Her Hero (3 page)

             
“We may want to speak with you again. We have your contact details. Don’t leave the country.” Johnson said leaving Stacy and her turmoiled thoughts.

             
Despite everything one thought stood out the most. Her hero really had saved her just like a superhero, and just like a hero he had disappeared.

***

Stacy was released the same day and returned to her flat and a message from her agency. Pressing pause, she almost didn’t want to listen to them, telling her she was out of chances but ever the optimist she played the impersonal voice.

             
“... However, and really I don’t know how you managed it, we had a phone call from Mr Harper himself. He want’s you in work come Monday and I can honestly say, this is your absolute last chance.” The message rang dead and Stacy had to replay it several times before the meaning sank in.

             
Suspicion coursed through her veins and a bone weariness inhibited her logical thinking.

             
All through the weekend she mulled over the reasons, why a multi millionaire would re-hire the woman the police suspected, of planting a bomb in his lift. Nothing made sense but Stacy had bills to pay and boxes to empty. Besides she was innocent, she told herself as she entered the building, choosing to take the stairs and not the service lift, to her floor.

             
All weekend Stacy had ignored the psych report the hospital had discharged her with. Choosing instead to watch back to back Batman movies both old and new. Yet heading towards the toilets, Stacy wondered if perhaps she should seek help because no sane person, should look forward to a cubicle next to toilets.

             
Surely she had spoken too soon because the cubicle had gone. After a moment of circling the empty area, as if that would help her desk magically appear, she went in search of her supervisor.

             
The old battle axe looked up from her impersonal desk and actually sneered.

             
“Your wanted upstairs. That little stunt in the lift nearly lost me my job. It would appear you have an air tight alibi for being late with the staples. Still someone like you would. No doubt you just batted your eyelashes.” She hoisted her heavy frame from the straining swivel chair and stood so close as to almost step on Stacy’s feet.

             
With absolute disdain she never uttered another word. Simply pointing to the door. Stacy complied baffled and just a little triumphant.

             
Upstairs was the the CEO’s office and a few conference rooms, or so she had been told. Stacy had never actually been upstairs and now standing in the palatial lobby she didn’t know where to go or what to do.

             
“Ms Stanton?” A stunningly beautiful woman in killer heals approached from behind a desk thus far unnoticed by Stacy.

             
“Y...yes.” Stacy’s inadequacies heightened but the smile on the golden haired beauty eased her nerves slightly.

             
“Mr Harper is awaiting you. Please follow me.” So saying, Stacy trotted behind the leggy women as her silken curls bobbed and swished highlighting the luscious colour.

             
The surrounding cherrywood, so different from the Crome and generic desks on the floor below, allowed Stacy to distract her thoughts from the cheap nylon trousers she wore and the un-ironed shirt she threw on that morning.

             
All thought's of clothing and furnishings disintegrated with the view infront when the receptionist stepped aside and ushered Stacy threw an ornate carved door.

             
“Hero.” The reverent whisper left her lips.

             
“Horatius. So you remember.” As if she could forget, but just nodded as he waited.

The door closed behind her and she stepped into her superheroes alter ego.

              “Your Mr Harper?” She still couldn’t quite believe that all that time, she had been fantasizing about a millionaire.

             
She tried very hard to dislodge her last vivid dream of him topless and helping her decorate her room, with a most batman-like tool belt before producing some tools that had nothing to do with DIY.

             
Shaking her head she stepped forward.

             
“I don’t know how to thank you. You saved my life. Three times now.” He looked embarrassed and a little wary as if he wasn’t sure how to react to her thanks.

             
“Three times?”

             
Stacy stepped forward and took ahold of his lax hands. He flinch but then covered the reaction quickly.

             
“Well I suppose paying for coffee may not seem like a life and death situation, but trust me you saved me from a fate worse than death.” He was staring at his hand resting in hers and she looked down to where she still held.

             
It looked ridiculous, her pale small hands holding his large tanned ones but she couldn’t help but cling on as his warmth penetrated her.

             
Looking up he seemed to be annoyed but she had a feeling his reaction wasn’t directed at her.

             
“You saved me from embarrassment that morning. The lift of course and now you have given me a second chance. I need this job.” She didn’t want to analyze why.

             
He tugged his hand free and turned away and she felt not just bereft but desperate.

             
“The first was for my own convenience. The second was simple semantics. It wouldn’t look good if I had saved myself and allowed an employee to perish. Shares would drop.” He turned back and she felt his rigid determination. “As for the latter perhaps you should reserve judgment until you hear what I have in mind for you.”

             
Stacy watched undeterred by his determination to be the alter ego and not the superhero. Horatius walked to a drinks cabinet and started to pour from a crystal decanter.

             
“Brandy?”

             
“It’s nine thirty in the morning.”

             
He seemed to study the glass, as if he had never realised there was an acceptable time to drink Brandy and then lifted it to his lips. She watched mesmerized as he drank slowly his eyes trained on hers.

