Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 20497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 20497 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 102(@200wpm)___ 82(@250wpm)___ 68(@300wpm)
I force the hardest smile I’ve ever had to force in my life and say, “I’ve got to go” before slipping past him and out the door.
Thank God, I want to groan as I take a step, but before I can even get three feet away from the break room, I feel a hand around my arm. I’m pulled back and find myself face to face with Rick, who is glaring down at me with a burning hatred.
“You better watch what you say to me, little girl,” he hisses through bared teeth. “I’m a very powerful man around here, and I could ruin you!”
“Let go of me!”
“I could have chosen any one of the little bitches running around here to make my offer to, but I chose you, and you should feel lucky! I’d suggest rethinking my offer if you want to keep working here!”
With that, he releases me, but also pushes me out of his way as he strides past me toward the partners’ offices.
A hideous shiver slithers up my spine, like an ice-cold serpent making its way from the base of my skull to my midsection. I’ve heard of things happening like this before in my profession but passed them off as a myth as they’d never happened to me or anyone else I knew.
Such a stark contrast between the incredibly romantic language used by Bain, a prisoner locked up for murder. Who’s the criminal now? What Rick just did to me was not only sexual harassment, but it was also a threat, basically saying if I don’t sleep with him I’ll lose my job.
“Well, that’s not happening,” I mutter as I quickly grab my things and head to the front desk.
“I’m leaving early today, Becky. Think I may be coming down with something.”
Becky, the germaphobe, eyes me with suspicion and pushes her chair away a few feet. “Okay, I’ll let the office know.”
“Thanks, Becky,” I say as I push the door open. The elevator doors are open, letting someone on from the advertising office we share the floor with, and I quickly slide in before they close and we begin our descent for the lobby.
On the way down, I take out Bain’s letter and go over it again. After what just happened with Rick, his words just hit me differently. Harder, stronger, more impactful. And by the time we reach the lobby and the elevator doors ding, I have my mind made up; I’m going to visit him just like Kelly said I should. And if he’s anything like the man in the letters, I’m going to have the time of my life.
4
Elena
God, please don’t let me have a heart attack while I’m driving to the prison. Because that’s sure what it feels like right now as I grip the wheel and focus hard on the road.
My heart is racing, and my body heat is so high I must be ready to spontaneously light on fire. My palms are both sweating, my knuckles are white, and I’m taking deep, panicked breaths like I was just saved from drowning when really all I’m doing is driving up a nice scenic road with tall pine trees on both sides.
But it’s not the scenery that’s doing this to me; it’s the destination.
I’m on my way to see Bain Warden for a conjugal visit, and although two days ago when I called the prison to accept his request and put myself on the schedule, I was all fired up and ready to go, now that I’m driving and less than five minutes away from arriving, I’m absolutely on the verge of a full-blown freak out.
So many questions are bouncing around in my mind like a bag of marbles emptied onto a concrete floor: What if he doesn’t like me when he sees me? What if he’s too rough with me? What if he hurts me? What if I don’t please him? What if he sees me and tells me to go home because he thinks I somehow catfished him or something?
Can you even catfish someone unintentionally?
Oh God, I’m losing it.
I figured since Bain first saw me during his trial that I should wear something that reminded him of those days, so I’m wearing an outfit like I’d wear to work, only a bit sexier than I’d be comfortable with. In fact, it’s probably an outfit Rick would like me in. Too bad he doesn’t get to see it.
Black heels, with black stockings, a black pencil skirt and a black top with a cute little collar with a bow and an off-black blazer to pull it all together. I have a gold chain necklace as well that hangs down just enough to draw a man’s attention if he’s not careful.
When the prison comes into view, I feel my heart skip a beat or two. That’s when things start to get real and become more than just a fantasy between Kelly and me. I see the stone walls, the barred windows, the lines and lines of barbed wire fencing enclosing it on all sides.