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Victorious, I smiled and stepped to one side, motioning for her to pass. “After you, Fiona.”
Fiona’s pinched her lips together and shot me a quick look, barely restraining her anger. In its place, she flashed a sarcastic grin as she stood. Filled with disdain, she passed by me in a rush and offered a curt ‘excuse me’ as she did.
I nodded at Amanda and Melissa. “See to it you handle her tasks.”
They nodded, and after receiving assurances they would, I followed Fiona as we both made our way out of the lab and back to my office. As she reached the door, she shoved it open with a forceful push, but before it could slam closed, I reached it. Soon after, I narrowed the distance between us and placed my hand in the small of Fiona’s back.
She pulled away.
FIONA
I had everything to lose but when it got right down to it, there was something I’d never give him… my self-respect. I was determined to protect myself at any cost. My career was too important.
As we exited the elevator, I followed Gabe to his office, and as we passed by Holly’s desk, it looked as if she’d gone home for the day.
“Where is Holly?”
“Don’t worry about it,” he growled. “Keep moving.”
I swallowed and tugged my hair behind my ears. If this was how he wanted to handle it, then so be it. I readied myself for a fight. I walked into the office ahead of Gabe, and a moment or so later, he followed behind me, slamming the office door as he did. The sound frightened me. I stopped and turned to face him.
I recoiled a bit as he moved towards me. Late afternoon shadows crawled across Gabe’s angry expression like an assassin’s fingers.
Frozen in place by a mix of fear and anger, I began to speak. “Gabe, I…”
“No,” he said with a stern tone. “Shut up, Fiona. Don’t say a word.”
His demeanor turned serious.
“If you ever refuse to come again when I tell you, so help me I’ll…”
Remembering my promise to fight him, I furrowed my brow in protest and cut him off. “You’ll what, Gabe?”
He raised his index finger and wagged it at me. “Watch it, Fiona.”
“No, Gabe. No,” I said with a stomp of my foot. My fingers curled into hard balls of flesh. “I will not just be at your beck and call whenever you please. That’s the real reason I’m here isn’t it? I’m just your little sex toy and you’ve got an itch that needs scratching. Well, that’s not okay with me. Do you understand? I’m beginning to wonder if anything you’ve told me about my ability is true!”
With his head tilted down at me, Gabe flashed his tongue from between his closed lips. “I’m not lying to you about your ability, Fiona.”
“Then why do I feel that way?”
He remained still, tense. “I have no idea. That’s a question you have to answer for yourself. Your insecurities aren’t my problem. Look, if you’re too afraid, too timid, to grab your chance and shake the fuck out of it until it gives you what you want, that’s something you’ll have to deal with. I’m not you’re fucking Daddy, and I’m certainly not someone who is ever going to take shit from you. Consider yourself warned, Fiona. You have no idea who you are fucking with.”
I swallowed hard and did my best to steel myself against his threats. “I am not going to be bullied by you, Gabe.”
Gabe wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. He stepped towards me, stopping not more than a foot from my face. Heat from his nostrils brushed against my cheek as he accosted me.
“Fiona,” he began with a low growl. “You don’t know the first thing about what a real bully is. Trust me when I say, you’ve got it made here. Now if you don’t like the opportunity I’ve given you, then you’re free to go. But don’t ever say something to me like that. Not ever again.”
I hesitated for a moment as his threat lingered in my ear.
“Or what?” I said with a low tone.
“What?”
Gabe moved to within inches, swallowing my personal space like a predator at the top of the food chain. “What did you say?”
From a place I didn’t know existed… somewhere beyond my rational awareness, a tiny ember stirred inside of me. No matter what the risk, I felt as though I had to push him, see this through. It was the closest thing I’d ever experienced to real danger and… it thrilled me. Goosebumps prickled down my backside. I folded my lips inward in defiance. Lowering my head, but not my gaze, I glared up towards Gabe locking my eyes on his.
“I said… What. Are you. Going to do about it?”
As soon as I finished speaking, Gabe snatched me by the upper arms and drove me back towards his desk.
