by Emelia Blair
“Hashem’s a shitty person. Don’t let him get to you.” Elise smiles at me and she fixes a loose strand of hair on my face.
It’s like a very motherly vibe to the whole thing, and I feel warm inside.
“So, where did Jace take you?” she asks.
“For sushi.”
Her eyes widen and she bites her lip. “Jace Hunter took you out for sushi? He hates sushi.”
“Who hates sushi?” Comes Kendall’s voice from behind me.
I smile in greeting. “Jace.”
“He’s a picky eater unless it’s Tracy making it. I swear, he would love nothing more than to be adopted by her. Shame on him, grown man and all.” She’s holding a bag of peanuts in her hand and she offers it to me.
I take one.
Elise stares at the bag. “Isn’t that the one Oliver got Caleb?”
Kendall bares her teeth at Elise in a smile. “Is it?” She stuffs a handful in her mouth, grinning around them.
Elise shakes her head. “Caleb’s going to make you pay for that.”
Kendall waggles her brows and swallows the food before saying, “I know.” Then she turns to me. “I heard what happened. Lana fired Hashem. Next time a man touches you without your consent, remember: twist and pull.”
I blanch.
Her and Jace really are siblings.
“I’m thinking I should go shopping today.” I glance down at my shirt. “Maybe update my wardrobe a little.”
Kendall pats me one the hand, cheerfully. “What do you mean, update? You need to burn these clothes. You look like a crayon set threw up on you.” She’s grinning at me.
I laugh. “It’s called being flamboyant.”
She offers me more peanuts. “You can’t be flamboyant by calling yourself that. No, we need to give you a makeover.”
I tuck my tongue in my cheek. “Aren’t you going to tell me that I shouldn’t change who I am just because a man said something to me?”
Kendall rolls her eyes. “Not when you dress like that. Your color coordination is shit. I’ll go shopping with you.”
“Yours is just as bad, Kendall. What are you bragging about?” Lana appears from behind us.
Kendall scowls, “It is not!”
Ignoring her, Lana tells me, “You let her take you shopping, she’ll only buy you the cheapest of clothes.”
“It’s called having an eye for bargains,” Kendall protests.
“No, it’s called being a cheapskate.” Lana inserts herself between her and me. “I’ll take you. You need some proper colors. Since you like your style of clothing, we won’t change that all too much, but your color scheme definitely needs improving.”
When was the last time I had gone shopping with another female?
I turn to look at the only person who’s not participating in the conversation. “Elise, what do you say?”
Elise has a disapproving look on her face as she glares at her two friends, before turning to me. “Halley, there is nothing wrong with your clothes. Don’t let these two bully you into doing something you’re not ready for. You stand out and why shouldn’t you?”
Her words touch me and I tug at my skirt, ruefully. “The truth is, I like wearing these sort of clothes, even around the house. But I’ve never really thought about having a makeover because I never really left the house much.”
Lana’s expression is serious. “Elise is right. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to change your clothes. It isn’t like they’re going against the dress code. Trust me, I checked. And don’t feel compelled by that asshole’s comments.”
I glance at the three women and note the way they’re dressed and suddenly, I feel sort of immature. It’s not like I feel shabby as per, but they’re dressed so confidently and they look so graceful. So while I might not want to completely change myself when I’m outside the workplace, I want to look a little bit like them, so composed, so stylish and sexy.
My right hand moves to touch my feather earring and I pause, considering all this. “Well, maybe a makeover for the office would be okay. But I don’t want to change my jewelry. And it’s just for the office.”
Kendall pops a few peanuts in her mouth. “You know, if we give you that bowl haircut with the edges sharp at the bottom, it wouldn’t matter what accessory you wear, you’ll look hot as fuck.”
Lana flicks her on the hand. “Language.” However, she too looks intrigued. “That would look very sexy, I admit.” She looks around at everyone and her smile is slow and lethal, “So, I guess we’re going on a shopping spree this weekend.”
“Why are you smiling like that?”
The question jerks me from my thoughts and I blink in Jace’s direction. “Was I smiling?”
Jace is wearing an odd expression on his face. “Like a loon.”
I wonder what this is about as I immediately stiffen at the insult. “You’re a loon!”
He smirks. “I’m your boss.”
“Doesn’t stop you from being a deranged loon,” I mutter under my breath.
“You want to say that out loud?” he asks, pleasantly, a gleam in his eye.
Suddenly, I wonder if throwing my laptop at him will get me fired. So, I change tactics. “Say what out loud?” I ask, innocently, instead.
He glares at me and then his expression softens. “Well, you’re definitely feeling better.”
I give him a huge grin.
He glances at the clock. “We need to hand over the reports by tonight. Just give me what you’ve done and I’ll work on the rest.”
I frown. “But it’ll take me half the time to finish this, compared to you.” My tone isn’t mocking, it is the truth really.
He plays with the fidget cube that’s always on his desk for a few moments before looking up at me. “Are you sure you want to pull an all nighter here because that’s probably how long it will take us.”
I nod. “It’s Saturday tomorrow. It’s fine.”
