Page 61 of Monsters

His stalking and cruel intentions would only fester if I let it.

And then there was the case of Peter. The trust I had placed in him. The bond we had been forming, or at least I thought we had been forming. All those extended times away were spent with someone else, and most likely were all for pleasure and not the slightest bit for business.

“What’s that?” David gestured to the gift behind me.

“It’s nothing,” I said, moving an inch to the right to block his view.

David stilled, the vein in his neck pulsing. He didn’t take well to being dismissed, and my coldness grated him. My gaze darted around the room, keen to avoid his stare.

“How’s Peter?” he finally asked, and I knew he was taking a stab in the dark. That stab just happened to be on point, puncturing right through the heart.

I swallowed hard and prepared my answer. “Peter is great. Busy with…” fucking his Chicago blonde, “… work. Always busy with work.”

It wasn’t convincing, and I saw an unwanted light of curiosity in his eyes.

“Hmm…” David considered my words for one long moment. I shifted on the spot, uncomfortable with the attention. “It’s fine to have ambition and be focused on success, but one should not be so foolish to neglect a woman.” The small, knowing smile that followed had me wanting to slap it right off his smug face. Yes, David was incredibly handsome. But he was also one cocky son of a bitch.

“Did Charlie tell you about Rufus Harding?” he asked, changing tact.

“Yes, I’ll get onto it straight away,” I said, happy to be moving on with more work and less persistent banter.

“I know it’s short notice, but tonight I need you?”

“Excuse me?”

“I need you to come to dinner with Rufus and me to discuss his installation.”

“Oh,” I replied, steadying my heart rate. “Wouldn’t it better if Rufus came here so he can inspect the space?”

David walked to the door and turned, his fingers drumming on the metal trim. “He’s already been while you were away. Apparently, he has something unique planned for opening night.”

I wasn’t thrilled about doing this, for many reasons. I had the ongoing issue of Mason I was now confident in calling an end to, and Peter’s betrayal couldn’t go without a mention.

The first thing I planned to do once I got home, was collect his belongings and toss them down the chute.

“So, tonight,” David cued. “Cocktail. Eight. At Prima.” With a wink, he left.

Shoulders slumped, I sat on the edge of my desk feeling the snarling lips of defeat creeping closer and closer.

~

Stepping out of the cab running only three minutes late, I smoothed down my black dress and scanned the street. The city was always busy no matter what night of the week it was, and tonight was no different. Prima was an elegant cocktail bar with lush and intimate décor. It was far from a place to do business. The doorman greeted me with a warm smile on approach and held the door open for me to enter. Every table and booth was occupied by groups of young women clinking wine glasses, men charming their way through dates and plying them with alcohol, and then there were the singles dressed to impress and working out a game plan. The lighting was dim, the sweet smell of scented vanilla candles mixed with perfume and cologne wafted past. Behind a couple inching dangerously close to an affair, sat David. Alone.

“Fuck. Me!” I said through gritted teeth. Had David not been my employer, and had I not been reliant on money in order to survive, and perhaps been in a different stage of my life where I didn’t have a cheating boyfriend and psychopath following my every move, I may have actually fancied him.

Sensing my approach, he turned wearing a small smile in greeting.

“Gemma,” he said, his hand at the small of my back pulling me in close to kiss my cheek. It was an intimate gesture for something that was supposed to be just a business meeting. “You look stunning,” he murmured into my ear.

Pulling free from his hold, I feigned a smile. “Where’s Rufus?”

David waved his cell. “He just texted to say he’s running late.”

“Right, well, I’m going to grab a drink. Top up?” I asked pointing to his almost empty scotch glass.

“No need, I’ve ordered for both of us already. Take a seat.” David gestured to the plush two-seater couch. I sat down and he next to me despite a single seat opposite. His thigh touched mine, his arm running along the back of the chair.

“I’ve gotta say, Gem…” he started, “… the gallery just doesn’t run as smoothly when you’re not there.”

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