His accent grows heavier as his voice raises to a poisoned tone. “Oh, come on. You’ve been flirting with me ever since you came. Why do you think I hired you with no experience? You were practically begging for it with that dress you wore during your interview.” He leans further in.
The cold metal counter against my back makes me shiver. I look around the room, hoping to see one of the girls. But to my dismay, I remember no one was around when I came in.
I smile shakily at Avery. When I feel him relax, I swiftly knee him in the balls, satisfied when he doubles over and falls to the ground. I rush outside and look around for Howard. I smile when I see him hurrying my way.
Standing in at an intimidating height, I let out a breath I didn’t know I’ve been holding when he gets to me. “Howard.” I cry, throwing my arms around him.
He stands stiff, not returning the gesture until I sob into his chest. His movements are awkward as he wraps one arm around me. He stares at me in confusion when I step back.
“Can we go home?” I ask, I’m breaking. Too much is happening to me.
He looks me over worriedly. The act is fatherly, not so much of a bodyguard. “Why?” He sounds skeptical, his thick eyebrows bunching up.
I think for a moment. “I got sick and it made me upset?” I lie.
He laughs before gesturing to the phone in my shaking hands. “Call him.”
“No.” I want to laugh, thinking of how bad an idea that is. But my body is still shaking from what just happened.
Howard shrugs. “Then, I will.”
I sigh before hesitantly dialing his number from my phone. I look over at Howard and narrow my eyes. “I’ll get you for this.”
He laughs, before surprising me when he places a reassuring hand on my shoulder as I wait for Aiden to answer the call.
“Hey gorgeous.”
Relief overwhelms me when I hear his voice. Unable to contain my heavy emotions, I sob into the phone.
“Hey, woah. Babe? What’s happening? Are you okay?”
I take a deep breath and collect myself. “Yes. I’m fine,” I mumble quietly. “Howard made me call you.”
“Why?” His tone clipped. “What happened?”
“Nothing happened.”
Howard speaks up, “Speaker.”
I try to cover the phone but it’s too late.
Aiden’s voice booms through the phone. “Emilia, what the fuck is going on? Why did he say, speaker? Put the damn phone on speaker!”
I press the button, flipping Howard off with my free hand.
“I’m here, boss.” Howard looks at the phone, ignoring my rude gesture.
“What happened?”
I want so badly to hang up the phone, not wanting to bother him with this mess.
“She flew out of the front door in tears, I figured you’d want to stop by and see what happened. She wanted me to take her home and not tell you.”
I throw my head back like a defiant teenager.
“What the fuck? I’m already on the way. I’ll be there soon.” He growls into the phone.
∞∞∞
Aiden takes one look at me and makes his way to the bakery.
I chase after him, pulling his arm.
He reluctantly stops outside the door, cupping my face in his hands, and breathes deeply. “You can say whatever you want, but I already know someone in there hurt you. Who was it? Your boss? Or was it a co-worker or customer?”
I sigh, hesitating before looking away.
He holds my face firmly. “Either you tell me what the fuck just happened, or everyone in this building is getting fucked up.” His face red, and his breathing heavy.
“You’re going to be mad,” I state quietly.
“Why?” He tries to stay calm but is failing.
“Avery is a man.”
He shakes his head. “I already fucking know that, Emilia. Now, tell me what happened.” He growls.
I bow my head in embarrassment.
“Now!” He yells.
I flinch. He’s never raised his voice at me before. “He…well…” I stutter.
He strokes my hair, cooing, “Baby, please.”
I take a deep breath. “I didn’t want to tell you about Avery being a man because you didn’t need to worry.” I wipe away fallen tears. “I wanted to show you it wasn’t a big deal. But things changed when I went in this morning. I was rolling dough when he came up behind me and helped.”
I see his body go rigid.
“He leaned against me. At first, it was odd, but then…” I trail off.
He squeezes my shoulder. “Then what, Emilia?”
I lean in and whisper, “He pressed into me and I could feel him. Like he was–”
Aiden cuts me off with a finger to my lips. He looks furious as he steps back. His face contorts before he laughs manically.
I don’t have the strength to stop him as he throws the door open and steps in.
“Where?” He demands.
I gesture to the kitchen.
“Stay,” He states.
I don’t listen.
He stops, pinching the bridge of his nose to hide his annoyance, before placing his hands firmly on my shoulder. “Emilia, I need you to stay,” He hisses through gritted teeth.
I shake my head.
“No. Absolutely not. You fucking lied to me. You lied about your boss being a man. And now, look what happened? You fucking stay.”
I don’t argue when he pulls out a chair and gently pushes me down like a child, but I cross my arms. I look at him with pleading eyes, not wanting any more bloodshed. “Don’t kill him.”
Aiden simply looks at me with a maniacal smile before opening the kitchen door.
I bury my face in my hands.
Twenty-Four
Aiden
∞∞∞
Isee who I presume is Avery standing over a counter.
“Emilia darling, you came to your senses.” He turns around, confusion on his face when he sees me.
I study him. The audacity, no, the balls this man has to hire a young girl, and then hit on her thinking she’ll never tell is fucking sickening. I own my own business and I’d never use my position of power to get into a girl’s pants. It’s something that comes naturally to me, which tells me this guy