He gives me a firm nod. “All right, then.”
We’re an hour into the report analysis when I hear my uncle’s dismayed voice from the doorway, “Halley, you’re still here?”
Both Jace and I look up.
Jace sighs. “We have to submit all of this tonight so I asked her to stay a little late.”
Uncle Raymond’s gentle eyes look concerned.
My heart swells with love for the darling man. “It’s okay, Uncle; isn’t this what the corporate life is supposed to be like?”
He lets out a whoosh of breath but he doesn’t look very happy about it. “Can I help with something?”
Jace looks apologetic, an expression I only see him wear around my uncle. “Thanks, Raymond, but it’s a two-man job and Halley knows what she’s doing.”
My uncle doesn’t look very convinced. “I’ll bring you guys some food then from the Chinese place and I can stay and—”
“Uncle Raymond, go home!” I say, laughingly. “Jace isn’t going to bite me.”
This is apparently the wrong thing to say because my uncle immediately narrows his eyes at my boss.
Jace groans. “Oh come on, Raymond. You know me!”
“Fine,” he says, curtly. “But you call me when you reach home, young lady.”
“It’s like I’m sixteen again,” I mutter, and his stern gaze makes me nod, obediently. “Of course I’ll call you. Why wouldn’t I call you?”
I wait for him to leave.
Jace growls at me, “That was a stupid thing to say!”
I bristle at this. “Well, it’s true! You wouldn’t bite me.”
There’s that strange look in his eyes again, but he doesn’t say anything. It doesn’t escape my notice that he doesn’t agree to my claim either and I don’t know how I feel about it.
Working after hours is more tiring than I imagined.
Even when we’ve eaten, and my fingers are moving over the keys, I find myself yawning repeatedly. Of course, my yawning sets Jace off as well till he orders me to go stretch my legs and splash som
e cold water on my face.
It doesn’t really help because two hours later, I’m slumped on the couch, sleepy, and struggling to stay awake. And at some point I fall asleep because when I come to, there’s a heavy coat draped on my sleeping form.
My eyes flutter and I glimpse Jace perched on his desk, his usually slicked back hair, all ruffled up, his dark glasses making him look like a nerd. My half-masted eyes take in his rolled-up sleeves and his missing tie.
He really is very handsome.
My eyes slide shut again, tired as the warmth of the coat and the spicy scent of his cologne is oddly reassuring in some way.
I don’t know how I end up running in the woods but suddenly I’m no longer sleeping.
It’s dark and cold. I’m wearing a white nightie, a slip, and I’m running from someone.
Screams from behind me have me crying out in terror and my little legs move faster, obeying the mysterious voice in my head. “Run! Don’t stop running!”
Why is he doing this?
Where did he take her?
I fall down and my knees scrape against the ground, the shock of pain making me let out a small cry.
Heavy footsteps come from behind me and I turn around.
A hand reaching for me, a woman’s shrill cry, a man’s voice, and I scream, “Mama!”
I shoot up straight, bathed in sweat, my heart pounding, my mind empty except for the need to flee.
I see a pair of hands reaching for me and I cower, covering myself protectively with my arms, “No! Get away!”
“Halley.”
The voice is familiar and dazed, I let it sink into me, flinching when the owner of the voice grabs my wrist in a gentle hold.
I blink as my blurred vision clears and I see Jace’s white face.
He studies me, anxiously. “It was just a nightmare.”
“Jace?” I mumble, my voice small and frightened, still trapped in some part of that nightmare. “Why’s she screaming?”
His voice is gentle. “There’s no one screaming, Halley. There’s no one else here, besides you and me.”
I look around and he’s right.
I sit up and run my hands over my face, trying to come to terms with the fact that I’m safe.
“I’ll get some water,” Jace stands up.
I immediately reach out to grab his wrist. “No.” I swallow heavily. “Don’t go. Don’t leave me alone.”
He stills and then sits down next to me. “Okay. All right. I’m not going anywhere.”
I don’t let go of his wrist, my heart racing so badly that I feel like it’s going to bounce right out of my chest.
It takes me a few minutes to get a hold of my emotions and I say, dully, “Sorry. I just—?”
“It’s fine.” He reaches over and picks up a report, leaning back on the couch next to me. We’re sitting very close and he doesn’t take his hand back from me.
I don’t release it, I just sit there quietly.
His eyes are on the report and he’s very studiously ignoring me and yet, he’s letting me hold on to him.
I take comfort in the silence and in his presence.
I don’t know for how long we’re sitting there till he finally says, “I don’t usually ask women if they want to talk about it, but…” He shoots me a look. “Do you want to talk about it?”
I shake my head, mutely.
“All right.” When he goes back to his report, I tug at his hand, making him look up. “I’d like that water now.”
He gets up.
I follow him out to the breakroom, his coat and scent wrapped around me, both offering me this strange sense of security.
Jace doesn’t say anything. He also grabs a water bottle for himself then takes out a fruit yogurt from the fridge and hands it to me. “Here.”
“I’m not hungry.” I stare at the yogurt.
