Chapter 146

Fiona

Four days.

It should be enough, right? Four days away from work, away from people, and they should be able to move on from the chaos that seems to be my life. The weekend drug by slower than anything, and I want to go back to work, but would it be the same as Thursday?

Would everyone be watching me?

Would anyone try to come after me like the people at the grocery store?

Would my life ever go back to normal?

I stop in front of the doors, my phone dinging again in my pocket, as I take a deep breath. I blink several times to attempt to dispel the burning sensation that’s been scraping at my eyes for the past three days and nights.

Along with the pictures and details of our contract, someone also released my personal information- my name, phone number, and email address. Constant messages and phone calls blew my phone up all weekend, and now, they still come if the ding a moment ago is any indication.

“You can do this, Fiona,” I whisper, locking my eyes on the elevator across the lobby. It’s only two minutes. I can make it two minutes without trouble. Then, I can find out how someone found the contract. Ethan should’ve had it in a safe place, but clearly, it wasn’t. I have a feeling someone here at the company probably found it. If not, then it’s someone at his house, or someone with access to his house.

Though, I feel like Ethan’s staff is too loyal to do something so terrible. Then again, they’re part of his pack and they may have used this as a chance to get rid of the human mate.

Had Ethan’s parents had anything to do with this?

The thought nearly has me stumbling over my own feet, and I look around to see if anyone saw. Of course they did. What did I expect? There’s no way four days was long enough for everyone to forget what they read and saw in those media posts.

A weight falls on my back, and I know they’re watching me. I know they’re whispering. They see me, obviously. I’m not invisible, but I’ve never wished to be invisible more than I do right now.

Clutching my bag, I scurry forward, trying to ignore everyone in the lobby. I push and push on the button, begging the elevator to come faster, so I can get away from the whispers.

Ethan better be upstairs waiting with a damn good explanation.

An explanation that is worthy of the hurt and the sleepless nights, that makes up for the disgust that’s been hurled at me over the last few days, and one that includes a solution to this messed up reality.

Maybe we can go down to the security room and see who found the contract. If we can figure that out, we can fix this… or at least try to fix this.

I’m not sure if it can be fully fixed, but I will do everything to figure out who leaked my information like this. I have an idea in my head that it’s Angela, since she wants me gone. It’s not the first time since this all started that Angela has popped into my head.

Usually, it’s the image of her smirking at me from across the lobby.

“Hey.”

Looking up, I find an admittedly handsome man standing next to me. He smiles down at me, and I blink, unsure what to do.

“You’re Fiona, right?”

I’m so tired of hearing my name in people’s mouths.

“Y-yes.”

His grin widens and he steps toward me. I mirror him, stepping away until my back hits the wall beside the elevator. One of his hands presses to the wall beside my head while the other comes up to rest on my shoulder. A shiver of unease wracks my body.

I’m cornered.

Again.

Does this have to happen every time?

“I’m Richard,” he says, but I didn’t ask. My eyes find the number above the elevator, and I pray that it’ll be here soon. “I’d like to take you out tonight.”

My eyes find Richard’s again, and I shake my head, stuttering, “N-no thanks. I have plans with my friend.” A lie, but he doesn’t need to know that.

As if he can sense the untruth, his right eyebrow pops up and his lips thin into a dissatisfied line.

“Well, I have some friends who could change your mind,” he says with ease, dropping the hand on my shoulder to dig in his back pocket. I glance at the numbers on the elevator again to see it’s only a few floors away.

When has it ever been this slow before?

“I’m sorry, but I—”

A fan of bills appears in front of my face as I try to turn away, stopping me.

“Me and my little friends here could help you have a great night, free of worry and trouble.”

I shove his arm away, the bills fluttering to the ground at our feet, which only angers the man who swoops down to scoop the money up. Rage and disgust fill me, bubbling up so fast and hot that I feel like I’m going to throw up.

As soon as the elevator dings and the doors open, I’m inside, but Richard has the same idea. He jumps in right before the doors close, sealing the two of us inside together. I lunge forward, slapping the ‘door open’ button, but it’s too late. He’s already pressed one of the other buttons and the elevator jerks into motion.

“Don’t—”

“You think because you’re screwing the boss, that you’re too good for me? My money is just as good as his money, bitch,” Richard growls, shoving me back. I slam into the wall, nearly falling over from the impact. “Little whores like you don’t get to pick and choose who takes a piece of them. You put out, don’t you? A little flirting here and there, some playing hard to get, and then you’ll be begging for it.”

“Stop, this isn’t… there was a mistake,” I tell him, holding my arms out. If he lunges, I will have at least something between us- not that it’s much. I just have to make it until the doors open, then I can be free.

With one hand, I reach into my purse, rummaging around for my phone.

Richard narrows his eyes on the movement then he lunges, grabs my arm, and yanks me around. My entire body jolts to the left before my arm collides with the wall and my purse drops to the floor.

“Let go. This is a mistake.”

“No mistake, baby. You picture was all over the internet. I know exactly what you like—”

Richard yelps as he is dragged away from me, and when I look up, I expect to find Ethan coming to my rescue. Instead, a red-faced, fuming Ryan is hauling Richard out of the elevator by his hair.

“Let go!” Richard screams.

“Did you let go when she asked?” Ryan growls, and relief floods me. “No one touches her. Tell your friends and anyone who listens that she is off limits.”

Richard’s wide eyes land on me as he nods.

“Get the hell out of here. If I see you again, I won’t be so kind.”

Richard scrambles to his feet and practically runs away from Ryan. Then, before I can blink, Ryan is kneeling in front of me, pulling me into his arms, and hugging me. His warmth chases away the cold fear, but almost as quickly as it goes, disappointment takes its place.

Where is Ethan?

My eyes scan the area beyond Ryan’s back, and everyone in the lobby is watching us. They saw what happened and how Richard got dragged off me, and they just stood there.

They did nothing.