Chapter 9: 9. Hugs
"What are you doing?"
I stared at the computer screen in front of me and then back at Ryan who had his brow raised and looked seconds away from laughing.
"I'm taking a what kind of tomato are you quiz." I replied, gesturing to the screen in front of me. Ryan couldn't hold back his laughter and man, was I happy we shared an office because he was loud and he slid to the ground as he laughed.
I glared at him before turning back to the screen. My phone buzzed on the table and I picked it up.
From Xander🔫: how is work?
I took a quick shot of my desktop screen before sending it to him. And a couple seconds after the delivered sign changed to read, my phone starts ringing.
"Hello." I said once I picked the call. Thankfully Ryan had stopped laughing and had gotten back onto his chair.
"Is that seriously what you're doing?" Xander asked and he was also chuckling.
"It's an important question." I threw back as a response and this time Xander doesn't even hold back. He laughs loud and he sounded so happy. It was loud enough for even Ryan to hear and he too also started laughing.
I quickly exit the text page until I got back to my home screen.
"You're being mean. Is this why you called me? To laugh at me?"
"I'm not laughing at you. I'm laughing with who's laughing beside you." Xander said and I turned to Ryan and glared, maybe if I glared harder lasers would hit him in the chest.
"That's Ryan and as of today he's no longer my best friend."
Ryan let's out an affronted squawk while Xander just kept chuckling. I was still on the phone when the door to our office was pushed open and Moy walked in.
"If it isn't my favorite employees at MS Holdings!" Moy cheered as he walked into the office. I quickly placed my phone on the table and got up, Ryan right beside me.
"Good morning. Do you need any assistance, Mr. Moy?" I asked, acting professional and keeping my cool. Moy never comes down to the office, he always calls me up and I was getting so irritated with his everything.
Moy took a step forward; one hand reaching out to touch the collar of my shirt.
"Mr. Moy, if you need help with your computer or if you can't access the company site, we'll have to go up to your office." Ryan said, trying to move more into my space so he could get between Mr. Moy and I.
Moy doesn't even look at Ryan, he was just smiling at me. The creepy bastard.
"Touching me like this isn't appropriate work behavior, Mr. Moy." I said, still maintaining my professional stance and keeping the bite away from my tone.
"Mr. Moy if you don't step away I'll have to report this to HR." Ryan said and at that Moy stops. He flattened his hand on my chest, staring at where his fingers were resting against my white shirt before pulling away.
"Go ahead. Bram knows what happened the last time he did." Mr. Moy said and this time it's a struggle to keep my face stoic. I wanted to grab him by the hair and slam his face against my knee. "I just wanted to check up on my favorite I.T workers. I'll see you later."
Moy chuckled as he walked out of the office and I fall into my seat.
"What? What happened the last time you reported him, Bram?" Ryan asked, he was angry and was pacing now.
I reached up and pulled my hair free form it's bun, letting my curls drop.
"The last time I reported I wasn't paid that month. Mr. Sann said lying against the Vice President." I said and I looked away. It was then I finally noticed my phone sitting on the table.
Oh shit.
I hadn't ended the call.
I lifted the phone and yeah, the call was still going. I was about to say something when it suddenly cuts off. Twelve minutes four seconds. That meant Xander must have heard everything.
I let out a loud sigh and leaned my head back against the seat.
"Can he do that?"
"It happened. So yes, he can."
"Your rent? Food?"
"I got help from my mother." I said, looking up at the ceiling. Lies. I was almost kicked out but since the landlord knew I never default in Pyongyang, he gave me time. Resigning isn't an option right now. I need to work here for at least three more months so I'd have enough saved. It could only cover six months of rent since I had split it with Ryan and I still needed to pay off some loans.
"I want to punch that shit in the mouth." Ryan cusses, letting out a loud sound of frustration.
"You can't. You also need this job."
Ryan sinks to the floor; his legs pulled close to him. I didn't even know what to say. Moy had come and ruined the good morning we had. I smiled softly at Ryan who does the same, identical down tilts on our lips.
My phone went off again and this time it's an unsaved number. I frowned a bit, wondering who it could be.
"Hello?"
"Hey Bram." The familiar voice said and I relax.
"J?"
"Yeah. Xander told me what happened."
"Where is he? Why isn't he calling?" I asked and Ryan just stared at me.
"He's working out his anger right now at the gym downstairs. Do you mind if we have lunch today? I think he's going to want to see you." J said and I nodded.
"Lunch would be great. It's twelve to one." I said. "Do you mind if I bring my friend?" I asked, still staring at Ryan.
"Yeah. That's fine."
"Thank you for calling. Can you tell Xander to calm down for me?"
"If I go near him right now, I'm going to get beaten to the ground. So let him just take it out on the sand bag right now." J said.
"Alright. I'll text you the address of where I work."
"Xander said the asswipe who touched you mentioned where you work. We'll pick you up." J said and that was the end of it. Moy had mentioned MS Holdings when he walked into our office, he even mentioned our department even. The fucking bastard.
