Stay Away from Pleasure

Chapter Four

5:22PM

Finally, I'm not running late, in fact, I'm early. I normally completely wrap up at half past, but I have a few minutes to spare. I might call my parents to check on them. I haven't seen them all year and it's August. They live all the way in Michigan and I'm here in New York, so it's hard to see them especially since I'm always working. With that said, I still call to check in on them at least once every few months. Well, I used to. I haven't called or texted since March.

I pick up my phone to give them a call and Leonard knocks at my office door. I give him a brief nod so he knows that he can come in. He enters with a faint smile on his face and sits in the chair opposite my desk;the one Matt was sitting in a while ago. I haven't seen him since lunch. It kind of hurts.

Leonard helps himself to the almonds I have in a glass bowl on my desk.

"So are you and the boss a thing?" He asks while crunching on the almonds.

"No," I scoff "we are not a thing."

"Good. You wouldn't want to get caught up in that web."

"Web?" I wince at the sound of the shell of the almond crushing as he crunches down hard on the nut.

He takes another handful of almonds "You can't fuck the boss. It's... Wrong."

Closing my eyes, I sigh, "I'm not fucking him."

"Good. That's a sticky web to get out of."

"Don't you mean tricky?"

He walks to the mini fridge and gets a bottle of water, then he returns to his seat.
"Nope. I know what I'm saying. I know men like him."

I frown and cock my head to one side. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I know men. You're a very attractive woman, Liz, and he wants a piece of your cake."

"What?" It's pretty clear what he's getting at, but I need to hear this.

"As soon as he's had his cake, he'll leave the rest, throw it in the trash and won't wash his plate." Leonard says the words with ease and doesn't even show any ounce of compassion for how I may feel about what he's saying, but then again, he doesn't know what has just transpired with me and the boss.

"He'll fuck and leave?" I ask.

"Precisely." He grits, digging a piece of the almond out from between two teeth with his tongue. Matt has much better table manners than this oaf.  

Ignoring, the displeasing sight before me, I feel my eyebrows furrow above my eyes and I try to seem passive as if what he's just said doesn't affect me.

Obviously, I fail.

"You like him." He smiles.

"Yes." I admit.

Knowing I can trust Leonard makes it easy when it comes to talking about this stuff with him. But I cannot deny that watching his smile drop into nothing once I share the honest truth, shone a bright torch in the cave of my compulsions. 

"Don't." He says simply and the light from the torch does its job in guiding me through the darkness.

"How?"

"You're Christian. You know how."

Why does he always say it like that?

Clearing my throat, I ask, "is this why you came by?"

"Yes. I saw him walking by your office. He kept looking through the window and he was staring at you since around 11AM."

Holy fuck! My eyes practically pop out of my head. He was watching me, stalking me, like prey. 

Well that's disturbing.

"I know. It's fucked up. Don't trust him and please don't sleep with him."

Why is he saying this? Leonard is a good friend in and out of work but he shouldn't be this adamant on me staying away from Matt. Also that emphasis on please. He knows how I feel about the subject yet he still said it. almost as if Matt can change my mind, can change me

Well, he's done it before.

Maybe I should mention the texts? Maybe I should mention this morning in Matt's office?

No, that's too much.

"I won't do that." I purse my lips and lower my voice a little, "do you know a lot about Matt?"

He adjusts his posture and leans his elbows on my desk and drinks his water. "I know he's demoted at least half a dozen women. He just does it without a word or a second glass. I think he's got a serious problem."

Oh fuck! He doesn't like me working as the marketing director. I am really young... and female. He would've fired me by now, though?

"He won't do that to me. If he was going to, he would've already."

Nonchalantly, he leans back on the chair.

"Maybe. However, you are the marketing director and everyone on this floor answers to you, technically. You're a harder target and everyone here respects you massively. He'll need something good to get rid of you."

"What do you think he's trying to do?"

"I don't know, but I'm onto him. Don't mention this conversation to him by the way."

"Of course. Neither do you."

"Absolutely!" He stands "I really think you should be careful around him. There's something really off about him."

"Ok. Thank you." I stand and hug him.

"No problem. Do you need a ride home?"

"No, I'm okay. Bye."

He hugs me and kisses my cheek, but takes a little longer than usual to let go. After sighing deeply, he finally does and then leaves.

Well that's interesting. This mystery person that's been texting me and Leonard both believe there's something off about Matt and that I shouldn't trust him. Now I just need to find out who this person texting me is.

I grab my phone and text back the number.

I text:
I don't know who you are, but I think we should meet up in person to talk about Legato.

Almost immediately, I get a response. It says:

I agree. Let's meet for lunch tomorrow at 12PM sharp in that café you always go to for breakfast. Find me in the green cap.

How does this person know what café I go to?

I reply:
See you there.

No reply.

I know. Stranger danger and everything, but I'm letting a stranger take me on a date and grab me like I'm a rag doll.

Damn I sound weak.

If Leonard is right, then Matt is only using me for sex, then he'll probably report me and get me fired.

If I get too close, he'll know my weaknesses. He'll destroy me. I'll get close instead, but he's going to be the weak one. Besides, I have an advantage. As a Christian girl with a strict father, all I've been taught is the way of God and, most importantly, no sex before marriage whatsoever. That'll make it easier to resist him, but he'll know that. He's going to pull out all the tricks tonight, but I'll be ready. I'll be ready.

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A/N

I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Let me know what you think by commenting and give this chapter a vote if you liked it!

Thanks for reading this chapter!

- Eve