Sleeping With The CEO
Chapter 121: Threat Detected

Chapter 121: Threat Detected

Work lunches really were not Derek’s thing. In fact the only times that he had ever enjoyed sharing lunches at work with someone. Just the basic act of eating, with somebody next to him, who was also eating, it had been with Emily.

The two of them in the park enjoying their meals and just watching the world go by around them. That was the only time that Derek had enjoyed sharing lunch with someone at work. But sadly, that did not mean that work lunches were not a regular thing for him.

He had work lunches but he absolutely detested them. Food was something sacred something to be enjoyed. It was never meant to be used in a power play, that was Derek’s own personal view, but many people did not share it.

Case and point, Derek had just come from a work lunch with a potential future business partner. He had not enjoyed it at all. The food had been overpriced. Tasting more like burnt cardboard than anything. And through it all he’d had to take bites, and act like it was the best thing he’d ever had.

He really hoped that the suffering of his mouth, and his stomach would pay off at some point. But at least the torture had been fairly quick.

He was now back in his office, and felt like he could finally breathe again.

Once again shutting the blinds like he had done earlier in the day. Derek sat in darkness, and breathed. Slow and measured.

In, and out. In, and out...

He let himself sink into a state of calmness. Letting his stress go. The tension leaving his body. His head aching just a little bit less because of it.

It had been pounding steadily, all the way through lunch. Derek had endured the pain through grit, and determination. His teeth grinding as he had chewed on cardboard, had caused pain to shoot through his skull. He had only been able to stop himself from screaming through years of practice. His professional mask never once cracking as he had kept up intelligent conversation through the meal.

But now that he was back in his office, Derek was attending to his hurts as best he could. The one thing that would really help him out, would be to get some good sleep at night. But since that was not likely to happen any time soon, he was working with what he had.

And what he had was sitting in darkness and doing breathing exercises, in silence.

Head tilted back, Derek breathed. Reaching up, he began gently massaging his temples, lessening his headache some more.

Derek could not keep going as he was, that much the CEO knew. He had to go back to Emily, talk to her, and apologize. And then ask if she would be willing to sleep with him through the long dark night. That was the only ray of light. The only possibly viable solution, that Derek could think of.

It had to be done. And as he sat in his office, nursing an epic headache. Derek made himself a promise.

That night, come rain, sunshine, hail, even a hurricane. Even if there was an earthquake, or even if flesh eating locusts descended, Derek was going to the diner. He was going to see Emily. And when he did see her, not only was he going to apologize. He was going to tell her everything that he had kept secret all this time.

After keeping the secret to himself for so long, Derek was going to tell Emily about his nightmares. He did not expect sharing the information to sway her in any way. But he at least hoped that it would sway her a little bit. But he had no idea exactly how he was going to bring the subject up.

If apologizing was hard for him, then talking about his insomnia was like asking him to carve out his own heart and still pretend like it was nothing. It was going to be very difficult.

But Derek was going to do it. He would not let himself chicken out of it. And he also would not let himself try to reason his way out of coming face to face with Emily and doing what he needed to do. Mind made up, Derek settled deeper into his chair and began to think. Coming up with plans, and then discarding them as he came up with different ways in which they could backfire.

He had just scratched out idea number five, when he heard noise coming from just outside of his office. Derek had only just managed to sit up straight, and was still in total darkness when the door burst open.

He hastily turned the lights back on. The sudden return of the light making his eyes hurt. The sight that greeted him had Derek wishing to switch off the lights again.

"I am so sorry CEO Haven, we tried to stop him, but Mr Haven pushed his way through,"

Derek looked from the shaking line of PAs, to his uncle. With a simple wave of his hand, he ordered them away. There was no need to chew them out for this his uncle was very stubborn. They left silently, only professionalism preventing them from running for the door. With just the two of them left, Derek turned his attention to his uncle. Making sure to look bored.

"Uncle, to what do I owe the...pleasure...of your visit," He stressed the last bit. Making it known that his uncle’s visit was anything but welcome. Rather than answer him right away, his uncle began to move towards Derek. His steps slow and measured, predatory. And he had a look in his eyes like he was sizing Derek up.

Pushing aside all of his exhaustion, and pain, Derek straightened.

Whatever it was that had his uncle feeling confident enough to be so dramatic. It could not be anything good, he had to be on guard.