* * * *
Her blood felt as if it were boiling as she slammed the door to her small office that she shared with Teressa and Michelle.
“Oh no, what the hell happened?” Michelle asked immediately.
“I don’t think she got the promotion,” Teressa added.
“Fuck no, I didn’t!”
“Oh no,” Teressa replied.
“What happened?” Michelle asked Stacy.
“Two words, ladies…Debbi Dogstyle.”
Both Teressa and Michelle covered their mouths and gasped.
“No,” Teressa exclaimed.
Stacy nodded her head as she paced the office. She looked at her desk and all the crap from the Monroe account. She cringed just thinking about all the hours she spent working her ass off to get the promotion that she deserved. She missed parties, visits with her best friend Anna, and time exercising or doing what she wanted to do. All because she thought she was a shoo-in for the promotion.
“So what happened? What did that bitch do, steal your fucking promotion?” Michelle asked, sounding just as outraged as Stacy. However, before Stacy came into the office, Don had shared some inside information with Stacy. He told her that Michelle and Teressa had helped Debbi gain access to Stacy’s information on the Monroe account. Apparently Debbi had called the Monroes and told them that all the ideas were her own not Stacy’s and that Stacy had stolen them from her. Of course Curty was in on it, that little weasel, and Stacy was fed up.
“Why don’t you all tell me, ladies? Considering that the two of you have been sneaking around my desk and stealing information to give to Debbi and Curty.”
The two women turned a bright shade of guilty red, and despite the upset, Stacy felt drained. She just couldn’t stand the anger and upset any longer.
“Stacy, we didn’t.”
Stacy turned toward Michelle and gave her the meanest look, and immediately Michelle closed her mouth. The two women looked at one another then left the room.
Stacy was furious. A thousand thoughts went through her mind.
What am I going to do now? I can’t take the lying, the cheating and backstabbing, and all the bullshit associated with the business.
There was a knock at the door, and before she could tell the person to enter, the door was opening. In walked Barry Weiner, the CEO of Mercer.
Fucking A!
This wasn’t good at all.
“Hello, Miss Porter. I believe we have some things to discuss.” He stated then crossed his arms in front of his chest. The man was feared by the entire staff at Mercer. He rarely even acknowledged her presence in the past year working here until recently. He knew damn well that she was the one who landed the Monroe account and did all the work. Maybe he was here to help her and tell her that he was on her side.
“Sure, Mr. Weiner, come on in.”
He closed the door behind him and smiled.
Taking a few steps forward and closing the space between them, he now stood a few feet in front of her.
“I am disappointed in you, Ms. Porter. I had high hopes for you in my company.”
Stacy felt instantly sick to her stomach. Her last bit of hope just evaporated in front of her.
“But, Mr. Weiner, I can explain what happened—”
He raised his hand up for her to go no further. His fancy cufflinks sparkled against the rays of sun shining through the small window. She swallowed hard. The man had so much money it was insane. Even his shoes cost more than her shitty monthly rent.
“I don’t want to hear it. Curty explained how Debbi was the one working on the Monroe project all this time and how you tried to steal her ideas.”
“That’s a lie! I was the one working on the account. I was the one who spent weeks preparing all the materials and ideas for the advertising contract. Look at my desk.”
Stacy directed her hand toward her desk for him to look, but his eyes never left her. She was so upset that she was shaking as she begged the tears not to fall. She wasn’t going to act like a weak, blubbering woman. Men like Barry Weiner despised such behavior. She had to remain strong, but as she began to explain her side of the story, her emotions were getting the best of her. She carried on and was nearly in tears by the time she realized that Mr. Weiner was holding her hand.
“Calm down, Ms. Porter. Maybe there’s a way that we can work this out.”
Stacy tensed up at the look in her boss’s eyes.
