by H. L. Swan
My stomach drops and I shake my head. “I think I’ve had enough for today. This is wildly inappropriate. I have a boyfriend.” I remind him with a stern, and mildly shaky voice.
He chuckles. “Your little boyfriend isn’t here though, is he? I’m sure I can show you a better time.” I almost laugh at his audacity but I’m too scared.
His accent grows heavier as his voice raises to a poisoned tone. “Oh, come on. You’ve been flirting with me ever since you came. Why do you think I hired you with no experience? You were practically begging for it with that dress you wore during your interview.” He leans further in.
The cold metal counter against my back makes me shiver. I look around the room, hoping to see one of the girls. But to my dismay, I remember no one was around when I came in.
I smile shakily at Avery. When I feel him relax, I swiftly knee him in the balls, satisfied when he doubles over and falls to the ground. I rush outside and look around for Howard. I smile when I see him hurrying my way.
Standing in at an intimidating height, I let out a breath I didn’t know I’ve been holding when he gets to me. “Howard.” I cry, throwing my arms around him.
He stands stiff, not returning the gesture until I sob into his chest. His movements are awkward as he wraps one arm around me. He stares at me in confusion when I step back.
“Can we go home?” I ask, I’m breaking. Too much is happening to me.
He looks me over worriedly. The act is fatherly, not so much of a bodyguard. “Why?” He sounds skeptical, his thick eyebrows bunching up.
I think for a moment. “I got sick and it made me upset?” I lie.
He laughs before gesturing to the phone in my shaking hands. “Call him.”
“No.” I want to laugh, thinking of how bad an idea that is. But my body is still shaking from what just happened.
Howard shrugs. “Then, I will.”
I sigh before hesitantly dialing his number from my phone. I look over at Howard and narrow my eyes. “I’ll get you for this.”
He laughs, before surprising me when he places a reassuring hand on my shoulder as I wait for Aiden to answer the call.
“Hey gorgeous.”
Relief overwhelms me when I hear his voice. Unable to contain my heavy emotions, I sob into the phone.
“Hey, woah. Babe? What’s happening? Are you okay?”
I take a deep breath and collect myself. “Yes. I’m fine,” I mumble quietly. “Howard made me call you.”
“Why?” His tone clipped. “What happened?”
“Nothing happened.”
Howard speaks up, “Speaker.”
I try to cover the phone but it’s too late.
Aiden’s voice booms through the phone. “Emilia, what the fuck is going on? Why did he say, speaker? Put the damn phone on speaker!”
I press the button, flipping Howard off with my free hand.
“I’m here, boss.” Howard looks at the phone, ignoring my rude gesture.
“What happened?”
I want so badly to hang up the phone, not wanting to bother him with this mess.
“She flew out of the front door in tears, I figured you’d want to stop by and see what happened. She wanted me to take her home and not tell you.”
I throw my head back like a defiant teenager.
“What the fuck? I’m already on the way. I’ll be there soon.” He growls into the phone.
∞∞∞
Aiden takes one look at me and makes his way to the bakery.
I chase after him, pulling his arm.
He reluctantly stops outside the door, cupping my face in his hands, and breathes deeply. “You can say whatever you want, but I already know someone in there hurt you. Who was it? Your boss? Or was it a co-worker or customer?”
I sigh, hesitating before looking away.
He holds my face firmly. “Either you tell me what the fuck just happened, or everyone in this building is getting fucked up.” His face red, and his breathing heavy.
“You’re going to be mad,” I state quietly.
“Why?” He tries to stay calm but is failing.
“Avery is a man.”
He shakes his head. “I already fucking know that, Emilia. Now, tell me what happened.” He growls.
I bow my head in embarrassment.
“Now!” He yells.
I flinch. He’s never raised his voice at me before. “He…well…” I stutter.
He strokes my hair, cooing, “Baby, please.”
I take a deep breath. “I didn’t want to tell you about Avery being a man because you didn’t need to worry.” I wipe away fallen tears. “I wanted to show you it wasn’t a big deal. But things changed when I went in this morning. I was rolling dough when he came up behind me and helped.”
I see his body go rigid.
“He leaned against me. At first, it was odd, but then…” I trail off.
He squeezes my shoulder. “Then what, Emilia?”
I lean in and whisper, “He pressed into me and I could feel him. Like he was–”
Aiden cuts me off with a finger to my lips. He looks furious as he steps back. His face contorts before he laughs manically.
I don’t have the strength to stop him as he throws the door open and steps in.
“Where?” He demands.
I gesture to the kitchen.
“Stay,” He states.
I don’t listen.
He stops, pinching the bridge of his nose to hide his annoyance, before placing his hands firmly on my shoulder. “Emilia, I need you to stay,” He hisses through gritted teeth.
I shake my head.
“No. Absolutely not. You fucking lied to me. You lied about your boss being a man. And now, look what happened? You fucking stay.”
I don’t argue when he pulls out a chair and gently pushes me down like a child, but I cross my arms. I look at him with pleading eyes, not wanting any more bloodshed. “Don’t kill him.”
Aiden simply looks at me with a maniacal smile before opening the kitchen door.
