Is Nice To Be Wanted

POV: Sienna

My eyes burned. I blinked against the harsh morning sunlight filtering through the sheer curtains of the luxury hotel suite. I rubbed my heavy eyelids, shifting under the thick, expensive duvet. The metallic flash drive Evander handed me yesterday sat on the bedside table, right next to my phone. I had spent hours staring at the glowing screen of my laptop in the dark, meticulously reading every single line of that extensive employment contract.

It felt like a fever dream. The corporate benefits listed in the document were insane. The base pay alone was enough to make my hands shake. But the student loan payoff clause kept playing on a loop in my tired brain. Up to thirty thousand dollars for partners and fifteen thousand for lower-level employees, kicking in after just one year of good standing. It read like a massive tax write-off designed to buy unwavering loyalty from the staff.

I stared at the ceiling and chewed on my lower lip. There had to be a catch. I was years behind on practical work experience compared to anyone else they could have hired. Why did they want me for this specific role? Was I just a blank slate they could mold? I tried to picture the CEOs, Derrick and Kaelen, and wondered how much they actually interacted with everyone else on the floor. It would not be my job to monitor office morale, but it was practically wired into my DNA to worry about those things.

Despite the glaring warning signs, I needed this job. The signed contract represented a guaranteed golden ticket out of my current living situation. My brother, Nolan, was only six years older than me. When our mother died, he stepped up and took custody. He put his entire life on hold to make sure I had everything I needed while I rushed through early college. I loved him, and I adored my newborn nephew, but his wife was another story.

Nadine made it her mission to push me out the second she gave birth. She hid her cruelty well when Nolan was around, but the moment he left the room, the relentless verbal bullying started. The quiet insults about my cheap clothes. The constant, soul-crushing reminders that I was a burden taking up space in their cramped house, eating their food, and draining their resources. I swallowed it all to keep the peace. I painted on a fake smile and kept my mouth shut so I wouldn't fracture his new marriage. Now, I possessed the financial means to pack my bags and walk out her front door forever. I would take the job just to escape her toxic presence.

My phone vibrated against the wooden nightstand, rattling loud enough to shatter my racing thoughts. I snatched it up, squinting at the glowing screen. An unknown number flashed with a Lekki area code.

"Hello," I answered, my voice still thick with sleep.

"Good morning, Sienna. It is Evander."

His deep, rumbling voice flowed through the speaker. A sharp, nervous knot twisted in the pit of my stomach. I sat up quickly, pulling the sheets to my chest as if he could somehow see me through the phone.

"Ummm, good morning."

"I am going to pick you up. It is going to be a long day," he declared. The bright energy in his tone clashed with my sluggish state.

"You don't have to do that," I mumbled. My mind raced to formulate a polite excuse to decline his impending offer. I did not want him to see me looking like a wrecked mess first thing in the morning.

"I know, but I am already in my car on my way. I will be there at your door in exactly thirty minutes."

The line went dead.

I stared at the black screen in my hand. He hung up. He did not wait for a single word of confirmation. Was he trying to be sweet, or was he just used to a dominant, controlling demeanor? I threw my phone onto the mattress and jumped out of bed. I had less than thirty minutes to transform myself. Yesterday, I soaked in the massive whirlpool tub in the bathroom, letting the hot water melt my stress away. Today, I had to settle for a frantic, rushed shower.

I dug through my small suitcase. I brought five outfits total, planning one for each day of the week, along with two pairs of heels. I grabbed a form-fitting black long-sleeve sweater dress. It featured a high neck and a belted waist that hugged my curves. The fabric felt a bit heavy, but the early ember months always brought a slight morning chill. I strapped on my silver high heels, checking my reflection in the full-length mirror.

I leaned close to the glass and applied my makeup, adding an extra layer of foundation to my cheeks. I refused to be caught visibly blushing like a fool today. I swiped on a new shade of pink lipstick, smacking my lips together. My dark curls tumbled over my shoulders.

A heavy knock echoed through the room.

