The woman he was talking to could take it. Becky, Xavier's flavor of the week from months ago, had been telling everyone at the office that she was going to be "the wife", the one that was going to tame him. She'd been coming around for several months, trying to make them all feel small. Anya had heard the other woman talking about it on the phone as well. Becky wanted Xavier. A lot of women wanted Xavier, but then he was that kind of guy. He was the handsome, downright sexy, dirty, hot millionaire.

He was a total bastard.

"You'll regret this," Becky said, storming out of the office.

Staring at her computer screen, Anya did her best to ignore the woman who was the latest in a long line of women running out of the office looking embarrassed. He seemed to be sending more off than usual.

For once there were no put-downs, no preening, just a gap of silence while Becky left the building. Biting her lip, Anya continued to type the latest batch of correspondence that Xavier wanted.

"Anya, get your ass in here."

Jumping at the sudden bark, she quickly got out of her seat and made her way toward the office door. "Yes, sir."

"Why the fuck was that witch in my office?"

"Witch?"

"Becky! Why was she in my office believing that I was about to give her a damn wedding ring?"

Anya jerked back. "I really don't know. She was your girlfriend."

"No, she wasn't."

Xavier sat back in his chair. The jacket he'd worn that morning was thrown onto the floor. Bending down, Anya picked up the jacket and folded it neatly before placing it on the sofa in the far corner of the office.

"I don't understand. She came in and wouldn't listen to Martha the receptionist downstairs. She told them all they were nothing more than grunts, and that you'd want to see her right away."

"I expected to be notified so I could stop her."

"She was already here when Martha alerted me."

Pressing her hands together, she looked over at her boss, Xavier Leigh: imposing asshole and bastard wrapped all in one neat package. He put his hands behind his head, assessing her. The one thing about Xavier was the fact he was a closed book. No one knew what he was thinking, what he was feeling, and most of the time, you only found out seconds before he struck.

"Well, she's done and served her time."

"Was there anything you wanted from me?" Anya asked.

He stared at her. "What were you doing?"

"Typing up the letters you wanted so that you could sign them."

"You're such a good worker for me, Anya."

She had gotten the job by accident.

Five years ago she had been working for Xavier's Industries as a receptionist at the front desk. She had never known anything about the man himself. He didn't believe in putting his face on his logo, or by being advertised everywhere. She'd heard he liked to date beautiful women, models, actresses, and such. Still, she was completely oblivious to who he was. Then one morning, a man approached the desk, and he was nice, kind, and she talked him through where to go, even escorting him upstairs.

Anya wasn't the kind of person to do things by halves. She had learned as much about the company as possible, though still without seeing the picture of the guy who ran the company. Within the first four months of her working there she encountered Xavier. Of course on the day she hadn't known it was him.

Then one day she was called into the office, and lo and behold, the man she'd tried to help was in fact the boss-man himself.

"I'm sure you weren't expecting me," he said.

"No." She said the word slowly. Glancing around the office, she saw everyone just working normally. "I don't get it."

"It's simple. I was on my way into the office when you stopped me. Instead of questioning me, gushing about who I was, you simply asked if you could help. I was intrigued, and imagine my surprise to learn that you knew more about the company than my very pregnant PA."

Anya looked out of the door to see his pregnant PA.

"Then I get your file and discover that Anya Miller is more than qualified to have the exact same position. Tell me, Anya, did you know who I was?"

"No. If I did, I wouldn't have gone into great detail about what the company did. I don't believe in wasting my time."

"Then why did you?"

She took a deep breath. "You were dressed in a suit, and this company is known for investing in other companies that have a mutually beneficial path for the future. I thought you were perhaps a client. Besides, civility goes a long way in this day and age."

Anya pulled out of the memory. It had been over four and a half years that she did that. Once his PA went onto maternity leave, Anya was once again called into the office, and forced into the job.

There was no choice on her part. She either accepted it, or didn't. In the beginning she'd had to take a lot of stick from fellow colleagues who didn't think she deserved the role. Some thought she was sleeping with the boss. Others didn't believe it. Xavier was known for screwing models, beautiful women all over the world, and the last time Anya looked in the mirror she didn't even compare to them.

Over time she'd proved herself to everyone, even herself.

"Was there anything else?" she asked.

"Sit, sit."

Taking a seat she smoothed out her skirt and looked over at him.

"How are you liking your job?" he asked.

"I enjoy it very much. I've been working for you for over four years."

"Then call me by my real name."

She rolled her eyes. "Xavier."

"Whoop, whoop, how hard was that?"

"You know you're very confusing, right?" She stared across at her boss, always finding this side of him ... interesting. For the most part he was serious, always barking out orders, telling her what to do. Then on rare occasions she'd see this playful side of him, which she found hard to handle. The guy had multiple personalities. In all the time she had known him, he'd never shown this side of him to anyone else.

"Always be one step ahead of your enemy."

"Your clients?"

"And the women who think they can come in and tame you. That's not the case, and that will never be the case."

"Okay."

Xavier didn't have any family, nor did he have any close relatives. He was the guy that had pulled himself out of the gutter, and worked until he owned a billion-dollar corporation, and of course earned the reputation of being a bastard boss.

"You'll not be settling down soon? Starting a family?" Anya asked. He was forty this year. She didn't know if men had the same feelings of broodiness that women did.

"One day. So, what about you, Anya? Settling down? Starting a family? Leaving me to find another person to replace you?"

"I didn't even ask for this job. No on all fronts. No one to replace me. I'm happy in my job."

Xavier laughed. "You may not have chosen it, but you're damn good at what you do."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should. I don't give them out often."

She chuckled. Glancing at the watch on her wrist, a present last Christmas, she saw he had an appointment in fifteen minutes.

"I better get started. Becky will be the talk of the office today." She got out of her chair and headed toward the door.

"Makes a change from being about us," he said.

She froze, turning back to look at him. "Sorry?"

"You don't think I know what is going on in the office? What they talk about?"

"It's just a rumor. I've not done anything about it. Would you like me to?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Are you seeing anyone?"

Anya frowned. "No. Why?"

"Just curious. Getting to know my staff. When was the last time you went on a date?"

Xavier Leigh had always been unconventional. His questions were always a little personal, but she found he was that way with everyone. Always prying, always getting to know someone.

"A little over a year ago."

It had been a blind date set up by her mother. Of course, it was a total disaster. When it came to dates she struggled. Shyness was a huge problem. Working for Xavier was her hope to combat that shyness. Working at the reception, she'd spent a great deal of time shaking. Of course, that had changed once she worked for him, and had no choice but to follow his orders.