Mr. Weiner was not what she would call an attractive man. He had evil-looking dark-gray eyes. He was in his forties, was muscular, since he worked out in the gym downstairs every day during lunchtime, and he was egotistical. If there was a mirror around for him to glance at himself in, he would.
His hand slowly crept up her arm to the bend in her elbow. His hand was massive compared to her arms. She felt uncomfortable and stiffened at his touch.
Instinctively she took a step back only for him to take another step toward her.
“It’s okay, kitten. Don’t be scared. I know I’m a lot more experienced than you are, and it’s partly why I’m interested in taking you under my wing.”
He ran his index finger along her cheek and across her jaw. The sleeve of his suit jacket grazed her shoulder, and instantly she was concerned. The intense smell of his expensive cologne attacked her senses. She was acutely aware of everything around her. The sunlight filtering through the room, the eerie quietness as the sound of her beating heart echoed in her ears. She absorbed his heavy breathing and the sheer bulkiness of his body.
“I’ve been watching you for quite some time and understand that you feel you’ve worked hard to receive a promotion here, but things work differently in the business world, kitten. A gorgeous young woman like you needs a mentor to show her the ropes. You need protection.” As he spoke the words, his dark eyes roamed over her body, causing a shiver of fear and dirtiness.
“Protection from what?” she asked, still unsure what the hell direction this conversation was going in. He took a step closer, invading her space and making her instinctively step back again. But then she hit the desk behind her. She placed her hands back so that she wouldn’t fall as Barry took up the small space in front of her.
In an instant his hand was at her waist and his other hand against her cheek.
“Whoa, kitten, don’t be so skittish. I promise to take things slow with you and show you the ropes.” He chuckled as he held her gaze. His gray eyes held a look of evil, and her gut clenched with fear. He was a large man. Most were, compared to her, and she didn’t want more problems. His hard fingertips pressed against the corner of her lip and her jaw. She was shocked and utterly confused.
“What are you talking about? What do you want from me?” she asked and tried to put some distance between herself and her boss. Her temples began to pound, and her palms became sweaty. She was shaking as she tried to remain calm. She attempted to inch away from him. She didn’t want to jump to conclusions. Her boss wouldn’t force himself on her or make sexual advances despite any rumors she had heard over the past few months about others in the building.
Would he?
This was all just a big misunderstanding. But he wouldn’t allow her to move away from him as he snagged her around the waist and pulled her up against his chest as if he had every right to. Mr. Weiner was just short of six feet, but compared to her five-feet-five-inch frame, he was way bigger.
“It’s time you earned your promotion like the others have.”
Oh crap!
Before she could react, he covered her mouth with his own and wrapped his slimy arms around her, squeezing her tightly. His hold nearly took her breath away. Her arms were secured under the muscles of his much larger ones. Her breasts pushed upwards, causing pain by her ribs and under her armpits. She struggled for release and for a breath as his tongue plunged into her mouth. She wanted to hurl, to scream for help, but his hold was strong. Coffee and tobacco filled her mouth and saltiness from the tears that rolled down her cheeks. She had heard of men taking women and forcing them to succumb to their demands in the work place. But she never thought she would be a victim. She figured by denying sexual advances from Curtis and all together keeping her personal life and professional life separate that others would get the hint. She grew up on the city streets of New York and had survived the common criminal element. She’d never prepared herself for this. His hands began to move all over her body, from her ass to her back then over her breasts. He released her lips to breathe as she shoved her hands between them and against his chest. She was never so scared in her entire life.
“Please stop! Don’t do this!” she yelled as he lifted her body and shoved her on top of the desk. Things toppled onto the floor, and the silkiness of her skirts caused her to slide right into the position he wanted her in. Stacy was in complete panic mode as she reached around her desk for something to stop him.
“Fuck, you have the biggest tits. Where have you been hiding these, kitten?” he asked, breathing heavy as he grabbed her breasts hard. Her spine wedged against the wood, and in this awkward position, there was nothing to grab or use to fight him off.
