Chapter 6: Let go

At five o’clock I knock on Jame’s office door.

“I’m about to leave, do you need something before I go, sir?” I ask shyly. 

“Why? Because you have been so useful so far?” He replies rudely. 

I clench my fists. This man is a jerk! 

“Have a pleasant afternoon, sir,” I mumble as I exit his office. 

I have to make a real effort not to groan in anger. I walk to the elevators still filled with rage. Once I step out of the glass office building my heart stops. Alex Ricci is standing on the other side of the sidewalk staring directly at me. I take a step back instinctively, trying to go back to the safety of the front lobby, but my back hits against something. 

“Be careful!” I hear Julia's annoying voice behind me.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you, Mrs. Anderson,” I apologize nervously as I watch Alex out of the corner of my eye. 

“Of course you didn’t. You can’t do anything right, Emma!” Julia replies. “You are utterly incompetent. Don’t think I didn’t hear about you working for Leopold Beckett. I seriously don’t know what Sylvia was thinking about when she made that bad decision, but you won’t last a week there,” she says maliciously.  

I would try to reply something witty, but I’m too concerned with the man staring at me from the other side of the sidewalk and, also, I can’t be sure she is not right... giving how unpleasant Leopold Beckett is, I can’t assure her this is going to be a steady job.

“And don’t you dare try to flirt with him! I know many girls around the office try to seduce him, but he is way out of your league... I mean, just look at him! He goes out with a different supermodel every night. You, plain-looking Emma, have no chance with a man like Leopold Beckett, so don’t even think about it, you silly girl.” 

 I say nothing back at her, instead I start walking away from Julia. I try to reach the nearest subway station as fast as I can, it’s only two blocks away. I walk hastily, but I don’t run, I don’t want to draw attention towards me. Unfortunately, when I discreetly turn my head I notice Alex is following me closely. He looks strange with his many tattoos and leather jacket among the sea of suited office workers heading home after a long workday. 

What does he want? I thought we had an agreement, five months, and then we will give them the 40,000 we are missing. We still have three more months left to gather the money! My heart is beating really fast. I pick up the pace, I’ve almost reached the subway station, I turn my head, but Alex has disappeared. I sigh relieved until I feel someone clasping my left arm. 

“Looking for someone, baby girl?” Alex whispers in my ear. “Were you wondering where I was?”

Hearing his voice sends a chill down my spine. 

“What do you want, Alex?” I ask him terrified. 

“I wanted to see if you were trying to come up with my money,” he says still holding my arm tightly. 

“You just asked me a few days ago... I already told you, I am...” I mumble with a trembling voice. 

“Good...” Alex takes one step forward to be closer to me and then he sniffs my hair. “Mmmm you smell nice, baby girl... I wish you would consider my offer, that way you wouldn’t have to worry about the money anymore, you would just have to worry about pleasing me...”

His suggestion gives me nausea. How dare he? 

“Please, let go of me, Alex,” I say disgusted. “I already told you, I am not that kind of girl.”

“Playing hard to get, baby girl? I kind of like that,” Alex says amused.  

“I will get your money, but if you don’t let go of my arm right this second I will start screaming,” I warn him trying to hide how scared I really feel. 

Alex tightens his grip around my arm, causing me pain, and then pulls hard to force me to turn around to face him. The move is so swift pedestrians around us don’t notice it, everyone is too busy chatting with each other or looking at her phones. 

“Was that an attempt to threaten me, Emma?” He asks with a wry smile. 

Our faces are so close I can feel his breath on my skin. It is surprisingly fresh, minty, it’s like he just brushed his teeth or chewed gum. 

“You are hurting me, Alex,” I tell him frightened. “Let go of me.” 

“Kiss me and I’ll let go of you,” he says still smiling. 

Every muscle in my body clenches. 

“No,” I state firmly. 

Alex leans forward, he is kissing me anyway, so I turn my head to the side quickly. Alex ends up kissing my cheek instead of my mouth. I close my eyes as I feel the pressure of his lips against my skin.

“Let go of me or I’ll scream,” I say again angrily, but still terrified of him.  

Alex twists his mouth downward, he is clearly upset with my threat and the fact that I dodged his kiss. After considering it for a few seconds, he lets go of my arm. 

“Fine, as you wish... but this won’t be the last time we meet and you know it. I’ll keep an eye on you, baby girl... and I will make you mine, no matter how much you resist...” he says in a menacing voice before walking away. 

My legs are shaking. I get goosebumps just thinking about his words. I hate that this awful man knows I exist. It takes me a minute to be able to walk again, I get to the subway station and ride back home without being able to shake the fear off of me.