I’d become a robot of sorts, a drone to the establishment.

I wasn’t a complete ass though. Everything I did, every hour I spent, was to keep this company afloat, to ensure the job and security of every employee who walked through those doors. Even if I did end up being the enemy in the end, at least every single one of them could pay their rent, send their kids to daycare, and afford to keep their coffee habits going for another month.

Thanks to me—the Dickhead of the East.

And now it was time to be an ass once again. Turning the handle of the heavy wooden door, I pulled it open and stepped into a giant clusterfuck of female frenzy.

Pink and blue balloons were floating around the ceiling, their tiny ribbons creating a curtain of colors as I tried to make my way through the mayhem. Nearly every woman on the floor was gathered around my assistant’s desk with beaming bright eyes as they each waited their turn to hug and congratulate her for some marked accomplishment.

Did I miss something?

Glancing down with obvious curiosity, I instantly noticed her protruding belly and inwardly sighed. I’d missed a big something.

Bethany’s eyes caught mine as several women continued to ogle her pregnant belly. Surprise, followed by what appeared to be fear, swept across her features, and she suddenly cleared her throat, alerting the others of my arrival.

“Mr. Cavenaugh, I’m so sorry. Did we disturb you?” she said, barely able to meet my gaze.

“Why do you think I’m out here at”—I glanced down at my watch, sighing at the time—“three o’clock in the afternoon?”

“We apologize, Mr. Cavenaugh,” one of the ladies said, stepping up.

I recognized her from accounting. She proudly held her chin up, her eyes never wavering from mine. It was an odd reaction to receive from one of my employees. Was she new? Usually, it didn’t take long for the beware-of-the-boss speech to make its way to the newbies, furthering the healthy dose of fear from one staff member to the next. It kept things simple, clean, and easy. If they feared me, they wouldn’t bother me.

I wouldn’t win any Boss of the Year awards this way, but it helped me get things done, and in turn, everyone could keep their jobs.

“We were just surprising Bethany with a sweet baby shower that we’d been planning for weeks. We just wanted to give her a few things before this little bundle of joy arrived! We’ll move down to the break room momentarily. Won’t you join us?” she asked.

The way she’d said it made it feel like a dare, like I’d just stepped back into middle school and the dreaded Coke bottle had landed on me.

Truth or dare, Roman?