She swatted his hands away then attempted to shove him back, but he was a big man and stronger than her.
“Stop this! I don’t want this!” she exclaimed.
“Sure you do. You just need someone to show you,” he replied as he ripped her blouse open. With his hands at her breasts and his eyes zoned in on her abundant breasts, she made a move.
Stacy scrambled off the desk and screamed for help. Mr. Weiner struck her across the cheek, making her fall to the floor. She scrambled to move, but he pulled her from the floor by her hair and slammed her back against the desk. Her shoulder hit the pointed edge, causing a massive shot of pain to radiate through her body. She screamed again as he grabbed her face between his hands and squeezed.
“Shut up! If you know what’s good for you, you’ll shut up and do what I say.”
Her temper flared. “Fuck you!” she yelled then shoved against him. She was not going to take this shit anymore. She was done with Mercer Enterprises. She was done taking shit from chauvinistic men who believed they could make women spread their legs. She was a college graduate. She was on her own all these years because she was tough and independent. She wasn’t selling out now.
He gripped her shoulders and stared at her with his dark, evil-looking eyes.
“No one is going to help you.”
“I’ll scream!” she retorted, refusing to back down from his control.
“It won’t matter. No one will come to your aid. I make the rules, and I sign the paychecks.” He practically snarled at her then just as quickly he gave her a small smile and loosened his hold on her arms.
“I’m trying to be patient. You really don’t know how powerful I am or how miserable I can make your life. I’ve been watching you for quite some time, Stacy. I’ve waited long enough.”
She could tell that he was telling the truth. She wasn’t stupid. Practically growing up on the streets with her friend Anna, Stacy learned a lot. This guy could destroy her. Maybe he was the one sending messages and packages to her?
“I don’t want any more trouble. I won’t tell anyone about this. Just please leave me alone.” She attempted to pull from his grasp, but Mr. Weiner squeezed tighter as he pressed his body against hers.
He attempted to force her body over the desk again as he groped her breasts with his other hand. In a quick motion he had her body pressed over the desk. Her breasts hit the wooden top, and her ass was up in the air as he pushed her down, keeping her in place. She struggled to grab something to stop him, and then she felt his erection between the material and against her ass cheeks.
“Please stop! I don’t want this,” she cried out as she struggled to get up. He was groping her as he held her face down against the table. She was scared as her mind tried to focus on a way to escape.
“You have a great ass, Miss Porter. You better get ready to be in this position often. You’re going to be my number one girl,” he stated through clenched teeth against her ear and neck. His heavy body pressed over her, nearly taking her breath away. She felt smothered, restricted, and trapped. She was scared out of her mind. He began to slowly push her skirt up and over her ass. He released her head and neck so he could use both hands to feel her ass and massage each globe. He leaned his body over hers, using his legs to spread her wider. The sick fuck was going to rape her right here in the middle of the day, in the middle of the office with all those people right outside the door. Hadn’t anyone heard her screams or the scuffle? She felt ready to hurl and almost ready to give in. He was just too damn strong. Then he sniffed her hair. She smelled his disgusting breath. She felt his hard erection against her ass cheeks and his thick, strong thighs. She wasn’t going to go out like this. Not without a fight and not without her dignity. That was when she made her move. In an instant she raised her head up fast and hard and stunned him a moment, hitting him in the jaw. It was enough time to roll to her back and kick him in the groin. She moved so quickly that her shin awkwardly hit his crotch instead of her knee. With anger and strength she swung her forearm forward and hit him directly in his nose. Blood splattered as he stepped back, stunned and momentarily unguarded.
Jumping off the desk, she took another shot at him. This time, she punched him in his gut. Her anger, the adrenaline, and the fear filtered through her body as she struck him again. A right fist directly to the nose that was already broken and then another one to his jaw. He remained holding his nose as she pulled open the office door to find numerous faces staring back at her. She grabbed Mr. Weiner and shoved him out of the room.