Free Broken (Breaking the Rules) by K Webster Page B

I die?
    The darkness creeps up again and I try to fight it because I just want to be here with Bray telling me how much he loves me. My eyes tear up as it closes up on my vision. Please, no! Bray, help me! His panicking eyes are the last thing I see before completely succumbing again to the dark.
     

 

     
     
    The next hour went without incident as Margie showed me how to use the phone and helped me log into my computer so I could access my email and the guys’ calendars. Jackson still hadn’t surfaced from his office and Jordan had already left for his meeting. After Margie left me to go back to her reception area, I finally had a moment to myself.
    I typed up an email to Pepper’s work email address.
     
Pepper,
This is my work email address. Things are not what I expected at the firm. It would appear that Jackson is one of my bosses. How do I get the luck of these things? Worse thing is, he is acting like he hates me. We seriously went thirty minutes without seeing each other. When I left him, he looked sad, almost like he wanted to chase after me. Then, when he arrived at work today, he looked like he wanted to kill me with the daggers he was shooting at me with his eyes. I don’t know what I am going to do. This is all so incredibly awkward.
Your friend who makes bad decisions,
Andi
     
    My stomach was really growling now. It was almost lunchtime, but I wasn’t sure what time I should leave to grab some food. The idea of having to ask Jackson made me sick. The ping indicating a new email alerted me to my computer screen.
     
To the girl who makes the absolute worst decisions,
What the hell?! How in the world does this happen? You need to go in there and lay down the law, Andi. I am so pissed right now. If I see that asshole, I’ll personally tell him what I think. Just make it through today and we’ll grab dinner afterwards. We can meet at the café at 6. Hang in there, hon.
The girl who told you so,
Pepper
     
    I responded with my confirmation to dinner and quickly looked up when Jackson’s door swung open. Before I could ask him about lunch, he stalked past me and out the front door. So he couldn’t even talk to me now. What an asshole!
    Ignoring my stomach, I answered some calls and input the appointments on Jordan’s and Jackson’s calendars. I could smell microwaved meals being heated up by the other employees in the breakroom. My stomach growled again. I was screwed because I hadn’t seen any vending machines earlier when I’d taken the tour with Margie.
    The front door opened back up about twenty minutes later and Jackson came back in. Not looking at me, he stalked past me with a sack of food back into his office, slamming the door behind him. Feeling a little sorry for myself, I felt a tear slip down my cheek. Realizing I was going to have to talk to him, I shakily stood up and walked over to his door.
    When I knocked, he gruffly shouted, “Come in!”
    I tried to calm myself as I walked to his desk. He still wouldn’t look at me. “Um, Jackson? I was wondering what time I could leave for lunch,” I meekly spoke.
    My stomach growled loudly and his eyes met mine. They were full of heat and anger but he still didn’t say anything. I could feel another stupid tear fall. His gaze softened but his tone was still harsh. “Sit,” he commanded.
    I sat down, trying to keep my shaking to a minimum. By this point, I was starving, and now I was in a battle of wills with Jackson. This day really sucked.
    Pulling out two to-go containers from his sack, he sat one in front of me. I looked down at it, confused. “Eat,” he ordered. My eyes darting back to his, I frowned. He was opening his own container, avoiding my gaze. I started to stand, grabbing the box so I could eat in the lunchroom but his voice growled at me, stopping me in my tracks. “I said eat. Here,” he barked, glaring at me.
    Margie wasn’t kidding. He was such an asshole! How had I not seen this over the weekend? This couldn’t be