New Adjustments to a Little World

32

Except hers wasn't imaginary. He was standing right in front of her.

And she felt so small and little compared to him, and there was a massive pounding in her head and she couldn't think; she could barely breathe there was a growing tightness in her chest.

"I want nothing to do with you," she heard herself say through the hammering of her skull.

"It's about the company, Lauren."

"I don't want anything to do with that, either!" the girl shouted viciously. "You made my life a living hell because of that fucking company, I want no part of it!"

"But you have no problem associating with the daughter of the owner of Hansen Industries?" Mike inquired, smirking when Lauren visibly paled. "I told you I know people in this building, Lauren. They've seen Ms. Hansen around here multiple times."

"So you just came here to what? Get me to convince her to make  her dad partner with you?" Lauren accused, staring at the man in disbelief. "Well that sucks for you, because I won't."

Mike reached out and roughly grabbed Lauren's arm, causing the girl to cry out in fear and pain. "Do you think I'm playing?" he asked menacingly, and Lauren knew he wouldn't have any problem hurting her.

He'd done it before, there was no way she could stop him now.

"Dinah knows," Lauren said. "She knows about how you beat me as a kid. It's kind of hard to miss the whip marks on my back."

"And how would she know about them?" Mike questioned, his eyes narrowing in challenge.

Lauren breathed out shakily, knowing what she was about to say would piss him off. But she didn't care. She'd made it through the conversation a lot further than she thought, might as well not stop now.

"Because she's my caretaker when I'm little."

Honestly, Lauren realized it was probably a bad idea to admit that to him, but she found some satisfaction in seeing how furious it made him.

"You're what?" Mike asked, his voice a low growl.

"My caretaker. Because I'm a little. And at first, I despised the idea of being one, because I thought it would be just like living with you all over again," she explained, pulling her arm out of the vice-like grip Mike had on it. "But I've learned that everything I suffered through as a kid was fucked up, and it was all because of you. You made it hell."

"Lauren," the older man warned, but the green eyed girl just shook her head.

"No, you beat the shit out of me for nothing," Lauren replied furiously. "No one deserves that kind of abuse. I mean, fuck, you didn't even care that Brad wanted me to sleep with him when I was just out of sophomore year and I didn't want to! What kind of person beats their kid for not wanting to have sex?!" she asked. "I want nothing to do with you or your company. You can leave and go to fucking hell!" she screamed, shoving him back towards the still slightly ajar door, her chest heaving as she tried to settle her breathing.

The two stood in a stare down, and as Mike took a threatening step toward the green eyed girl, Normani stormed through the door. When she caught sight of Mike, she immediately grabbed the collar of his shirt and shoved him towards the door.

"Get the fuck out and stay the hell away from her," she growled. "Or I will make sure you pay for the shit you put your own daughter through, and watch your company and your reputation burn to the ground."

Mike looked between the dark skinned woman, who was glaring at him with fury in her eyes, and Lauren, who was stood behind the woman, frozen in fear. Finally, he pushed Normani away and stormed out of the apartment, slamming the door as he went.