David laughed, and my shoulders sagged in defeat once I knew my plan wasn’t going to work. “I don’t care about my company. I care about being the best. Having you, apparently, will make that happen. Once
we
happen, I’ll be known all over the papers and Adrian will be known as the man who had his heart broken.”
I clenched my teeth at the thought of David having satisfaction over Adrian’s misery. “
WE
are only going to happen
over my dead body.
” I clenched my fists in frustration before making my move and exiting the kitchen in a sprint.
“ROBERT!” David called out angrily once he realised I had escaped the small area.
I let out a small whimper as the name registered in my mind and only managed to take two more steps before a bulky pair of arms trapped me in the position I was in.
“You shouldn’t try running from him anymore,” Robert murmured into my ear quickly, before David walked into the living room. “Just do as he says and you’d be able to leave.”
“You can’t run from me, Emily.” David smiled coldly once he set eyes on my captured figure.
“Please let me go,” I begged, weighing out my options in my head. I had no other method of escape, especially with Fabio keeping me in place.
“Give me what I want and I can arrange for that to happen,” David replied with a casual shrug.
“No, anything else. Anything,” I pleaded, feeling my eyes grow glassy from the tears forming in them.
David began to walk towards me, and smiled icily once he was inches away. “You can leave now, Robert. Let her go,” he ordered, keeping his gaze on mine the entire time.
I felt Robert’s arms slowly loosen their grip around my body before his entire torso detached itself from my back and he walked back to his position near the door.
David instantly grabbed a hold of my wrist and pulled me into his own crisp suit; the icy smile never faltering on his face. “I’m so glad you’re finally warming up to me, Sunshine.”
“Go to hell,” I spat, trying to worm myself out of his grip.
“Not without having my way with you first.” His other arm began to encircle itself around my waist as he trapped both my arms in a death grip with one hand.
“I’ll try not being too rough.” He chuckled, before I felt his stiff lips come into contact with my neck.
I instantly began to wrench my way out of his grip again, making him pull away with a frustrated growl. “If you try to fucking move one more time, I’ll use more than my hands to keep you in place.” He snarled, before I felt a stinging pain pulse through my right cheek.
I let out a pained scream before my lips became muffled by a pair of stiff ones. Tears instantly sprang to my eyes and David’s lips forcefully moved against mine in an attempt to get a response back, but I pressed my lips tightly together to keep them from touching his and to help with keeping the tears as concealed as possible.
David pulled away, looking even angrier than before, before his phone began to vibrate in his suit jacket pocket. Unexpectedly, he shoved me against the wall; making my head bang against the tough brick roughly as he pinned me down and answered the call. “What do you want?” he snarled harshly into the phone.
Muffled voices spoke at a rapid pace before David’s pissed-off expression transformed to one of worry. “I’ll be there in 5 minutes. Stall them.” He pressed the ‘end call’ button and shoved the phone pack into his pocket in frustration, before meeting my eyes again. “Looks like it’s your lucky day, Sunshine. I have to go and take care of a little problem downstairs. I’ll be back soon.”
He forced another kiss onto my lips before roughly pushing me back against the wall and leaving the hotel room completely.
I stared at the door in shock for a few moments before the tears I had been trying to keep in for the past week instantly burst out of my eyes; forming a puddle on my cheeks as the sobs took over my body entirely.
I slid down to the floor and pulled my knees into my body as I tried to control the overwhelming feelings of sadness and defeat that were controlling the tears coming out of my eye sockets. What would Adrian think or do once he finds out?
A loud commotion suddenly sounded from the other side of the door; making me scramble to my feet instantly in fear as all my thoughts were put on hold in the back of my mind already.
Was he already back?
My mind instantly set into panic mode as I backed away from the door as far as I could as the silver knob twisted.
He walked in with an angered expression that instantly dropped once his gaze settled on me again. My heart stopped beating and I blinked back in shock.
“The name’s Bond. James Bond.”
“Adrian,” I breathed in disbelief, looking him over once more to make sure his presence was real.
