“That sounds like a great idea,” I smile, taking the spiky little fruit from him and carrying it over to the chopping board.
I set it down, and instantly it stabs me. “Ouch,” I groan, popping my finger into my mouth.
“You ok there?” he asks, sounding amused.
“Perfectly fine, you focus on your weird cheese grating technique.”
I set the pineapple on its side, and it spikes me again as I try to push the knife into it to remove the thick green fronds. “Seriously,” I mutter under my breath.
Marlen steps up behind me, his body pressing into mine, heating every inch of me. He wraps his arms around me and takes the knife from my hands.
With me happily trapped in his arms, he cuts the crown of the pineapple off and slices it into more manageable pieces for me.
“Just ask, little cutie, if you need anything from me,” he whispers in my ear.
I bite my lip as he steps away, and my body instantly begs for him to return.
This man has power over me.
Power I should never have allowed him to have, but that seems to be growing stronger with each passing day we spend together.
***
Late one afternoon, I’m wandering around the mansion bored out of my mind. I know where he is today. He has a delivery that he wanted to oversee the packing of to make sure it all goes smoothly. He’s at the warehouse with the big one-way windows in the office.
A grin sneaks onto my face. He wouldn’t mind if I popped in to say hello. I could surprise him. I’d even be safe about it and ask one of the guards to drive me, so Marlen wouldn’t be able to be angry with me for taking risks.
Excited by my plan, I rush upstairs to change into something cuter. The jeans are fine, but the hoodie could use improvement.
I come out wearing a pink chunky knit jersey, my hair pulled into a high, messy bun, and a touch of pink gloss on my lips.
The guard agrees to take me, even if he is against it, being a surprise for Marlen. I assure him he won’t get into trouble.
“Miss Stefania, I am going to wait for you out here,” the guard tells me, pulling into a parking space outside the warehouse.
“Thank you. If I’m going to stay, I’ll come out and let you know,” I confirm.
He nods, and I climb out of the car and hurry into the warehouse, excited to see Marlen.
I walk past the food crates and the forklifts, through the noisy areas, and head toward his office. On the way, I spot one of the workers I saw before.
“Hi, is Marlen in his office?” I call out to the man.
“No,” he shakes his head. “He isn’t here yet but should be soon,” he answers.
“Thanks.” I wave and carry on toward the office. I’ll wait for him in there. I doubt he’ll be much longer.
The office door is open, and as I walk toward it, I hear a voice that sounds similar to Marlen but isn’t him. Getting closer, I realize it’s Bardil. He’s on the phone.
My body spikes with anxiety. Bardil makes me very nervous. He has a dark, nasty streak in him that’s hard to ignore. He doesn’t waste a chance to let me know how much he despises me.
I hesitate outside the door, but remind myself that I’m here to see Marlen and someone like Bardil shouldn’t stand in my way. He can hate me all he likes, but surely he wouldn’t be stupid enough to hurt me? Marlen would be furious with him.
His voice carries through the open door as he phone conversation continues, “Yes, they haven’t let it go yet. It’s too soon to start anything new until the other shit has blown over. I don’t want my brothers catching on…”
I step through the door, and Bardil spins around to face me; his expression becomes angry and tight. “I’ve got to go,” he snaps and slams the phone down. He glares at me with cold hatred.
“What the hell are you doing here?” he snarls, walking around the desk toward me.
