“You’re just going to leave me here?”
Riya flicked her gaze to Ambrose, who was watching them intently. “Yep.”
She ran to the locker room on rubber legs while the rest of the guys writhed on the bay floor. If she was first, they’d have to wait. She peeked into the locker room and called out, “Hello? It’s Desai. I need a shower. Anyone in there?”
No response.Yes!She dumped her gear, grabbed a couple of towels and quickly stripped down. She hit the showers and reveled for a moment in the cool, fresh water. The shower was quick but refreshing. She dried off and wrapped herself in a towel before leaving the shower area for the lockers.
“Couldn’t wait to get me alone, huh, Desai?” Walsh’s voice came from behind her.
She jumped. “What the hell are you doing here? I announced myself.” She tightened the towel around her. Nothing like being naked in front of a lech to make her feel vulnerable. “Leave. I’ll be dressed in ten minutes.”
“Come on, now.” Walsh came closer, dragging his words, a sick glint in his eye. “You don’t really want me to leave. No one has to know.”
Her entire body stiffened and went on defensive alert, but she did not back away from him. “I really do want you to leave. In case I haven’t been clear enough up until now, I’m really not interested.” She stood firm and looked him in the eye. “Quite frankly, I’ve had enough of your harassment. I thought you’d back off if I ignored it, but you won’t. It’s time I pressed charges.”
“Harassment? Charges? What the hell are you talking about? I have not harassed you.” His sense of indignation was real. And pathetic.
“Sexual innuendo. Unwelcome touching.” Her voice got louder and more agitated with each accusation. “Inviting yourself to my shower. All that is harassment.” She was shouting now, her anger at him from all these weeks coming to a head. “This—” she nodded at him “—this is harassment in the workplace.”
“Oh, come on. What do you expect, a beautiful woman like you, working with all these men?” His sense of righteousness was nauseating.
“I expect to be treated like a colleague. I don’t see you making passes at Evans or Schultz,” she shouted at him.
“If a woman is going to be around men, she has to learn to accept that she’s going to attract some attention. Especially a woman who looks like you.” He dragged his gaze down her body and reached out as if to touch her. Riya acted on instinct. She blocked him, grabbing his outstretched hand and pushing him away. She grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the lockers. She held him there, squeezing his neck while he choked.
“Hey, what’s going on here?” Lieutenant Ambrose shouted. He was the first one in. She heard the rest of the guys clamoring in behind her.
“I’m done with his bullshit. That’s what.” She squeezed tighter and relished Walsh’s gagging sounds.Please don’t let the towel slip.
Evans’s soothing voice reached her. “Let him down, Desai. It’s okay.”
“It is not okay!” she grunted.
“You’re right. But killing him will not help you.” Ambrose’s voice had an edge to it she’d never heard.
“Riya Didi!” Hetal’s voice cut through. “He’s right! Let him down.”
She narrowed her eyes at Walsh. “You ever even look at me—or any future woman in this house—the wrong way again and I’ll finish this.” She released him only after he nodded weakly.
As soon as she let him down, Walsh started shouting. “You all saw that! She tried to kill me because I gave her a compliment.”
Lieutenant Ambrose shrugged. “I didn’t see anything.” He turned to the men behind him. “You all see anything?”
They all shook their heads.
“No.”
“Nope.”
“Nothing, sir.”
Ambrose turned back to Walsh. “But I did hear Firefighter Desai accuse you of improper behavior.”
“I’m pressing charges,” she growled.
“Charges? You little bitch.” Walsh took a swing at her, his fist coming at her in slow motion. A memory popped into her head. She was seven and Samir was showing her how to make a fist.
“Look, Riya. Your thumb goes here.” He had taken her hand and adjusted the thumb placement. “Got it?”
