Page 1 of Protective Boss

Prologue

Bianca

The baby's piercing cry fills the subway, his little chest heaving heavily.

My heart starts to beat faster, an overwhelming panic rapidly spreading through my body as his cries get louder. I hold him closer to my chest, rocking him gently as I whisper soothing nothings while mentally going over the probable causes of his distress.

I've fed him. I've changed his diapers. I’ve done everything my quick searches say to do so make babies happy, but nothing seems to be working.

Just a month ago, I was helping my sister prepare to become a new mom, repainting what should have been Oliver’s room and making preparations to move in with her to help with him and start our own little family. Now, I have to try and hold it together while drowning in the grief of losing her just so I can try and be a normal, stable presence for her son.

I bite down on my lower lip to prevent myself from bursting into tears too. My chest feels too tight from holding my breath for too long but that's all I can do to stop myself from giving in to the consuming panic that's rising inside of me. I just need to make it through this meeting and then we can both go home and relax.

The train comes to a stop, and I let out a breath of relief, grateful that I sat close to the entrance. I get off as soon as the doors slide open, patting Oliver as I walk down the platform in quick steps. A few minutes later, I'm walking up a narrow stairway, leading up to a dingy hallway. I stop in front of a wooden door with a fading brown color and a crooked sign that reads; "Law Offices of Clark Thompson, Esq."

I knock briskly and the door is promptly pulled open by a short plump man in his late forties. He has a round kind face and a funny-looking spectacle sitting on the bridge of his nose. Clark Thompson isn't exactly a handsome man, but he radiates warmth and professionalism. Despite the shady choice of office location, he's rumored to know his stuff. Ronnie, my roommate and best friend, vouched for his integrity and dedication when she referred him to me. He helped her cousin get out of a complex legal issue two years ago when they thought all hope was lost. She assured me he could help me.

“Are you okay, ma’am?” Clark Thompson says, blinking at me in surprise.

“Huh?”

He looks from me to the crying baby and back at my face, his expression growing even more perplexed. “You've been crying.”

I feel the moistness on my cheeks, and I wonder how long I've had tears streaming down my face.

From the subway? All through the walk down here?

"It's just… he won't stop crying," I say, gesturing at Oliver. Although his cries have reduced to a weak sob, I can still feel my heart break each time an occasional shudder racks his tiny frame. "I've done everything and I'm so tired," I continue with a soft sob, sagging gently against the door frame. "But he just keeps crying. I- I don't know what to do?"

Normally, I'd be embarrassed to break down like this in front of a stranger, but I don't even have enough strength to care at the moment.

“Come inside,” Clark says softly, his kind brown eyes filling up with compassion. He steps aside and gestures into his office.

The place is small but orderly and there's even a nice view of the city outside the small window behind his desk.

“Can I have him?” Clark asks, slightly holding out his hands to me. “I might be able to help.”

I hesitate for a second, then with a resigned sigh, I unclip the baby carrier and gently pass Oliver into Clark’s waiting arms. He holds Oliver close, murmuring soothing words as he begins to rock him gently back and forth. Then, with a knowing smile, he softly taps a rhythm on Oliver's back, his hand moving in a circular motion. Almost instantly, his sobs begin to quiet, replaced by soft coos of contentment.

I stare at the baby in disbelief then look up at Clark's smiling face. "Wh- How did you do that?"

“It's a trick my wife taught me sixteen years ago when we had our boy,” Clark says with a distracted smile as he proceeds to make funny faces at Oliver. “She was in the hospital for a while after she had him and like this little champ here, he cried a lot. The back tap always worked like magic.”

“Thank you, so much,” I whisper, overwhelmed with relief and gratitude.

“It's my pleasure," Clark replies with a gentle smile as he hands Oliver back to me. “He reminds me so much of my boy as a baby. I didn't realize how much I missed those days, now, let's get to the reason you're here today," he says, going around his desk. Then he gestures to the chair in front of the desk. "Please, have a seat."

I settle into the chair slowly, careful not to trigger Oliver into a crying bout again. I glance down in time to catch a fleeting smile on his cute little face. My heart swells with a sudden surge of joy and suddenly, everything is right in the world again.

“We made an entrance, didn't we?” I say, glancing back up at Clark who's watching me with an indecipherable expression.

"You see…" Clark trails off and then sits forward in his chair, his gaze fixed staunchly as he clasps his hand on the table. "I've gone through your case file and your situation is quite… pitiable. I don't usually do this but for some reason, I want to help you. I know a kind couple who will gladly take Oliver in. They're good people; I've known them for years, so you don't have anything to worry about. If you want, you can still be a part of Oliver's life. They'd let you see him anytime you want to and include you in every milestone of his life. That'll make things much easier for both you and Oliver, don't you think, Miss Harris?

“No,” I reply with a vigorous shake of my head. “Oliver is mine. He's my son.”

"I understand your protectiveness, Miss Harris," Clark Thompson says gently without taking his eyes off mine. "It's only natural you feel this way, but you're only a kid yourself. Adopting your nephew as a nineteen-year-old college student is not advisable. It's a damn tough road, Bianca."

“You don't understand,” I say quietly. My voice has suddenly become hoarse and I can feel tears welling up in my chest all over again, but I swallow down on the feeling and shake my head at Clark. “Surely you don't…”