I bury my face in my hands.
Twenty-Four
Aiden
∞∞∞
Isee who I presume is Avery standing over a counter.
“Emilia darling, you came to your senses.” He turns around, confusion on his face when he sees me.
I study him. The audacity, no, the balls this man has to hire a young girl, and then hit on her thinking she’ll never tell is fucking sickening. I own my own business and I’d never use my position of power to get into a girl’s pants. It’s something that comes naturally to me, which tells me this guy is a sick fuck.
I notice he’s holding an ice pack between his crotch. My Emilia must have kicked him in his balls. I would laugh if I wasn’t seething with rage.
I put my hand on my chin in thought. “You know what I love.” I run my hands along the shelving, knocking the glass containers to the hard flooring. The shattering makes my pulse quicken.
“When a grown man hires a young lady thinking he can have his way with her just because she works for him…” His body goes stiff as my legs glide in front of him. “But that’s where you fucked up.” I growl, grabbing his throat. “You tried to take advantage of someone very important to me.” His pulse on my palm is unsteady and quick.
“I didn’t–”
I cut him off. “No, no. You’re not about to tell me my Emilia lies. Are you?” He shakes his head and I get in his face. “You have the fucking balls to lie to me? To my face?” My skin is red hot as I bellow.
In one quick movement, my knuckles connect with his jaw with all my power. He falls on the hard flooring and I get on top of him, pummeling him with my fist. I wait for him to fight back as I breath heavily, but he lays there like a bitch.
“You want to try to fuck with my girl, and yet when you face the consequences, you cower under me?” A deep laugh escapes me.
He shakes his head.
“You hit on my fucking girl. You’re her
boss! You sick fuck. Couldn’t you tell she didn’t want you?” I spit.
He shakes his head and says in a weak voice, “She’s lying.”
I laugh at his audacity. Perhaps he has a death wish.
Emma may not have told me the truth but that’s because she didn’t think something like this would ever happen. It never should have. I do the things I do for her own protection. The thought brings fury throughout my core as I pummel my fist to his face until he’s unconscious. The blood splatters onto the white flooring.
This is exactly why I didn’t want Em to follow. She doesn’t need to see this. She still has nightmares from what happened before. Why do these things happen to her? Why can’t I protect her from everything? If only I could place her in a bubble and keep her away from the world.
I should fucking kill him, put a bullet between his eyes. Better yet, snapping his neck with my hands would be a satisfying sound. But Emilia asked me not to kill him.
Fuck. I’ll get Howard to do it.
Em’s eyes widen when she catches sight of my bloody knuckles when I return. I rush to her and scoop her in my arms. I couldn’t think clearly through my rage. But now that the problem is half solved, I can breathe.
How scary that must have been for her.
“I’m so sorry that happened to you, baby.” I lift her into my arms and carry her outside.
“Do I need to get the body?” Howard asks.
I shake my head. “He’s alive. You know what to do.”
Emilia whimpers in my arms. “Don’t kill him.”
Why is she protecting him?
“Why the fuck not?” I put her down.
She wipes her eyes with shaking hands, her tone defeated. “No more bodies.”
I sigh before looking back at Howard. “Call Detective Stark and tell him what happened. Maybe Emilia’s not the only girl who’s been harassed by this creep.” I look over at Em and she nods.
I help her into my car, making sure to fasten her seatbelt.
I admire the way the fabric looks against her skin. I like her tied down. Chill, Aiden. She’s upset.
I place a hand on her knee. “Are you okay?”
She looks over at me with a small smile. I’m trying to keep calm. A thin thread holds me back from turning this car around and fucking ending that scumbag.
That thin thread is Emilia’s sad face.
“Yeah, I am. Thank you, Aiden.”
“You hit him in the balls?”
Her smile grows wide, her laughter filling the car. “I did.”
“Good girl. One of these days, I’ll teach you how to fight.” I clutch her hand. “For now, we’re going home.”
Her smile doesn’t reach her glistening eyes. “I’m sorry.”
I pull into the parking garage and slam on the brakes. I cup her cheek as I look into her sad eyes. “Don’t you dare apologize to me. I’m so sorry that happened to you. It’s not your fault.”
Emilia
∞∞∞
I took a shower once I got home and passed out on the bed. It was dark out when Aiden came back in the bedroom.
I wake to the feeling of him snuggling against my back, but his arm doesn’t go around me. I back into him, desperate for his hands to be on me.
He lets out a deep breath. “May I touch you?” He asks, confusing me.
“Why would you ask?”
“With everything that happened today, I’m sure you felt…violated.” His tone is dark, and I feel him clenching the sheets.
A small laugh escapes my lips. “Hardly. I was more upset with myself for not talking to you from the beginning. When I think about it, he was kind of off. But I was just so excited to have the opportunity. I’m just so stupid.” I run my hands through my hair.
He turns me to him, his face inches away.
If I could lean forward…
“Don’t call yourself stupid. You should be able to work wherever you please without some fucking idiot trying to get into your pants.” He says with an exasperated breath.
I lift a brow. “What if I work for you?” I challenge him as I look into his eyes with humor.
