Page 27 of Octane

As soon as the “she” leaves my lips, her pathetic attempt at seduction morphs into jealousy and anger.

“Sorry, Mr. Powell. It’s against the rules. If you’ll excuse me,” she adds with an attitude as she returns to her seat.

Red seeps into my vision, and it takes all of my willpower to leave the office without doing something that I know I’ll regret. I walk to the elevator and get in when it arrives. Entering my access code for the penthouse, I slam my fist against the “P” button on the panel, shattering the hard plastic that it’s made out of.

SAWYER

At eleven that evening,a pair of footsteps can be heard in the hallway outside our door. My feet are aching and my stomach is churning with anxiety, fear of the unknown, and hunger. My bladder is screaming for relief. Dinner is ice cold. A chill surges through my body, contradictory to the sweat that covers my skin.

As the footsteps come closer, I find myself hoping it’s him just so he can put an end to it all. Until I hear his key enter the lock and my brain does a one-eighty, wishing it weren’t him after all.

As the door opens, my head turns in his direction, but he’s not looking at me. He takes off his jacket and puts it away in the coat closet. When his eyes finally reach mine, I struggle to keep the fear from them. He glances at the table, at the cold dinner that awaits him, then back at me.

“I already ate.”

His words leave me shaking with both anger and sadness. I’m unable to stop the tears that manifest in their wake. Daniel walks to the table and picks up his plate, confusing me. There’s no way he’s going to help me clean up. A second later, he sends the plate sailing in my direction like a frisbee. I duck just in time for it to miss hitting my head, and it slams into the dining room wall behind me.

Before I’m able to fully register what’s happening, I feel pain squeezing at my neck, pulling me up from the crouched position I’m in behind the chair I’m clinging to for dear life.

“What the fuck did you think you were trying to pull?” he questions in a chilling voice.

Daniel moves his hold from the back of my neck to my biceps and pushes me up against the wall.

“Nothing, I told you earlier, he just showed up,” I cry out in pain as he squeezes me tightly.

I lock my eyes on his, begging him to see the sincerity within me.

“Howconvenienthe just happened to show up on a day that I was out of the office. You don’t honestly think I’m that stupid, do you?”

Spit flies from his mouth, landing on my cheek, and I try not to cringe.

“No, of course not. But that’s what happened.”

“What, you don’t get enough of ogling him on the track? You had to parade him aroundmyoffice, embarrassing me in front ofmystaff?”

“That’s not what I was doing, Daniel.”

“Did you think I wouldn’t find out?” He squeezes my chin between his thumb and forefinger. “I have eyes and ears all over the office, Sawyer.”

“I didn’t invite him; he came on his own. I told him no, but he said I was the only one he would work with. He’s a billionaire, Daniel. I didn’t think you’d want me turning that kind of business away from your company.” Angry tears leak from my eyes. “I wasn’t trying to keep it from you. I was going to tell you about it tonight when you got home from your meeting.”

He lets go of me, then boxes me in against the wall with his arms.

“Were you planning on telling me about all the flirting that was going on too?”

“Flirting? We weren’t flirting, we were working! I told you before, he’s my boss. I don’t think of him that way.”

He says nothing else. He simply stands there, his eyes locked on mine.

“When I walked in, you could cut the sexual tension with a knife.” His face looks sad, which is an emotion long lost to Daniel. It’s impossible for him to feel that way anymore. The narcissism in him won’t allow for it.

“There was no sexual tension, I swear.” I speak quietly, pleading with him to believe me. “Daniel, I promise you, there is nothing between us. I’m with you, no one else.”

Daniel reaches for my arm, and I flinch, thinking he’s going to grab me again. He pulls me in for a hug, and relief spreads through me for a second before I feel a sharp pain tugging at the back of my head.

“If youeverthink about leaving me,” he pulls my head back roughly, forcing me to look him in the eyes, “I’ll fucking kill you.”

Shaking, my tear-filled eyes follow his. With a dangerous gleam, he looks back and forth between mine. Fear keeps me from being able to speak, but I’m able to give him a slight nod despite his painful grip on my hair.

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