Chapter 8: Chapter 8

The look in his eyes threaten me silently, taunt me, abuse me, tease me, but most of all, mock me.

'You finally took off the mask.'

He knows.

He knows the one big secret I had fought to hide, the one thing I had that he couldn't use to manipulate me.

And somehow I feel like I'm in the same situation like in the club.

He knows now.

He has the power.

He knows how weak I am, and how easily I fear his power.

And worst of all....He knows that I know that I fear him, fear his power, fear his control.

Now I have nothing against him.

"And you wore a wig, smart." He says with a chuckle, mocking me.

"And yet here you are again, at my beck and call. All that fuss, all that stubbornness, all that fight you put up and you still stand here...waiting my command." He says in a quiet tone, with that evil tilt of his lip.

God, I can't live like this.

I have to say something.

"Please, Mr.Robinson, I would rather--"

"What? What are you going to request that you think I'd listen to? You would rather I forget it? You would rather I don't mention it? Don't flatter yourself, Anne. Get rid of that food first." He says, then gives a naughty, half smile.

"Then we'll see who can make requests." He says and turns to go.

The minute he turns, he clicks his finger and turns back to me.

"Speaking of requests, I have a good deal I need to seal at work tomorrow,...And the person I'm dealing with, let's say he has a bit of a weakness for women."

I stare in fear, knowing what he is hinting at but practically praying within me that he would change his mind, that he would have a bit of decency.

"So, you're going to put on whatever you find at your door tomorrow morning and you'll act as my P.A for the day. I have a good feeling you just might do the trick."

"Mr. Robinson, please! Please don't do this to me, I...I can't live like this again. It's the main reason I quit."

"And yet what good did that do you? Face it Anne, you're meant to be used." He says with a cocky grin and I snap.

"You can't do this to me! I race back and forth obeying your every command. Isn't that enough for you?! Now you simply decide to ruin me because you want to?"

I yell, hating the tears stinging my eyes because the minute he notices I'm at the brink of crying, he smiles.

"Yes. I want to, I can and I will. There's nothing you can do about it. Be ready by 7 tomorrow, and make sure you have breakfast ready by 6." He says and turns, heading for the stairs.

I watch him retreat, tears staining my cheeks and the first thought that comes to mind is to call Ty.

I had told him that the minute things went haywire, he'd be the first I'd call.

But the minute I grab my phone, I put it back down.

What was I going to say?

Ty, I don't want to work here, even though it's only been a few days?

And abandon a life of discomfort so he can suffer his?

For the first time in ages, he didn't have to worry about getting a job or how I'd pay the bills.

For the first time, he was comfortable...which is what I promised. To keep him comfortable and take care of him.

I can't take that away.

With the hit of reality, I accept defeat and simply let myself slide to the cold floor and cry into my hands.

This time I have nothing against him.

This time, there is no going back.

*****

Falling asleep was a complete impossibility and I'd spent the entire night on the cushion chair by the window, simply staring outside and waiting for the fate Mr. Robinson had planned for me.

Sitting there now, I watch the sky get brighter before I leave the room and head for the kitchen.

I don't feel like making a fancy breakfast so I simply make a couple of sunnyside eggs, bacon strips and buttered toast.

I'm pouring juice into a glass when Mr. Robinson walks in wearing a pair of dark, navy blue suit trousers, a white shirt and red tie, and a dark navy blue vest. He has the jacket swung over his shoulder as he walks over to me.

"Go and start getting ready, we leave in 20 minutes." He says as he sits at the table and I comply, leaving the kitchen and heading for my room.

15 minutes later and I'm staring at myself in the mirror.

This is ridiculous.

The outfit I have on is what I found hanging on my door and it didn't look bad then. But now it's on my body, I want to lock myself in.

The black skirt is clinging to my legs like a second skin and even though it's knee-length, the suggestive slit at the back is more than a little to high, exposing my thighs in such a manner that I'm scared the skirt will completely rip if I so much as move.

Then the cream coloured silk top has a neck loop too low to be a design or a mistake.

Where did he get all this?

Then the shoes. Red as sin, and over 5 inches high.

I feel disgusted with myself now, staring at my reflection in a dressed-to-kill outfit, being used to do someone's dirty work.

Without a second glance at my reflection, I brush my hair and pack it into a ponytail, not wanting too look more seductive than I already do. Then I grab the huge writing pad, file folder and pen that I found with the outfit.

"Anne." Mr Robinson's irritated voice comes from outside my door and I quickly grab a jacket on second thought and walk out of the room.

"What the hell is this?" He asks and yanks the jacket from my hand.

"I--"

"If I thought you needed a jacket, I would have got you one. Get in the car, we're almost late." He commands and I head for the door with him following behind me.

He uses his Ford Mustang Shelby this time and we're out of the house in no time.

"If you don't want any humiliation, just do as i say and we'll be done in no time. Its easy, you were a stripper, you should know how to seduce. Put down a few notes, bend a little too low and you're good to go." He says but I just have my eyes fixed outside the window, counting down the seconds to my manipulation.

*****

Gray & Robin.

The name is mounted clearly on the top of the skyscraper and I have to squint to see it clearly.

