Page 2 of Grumpy Alien Boss

CHAPTER 2

DAR

T he scent of her hits me first - vanilla and something spicy underneath. My scales itch beneath this human glamour as I lead the candidates to the lobby.

"Three lives each." I pick up a laser tag vest, letting the familiar weight settle in my hands. "Last one standing gets the job."

"This is ridiculous." The Harvard graduate's cologne reeks of desperation and overpriced mediocrity. "We're here for a business position, not some arcade game."

"Harvard needs to up its game then." The words come out with more growl than I intend.

A musical laugh draws my attention. Olivia. The name blazes through my mind like wildfire. Her green eyes sparkle with barely contained excitement as she straps on her vest. My blood burns hotter at the sight of her clever fingers checking the sensor points.

The warrior in me recognizes a kindred spirit. She has the heart of a fighter beneath that professional facade. The way she stands, balanced on those ridiculously repaired heels, speaks of someone who refuses to back down.

I force myself to look away before my glamour slips. Before my true form emerges in response to the primal attraction coursing through my veins. I am Vakutan. We take what we want.

But not today. Not here. I have a cover to maintain.

"When the lights dim, begin." My voice remains steady despite the fire racing through my blood. "May the best warrior win."

I settle into my chair, watching the monitors as the lights dim in the arena below. The candidates scatter like frightened prey. All except one.

Olivia takes a defensive position behind a column, checking angles and sightlines. Smart. My claws flex beneath the glamour as I pull up her file on my tablet.

"Paris, Illinois?" The town's so small it barely registers on maps. Yet she moves like someone who's seen combat.

On screen, she drops and rolls, taking out two opponents with precise shots to their chest sensors. No wasted motion. No panic. Just clean, efficient strikes.

The Harvard grad tries to rally others against her.

"Get the redhead!"

"Wrong move." I grin as Olivia uses their grouped formation against them, picking them off one by one.

My scales ripple with appreciation as she claims victory. Not a single life lost. The other candidates sprawl around her, vests blinking in defeat. She stands tall despite that broken heel, laser tag gun held ready.

Nothing in her background explains this prowess. Student council president. Town laser tag champion. Wait...

"Computer, pull up Paris Laser Arena records."

Five consecutive years as champion. Started competing at age twelve. Over three hundred documented victories.

"Fascinating." I lean closer to the monitor where she's helping defeated opponents to their feet. Such deadly accuracy wrapped in professional silk and...

"And big..." My eyes drift to where she's adjusted her blouse. "Skills."

I clear my throat, forcing my gaze back to her impressive stats. This small town warrior might be exactly what Veritas needs.

The remaining candidates circle Olivia like vultures. My claws itch to intervene as they coordinate their attack. Her skill proves insufficient against sheer numbers as sensor after sensor goes dark.

"Sorry, small town." Harvard's smirk makes me want to reveal my true form and show him what real fear looks like.

The moment Olivia's eliminated, they turn on each other with savage intensity. Pathetic. None of them grasp the point of this exercise.

Movement catches my eye. Olivia slips away while the others battle, her shoulders slumped in defeat. The scent of salt hits my nostrils - tears.

No. She can't leave.

"No!"

I bolt for the stairwell, ripping open the door. The elevator would take too long. Without hesitation, I vault over the railing, plummeting forty stories. The glamour strains to contain my true form as I fall.

Impact. The marble floor splinters beneath my feet. No time to care about property damage.

I burst through the lobby doors just as Olivia reaches for the bus handle.

"Stop!"

My hands circle her waist, lifting her away from the closing doors. Heat blazes through my palms where they connect with her curves. The silk of her suit does nothing to mask the softness underneath. Every Vakutan instinct screams to claim, to possess.

With monumental effort, I set her gently on her feet instead of throwing her over my shoulder and carrying her to my lair like the beast I truly am.

My hands burn where they touch her waist. The silk of her blouse whispers against my palms, and her scent clouds my judgment.

"You're mine." The words escape, raw and possessive. Her eyes widen, pupils dilating. The rapid flutter of her pulse at her throat draws my gaze. I force myself to recover. "I mean, you're hired. You're my assistant."

"I am?" Her voice carries notes of disbelief. "But I lost."

The warrior spirit in her demands explanation. I give her truth.

"You found victory in defeat. The outcome wasn't the purpose of the contest. The contest was the purpose."

Her smile blazes brighter than any sun I've seen across multiple dimensions. My glamour strains against my control.

