EX Tradings announces its first press conference in over a year.
"Tension will be running high," Holt Enterprises board member Charles Johnson predicts.
Darius reviewed notes for the upcoming board meeting as Owen arranged physical copies of reports in a thin binder. It was almost midnight, and the two of them had been at work since seven in the morning. Darius suspected Owen had been here before then, since he had arrived to a steaming cup of coffee on his desk, prepared so perfectly that no one but his assistant could have made it.
Owen had picked up on Darius' habits and penchants so quickly Darius suspected the omega had a natural instinct for what made people tick. He did whatever Darius asked and even things Darius had never asked him to do. Like having a cup of coffee ready when Darius came into work.
Darius yawned, and Owen looked up immediately. "Another coffee, sir?"
Darius nodded, rubbing his eyes with tired fingers.
Owen got up and left the office, returning in a minute with a hot cup of coffee that smelled heavenly at this hour. He set it down where he always did and returned to the corner of the desk he had commandeered for the evening to help Darius prepare for the meeting.
Darius played with the handle on the mug for a few moments before asking, "Do you not drink coffee?"
Owen's eyes darted up to Darius' face with a speed Darius had only seen in the guilty. "No, not anymore," he replied quietly. Then he lowered his gaze back to the stack of papers in front of him and acted like Darius had never even asked him a question. But there was anxiety in the way he sifted through the reports, an anxiety that had not been there before. What was he so afraid of?
Darius had never given Owen any reason to fear him. He had been respectful and kind when he could, but he noticed that his assistant always seemed to be on edge, ready to explain something or give excuses to cover it up. That made him nervous, even though he could never seem to put his finger on what was bothering Owen. He shrugged. It was not really any of his business. Maybe Owen's home life was not going well and he and his boyfriend were fighting or something. Whatever the case, the only thing that mattered to Darius was that Owen showed up for work and did his job well.
About an hour later, Darius stood up, touching the button to power off the monitor on the desk. "I can review everything else tomorrow before the meeting."
Owen carefully aligned the loose papers and closed the binder. "I'm almost done with this, so it should only take me half an hour or so to finish it tomorrow. I'll make sure it's done before the meeting."
Darius nodded, grabbing his jacket and keys as he stepped out from behind the desk. "Is your place close by?" he asked as Owen stood up as well.
Owen's shoulders tensed, but he silently settled his suit jacket over his shoulders before replying, "It's close enough, Mr. Holt. I'll be fine getting home on my own." There was careful denial worked into his tone. He did not want to offend Darius, but he was an omega going home at nighttime. He was probably thinking that Darius might make a move on him or stalk him if he knew where Owen lived.
Darius smiled to put Owen at ease. "No worries. Just thought I'd ask since it's pretty late. Even in this part of the city, I wouldn't want to walk too far after dark."
Owen nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Holt. I appreciate your concern. I'll see you tomorrow morning." He left the office without any further words, and Darius heard his steps rapidly descending the staircase.
"Hm," Darius muttered to himself as he shut off the lights and walked down the hall to the elevators. "Why not take an elevator? It's not like I'd make it weird and get in the same one." He shrugged as he pushed the button for the lobby and leaned against the mirrored wall as the elevator descended.
Once Darius got back to his apartment, he barely had the energy to shower and change into a tank top and shorts before collapsing into bed. Yet his mind replayed the way Owen had looked up at him like a mouse caught in a trap staring down the cat crouched nearby. It was not a pleasant image to fall asleep with.
The next morning, Darius managed to get up and haul himself to the office, a caffeine hangover ringing in his ears.
When he stumbled into his office, Owen was already there, putting the last few pages in order in the binder. He stood up when Darius came in and only sat back down once Darius took his seat on the other side of the desk.
Darius cupped his hands around the mug of coffee and stared down into it like it was an endless abyss.
"Mr. Holt?" Owen ventured cautiously. "Are you okay?"
Darius shook his head slowly. "I feel like I haven't slept in months."
Owen quietly eased the binder shut, evidently aware of Darius' headache. "Perhaps you should go home early today after the meeting, get some rest. I can take care of anything that needs to be done this afternoon."
Darius' head sank down so low that his nose almost went into the coffee. He jerked upright. "My god," he muttered. "It'll be a miracle if I don't fall asleep in that board meeting."
Owen stood up but hesitated there, as if unsure of how to help Darius. Then he moved around the desk and stood behind Darius. Without warning, his fingers came up to Darius' temples, and he began to massage gently.
Darius tensed, ready to fight because of the unexpected contact, but his body relaxed and he did not really have the energy to fight anyway. He tipped his head back on the chair. "That's nice," he murmured.
Owen's fingers were warm and grounding. They were soft, not calloused, and the motions they made felt so damn good. And his scent…it was like flowers in a meadow, gentle and soothing.
"You should have been a masseur instead of an assistant," Darius joked.
Owen's fingers tensed, but they relaxed a second later. "So I've been told."
Darius opened his eyes and looked up into Owen's face. "By whom?" He could literally see the pain that pooled in Owen's eyes before the assistant wiped it away with the rag of professionalism. "Sorry," he apologized softly. "I didn't mean to pry."
Owen's lips tightened ever so slightly. "It's fine," he said, though it very obviously was not fine. "It was just my ex." The word just did not feel harsh or angry like it normally did when people talked about their exes. It was bitter with a hint of heartbreak.
Darius had no idea what to do with it, so he said the first thing that came to mind, which he immediately regretted. "So you broke up recently?"
Owen closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath in through his nose. "I guess you could say that." So he was not having home issues, not unless he was in a rebound relationship.
Darius realized he had crossed a line once again and offered another apology, which Owen once again waved away. He felt guilty about it even into the board meeting, where he often took his eyes from the materials to glance at Owen and make sure he was okay.
One of the board members, a Mr. Johnson who was the son of another Mr. Johnson who had helped found the company, started talking about the new omega legislation that was getting pushed through the courts. "Telling omegas they can't abort if it's an omega-probable pregnancy? That's bullshit! Do you know how many of our employees would be affected by that bill?"
"Well," another board member put in, "if it passes, we all know how much business those illegal abortion centers are going to be getting. Omegas really will do anything to keep their bodies to themselves even when they don't even own them in the first place."
Owen's jaw tightened, but he did not speak up. He probably wanted to stay invisible and keep himself from becoming a target for these men.
But the board member who had last spoken looked directly at Owen. "Oh, sorry," he apologized with mock politeness. "I forgot there's an omega allowed in this room now." He leaned forward across the table as the other board members started snickering. "Tell me, honey," he began in a mockingly sweet voice, "how many times did you beg alphas to fuck you until you ended up in Darius Holt's office?"
Owen's hands clenched into fists underneath the table. His face was calm, though. Calm and atrociously pale.
"Does he do a good job, Mr. Holt? Or is he too dirty for you?"
That was it. Darius stood up and slammed his hands down on the table. "This is a board room," he snarled, "not some back alley where you can shit on any omega you please. Remember your manners, gentlemen, because this will be your first and only warning."
The boardroom fell silent as its members stared down the table at the new CEO, and Darius knew he might have just started a war within his own company.