Page 9 of The Assistant
“Harper is new.” Dawson smiles back at him and takes a bite of his food.
“Is that so?” Richard leans back and smiles at me, licking his lips with hunger in his eyes.
“First day on the job, actually,” Dawson continues.
Richard laughs and reaches a hand out for my shoulder to squeeze it. It feels like a heavy, limp noodle being left on me, and I want to shake it off and run away. Actually, I would love to take the champagne in front of me and pour it in his eyes, but that definitely won’t go well. Art school will be flushed down the drain because I’ll be fired immediately.
“Then I suppose she needs someone to show her the ropes of this business, doesn’t she?” Richard raises an eyebrow and reluctantly pulls his hand away from me, but not before letting it slide down my back just a bit. “I would love to take you to dinner tonight and let you pick my brain.”
I don’t need to be a mind reader to know exactly what he’s thinking. I’m a young, naïve girl new to this world of absolute sharks. In his head, anyone would be lucky to get an offer like this. He must think I’ll be frothing at the mouth for a chance to sleep my way up the chain.
“I appreciate the offer, but I really shouldn’t.” I shake my head and offer him a polite smile, not wanting to offend him. You never want to offend a man like Richard. That’s bound to go horribly. “I don’t want to waste too much of your time.”
“I promise it’s not a problem for me at all.” Richard leans closer, once again putting his hand on my thigh and squeezing it. “It’s always such a pleasure to help the new generation. Especially when they’re as ravishing as you are.”
“I think I’ll have to work tonight, anyway.” I look at Dawson and silently plead with him to help me. There’s no doubt in my mind that he can see the fear on my face, and I want to crawl out of my skin. He’s already torturing me for an entire year; the least he can do is step up and get me out of this.
“I think that’ll be a lovely idea,” Dawson says with a grin that makes my heart sink to my stomach. “You can never have too much experience in an industry like this. Richard knows what he’s doing. A lot of people would be lucky to be in your shoes.”
“So that settles it then,” Richard says, clapping his hands together. He looks at me and licks his lips, leaving a sheen of saliva on them that makes my stomach curdle. “I’ll send a car to pick you up this evening.”
There’s no use fighting against it. What Richard expects on this date is clear. Dawson knows that as much as I do.
The two of them finally start talking about business, and I try to forget about the sleazy man beside me while I take some notes.
By the time lunch is over, Richard is hugging both of us goodbye, lingering on me a little too long. His hand drops to my lower back and grazes my ass. I back away quickly and stand behind Dawson as we prepare to leave.
When we’re in the limo, Dawson turns to me with a shit-eating grin that I wish I could smack off his face.
“You can’t make me go out with him,” I say, the anger and frustration spilling over in my voice. “I’m not doing it.”
“Actually, not going would be a breach of your contract, so you will go out with him tonight. Richard is a big client we can’t afford to lose, so you’re going to make sure he’s happy no matter what, capiche?”
His face is stoic and emotionless, which makes this pill go down even harder. Henry is an asshole, so I should have expected Dawson would be one too. But how could someone care about the people in their life so little?
I fold my arms across my chest and turn to the window, knowing there’s no way for me to argue my way out of this. If I have to go on a date with Richard, so be it. But if he tries something, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to stop myself from breaking his nose.
Later that day, when we get home, I rush to my room, immediately looking through my wardrobe for something to wear tonight. I’m not going to give him anything to stare at. I find a baggy sweater and some loose-fitting overalls that I like to wear when I’m painting. I slip both of them on and wait in my room, careful not to run into Dawson for the rest of the day, then leave when the car is outside to pick me up.
Thankfully, Richard isn’t in it, but I know I’ll have to see him soon enough.
Chapter 5
Dawson
Goddamnit.
No matter what I do, no matter how I try to distract myself with all of the usual methods—working out, answering emails, assigning tasks for Harper to address in the morning—my attention keeps going back to the nearest clock. How long will they be out? When the hell does he plan on sending her home?
I’m assuming he’s planning on doing that in the first place. I’m assuming a lot of things as I pace my living room, fighting the uneasy churning in my gut.
I knew it was a questionable idea at best, sending her out with him. The next step in an endless game where I push her every limit and remind her at every turn who makes the decisions. Who calls the shots when it comes to what she will and won’t do. Tacked on top of that is my family’s long-standing history with Richard—his connections, his endless wealth. Not exactly the kind of guy you want to piss off, and especially not when it comes to a woman. That’s too close to his ego, and his ego is about as fragile as a spiderweb in a storm.
Dammit. I can’t shake the memory of how nervous she was. She’s proven already how much she wants to do a good job. I’m sure she wants to keep Dad happy and earn that art school tuition she’s got her heart set on. A waste of time? Could be, but she has a dream. I can’t shit on that. She’ll put up with whatever a lecherous prick throws at her just to keep her job.
Is that the kind of boss I am? Am I a pimp now? That’s how I’m feeling by the time I come to a stop in the center of a large window overlooking a twinkling skyline. She’s down there somewhere, with him, and if he doesn’t have his hand up her dress yet, it’s only a matter of time.
If this is a game of chicken, it makes me the loser who gave in first. But never mind my rationale or how it will look if I put an end to the evening before Richard is ready to say good night. I can think about that later.
