《Please note: (18+) This story includes adult content that is not suitable for younger readers.》



I'm enjoying the charity ball- or at least- I'm trying to. Kristian has kept me at his side for the last two hours, talking to everyone he knows, and despite the amount of people... I haven't been able to lose him. Somehow, he always ends up right next to me and while I've met plenty of people, I haven't actually gotten to talk.

Kristian keeps up the conversations, sometimes even answering for me, and thus far I've let him because I don't want to embarrass him infornt of anyone. I'm just out of my element here, the conversations revolving around matters that often don't concern me, and I'm starting to think that Kristian is purposefully trying to keep me out of the loop.

Kristian has kept me extremely busy this week, I haven't done anything except work and sleep. He wasn't lying when he said he needed an assistant. Every account I've muddled through this week has been a hodgepodge of miscalculations and underrated risk evaluation. Almost as if the person working the accounts had no sense of numbers.

I've barely seen Remy since our girls night. The accounts we collaborate on have been slowly disappearing from my task list, and I know Kristian has something to do with it, but I haven't had the time to investigate the disappearances.

I feel the brush of a hand on the back of my arm, and I shy away, moving a step away from Kristian as I pretend to be looking at the art hung on the walls. He's had a good amount more than me to drink. I'm on my second glass of watered down champagne, the bubbles almost nonexistent while he's on his fifth- or sixth- of whatever amber liquor he's been drinking.

Up until his third, he seemed fine, but now I don't feel as comfortable as I did an hour ago. I'm his assistant, his plus one for the night, but now instead of it feeling professional... it feels like a forced date that I can't wait to escape. His touch feels wrong to me, the hand at my lower back, his arm looped through mine, and just now the brush of his fingers skimming my bare skin from my elbow up to the inside of my arm. It's too... familiar, giving people the wrong impression as if we're a couple or something.

I tune back into the conversation just as the hostess says, "-contributions are always a blessing."

"We try to give as much as we're able," Kristian replies, a forced smile plastered on his face. "Kids need to have places where they feel safe."

I can hear the insincerity in his tone, but it's obvious the hosts do not as they smile and continue their praise. My teeth grit together as I try to hold my smile, Kristian playing them as easily as he plays every person that walks through his door. In the past week, I've been privy to at least twenty meetings, and all he does is glaze over their worries until they leave confused as to why they were there in the first place.

My mind drifts again as Kristian attempts to talk up the firm. How beneficial it would be for the charity if the firm were allowed to take over the accounting. I take a sip of the flat champagne, trying to ignore the obvious signs of unease from the hosts. Their stiff postures and slightly thinned lips giving them away even as they smile tightly at everything Kristian says.

The conversation is cut short, however, as the hosts are needed for an announcement. I take a breath, ready to make my own excuse when I feel Kristian's large hand grasp my upper arm in a firm hold. I'm pulled a step sideways and feel his chest pressing against my shoulder.

I'm sure that to anyone else, it would look innocent, considering not a single person looks at us twice, but he's too close. His heavy breath is thick with the sharp scent of alcohol and my nose scunches in distaste.

"What the fuck are you doing?" he asks, his voice low, and he's so close that the scruff on his chin catches against the fine tendrils of hair at my temple as he speaks.

I hadn't expected him to grab me, especially as tightly as he is, and I can't help...