Mister Sinners | 18+

1

I took a deep breath. I knew that deep down, I really deserved a promotion. I worked long and hard, doing more than anybody in the office. My best friend, Kayla, told me that I needed to put my foot down. There were so many opportunities lined up for me where I could be making double the amount I make now. The only thing stopping me from going is the fact that I loved it there. My boss was great to me. I especially loved the staff. The bond we developed over the years really made us feel like family. There was no way I was willing to leave.

I threw my black blazer over my shoulders and slipped my arms through the sleeves. My heart was steadily pounding in my chest as my heels clanked against the marble flooring. I pushed open my glass door, and made eye contact with the receptionist. Her blonde hair was neatly tucked away into a low bun as her big glasses sat prettily on her nose. I watched as her pink lips lifted up into a smile.

"Good morning, Ciara," she said.

"Morning. Is Mr. Armani in his office?" I asked her.

"He is. He just finished with a meeting, though. I heard it didn't go too well. So, don't be surprised if he's a little crankier than normal," she warned me.

I sighed. Great. I just had to demand a promotion on the very day he wasn't in the mood. The thought of turning around and going back to my office was so tempting, but I knew it was now or never. I loved having a roommate, but I cherished the thought of having my own place. I knew I couldn't make that happen with the small salary I had.

"Thanks," I told her.

I made my way over to my bosses office. It wasn't too far from my own office, but it was still in its own secluded area. Once I made it to the door, I raised my fist up and gently knocked on the door. Usually, my boss would yell, "Come in!" or say nothing at all. The last thing I expected was for him to open the door with a raised brow. It wasn't until he scanned my face from my head down to my feet that I noticed something oddly peculiar about him.

A smirk came across his face. "What can I do for you?"

"I actually wanted to speak to you about something, sir," I said shyly. He opened the door wider for me to come in. I awkwardly stepped inside just before he closed the door, which was also something he rarely ever did.

"What is this about?" he asked me, walking over to his desk where he stood in front of me, leaning against it.

Come on, Ciara, you can do this!

I let out a shaky breath. "A raise. I've been offered multiple jobs that want to give me far more than I'm receiving here. I really enjoy this company and I don't want to leave," I explained.

He crossed his arms over the other and stared at me. It wasn't until he grabbed a notepad from his desk along with pen that I was finally able to breathe.

"How much are they offering you?" he asked me, clicking the pen and prepping his notepad to write on.

"Uh, a salary of about $100,500 a year with Kanos Enterprise," I told him.

He tsked. "Kanos Enterprise is our top competitor. I'd hate for them to take my favorite employee."

I could feel heat rising to my cheeks at the compliment. I quickly looked down at my own lap, holding in a smile.

"We'll give you $125,000 if you stay with our company. That's double what you make now," he explained. A smile came across my face as he wrote it down on a notepad.

"Thank you, I'll take it," I said, getting up. He held up his hand for me to shake, and I slipped my hand into his just before he pulled it closer and kissed my knuckles.