Mason

Daphne had been here for a little over a week and everything was changing. I didn't get mad as much or yell as much and I only fired one person. I don't know what it was about her, she just brightened the place up. It was hard to be in a bad mood around her.

"Someone is here to see you, she said you wouldn't care if she stopped in," Daphne's voice came through the intercom.

"Send her up," I responded with an eye roll. My sister Katrina also lived in Boston and had a habit of just stopping by whenever she felt like it. It annoyed me at times, but she was my sister, what could I do?

"Mason!" Katrina sang as she burst into my office.

"Kat."

"Awww. Don't sound so put out. I'm your little sis," she said with a pout even though she was 24 and not exactly little.

"I'm just messing with you," I said as I stood up and gave her a hug. She had seated herself on the edge of my desk and was swinging her legs back and forth. "What's up?"

"Danny finally asked me out!" she squealed and I growled.

"He what?" I practically screamed.

"Oh stop that. It's Danny, he'll treat me well."

"He's my best friend! If he hurts you I'll have to kill him," I grumbled the last bit.

Danny and I had been best friends since high school and I knew he was a good guy, but this was my baby sister! I could kind of tell he liked her, but I had tried to deny it for so long.

"At least it's not some rando off the street," Kat reasoned.

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled.

I was happy for them and Kat knew that, it wasn't about Danny, it was about me not wanting my little sister getting hurt. And last time she dated someone it did not end well. I'd rather she lived alone with a bunch of cats, but she told me that was insane.

There was a knock at the door and Daphne poked her head in.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but you have a meeting in ten minutes," she reminded me.

I was about to thank her and wrap things up with Kat, but of course she jumped in before I could.

"Is this your new assistant? She's adorable!"

Kat ran up to Daphne and shook her hand. "I'm Katrina, but you can call me Kat. I'm Mason's sister."

"I'm Daphne," she responded to my crazy sister, "it's nice to meet you."

"Ugh, you are just cute as a button," Kat said and booped Daphne's nose. "I'll see you around."

Kat left as quick as she came and I stood up to walk Daphne to the conference room.

"Sorry about her, she gets excited easily."

"She seems nice," Daphne said after a moment.

"She's crazy," I said with a chuckle, "but yeah, I guess she can be nice too."

Daphne laughed and it was the sweetest sound I'd ever heard. I'd pay anything to hear her laugh again.

"What?" Daphne asked and got all self conscious.

"You have a nice laugh," I told her and kept walking.

"Oh," she said and her cheeks turned bright red.

We walked into the conference room and sat down with only a few minutes until our guests arrived. I was meeting with Blake Chandler of Chandler Enterprises. I had been working with them for years, but I didn't particularly like Blake. He inherited the business from his father, who I'd originally started working with, and he could be snobby and annoying at times.

The door opened and Chandler walked in with his assistant. She trailed behind him and kept her head down.

"Blake," I greeted him with a fake smile and shook his hand.

"Mason."

"Should we get started?" I suggested but Mason held up a hand in pause.

"I'd like to get acquainted with your new assistant first. I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting."

Daphne reached out her hand to shake his, but instead he pressed a kiss to her knuckles. My hands tightened into fists at the gesture and I had to fight to stay in control. Daphne personally looked like she was trying very hard not to wipe her hand off on her skirt. The look on her face had me easing up, she looked disgusted and her nose was all scrunched up.

"There, you've met. Now let's begin."

"What's the hurry?" Chandler asked and kicked his legs up onto my table.

"I have a busy schedule Chandler, I don't have time for this," I growled, getting impatient.

"How ever do you deal with him all the time?" Chandler directed the question to Daphne. "He's a real grouch. I however, know how to treat my employees," he said with a smirk suggesting some unprofessional behavior.

"That's it," I slammed my hands on the desk as I stood and stared Chandler straight in the eye. He gulped and lowered his legs back to the floor. He was scared. He should be. "Get out of my building!"

"Easy there buddy, we still have business to conduct."

"No we don't. My business will no longer work with yours. I don't work with snobby asshats that are only focused on sex," I growled.

"And if you ever find yourself looking for a less creepy boss, you know where I am," I said to his assistant. She had looked highly uncomfortable throughout this whole meeting and now I knew why. Chandler's last assistant had been older so this hadn't been a problem. If she found herself wanting an out, she now had one.

"Can you see yourself out or do I need to call security?"

Chandler huffed and stormed out. His assistant paused before scurrying along after him.

"Wow," I heard a soft voice say and turned to see Daphne. In my rage I'd almost forgotten she was here.

"Sorry about that," I said and rubbed my hands down my face. She's probably scared of me now.

"Don't be," she said and I turned to her. I hadn't been expecting that. "That guy was a creep, he deserved to be put in his place. I feel bad for his assistant."

Daphne had a frown on her face and I could see she was genuinely worried about the girl.

"Well, I meant what I said. She has a spot here if she wants it."

"That's really nice of you. I don't understand why everyone paints you as such a bad guy," Daphne said.

"I can be a bit harsh at times," I said with a shrug.

"Never with me," she said and I looked over at her.

"No, not with you."