"Who are we going to lunch with?"
"Xander and J. Apparently Xander heard everything that went down and yeah, I want to see him and vid versa." I said. I pulled up my messages with Xander.
To Xander 🔫: I am okay. I promise
To Xander🔫: don't forget to ice your knuckles afterwards
I don't get a text back and I try my best not to stare at the phone for too long. Ryan angrily jabs at his keyboard as he types and I got called by the marketing department about the glitch in what they thought was their server.
By twelve, I and Ryan walked out of the building, coming to a stop when a red Range Rover parks right in front of us and Xander got out of the car. He was clad in a black suit, a white shirt underneath with half of the buttons undone. His hair was styled in a side pattern, gold watch on his wrist.
He looked so good and he was here.
My feet moved. I didn't even notice how fast I was walking until I got to him. Xander wrapped his arms around my waist in a hug while I wrapped mine around his neck and held on.
I didn't even know I wanted to hug him. It's just... immediately I saw him, I just knew what it was I wanted. I tucked my nose into his neck as he held me tightly.
We stayed that way for who knows how long until we pulled apart. I took his hands in mine and stared at his knuckles. They looked fine.
"I am so sorry for not responding to your text. I got out of the gym minutes ago, had a quick shower and broke all the traffic rules to get here." Xander said, flipping his hands over so he was gripping mine instead.
"Thank you." I said honestly. He smiled softly at me, letting go of one hand so he could cup my cheek. "I was a bit worried. J told me you were taking your anger on a sand bag and thought you'd hurt your knuckles."
"I used gloves, kitten." Xander said, pulling me closer. He raised a hand up, brushing back my hair before pressing a kiss to my forehead.
There was a loud cough coming from behind and it felt like someone had popped the bubble I was in. I looked over my shoulder and -
Oops.
I pulled away completely so my hands were free. "Xander, this is Ryan, my best friend, coworker and roommate." I said with a soft smile. "Ryan, this is Xander."
Ryan stared at Xander, arms crossed. He stated that way for two, four, six seconds and then he relaxed. He walked closer and stretched out a hand.
"Nice to meet you." Ryan said.
"Same here."
"Where's J?" I asked.
"He's going to meet us at the restaurant." Xander said. "Come on."
Like he had done on our date, Xander pulled open the door for me, made sure I was buckled in before shutting said door. And to my suprise, he also pulls open the door for Ryan but he doesn't buckle him in though.
The ride to the restaurant was quiet, music quietly playing through the speakers. I wanted to say something but I thought it would make things so much awkward.
Xander pulled to the front of restaurant and got out, pulling open my door for me. He hands the keynoter to the valet before we went right in. The restaurant was one of those fancy ones, two story building, floor length windows, overhead lights, white table with these gorgeous chairs around it.
And...
It was empty.
"Did you... did you rent out the entire restaurant?" I asked Xander, staring at him with wide eyes.
"Maybe."
I looked at him incredulously and then at Ryan who looked like he was seconds away from pointing at my face and laughing. We chose a table at the center of the room, two waitresses coming over to us as soon as we sat down. They hand us our menus and Xander tells them he'd wave them over when we've decided.
"Where's J?" I asked again.
"Who is J?" Ryan asked, curiosity clear in his tone. Before I could respond though, the door to the restaurant was pulled open and J stepped in. Like usual, his dark hair was styled back, he was in a black suit, a black button up -three buttons left undone, one hand in his pocket, one hand holding his sunglasses, the wolf head pin on the lapel of his glittering under the sunlight.
Ryan was staring at him with a slack expression on his face and I couldn't help but giggle.
"That's J."
"Is it me or is he walking in slow motion?" Ryan asked and this time I snorted. I looked over at Xander who was quietly chuckling at my friend.
J walked up to the table and smiled. Even I could hear Ryan's breath hitch and I was sitting across. J on the other hand wasn't much better, he was staring at Ryan too.
"Hey J." I said and he finally looked over at us.
"Bram, good to see you again." J said and then he gives Xander a bow. "I'm sorry I'm late, I had to deal with the white supply."
"It's okay. Someone here has been asking after you." Xander teased, smiling at me.
"Bram, this is Ryan, my best friend." I said. "Ry, this is J, Xander's right hand man and close friend."
And that was what they needed, an introduction. I looked away from them to Xander who was watching me.
"What?"
"You are beautiful." Xander said and I feel my cheeks grow hot. I reached out and smacked his arm, playfully pouting at him.
"Stop that."
"Never."
I shook my head at him and finally picked up the menu. I flipped through each page, looking for something but I just couldn't make up my mind. My stomach growled and I looked down at it.
I looked back at the menu and out of instinct, I turn to Xander, holding out my menu to him.
"Can.... Can you please order for me?"
Xander looked stunned but composed himself after a couple of blinks. He gently takes the menu from me.
"Anything for you, kitten."
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