“Come on, Shortcake, you could’ve gone along with it! You know, since I actually did some investigating and all.” He sent an arrogant grin in my direction before stepping out of the doorway.
“Actually,” a new but familiar voice added, “
I
did all the investigating while
you
were an annoying, whiny little brat that was sulking about not having Emily around the entire time,” Allen brought up flatly.
“Shut up mate,” Adrian replied, flipping Allen off before bringing his attention back to me. He lifted up his arms and raised an eyebrow. “Well? Don’t I at least get a hug? Honestly Shortcake, I’m feeling like this whole missing each other thing is really one sided at the moment; and we all know how false that statement is.”
“This is the part where Emily rolls her eyes and says ‘
still the same egotistical asshole, even after just finding his hot girlfriend after a week’,
and then we all agree, and then you two kiss and we get out of this creepy hotel room. Seriously it looks like it was taken out of the Victorian Era and placed into the 21
st
century. Does this guy have any decent taste in furnisher?” Another familiar voice asked in revulsion.
My eyes left Adrian’s smiling face as they found their way to Amy’s disgusted expression as she poked at the flower patterned sofa she was standing beside. She looked up at me and her expression instantly fell into a lazy grin. “Hurry up and hug your boyfriend before he starts whining again.”
Allen groaned. “Don’t get him started on that. He’ll start describing how he hugs her again and what parts he squeezes just to make her gasp and get turned on which initially leads to them having sex.”
“He did
what
?!” I exclaimed with wide eyes, looking over to Adrian with a mortified expression.
“I missed you?” he tried with a sheepish grin.
I felt the corners of my mouth pull up into a grin before running into his arms, wrapping my legs around his hips and pulling him in for a long, lingering kiss on the lips.
Allen and Amy instantly began groaning at our kiss, and we pulled away laughing.
“How did you find me?” I asked curiously as Adrian’s grip tightened itself around my waist once we pulled away.
“That fucking idiot left his location accuracy on when he sent a super creepy photo of you sleeping before we found you. We tracked it straight away and walked in just as David left.” Adrian scoffed arrogantly as we both tried to get our breathing under control again.
“Thank you.” I breathed, tightening my own grip around his torso as I buried my face into the crook of his neck
His familiar scent engulfed my senses, and for the first time in a while, I finally felt safe.
Chapter Twenty-n
ine
“Tell me about your current mood.”
“Annoyed,” I replied through gritted teeth, sending a glare in Adrian’s direction. “Because my idiot of a boyfriend thinks I need therapy when I’ve told him countless times that I’m
fine
and do not
need
it.”
He ignored my response. “Answer Dr. Palmer’s question.”
“I did!” I exclaimed in exasperation.
“No, you responded sarcastically and aimed the answer at me. Is that a sign that she’s been mentally traumatised?” Adrian asked with a worried grimace as he turned his attention back to the therapist in front of us.
Dr. Palmer just smiled coolly after looking in between the both of us. “No, Mr. Kingston. Everything looks fine with Emily, and your support is playing a big role in that.”
Adrian smirked. “I think it’s more the sex that I’m giving her that’s playing a role.”
“Adrian!” I exclaimed, feeling my cheeks burn up in mortification. “Can we
please
leave? I need to start dinner for my parents,” I brought up anxiously, trying to steer the conversation away from the road it was heading in.
“Oh, I forgot about that. Can’t you tell them to come another day? I wanted to eat MacDonald’s.” Adrian pouted, getting off the brown leather sofa sulkily.
“Sure. As long as you call up my mom and tell her the reason behind cancelling the first dinner she’s had with her daughter since she was kidnapped,” I replied smugly, also getting off the sofa.
Adrian cringed at my condition. “Dinner with the in-laws sounds great!” he cheered sarcastically.
“I assume this is the first and last session you’re having with me?” Dr. Palmer spoke up, amusement lacing her tone.
I smiled guiltily. “Yes, it is. I really am fine; he’s just overacting and brought me here by force.” I sent another glare in Adrian’s direction, who was smirking at my reaction.
“It’s better to be safe than sorry, Shortcake.” Adrian wrapped an arm around my waist.
