Page 7 of His Boss for Christmas
Peter narrowed his eyes. “What did you do?”
Justin blinked innocently. “What do you mean?”
“This.” Peter gestured to the coffee. “If you’re bothering to bribe me, you must have messed something up.”
“I resent that! Can’t I just be nice?”
Peter gave him a flat look.
Justin grinned impishly, plopping into the opposite chair. “Really, Peter. I’m just in a good mood today.”
“And why is that?” Peter said, picking up the cup.
“I have a soulmate!”
Peter’s hand froze in the air. He set the cup down. “What?” he said sharply.
Justin smiled wider, looking at him with his ridiculous eyes. “Yeah. I thought I didn’t have one, but apparently I do. Can you believe that?”
Peter’s first thought was a hardNo. He unclenched his jaw, unsure why the idea bothered him so much. Justin simply wasn’tallowedto—he wasn’t supposed to believe that nonsense, much less want a soulmate. The thought was inconceivable. Unacceptable.
“Soulmates don’t exist,” he said, glaring the idiot down. “We’re lawyers. Lawyers deal in facts, instead of believing in fairy tales created to sell trashy books to ignorant and foolish people.”
He had expected Justin to roll his eyes or scoff, but his expression was… sad?
“I know I joke about you being a heartless dick, but surely you don’t actually…” Justin shook his head, biting the inside of his cheek. “I’m not like you, Peter. I don’t think I can be happy with having a fat bank account and leaving a trail of one-night stands behind me. I want a connection. I’m not saying I necessarily believe that soulmates are forever, but… I really want a human connection.” His green eyes were suspiciously shiny. “I don’t have anyone, Peter. My parents are gone, my only brother hates me, and I don’t have any time for a personal life or friends because of my job. I don’t have anyone. No partner, no friendships, no nothing.”
Something ugly and vicious twisted in Peter’s chest before curling in his stomach. “What about—your job? Is that nothing too?”
Justin laughed, his lips twisting into something bitter and fragile. “I might be masochistic, but I do like this job. I loveit. It’s the only good thing I have going right now. But it’s not enough. It doesn’t replace a—a personal relationship, a friendship. I’d like to think that we’re—friends, but for you, I’m just a lowly associate you like bossing around and treating like your personal slave.” Justin swallowed, averting his gaze, his face a little pink. “I want a human connection, Peter. A connection that’ll be reciprocated. This is my chance to finally get it.”
“No,” Peter said.
Justin shot him a startled look. “What?”
“I forbid you to look for your so-called soulmate.”
Justin blinked slowly. “You forbid me. To look for my soulmate.”
“That’s correct.”
“Are you fucking serious?” Justin hissed, springing to his feet. “You can’t forbid me anything, you overbearing dick.”
“Sit down.”
Justin glowered at him, breathing hard. “Fuck you.”
“Sit.”
Justin didn’t sit down, still scowling fiercely.
Peter got to his feet and rounded the table. Justin watched him approach suspiciously. He flinched a little when Peter put a hand on his shoulder, his green eyes fixed on him with something like wariness.
“You’re a capable, talented lawyer with a very promising career,” Peter said, squeezing his shoulder before moving to fix Justin’s tie. It was an eyesore. “Focus on that and I’ll put youon partner track next year. You’ll be a junior partner in three years. A senior partner within a decade. That’s not nothing. A ‘soulmate’ would only hold you back. Focus on your job as my associate. Nothing else matters. Your ‘soulmate’ doesn’t matter.”
Justin’s lips curled into a weird expression that wasn’t quite a smile. “Onlyyoumatter, right, Peter? God, you’re such a self-centered dick. Admit it: youlikethat my life consists of nothing but you and the work you give me.”
Peter chuckled. “Who is the self-important one now?”