Page 59 of His White Moonlight
He grabbed my shoulders and tipped my chin up to look at my neck.
“Does it hurt to swallow?Can you speak?”
“I quit.”
He released my chin and looked into my eyes.“It won’t happen again.”
Was he an idiot?It might not happen where he would see it, but it most definitelywouldhappen again.
“You’re right…because I quit.”
“You can’t.”
“Are you going to drag me into the office every day?”
“We made a deal.You said you’d eat lunch with me if I didn’t tell Mom and Dad you were eating next to a man last week.”
I stared at him, knowing damn well what would happen if he told them that before I had a chance to talk to them about college.
“I hate you.”
“Then hate me.But you’re not quitting.”
With a final glare at him, I left the office, making sure to slam his door as hard as possible.
He left me alone for the rest of the morning but kept his blinds open so he could watch me.Did he think I’d run?I had to admit I was tempted.How much would it cost to take a ride-share home?I checked.Thirty dollars.I had that.
But I didn’t do it.I sat there and worked, thinking about how a little patience now would bring me freedom later.Because Mom was right.I’d only been home for five days after years of being away.They needed to know I could successfully survive as an adult on my own.
An hour before lunchtime, I left my desk to use the bathroom.As I’d anticipated, several of the office girls entered behind me.
“You want Bennett?”I asked before any of them spoke.“Have him.I’m leaving for an hour.Good luck.Tell him I called him an asshole before I left and that I plan on spitting in his lunch.”
They all stared after me, open-mouthed in shock.
No one else bothered me on my way out.On the street, I walked several blocks down and then over without any destination in mind.I just wanted the air and the time away.
My phone buzzed with a voice message.
“If you want to spit in my lunch, that’s fine,” Bennett said, “but you’re going too far to do it.A bento box from the place next to our building is fine.”
I sent him the finger emoji in return.He immediately replied with another voice message.
“You have ten minutes to get back here, or I will bring you back, and you won’t like how.”
The people walking toward me gave me a wide berth as I called Bennett every bad name I could think of.Then I turned around and started back.
I bought two bento boxes, and when I got outside, I shook his like it was a dice cup.It was more satisfying than spitting in it.
He was waiting for me by the elevator doors on the twelfth floor.He didn’t look as mad as I thought he would.Just relieved.He stole the lunch bags from me and motioned for me to lead the way.
Mom was out of her office, talking to some of the workers.When she saw me with Bennett, she smiled.I flashed her a smile I didn’t feel.Her smile faltered, and the women noticed.Of course they did.From their point of view, it looked like Mom was being loving and supportive and I was just being a bitch.Whatever.
When we reached the office suite, I noticed my laptop was missing from my desk as we passed it.Its location had changed to the coffee table in Bennett’s office, where he set the lunch bag.He brought out both boxes and looked at me.
“Which one is mine?”
“The top one.”