I'd never paid much attention to Mr. Robinson's work until today. The way the corporately dressed workers swarmed him going,

"Mr. Robinson, the test drive at the white house was a success."

"Mr. Robinson, we hit over 200,000 sales as of yesterday."

"The Robin has grabbed the attention of The Uber Company, Mr. Robinson."

And the way he stated out instructions calmly, always in control.

Half of the men approaching him or just passing by gave me a good oggling and a little too suggestive stare, making me duck my head.

"Talk to me, Holly." He says to a brunette in red suit that scans my appearance before handing him some files.

"Mr. Terry Tucker is in the conference room, Kyle. He looks pretty confident about this deal."

"Good. He is about to succumb, he should enjoy it. Any escorts with him?"

"None that I noticed, no. New P.A?" She asks and nods to me.

"Yeah, just a temp. Hold my calls till after the meeting with Tucker." He says and she nods before leaving.

As we near a glass conference room, I spot the man through the glass framing. He has his eyes planted on some papers on the table in front of him and I watch him look up as we walk in.

He smiles at Mr. Robinson and just as he gets up to shake his hand, his eyes dart to me and I watch his eyebrows shoot up.

The man doesn't look a day under 50 and his white hair and beard looks well kept. He has on a black suit with a huge silver watch.

I watch as his gaze follows me while I stand behind Mr. Robinson, holding the writing pad.

"New P.A?" He asks with a cocky grin and I look down at his left hand.

The minute I spot the wedding ring, he stuffs his left hand into his pocket.

"You've got a good eye, Robinson." He says after Mr. Robinson tells him I'm a temp and I just smile a little.

They get to small talk about terms of the contract and I write down as much information as I can.

Terry Tucker's gaze darts to me every few seconds and I pretend not to notice.

"Anne." Mr. Robinson says and I turn to him.

"Fetch the second part of the contract from my briefcase." He says and I turn, spotting the briefcase at the far end of the room on top a stool.

I'd have to bend to get it.

I can feel Tèrry Tucker's gaze burning into my behind as I head for the breifcase.

I fetch the papers in a hurry, knowing the damage has been done because when I turn back to them, Tèrry Tucker eyes look like they're ready to fall off and I feel more than disgusted with myself.

"Show, Mr. Tucker where to sign. That is, if, you agree with the terms, Terry?" Mr. Robinson says, turning to Terry Tucker who has his gaze planted on the low loop of my shirt.

"Terry?"

"Yes? W-What? What?" He asks, turning to Mr. Robinson.

"Are you ready to sign?"

"Why, of course. It's a good deal for a....umm....." his voice trails off the minute I bend to show him where to sign and when I look up at him, his eyes are planted on my cleavage.

"Right here." I say and he immediately signs, then smiles at me.

"Well, we look forward to working with you, Terry. Anne?" Mr. Robinson says as he stands up, signalling its time to leave and I thankfully gather his things and head for the door with him.

"Kyle, I was wondering if I could have a moment with--"

"See you next week Terry." Mr Robinson says, cutting him off and we leave the room. He doesn't speak a work to me until we're in the elevator.

"Good job, Anne. You had him panting like a dog. Maybe you are cut out for this work, after all. I don't know why you quit stripping."

He says, arranging his files and I glare at him through my tears.

"You don't have a nerve of decency or conscience, do you? You had me parading that room like a slut."

"You should be thankful that's the only thing I had you do. Maybe in your next life you'd think twice before becoming a stripper." He says, facing the elevator doors without a glance at me as he adjusts his perfect tie.

His insult hits me like a spear and humiliates my entire being.

"I want to get out of here. Now." I say, holding myself as tears stream down my face.

"Fine. Go. I had a cab waiting for you a few minutes ago." He says and the elevator dings to a stop.

He steps out and heads for his office while I hit the groundfloor button.

The minute I'm out of the building, I dash for the first cab I see and tell him the address, desperate to bawl my eyes out in peace.

****

"I am SO sorry, Marcy. I can't believe he would use you like that." Maya says after I tell her what happened.

She had called me the minute I was in the cab, saying she would meet me at a cafe after Josh had called her to say he saw me in their workplace dressed like a vixen.

"I felt like a slut, and a harlot. And he made me know that he was doing this because i was once a stripper and I practically live to obey his every word. I have never felt so disgusted myself."

I say, eyes planted on the table. I had cried for a good 10 minutes when Maya came before I could muster up the courage to speak.

"He is such an asshole. Are you sure you still want to work--"

"I have to. I can't just quit now and have Tyler and I living in the edge again."

Maya looks more worried that I am and I just shrug, trying to convince her it's no big deal even though deep down, I'm wishing that I could take the first opportunity to leave.

She opens her mouth to speak but suddenly stops and frowns at something behind me.

"...Maya?" I say, turning as well when I spot Stephen.

He looks odd compared to the other times I've seen him come to the apartment with Ty.

His blonde hair looks rough and he is panting with panic evident in his eyes.

His shirt is flying and he looks like he has been running.

"Steve?" I say, getting up quickly to look at him.

"W-What's going on? Why are you here?" I ask, my voice shaking in the worst way.

"Marcy. You need to come now." He pants, already pulling me.

"What is it?" I demand and he paused to stare at me.

"Its about Tyler. There's been an accident."