Page 21 of The Assistant
When he had me wear the bikini at the pool party, he was amused by everyone looking at me. He had fun watching how much I squirmed at the attention of all the men staring at me. But now, seeing the same looks in their eyes, he stops and glares at them, daring them to toss me a second glance before he reaches out and hurts them.
After pushing our way through the crowds of people, we reach another room toward the end of the nightclub guarded by yet another bouncer. Dawson says something to him that I can barely hear over the loud music, and we’re both ushered through the door. A long, bright red hallway guides us toward a set of double doors at the end.
Dawson pushes them open to reveal a room full of older men sitting around with glasses of whiskey in their hands. I look around the room for any familiar faces, spotting Henry right away. He waves at the two of us, and Dawson leads us over.
It doesn’t take me long to realize I’m the only woman here. Every man in the room is staring at me, and I feel my cheeks burning once again. Dawson must have known this would be the case, which explains his frustration.
His words replay in my mind, and I completely understand why he’d be angry about other men looking at me.
“Look at you,” Henry says as he approaches, looking me up and down with satisfaction in his eyes. He pulls me away from Dawson and wraps an arm around my shoulder, gesturing to the array of men sitting around the room and staring at me. I look over my shoulder at Dawson, who is clenching his fists at his sides. “There’s someone I want you to meet!”
Before I can say anything, I’m being guided away from Dawson. He follows behind without saying a word, and I look ahead of me toward a group of men clustered together. One of them in the center is older, with deep wrinkles set in his forehead.
“Malik, this is Harper, Diana’s daughter,” Henry says, gesturing to me. I immediately realize this is the very person Dawson made me promise I wouldn’t talk to. But it seems like this might be the reason I was brought here, so I’m very confused about what to do.
Malik stands up and approaches me, grabbing my hand and delicately kissing my fingers. “You are a vision,” Malik says as he holds my hand and looks me up and down, his gaze trailing over every inch of my flesh slowly.
A nervous pit forms in my stomach, and I can’t help but wonder what it is I’m doing here. Dawson walks around us and takes a seat at a table nearby. I catch him watching the exchange with a sullen, angry look in his eyes.
Is he angry that Malik is talking to me after I promised I would stay away? Or is he just mad that his father is leaving him out of whatever business deal he’s making here? Clearly, whatever’s happening is Henry’s business, and Dawson has worked very hard to be at his father’s level. Then one day I come in, and I’m given an elite position within the company without any training, and I’m now an important person in this meeting.
Henry isn’t saying a word to include his son in this conversation. Dawson might as well not be here. So, I can understand why he’s a little upset.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I say, gently pulling my hand away from him and holding it in front of me. My head is swimming. I still don’t know exactly what it is I’m doing here, and I don’t want to say the wrong thing and jeopardize whatever it is Henry is doing. “This is a lovely club.”
“Have you been here before?” Malik asks with a glimmer of excitement in his eyes.
“I haven’t,” I say, tucking some hair behind my ear nervously. “I’m only eighteen, so I haven’t been able to go to any nightclubs yet.”
Malik’s eyes practically glow when he hears that comment, and he smiles wildly at me. “So young and so full of life and beauty.”
Dawson stands up and rushes toward the three of us, catching all of our attention. Henry looks at him with annoyance in his eyes.
“Can we talk for a second, Dad?” Dawson asks, gesturing toward the door at the front of the room.
“Excuse us,” Henry says before taking a step back. “Harper, be a doll and get Malik a drink before the two of you sit down to talk.”
I nod and excuse myself to head to the bar. There’s one bartender working, and he doesn’t ask for my ID when I ask for two glasses of whiskey. My knees are shaking while I wait for it to be poured.
He’s not the kind of man you say no to.
What the hell did Dawson mean by that?
When the whiskey is finally poured, I move across the room to take a seat by Malik at the table. He pats the seat right next to him, and I reluctantly sit down, plastering a friendly smile on my face. I’m immediately reminded of what happened with Richard on my first day, and I hope Dawson comes back quickly.
I scan the room to see him standing by the door talking to Henry, both of them heated in whatever it is they’re discussing.
“So, Harper, do you have a boyfriend?” Malik asks, resting his hands in his lap while he stares at me. Ever since I walked into the room, his eyes haven’t left me one time.
“No,” I admit, shaking my head.
“You must have an ex-boyfriend then,” Malik says with a playful laugh. He looks me up and down once again, his eyes lingering on my chest as he licks his lips. “I’m sure he must despise the fact that he gave you up.”
“I don’t have one of those either,” I say. His eyebrows raise, and the excitement grows on his face. He folds his hands in his lap, and I try not to look down because I have a sinking feeling I don’t want to see what he’s trying to hide.
An uneasy feeling overtakes me, and I wish I could run away. I don’t understand what it is I’m doing here, and Malik’s line of questioning is very suspicious.
I look at Dawson and Henry once again, seeing how they’re still going at it. It hits me that this is a lot more than just a business meeting. There’s something else going on here, and I’m the only one in the dark.