He smiles. “If you work for me” His hand trails my body. “I can’t promise I won’t hit on you.”
“Show me what you would do to me,” I whisper, wanting him so badly that my confidence is through the roof.
All I want is to lose myself in him.
Aiden
∞∞∞
I kiss her, holding her body tight against mine.
I think about how much she’s been through. The thought of another man’s body pressed up against hers drives me fucking insane. I need to claim her body, pound into her and relish in the fact that she is mine. Body and soul, this girl is fucking mine.
But I need to put my anger aside.
Looking at her and the moonlight cascading across her soft skin making her look like a painting gives me another idea. To fuck her long and slow, to make love to her.
I trail my hand up her stomach, slowly and softly all around her body. I pull back the fabric of her robe, giving me perfect access to her soft skin. Grazing her leg all the way up to her neck, I slide my hand across her throat. I resist the urge to squeeze and continue to touch her gently. Her nipples are hard, as I take one between my teeth and graze it lightly. I kiss every inch of her until I reach her belly button.
Her cheeks are flushed, and she pants as she bucks her hips.
I slide her panties off quickly and bury my face between her legs. Taking my time, I pleasure her, enjoying her sounds as I make her body twitch. The way she tugs lightly on my hair encourages me as I swirl my tongue around her opening.
She moans and bucks her hips.
It takes every ounce of strength to not wrap my hand around her throat and fuck her senseless. But I need to stay on track. She needs to see how much she’s treasured.
I rise on top of her, bringing my throbbing cock to her opening. Gently and slowly, I slide into her. I kiss her parted lips as she moans my name. Slow movements, grinding and fucking her this way gives me such a good view of the faces she makes. The small whimpers escaping her lips when I push myself all the way inside her fucks me up.
She is just fucking perfect.
Needing to stake my claim, I pull out and stroke my cock above her stomach, admiring how my cum coats her soft skin. All the while, Em looks into my eyes, her lip between her teeth.
Emilia
∞∞∞
Aiden looks so peaceful when he’s asleep. His thick eyelashes cast a shadow against his tan cheeks. His hard edges softened and his hair a beautiful disaster.
Not wanting to wake him, I discreetly slip out of bed.
He groans and pulls me back. “Where do you think you’re going?” His voice thick with sleep.
“Bathroom.” I try to wiggle out of his grip, but he simply holds on tighter, planting kisses along my shoulders. “Aiden! I have to pee!” I playfully yell at him.
“Wait.” I turn to him. “Last night, when you said something about working for me, were you just playing?”
I smile. “If you’ll have me.” His face lights up. “I would rather work with you and save up to go to culinary school than have to deal with anything like that ever again.”
He rolls his eyes. “You know I’ll pay for your school, right?”
I nod. “Yes, but I would rather earn it. You know?”
And just like that, I’m speaking his language. He nods in agreement, before pulling me into a kiss and releasing me. My eyes go wide when I catch sight of the clock.
“You’re late for work!” I dart around the room, grabbing his things. I stop when I see his amused expression. “What?”
He shrugs. “You had a rough day yesterday. I took the day off.”
“You were just off for a week though. Is that cool?”
He laughs, his dimples deep. “Of course it is. I’m the boss. I can work from anywhere. Now, get back into bed, woman.” He growls playfully.
I run away, giggling and he chases me down, hauling me back into bed.
That is where we spend the morning, afternoon, and well into the night.
We ordered room service for lunch, which Howard delivered. I hid under the covers, trying not to giggle as Howard walked in, carrying a tray of food, and exiting quickly afterwards. We ate in bed, carefree, before making love as if it was giving us our last breath while the sun rose and fell outside.
I decided to bake Aiden’s favorite, chocolate cupcakes with buttercream frosting, for dinner. His warm arms wrap around my waist as I mix the batter. Howard keeps guard in the living room. Aiden pulls my robe to the side and kisses my bare shoulder.
I watch him walking away, his sweatpants low on his hips. His tan and inked back is a spectacular view. He leans down and speaks lowly to Howard, who then swiftly leaves, as Aiden makes his way back to me.
I continue the task at hand. Pouring the thick mixture into the liners, I place the cupcakes in the preheated oven. I turn to find Aiden with a handful of batter. I gasp when he lunges at me, pulling off my robe and placing a swift slap on my bare ass, covering me in the batter.
“No, you didn’t!” I scoff playfully. I turn to the batch of icing I’d already whipped and smother his perfectly sculpted chest in it.
“Now, you’ve done it.” He growls, grabbing a bag of flour.
“You started it.” I giggle hysterically as flour drifts through the air, like a snowstorm in August.
His carefree laugh bellowing through the room makes my heart melt.
We end up on the floor, covered in batter and icing and flour. We make love as the cupcakes burn in the oven.
It’s a perfect day.
Twenty-Five
It’s my third day working with Aiden. From the way he looks at me whenever he passes my door, I can tell it won’t be long before he drags me into his office for a little fun.
I’m a few offices down from him. I had thought I would be in the open area near the reception desk, but he showed me this office on my first day. The view is beautiful, dominated by the city’s skyline. The entire room has a feminine yet modern feel. White and clean, with burst of color.