"That's a nice, pithy thing to say. Did your PR department come up with that?"

My pride flares.

"No. Do not believe for a moment I allow others to use their tongues to speak for me."

She stiffens, spine straightening into perfect posture. The scent of anxiety spikes in her blood.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rook. I know I have a lot to learn, but I promise I'll work harder than anyone you've ever hired."

The fire in her words matches the determination in her eyes. This small human with her broken heel and unbridled spirit possesses more raw potential than any candidate I've seen. Her beauty pales in comparison to the warrior's heart beating beneath that professional exterior.

My private elevator whispers upward, carrying us to the executive floor. The vanilla-spice of her scent fills the enclosed space, making my scales ripple beneath my human disguise. I need someone I can trust completely when duty calls me away to battle the Grolgath menace.

"Your duties will be extensive. I start at five AM sharp."

"That's not a problem."

"I often work until nine, sometimes later."

"I understand."

Her determination radiates off her in waves, but can she handle the truth of what I am? What this job really entails? Pyke will demand proof of her loyalty before allowing a human so close to our operation.

The elevator doors open to my personal office. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcase the Manhattan skyline, but my attention stays fixed on Olivia as she takes in the space. Her broken heel clicks against marble floors that cost more than she'll make in a year.

"The pay is excellent, but the demands are absolute. When I give an order, I expect instant compliance."

"I can handle it."

"Can you?" I step closer, letting some of my true nature seep through the glamour. "You will obey my every command?"

She moves toward me, green eyes blazing with challenge. The warrior spirit I glimpsed earlier burns bright and fierce.

"Without question, Sir."

She clasps her hands behind her back, lifting one leg in an oddly demure pose that contrasts sharply with the fire in her gaze. The mixture of submission and defiance stirs something primal in my blood.

Her brows arch, a smile playing at the corners of those lush lips. My pulse quickens.

"However," Olivia's voice carries a note of challenge, "I wouldn't be a very good assistant if I thought you were making a mistake and didn't tell you."

A gasp escapes me before I can stop it. The audacity of this small human, to question my judgment. To assume she knows better than a Vakutan warrior. Anger wars with admiration in my veins.

"You will obey me, however." I step closer, letting my glamour slip just enough to reveal a glimpse of red in my eyes.

"Oh yes, Sir." Her voice drops to a husky whisper, eyes shining with a heat that matches the fire in my blood. "I'll always, always do what you tell me. But I reserve the right to tell you when I think you're wrong."

Bold. Brazen. Beautiful. Everything about her calls to the primal instincts I keep so carefully leashed. I want to conquer that defiant spirit, to feel her surrender beneath me.

"That is both acceptable, and commendable."

She stands close enough for me to feel the heat of her body, to catch the hitch in her breath. Alone in this elevator, every cell in my body screams to claim her. To crush those tempting lips beneath my own until she melts against me.

But I am here for Veritas. An ally, not a lover. When the elevator doors slide open, I am almost grateful for the interruption. The sexual tension crackles between us, a living thing that grows more dangerous with each shared breath.

I need to maintain control. I am Vakutan. I do not surrender to base urges like some primitive beast.

No matter how much I want to.

I lead Olivia through my office suite, watching her take in the stark modernist decor. Her broken heel clicks against Italian marble as she follows me to a sleek glass desk positioned right beside my own.

"This will be your workspace." The words come out rougher than intended. Her proximity makes my scales itch beneath the glamour. "You'll handle my schedule, calls, and appointments from here."

I retrieve a lanyard from my desk drawer, the security badge gleaming with holographic encryption. My claws flex as I hand it to her.

"Full access to the Tower. Twenty-four seven."

Her fingers brush mine as she takes it. The contact sends electricity racing through my veins.

"And these are your network credentials." I slide a tablet across the glass. "Complete administrative privileges for all Rook Enterprise systems."

Her eyes widen. The scent of her surprise mingles with vanilla and spice.

"This is... a lot of trust to place in someone you just met."

"Trust must be given before it can be earned." The warrior's philosophy slips out before I can stop it. "The question is, can you handle the pressure that comes with such responsibility?"

She straightens her spine, chin lifting in that defiant pose that makes my blood burn. A fierce smile curves those tempting lips.

"I know I can."

The certainty in her voice resonates with something primal inside me. Yes. I chose well. This small human with her warrior's heart will either prove herself worthy or break under the weight of what's to come.

"Then let's begin."