Page 35 of Beneath His Vow
James clucks his tongue. “I was asking about the Holcroft file. There’s data missing.”
Holcroft.
Fuck. I don’t even remember James asking me to pull off those reports. “I wasn’t aware they were needed for this meeting.”
His smile is patronizing and I can feel the weight of the room judging me. Colleagues who once supported me are suddenly finding the table in front of them fascinating. “Of course they’re needed. How are we supposed to pitch the client without the information, Alexis?”
You’re very pregnant. Launching across the table is a bad idea…
But fuck, I want to. I want to wipe that smug look off his face. I want to tell everyone in this room that he’s a pervert, a gross asshole who has weaponized himself against me.
Instead, my anger fizzles into something worse.
Shame.
I’ve never been called out like this. Never needed to be. My cheeks are warm, my heart thumping.
He’s left me alone for weeks. I let my guard down, and that was my mistake. Men like him, they don’t stop.
They don’t know how to.
“I’ll do it as soon as I get back to my desk.” My voice is small. I fucking hate that. I’m not someone who shrinks, but I’m so ground down, so tired, I don’t have any fight left in me.
I want to keep my job, but there are days when I wonder why I’m still fighting for my place here.
He flicks his brows up. “And what about the mid-forecast? Do you have those?”
What the fuck?
They’re not due for another month. Why the hell would he want them now?
“No one has the mid-forecast figures,” Tasha says. “I know you’re new to this role, James, but those reports aren’t compiled for another month yet. Do you need me to go through the schedule with you? I’d be happy to make sure you’re on the same page as the rest of the team.”
I could kiss her. The tension bleeds out of me, just a little.
Especially when James’s cheeks flush and he squirms.
“It’s important to keep on top of these things,” he mutters, but doesn’t push.
I barely hear a word of the rest of the meeting. All I want to do is escape back to my desk and survive until the end of the day.
I don’t look at James. I can’t. My skin is crawling at having to be in the same room as him.
When the meeting ends, everyone gathers their stuff and files out of the room. I shoot Tasha a grateful look, and she winks at me—as if to say I’ve got your back, babe.
One of the team members pulls her into her conversation as I grab my notepad and pen. I sense him behind me just before his hand slides onto my hip.
My body recoils even as I freeze. His touch isn’t subtle. It’s in a room filled with people, and yet no one is saying anything. No one is pulling him up on it.
“I am going to need that report,” he says, his hand moving from my hip and grazing along my ass before he drops it.
My throat is so clogged I can’t breathe. I didn’t imagine that. It was deliberate.
I glance around, but everyone is deep in their own conversations, not paying attention. He just groped me and no one saw. No one said anything.
My mouth is dry. My stomach churning.
I step back, my feet like lead as I try to put distance between me and the threat.