“Thank you for your time. I’m so sorry for wasting it,” I told Dr. Palmer, who was still smiling at both Adrian and me.
“Oh sweetie, it’s fine. You didn’t waste it at all; in fact, this was actually one of my funniest sessions with a client.”
“Because of me, obviously. Emily wouldn’t know humour if it hit her in the face with a French glove,” Adrian scoffed arrogantly.
“Shut up.” I scowled, glaring up at him again.
He smirked in response and placed a quick peck on my lips before I was able to pull away. He grinned at himself in satisfaction when I scowled at him.
“Asshole.”
“I didn’t think you’d want to try it, Shortcake. The heart wants what it wants though-”
“Stop!” I shrieked, flushing in mortification once again at his suggestion and at the fact that he was speaking so openly about it in front of Dr. Palmer.
“Why? Don’t worry about it Shortcake,” Adrian said, as if he was able to read my mind. “There’s that whole doctor-patient confidentiality thing that I had to sign for us, Dr. Palmer won’t say anything to anyone.”
I groaned and shook my head at his argument. “Let’s leave
now
,
please.”
He chuckled. “Okay, okay; no need to get your panties in a twist. I like to do that for you.” He smirked.
“LEAVE, ADRIAN.” I yelled, not wanting Dr. Palmer to hear any more of the conversation.
“It was nice to meet you, Emily!” Dr. Palmer called out in amusement.
“You too!” I replied, still humiliated over the conversation she had just witnessed.
“She’s nice,” Adrian commented, an amused smirk appearing on his lips.
“You’re dead,” I warned through gnashed teeth, punching his chest.
“Ouch. You’ve taken the life out of me with that punch. I cannot go on any longer. Help me. Save me,” Adrian responded in a dead pan voice matched with a flat look.
I scowled in response before furiously pressing the elevator button.
“I think I should take you back in there so we can sort out your anger management issues,” Adrian observed.
“I think you should shut up before I knee you where the sun don’t shine.” I smiled sweetly, before looking straight ahead.
“Oh, I see. It’s almost that time of the month, isn’t it?” Adrian asked, bending down so that his face was levelled with my own.
I glared at his amused expression. “Don’t push me,” I warned.
“Don’t. Push. Me. Cos’. I’m. Close. To. The edge,” Adrian recited, stretching his arms out in a DJ move.
A smile forced its way onto my lips and I shook my head at his goofiness. “Idiot.”
He grinned happily and pulled me in for another kiss on the lips just as the elevator doors sprung open. Once he pulled away, he looked into the small silver box before looking back at me with a smirk. “What do you say to some elevator se-”
“No,” I responded flatly, not bothering to wait for him to finish the sentence.
“You’re boring.” He pouted.
“You’re annoying,” I replied in a monotone.
“You love me.” He smirked arrogantly. Once I didn’t reply to that, his smirk fell instantly. “You love me, right?” he asked with a worried expression.
I kept my face blank as I turned to answer him. “I don’t know Adrian, lately… well, I’m just not feeling it…” I trailed off, giving him a sympathetic look and attempting not to laugh at his look of disbelief.
“What the hell do you mean by that?” he exclaimed angrily, turning to face me fully. “You have to love me; I love you!”
“Yes, I know you do, it’s just that-”
“It’s just nothing. We’re getting married,” Adrian cut me off.
“I-”
“No, I mean it. There is nothing stopping us from getting married. I don’t ever want to lose you and I’m ready to settle down with you by my side.” Adrian growled.
I blinked back at him in shock momentarily before placing a hand on his cheek. “I don’t ever want to lose you either, but this is something you have to think long and hard about. We can talk about this another time. I was kidding before, I do love you.” I mumbled, giving him a small smile.
I watched as he frowned slightly before grunting and looking away. “Whatever,” he snapped.
I sighed. “Adrian.”
“No, Emily. I don’t know how much more open I can be with you; and you just turn it down like it was an everyday conversation.”
