AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Dude, what the—, I’ll be right back, Emily.”
I shot the caterer a look. “If you want to get paid, you’ll see to it that he stays away from you.”
“What the fuck?” Jackson asked as he yanked at his arm. “Let go of me. I’m not your fucking child.”
I tossed him against the wall and slammed my hand against the hardened structure… right beside his head. “I don’t know where the hell you get off not listening to my advice on a night like this, but if you take one more step toward that caterer with those googly eyes of yours, you’ll be the one reimbursing me for her payment. And that’s if I choose to pay her at all.”
He scoffed. “What the fuck has you wound so tightly tonight? I’ve never seen you this pissed.”
I leaned closely into him. “My banquet isn’t for you to find a nightly conquest with the latest waitress or wannabee actress who falls at your feet. It’s for us to put on a good front for the company. So, you can work, or you can go home. But you won’t use this as your dick’s hunting grounds with the help. If you want to fuck someone, make it someone advantageous, and not someone who’s salary I’m paying.”
“Says the man who keeps staring at her sister,” he said as he lowered his voice.
“Dominik, my man. I thought I’d never find you alone this evening. Seems as if you’re the man of the hour.”
Jackson looked me up and down with his angry glare. “Yeah, Dominik. Seems like you’re the man of the hour.”
I drew in a deep breath through my nose before I turned around. “Mr. Reinbach. I’m so glad you could make it this evening. Tell me, how’s your wife recuperating from—.”
A shriek that rose above the crowd was so deafening and so rattling that my head almost blew through the ceiling. Mr. Reinbach whipped around just as the crowd of people parted and I watched as a young woman tore through the crowd with her mascara dripping down her face.
“Someone, help me! Someone get that bastard!” she exclaimed.
I recognized her but couldn’t recall where I knew her from. Quickly, I walked over and stepped into her path, catching her by her upper arms. She trembled with fury, her eyes darting everywhere as I gazed around the room. What in the hell was she running from? Who did what? Was someone chasing her?
I’m going to kill whoever has hurt this girl.
“What happened?” Jackson asked as he rushed to my side. “Who did what, Lila?”
That’s right. Lila Beauregard, the daughter of one of my colleagues.
She pointed behind her at the same hallway door I had used only moments before to get to my dressing room. “Him!” She cried out between sobs, “He did it!”
As I watched the door swung effortlessly on its hinges, I saw it. I watched as one of the servers emerged from the hallway, carrying a silver tray with broken glasses settled on top of it. The sheepish, pale look on his face boiled my blood. Of course, it was another one of the fucking useless staff members that kept making me regret ever hiring the bullshit caterer I had in the first place. Lila pressed her quivering body into mine, wrapping her arms around me tightly, and as I watched the young man scurry toward the kitchen, my voice settled into a sense of calm.
A calm before the storm, that is.
“Jackson?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Yes?”
The trembling woman that had tucked herself into my side sniffled as she wiped at her dripping makeup. I turned to face her, gripping her shoulders and watching as she shook right there in her heels. Lila was petrified, that much was for certain. And whatever that staff member had done, it was the final straw for me.
That caterer would never see a god damn cent of my money.
“Please,” the crying girl choked out, “you have to believe me.”
“I believe you, Lila, but you have to tell me what’s happened.” I say, trying to keep her tear stained face away from my suit jacket. I didn’t need any more stains that evening.
“Oh, Mr. Drake. I swear it was him! It all happened so fast. I was just using the bathroom and then when I opened the door to leave, he was in my face and pushing me back in! He put his hand on my mouth so I couldn’t scream and he…he…he touched me!” She cried loudly, making everyone in the room gasp and my anger rise.
I may be a bastard, but I don’t stand for men taking advantage of women and abusing them. Especially men that fucking worked for me.
“Where did he touch you?” I growled, and then Lila’s eyes widened, fresh tears pooling in them.
“Under…under my dress, sir. I tried to scream, but his hand was on me so tight, I couldn’t get a noise out.” she weeps into her hands, and I gently hand her to Jackson as I straighten my suit jacket with angry hands.
“Jackson, take her someplace quiet so she can calm down while I take care of this.” I command as I marched toward the kitchen.
