Sinfully Yours|18+

20

Celeste

I returned home late from Lisa’s apartment, I wanted to spend the night but I didn’t want to inconvenience her or her boyfriend.

“We need to talk about last night,” jared said his voice a low growl he didn’t come closer, but he filled the whole doorway.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” I said looking back at my book, my heart hammering. “You made your point…i was stupid and you saved me…End of story.”

“It’s not the end,” he said, stepping into the room. “It was reckless Celeste. Beyond reckless. It was irresponsible and dangerous. I warned you to stay back but you were so bullheaded”

I snapped the book shut. “I know that! You think I don’t know that? I was there!”

“Which is exactly the problem!” he shot back, his voice rising. “From now on you are not to leave this house after 8pm unless you have explicit permission and you are never to go to a place like that again.”

I stood up the book falling to the floor. “I am not a prisoner Jared! You don’t get to give me a curfew! I’m not a child!”

“You’re acting like one!” he roared. “A childish impulsive—”

“Is that why you had me fired?” I yelled cutting him off the words burst out fueled by all the hurt and anger from the cafe. “To punish me? To make sure I had nowhere to go so I’d be trapped here in this miserable mansion”

He stopped his eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb!” I shouted stepping toward him my hands were fists at my sides. “Maria fired me this morning and she said Harlan Corp filed a complaint. That my service was ‘unsatisfactory.’ That she had to let me go or lose the contract whic came from your office Jared and you know it did so don’t you dare play dumb with me!”

His brows were still furrowed “I didn’t file any complaint,” he said his voice quieter but no less intense. “I didn’t have you fired.”

“I don’t believe you,” I spat. “It’s too convenient after what happened last night it’s your way of punishing me, isn’t it? You want me under your thumb and now I have no income no way out.”

He ran a hand through his hair frustration evident in every line of his body. “I told you I didn’t do it but since you are fired, and you clearly need structure and supervision, you will come work for me. Starting Monday.”

The demand was so arrogant so controlling, it left me speechless for a second urging me to release a harsh laugh. “Work for you? On my dead body. I would never work for you.”

“This isn’t a request Celeste,” he said his voice dropping into that dangerous, calm tone that scared me more than his yelling. “Until you prove you’re responsible enough to not almost get yourself assaulted you will work for me. In my office. Where I can see you.”

“No!” I shouted, shaking my head. “You don’t get to decide that! I’ll go back to Maria. I’ll beg for my job back.”

He took a slow step toward me. “If you go back to that cafe,” he said each word precise and icy, “if you try to get that job back I will revoke the contract entirely and I will make sure personally, that no other coffee supplier in this city will work with her. I will buy the building her lease is in and evict her. That little cafe will be shut down within a month. Do you understand me? It will be gone and it will be because of you.”

The blood drained from my face.

His tone… he meant it.

I could see it in his eyes.

This wasn’t a bluff.

He was capable of destroying Maria’s business, her livelihood, her family’s income, just to force me to do what he wanted.

“You’re a monster,” I whispered my voice trembling with a mixture of fear and rage. “You’re a heartless controlling monster.”

“I am ensuring you are safe,” he corrected his gaze boring into mine. “So you have a choice Celeste. You can be unemployed and responsible for ruining a good woman’s life or you can come work for me. It’s your decision.”

It wasn’t a decision this was blackmail.

“I hate you,” I seethed tears of helpless anger stinging my eyes. “I will never work for you, you asshole! I’d rather scrub toilets in a bus station than work for you a hot-headed, arrogant, selfish asshole who thinks he can buy and control people! Well, I won’t be controlled I won’t—”

He cut me off by grabbing my upper arms and spun me around and pinned me hard against the wall with his face was inches from mine.

“You will watch your mouth,” he warned, his voice a harsh whisper against my lips. “You will not speak to me that way. Do you understand?”

I was scared.

Deep down my stomach was a knot of fear but I still stood to my words.

I lifted my chin my breath coming in fast pants. “Or what?” I dared him my voice barely a whisper. “What will you do, Jared?”

His eyes dropped to my mouth.

For a long terrifying electric moment, we just stared at each other, breathing the same air.

If looks could kill I will be six inches under the ground.

“Be careful what you wish for Kitten”