“No, I don’t!” I insisted. “I know how hard it is for you to talk about this kind of stuff, I do. And I’m not saying no, either! It’s just that… well now, in an elevator… isn’t exactly the right time.”
Adrian stayed silent for a few moments before sighing. “You’re right. Come on, let’s go start up on that dinner. We can talk about this another time.”
***
“Are you sure this is the right apartment?” I asked nervously, glancing at Amy who was tapping her thumbs to the beat of the music playing too loudly in the car.
She let out an exasperated sigh before nodding. “Yes! Now go up there and
apologise to the girl and give her, her job back! You owe
that
much to her after indirectly firing her and accusing her of working for that stupid pig who is now rotting in prison, and hopefully soon enough, in hell.”
I laughed nervously before nodding and getting out of the car and making my way up to the apartment buzzers.
Anna was number 68; the penthouse apartment of this building in particular. I pressed the button and waited patiently before a bleak shuffling noise sounded from the rounded speaker. “I’m not interested in whatever product you’re trying to sell-”
“This isn’t a salesman,” I replied nervously. “This is Emily… May I come in?”
“Emily Johnson?” she asked in surprise, before I heard the buzzer go off and the door click open.
I tried to contain my own surprise as I made my way up to her apartment; trying to figure out why she’d let the woman who potentially ruined her career into her home so easily.
Anna was already waiting at the door of her apartment once I stepped off the elevator, and I smiled weakly as I took in her appearance. She was in comfortable looking sweat pants and a shirt that looked two sizes smaller on her with a
Dora the Explorer
theme splashed all over her chest area.
“It’s my little cousins’. I couldn’t find my favourite home shirt, so I used hers…” She trailed off, flushing slightly as she looked up at me with a sheepish grin.
“Well, it looks very nice. I think it’s not far off from becoming the next big thing in fashion!” I laughed, joining her amusement on the topic.
“Not to sound blunt or rude or anything, but… why are you here? I don’t get visitors often; especially people as important as you.” Anna explained quickly, trying to back up her side of the story before I had the chance to get offended.
I waved her off. “You don’t sound rude. Quite frankly, I’m surprised you even let me up here.” I smiled awkwardly. “I, uh… I wanted to talk to you about… some things.”
Surprise once again flashed through Anna’s eyes, before she immediately stepped aside. “Oh, yeah! Of course, come in!”
“Thank you,” I mumbled quietly as I stepped past her into her apartment.
Apparently, working at Kingston Corporation compensated well. So well, in fact, that Anna’s apartment was almost as nice as the penthouse Adrian and I were currently living in. White walls and floors extended throughout the open space, and a black and lavender coloured scheme was splashed all over the apartment in places which highlighted the expense of the place even more.
“Wow, your place is amazing,” I stated truthfully, still taking in the bright home.
“Thanks. Do you want me to make you a coffee or anything?”
“No thank you, I’m okay. I can’t stay long,” I explained with a small smile.
“Oh, okay. So… What did you want to talk about?”
I took a seat on the edge of one of the black sofas in the living room and Anna sat across from me, placing a lavender pillow in her lap in the process.
“I… I’m so sorry.” I blurted, blushing once I realised I sounded like a 5-year-old who got caught stealing candy.
“Sorry?” Anna repeated with a confused expression.
“It’s my fault. I assumed you were working with David Walter and you only apologised to me to get information from me and give it to him because of some kind of revenge thing you had against me and I told Adrian who freaked out and fired you. I mean, I tried to tell him not to because I wasn’t sure and then I found out that it was Rita all along and you had absolutely nothing to do with it and I’m so sorry because now you have no job and it’s all my-”
Anna cut off my rambling apology. “Whoa, whoa, Emily! It’s okay, you don’t need to apologise! Adrian told me everything; and the letter David Walter was trying to give me on the night of the dinner was bribery money. He wanted me to get you to go outside but I didn’t accept it. I don’t think you saw that part. I’m also the one who found out where David was keeping you. I followed him one day because I was really angry with him once I found out that he had taken a friend of mine and did the same thing that he did to you. I told Adrian my theory once I realised where you might be and they did further investigating.”