Page 96 of Hate to Love You
Chapter Sixteen
ABBY
Leaning against my kitchen counter I glare at the greenhouse replaying the day’s events.
Roman caught me researching Conium maculatum for the greenhouse on company time.
Luckily men usually have zero idea what they are looking at when it comes to flowers, they simply see the colors and think it’s just another white flower. But, no, Conium maculatum is known as poison hemlock, a species I haven’t added yet to my collection. All parts of this plant are poisonous to both humans and animals.
There’s a number of reasons I haven’t added it to my collection, the first being that it can grow up to eight feet tall. It also isn’t exactly the pretties of plants, and would likely stand out like a sore thumb, among all the flowers. Its stems are also hairless with purple spots, making it very easy to identify.
I was so focused on my research that when Roman randomly materialized behind me, he actually scared me.
He rarely comes to my desk, and has never once told me that we are leaving the office together. He never takes me anywhere, which ironically would make my job a lot easier if I could attend some of these meetings with him, just so I can make sure I am doing my job properly.
Both of my jobs.
The longer I’m here, the more names I add to my list.
Just this morning I added the office mean girls to it. Not because I think they are bad people, but more so because they’re just mean, and love to make my life difficult whenever they can.
They also love to remind me that they’ve had Roman in ways that would get a nun banished, which ironically makes my blood boil, even if it shouldn’t.
Because Roman is on the list too.
Fuck, no, he is the fucking list.
I suppose it’s pretty telling that our first excursion away from the office ended with the damn restaurant exploding.
A bomb.
Roman took me for lunch, and there was a bomb.
Who is this man? And why wasn’t he even phased by a bomb? There’s clearly more going on with him, and this company, than what meets the eye.
However, if I’m being honest, I didn’t care about the bomb as much as I cared about the fact that Roman Antonov took me for lunch.
Yes, I know. I’m heartless.
My obvious attraction to this man, who could very well be a killer, is becoming an issue. He’s becoming a distraction. One that I cannot afford to have. Even now I fear I’m getting sloppy, considering he caught me researching poisonous plants.
A sigh escapes me, as I lean my head back.
Lily bumps her head against my leg, forcing me to bend down and stroke her soft fur.
“What do I do, Lilibug?” I ask, and she meows in response. “It’s not as if I could just go to a bar and pick up a guy. Well, I could, but the problem is that most of them don’t know how to use what’s between their legs anyway.”
She bows her head and bumps her head against my hand, her purr vibrating loudly in the quiet kitchen.
“I want a man who can use his dick as a weapon. Someone who’s power compels me to submit to him, and who isn’t afraid to get a little rough with me.”
Upon saying it, however, I laugh.
“God, I’d be a therapist’s wet dream, wouldn’t I?” I giggle, my voice higher than normal.
Still chuckling to myself I stand, opening the cupboard behind me to grab her bag of cat treats. The moment Lily smells them sprinkling onto the counter she jumps up excitedly. I pat her little head and walk toward the stairs.
I bet I would be a therapist’s wet dream.