“I don’t care. Just eat it.” He hands me a spoon.
I follow him back to his office.
He forces me down into his chair and glares at me until I start eating the yogurt.
It’s strawberry flavored, quite tangy and sweet, the burst of flavor in my mouth has me feeling a little better.
When I reach for my laptop, Jace frowns, “You need to rest.”
“I need to work.”
I need to drown out the screams in my head.
“Halley.” He gives me a disapproving look.
I purse my lips. “Look, I know what I’m doing.”
He doesn’t argue with me but I suddenly find my work pile reduced and to my frustration, we’re done within the hour.
As Jace sends the reports, I feel unsettled. My body feels sluggish but I want to do something, to busy my mind, to stop thinking.
“We’re done.” Jace stretches his arms over his head, his face tired. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”
It’s about two in the morning, and I suddenly don’t want to go home.
The last place I want to go is to my quiet apartment to be alone with my thoughts.
Maybe I can ask Mia if she wants to go clubbing.
The deafening music, bodies grinding against each other, the mindless dancing until my feet couldn’t take it anymore. “I—I’m not going home. You should go,” I say, trying to sound flippant,
Jace freezes. “What do you mean? Where do you want to go at this hour?”
My head feels heavy. “There must be some clubs around. I want to go dancing. After all, it is Friday.”
Jace stares at me, before taking a deep breath, and growling, “Have you finally lost it?”
5
Jace
When Halley had fallen asleep, I had put my jacket on her and studied her sleeping form for a few seconds.
She’s a resilient little thing, and I’m starting to admire her more and more.
Unfortunately, the more I admire her, the more I’m curious about her. I want to get to know her, and for some reason this irritates me. I don’t have time for a woman in my life and especially someone like her who’s so—so—Well, she talks a lot, for starters.
I like my peace and quiet and this woman clearly doesn’t know the meaning of those words.
And then, those damned outfits!
They were enough to drive a man to distraction!
The problem is she seems so blissfully unaware of herself that I can’t even say she’s doing it on purpose. She has a certain innocence about her that makes a man want to ruin her, to see what she would look like all debauched.
And then on top of this, she makes all those snarky comments she seems to think I can’t hear. They make me want to put her across my knee and spank the defiance out of her.
What am I supposed to do with her?
The way Hashem acted towards her yesterday, had driven me wild with anger. It took me a day to understand my reaction to what happened. It’d been beyond me trying to protect a subordinate.
I wanted to gauge his eyes out for looking at her with lust in his eyes. It reminded me of the time when Kendall had been kidnapped and the animalistic look in my brother-in-law’s eyes when he’d been ready to lay waste to those men.
I never truly understood that desire to shed blood until I saw the petrified look on Halley’s face when Hashem had touched her.
Unable to handle these conflicted feelings inside of me, I turned around and had gone back to my work, studiously ignoring her. However, when she started making those small sounds of distress, my heart clenched and I looked up to see her brow furrowed, a terribly frightened expression on her face as she moved restlessly.
And then her scream. A desperate cry, a child’s plea, filled with terror.
I had jumped to my feet, and before I could even touch her, she shot up straight, her face clammy with sweat, her body shaking, her eyes wild with the sort of chilling fear that you only find in the deepest and darkest of your nightmares.
I’d seen the utter lack of recognition in her beautiful eyes as she had blindly stared at me.
After
this, I couldn’t find a glimpse of the woman who talked back to me and ignored me so cheerfully as she prattled on and on about God knows what. The Halley before me was a shadow of that woman, quiet and subdued in a way alarming to me. I wanted nothing more than to take her in my arms and drive away her nightmares and for once, staring at her vacant face, I didn’t care where that thought came from.
She followed me around like a lost child, holding onto my wrist, huddling into my coat as if my touch and my coat drove away her fears.
And now, here she is, back to acting like a petulant brat.
“You want to go dancing? At this hour?”
Halley crosses her arms across her chest.
I furiously suppress the desire to gaze at the way the gesture plumps up her breasts.
“This is when all the clubs are open.” She’s not scowling. In fact, there is a certain exhaustion about her as her eyes are tinged with desperation.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I snarl. “I’m taking you home.” I stand up.
She glares at me now. “First of all, I never recall asking for your permission! Second, I need to do something to tire me out and that’s a good alternative than going home and staring at my apartment walls.”
“There are a million ways to burn off your energy than going dancing at two in the morning.” I grit my teeth, suddenly vehemently against the idea of her being surrounded by men groping at her body when it didn’t belong to them.
It didn’t belong to me either.
I dismiss the thought and see the anger rise in her eyes.
It’s a magnificent look on her.
“Name one,” she challenges.
Maybe it’s because my mind is filled with thoughts of her, or maybe it’s because I haven’t touched a woman in quite a few months, or it could simply be because I’m going insane, that I blurt out, “Sex!”
This takes her aback but she doesn’t step down from the argument. Her cheeks blazing, she half shouts, “You want me to go find some random person on the street and ask them to have sex with me because my boss thinks that dancing to work off energy is too mainstream for him?!”
