At Her Boss's Mercy

Chapter 13 Say Please

It was a Friday morning when Julia stepped into Santiago industries, a pale comparison to the Julia who had entered some months ago. A fitted black pants suit adorned her figure that showed each and every one of her curves, she wore a red silk shirt beneath her jacket that emphasized her creamy colored skin. Her hair was combed back, its natural curl adding volume and defining her eyes. She smiled with red lips and clutched her bag closer to her side. She felt confident; nothing could stop her from being the empowered woman she had trained to be yesterday evening. Soft clicks were heard on the tiles as she made her way to the office. She took a deep breath once, twice, entered and then froze.

            Something told her to look away, to just back away and leave them but she could not, her feet felt cemented to the floor. Her eyes roved over the muscled back of Gabriel pressed up against her desk with Erica’s hands intertwined in his hair. She close her eyes wishing it to be a dream some illusion but she knew in her heart it could not be. “Come on Julie you can do this,” she tried to encourage herself. Someone cleared their throat and it was then that she realized that her eyes were still closed. They shot open and met the floor. It was better than meeting his cold gaze that she knew could petrify her. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled before stepping back and closing the door. “No!” her brain screamed. She had to do something, “hide no uhhh!” she felt exasperated.

            “Come on think,” her mind screamed. Her feet led her away from the office and towards the mail room, she might be safe there until he found her but she could hide right. She threw open the door and went straight for the back. She could help with the stamps and she would get a good view of who came into the room without being seen herself. Her hands shakily shifted through a pile of letters as she scanned the room, no one noticed her yet. Around 9:30 she began to relax thinking that he had just given up until the intercom came to life. “Julia Hastings report to the main office now, Julia Hastings… she froze as all eyes turned to her. “No!” she gasped.

            It might have taken some time for her to get out of the mailing room and stroll down to his office. She did not know what to expect, maybe he would fire her for barging in,” she thought suddenly losing her apartment and going back home did not sound too bad. Her hands trembled as she knocked on his door. “Come in,” a deep voice said. She swallowed and opened the door. She had promised herself that she would keep her head down and avoid his eyes no matter what he told her. She entered and stood in front of the door her eyes downcast. The room was silent for a while until her spoke. “Well where the heck have you been?” he almost shouted. Julia cringed and stepped back. “I…I’m sorry,” she muttered. He was silent again and she might have looked up if he did not continue. “Well these files won’t do themselves,” he said. She nodded still looking at the floor. The scene of him pressed up against her desk this morning came to her and she shut her eyes. “Are you ok?” he asked. She nodded and then before he could speak again she was striding across the room to her desk.

            Her hands found the files and she pulled her chair as far away from him as she could and that he would not notice. She opened the first file and started to read through. She was glad that he did not mention what happened. Around mid morning he stopped what he was doing and she could sense him staring at her. She ignored the feeling and continued on until he spoke. “How long do you intend to ignore me?” he asked. “I’m sorry,” she blurted out and tried to refocus but his arm slid across the table and dropped on the file she was reading. She knew he wanted her to look at him but she could not, she would not. “What happened this morning…” she gulped as he spoke. “It was nothing really so you don’t have to be embarrassed,” he said.

            She glanced away. “Listen to me,” he said and she stiffened as he caught her arm. She flinched but he did not let go. “I won’t let go till you look at me, only then will I know that you have accepted my apology,” he said. Her eyes widened at his words. Did he just apologize, the vain…. She smiled but did not look up. His grip tightened as she tried to pull away. “Let me go,” she said. She could sense him smirking that stupid smirk. “I won’t until I get what I want,” he said. She inhaled and suddenly all her revulsion against him was in front of her, everything that he had done that had somehow caused a stir within her. Her eyes blazed with rage as she looked up into his. He was smirking just as she had thought. His grip did not loosen as he said he would instead he pulled her towards him. She gasped and tried to push him back. “You sick…. Her words blurred as he laughed a deep velvety laugh that broke her cry for a moment. “Ask me nicely,” he said. She pushed against him but he held on strong. If it was one thing she never did was giving up and right now he was challenging her. “You’re hurting me,” she bit out. His gaze fell to her stomach and he released her instantly. She drew back her hand and rubbed her wrists. “I’m sorry,” he said and got up. She stared as he walked past the desk and out of the room. For a moment she thought that telling him she was pregnant was probably a good idea.