             
“What the hell okay. Yes, thank you.” Anything to break the tension.

             
Once the glass was in hand she allowed herself to get used to the firey liquid before speaking, “So what do you have lined up for me?”

             
“Mistress.” The blasé way he said it had Stacy spluttering her next sip.

             
“I beg your pardon?”

             
“Three nights a week. No sleep overs. I will provide transport. You must be flexible...”

             
“Flexible?!” Images of back-bends and lurid positions flashed tantalisingly through her heated head.

             
“Schedule flexible. Although the other would be a bonus.” She couldn’t believe how blasé he was saying these things or how much she wanted to say yes.

             
“You do know the police think I planted that bomb. Speaking of which don’t you think you have bigger issues than finding a bed partner.” My god she sounded like a chastising stick in the mud. Her, Stacy, who had never taken anything that seriously.

             
“The police are near to useless. I have my own people working on it.” He sat and directed her to do the same.

             
The sofa was a modern L shape in the middle of the room with no back, it looked expensive and uncomfortable.

             
“Is that sofa actually comfortable?” She couldn’t imagine some entrepreneur actually perching on the thing discussing mergers.

             
“No. Damn decorators, but they said it intimidates people and so far I’v found that effective.” Although he recited like a robot Stacy could see laughter sparkle in his eyes.

             
“You want to intimidate me?”

             
“Failing persuasion I was going to intimidate you. Using the the police’s insistence that you are the most likely culprit who tried to kill me.” Stacy hadn’t realised she was seated until she found herself scooting closer as he sat next to her.

             
“Ah, but you already said you don’t believe them.” Stacy said as she swiveled further round and their legs met.

             
“I did, didn’t I. I decided I didn’t quit like the idea of looking like an idiot. As anyone could see you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Stacy slouched with relief, but her back didn’t find a purchase.

             
As her legs went into the air she remembered the backless sofa and cursed her bad luck. Before she went over, eyes squeezed closed in anticipation of the landing, she felt pressure. Opening her eyes she found Horatius lying on top of her and cradling her shoulders and head.

             
“Four times.”

             
“This does not constitute as life saving.” Yet Stacy noticed he made no attempt to move and she was quite happy to remain. “And I would appreciate it if you would stop looking at me like that.” He lifted and although she regretted it, Stacy knew it was for the best. Her arms had been inches from reaching around his head and pulling him in.

             
“Like what?” Stacy adjusted her blouse.

             
“Like I’m some savior or superhero.” Stacy gasped unsure if he had read her mind.

             
Horatius had already started to walk back to his desk.

             
“I’m not a nice person.” He didn’t sound bothered by the statement but she could tell from the way he held his back that he cared. He braced for her reply like someone awaiting a punch.

             
The endless terms used to describe him ran like flash cards through her mind. Not just what was generally said but also printed. Stacy had read about his takeovers and downsizing and the payoffs. What wasn’t mentioned was the dire state the company was in when he took it over. How he had saved the dying mobile phone company and many jobs. She knew this because she had printed the reports for the angry board members who wanted nothing to do with it.

             
“I’ve heard the names. Lucifer, heartless, incubus...” He turned with a flinch despite his self mocking smile.

             
“Okay, okay. I think I liked the adulation better.”

             
“You didn’t let me finish. I know it’s not true. I’m sure it works for takeovers but you can’t fool me.”

             
She stepped forward and somehow his embrace felt right until he smiled with victory, “So is that a yes to warming the bed.” Disappointment flooded Stacy but she felt his disappointment too in the droop of his shoulders.

             
As if she had let him down somehow and that’s when she knew. He wanted her to be different. He wanted her to see him as the hero he was. He wanted her to turn him down as he never had been before. If only he had waited until after she kissed him. Now she would have to tell him, no, without getting her kiss and she really wanted to kiss him.

             
“No.” She untangled herself and stood back. “I won’t be your mistress.” She watched his curiosity grow and went for the kill. “I will be a great secretary or receptionist and I know you are going to be my hero and give me a job.”

             
Waiting with baited breath she felt his happiness as the smile grew.

             
“You are very strange Stacy Stanton.”

Two weeks had passed and this was the longest job Stacy had ever held down. She made a conscious effort to dress in the morning and ironed everything. Stacy had bought new clothes and shoes and although Stacy felt she would never be in the same league as the leggy receptionist, she was happy with the results.

             
Stacy lived for glances of Horatius and dreamed of him every evening, she had even managed to unpack a box at home. The police had made another visit clearing her for any trips out of the country. Even if they said it through clenched teeth, the relief was profound.

             
Stacy had even stopped watching superhero shows, well at work, she admitted to herself as she finished filing the Nokia contract. The files were the furthest from Horatius's offices so Stacy ignored the tingling she felt at her back. In the two weeks since being transferred to the top level she had never seen him venture into the vault like room.