“You’re fired. Get your stuff and be gone from my property in five minutes.” I turned to take Kitten back up to my office to take care of her.
She hadn’t said anything since I came in and I was worried that she might be in some kind of shock. It hurt my heart to see her like this and I wanted to howl at the fucking moon to release the pent up rage that was threatening to choke me.
How dare anyone put hands on what’s mine? If she were a man I would’ve put her fucking lights out without a second thought.
“I knew you were fucking the little slut.” The words were flung after us like sharp little darts and they hit their intended target.
I felt Kitten’s body shake under my arm at the loud accusation. I didn’t turn back to her as she threw more accusations at our backs, just kept walking with the young girl held protectively in the curve of my arm.
“Just wait until I tell your folks about this you little ungrateful bitch.” At this point I’d had about all I could take of her so I turned to the two guards and gave them their orders.
“Escort her off my property now.” I didn’t wait around to see if they carried out my orders, but I guess they did when I heard the loud applause coming from the room as the elevator doors closed behind us.
“Let me see baby.” I turned her tear stained face up to mine, biting back the bark of anger that was clawing its way up my throat. I kissed the reddened area of her cheek and her forehead before pulling her face into my chest.
“I’m sorry baby, I didn’t think she would go this far.” Her poor little body was wracked by sobs and I bit my fist over her head to keep myself from releasing even an ounce of the fiery rage that consumed me.
It’s not easy for a man such as myself to let something like this pass, to see his woman accosted and do nothing; but I promised myself that I would make Marion pay and pay dearly for her little stunt.
I led her into my office and sat her behind my desk in the big easy chair that was more comfortable than the others in front of it. She curled into herself and her shoulders shook, tearing my heart out of my chest.
I found a washcloth in my private bathroom and wet it before applying it to her cheek with one hand, and playing with her hair with the other.
When her little hand came up and covered mine on her cheek, I felt my heart clench. How was it possible to feel this much for someone I’d only just met?
I fought hard to hide my inner rage from her; I didn’t want to traumatize her any more than she already had been. Kissing her forehead I pulled the cloth away to assess the damage.
The sight of the handprint in her cheek only served to enrage me further and I had to remind myself that it was better for me to be here taking care of her than for me to follow Marion and strangle her.
“What happened baby?”
She sucked in a deep breath and the tears started again. “I thought she was just having one of her spells.”
“Spells?” I turned her face to mine so I could see her eyes.
“Yeah, you know, like when she gets mad and screams out of nowhere, or when she throws and breaks things?” she looked at me as if I was supposed to know what she was talking about; at my blank look she carried on.
“When I got back she was already upset because I’d been gone so long. I told her everything that had happened, I thought she would be happy for me, but she got this look on her face, it was scary.” She trembled and swiped at her cheeks with trembling hands.
“Then she saw my new phone and asked where I’d gotten it and that’s when it happened. When I told her that you had gotten it for me she started screaming, calling me the most ugly names.
When I tried to tell her that it wasn’t anything like that she struck me and snatched the phone and threw it into the wall. Then she tried to push the cabinet over on me, so I ran.
By then the others were coming to see what all the fuss was about and someone called security because she was still coming after me.” Her poor little body shuddered and I drew her into me enveloping her in my arms. Screw moving too fast.
***
My mind raced with thoughts of the steps I had to take next. I knew Marion would never tell her parents the truth, but I also knew she could spin anything to suit herself, so I made the call myself. I was straightforward and as honest as the situation allowed before giving her the phone.
I listened as she told them of her visit so far with her so-called aunt. My blood heated up at some of the things she imparted; even though she tried to be as quiet as she could I still over heard it all.
Then again it would’ve been hard for me not to since I’d picked her up and sat her in my lap. Shit, I needed to get her stuff from that apartment. As much as I didn’t want to expose her to the other woman’s venom anymore for the day, I needed her there to make sure she got all of her belongings and we needed to get there before Marion destroyed it all.