I jumped, smoothing my hands down the front of my black dress. I took a deep breath, forcing my racing heart to slow down. I walked out of the messy bedroom, pulling the door shut behind me to hide the chaos of my unpacked clothes. I marched to the front entryway and grasped the cold brass handle.

I pulled the door open, fully expecting to find Evander.

He stood there, impeccably dressed in a crisp, pitch-black tailored suit that hugged his broad shoulders. He casually held a cardboard tray carrying hot coffee. But my eyes immediately dragged away from his face.

He was not alone.

Standing right beside him was a man almost a full head taller. The stranger was breathtakingly perfect and imposing. He wore a sharply tailored, rich green suit that perfectly complemented his massive, muscular frame. He looked like he walked straight out of a foreign fashion magazine. He possessed a neatly trimmed beard peppered with distinguished hints of silver-gray. The same silver-gray brushed through his dark hair and along his sideburns. His dark eyes scanned me from head to toe, taking in the curve of my waist and the length of my legs. When his gaze finally met mine, a smile spread across his face, revealing perfect white teeth.

"Sienna, this is Javier Mercer. We carpool most mornings," Evander said.

"Hello," I managed to say. I cleared my throat, praying I did not sound like a croaking frog. I stepped back and gestured for them to enter the suite. "You didn't have to bring coffee."

I pushed the heavy door closed behind them.

Evander stepped straight into my personal space. He moved fast, closing the distance before I could even blink. "Sweetheart, I will do whatever it takes to get you to permanently stay with us," he murmured.

His low, vibrating voice washed over me. He leaned in and pressed his cheek softly against mine in an intimate greeting. I froze. He smelled delicious. It was a rich, intoxicating masculine scent of cedar and expensive cologne. The sudden physical closeness instantly caused my stomach to flip and flutter all over again. My skin prickled with heat where his stubble grazed my jaw.

Javier stepped smoothly into the room behind him. He closed the gap, extending a large, powerful hand toward me.

"Please forgive Evander for trying so hard," Javier said. His voice was deep, rich, and smooth. It vibrated right through the floorboards and settled heavy in my chest, doing catastrophic further damage to my already frayed nerves. "We simply have not seen someone so qualified for this specific job in a very long time. We would hate to lose you."

"It is okay. It is nice to be wanted," I replied smoothly.

I reached out and grasped his massive hand. His palm was warm, calloused, and firm. His long fingers wrapped around mine, swallowing my hand easily.

As Javier slowly, reluctantly released his firm grip on my fingers, I caught the movement above me. I watched the two gorgeous men explicitly share a heavy, mysterious, unspoken look directly over my head. Their eyes locked in silent communication. There was a dark, pulsing tension passing between them.

"How do you like your coffee?" Evander asked, breaking the silence. He set the cardboard tray down on the small kitchenette counter and pulled out a cup. I didn't even notice he carried a second small paper bag with him.

"Ummm... cream and sugar," I answered. I walked over to the desk and began packing my laptop and the metal flash drive into my work bag.

"Did you have a good night's rest?" Evander asked, preparing the drink exactly to my liking.

"I did," I responded, walking back to the counter to take the warm cup he offered. The heat seeped into my palms.

I glanced past his broad shoulder. A bright digital clock glowed green on the face of the microwave.

8:00 AM.

I stared at the glowing numbers. The corporate office was only a brief ten-minute drive away from this hotel. That meant we were standing here with a full, entirely unaccounted-for hour before the building even officially opened for business. I looked down at the coffee cup in my hands, then back up at the two imposing men standing side-by-side in my room.

Why were they both here so early?

Evander acted like this was just a casual morning favor, but the silent look he shared with Javier suggested something else. What exactly are they secretly up to?

I stood frozen, staring back and forth between the two impossibly tall, deliciously handsome men occupying the small space of my hotel room. My entire body electrified. A sudden, pulsing sensation of intense awareness and heat rushed through my veins. My breath hitched in my throat. I had never felt this kind of wild, consuming physical reaction in my entire life.

What is happening to me?