Nora's P.O.V
I was relieved when I kept my promise to Elijah and arrived at the office on time. Due to the fact that it was six in the morning, the reception area was nearly empty. Subtle rays of yellow infiltrated the space and cleaners worked efficiently as early-bird workers passed by everyone. Strong scents of coffee and recently printed paper mixed in the air whilst I aimed for the elevators.
Pressing the lift button for the eighth floor I rallied myself for the dreaded upcoming work I'd be forced to do today. I crossed my fingers hoping that Elijah wouldn't be in again and that I'd get to spend some more time with Elian.
Almost a step away from my office, Naomi informed me that Elijah was in and wanted to see me, I prayed to whichever God was out there that I wouldn't be in any trouble and yet it seemed the devil was plotting my demise. Gently knocking on his door, I heard Elijah give me permission to enter. He was standing at the window overlooking the bustling city of New York with a stoic expression plastered on his face. 'What I would give to know what he was thinking about right now', I thought.
Elijah wore a crisp white button up shirt, tightly pressed along his muscles and abs, tempting me to run my hand over the indents and bulging mountains as if I was a world-wide explorer.
A silk black blazer suit hugged his broad form and matching to it were tailored black suit pants which gave way to imagination of what lay underneath along with polished leather black shoes. A loose tie hung around his neck, my mind flashing with erotic scenarios which would cause the devil to blush.
That tie was sinful.
Like a raven perched on a tree branch, he was watching over his terrain and those stormy eyes flashed in my direction, my breath hitching in my throat. Elijah had this calculating, dangerous aura that surrounded him with a black cloak of smoke. As alluring as it was, I viewed him with caution.
"Miss Jones, you are five minutes late. I expect punctuality", he demanded. 'Is he out of his mind?' I glared at him with insultive thoughts. I wanted to exasperate in frustration, but I battled to resist doing so because, in a way, he was right I should have been showing up on time, but it was six in the morning, I was trying.
"Are you just going to stand there all day? Take a seat already", he ordered with a chilling tone. I immediately obeyed and sat down in one of the sofa's, my back rigidly straight and eyes following his every move.
He hadn't spared me a glance, not even once, as he sat in his chair and began to survey the papers on his desk. 'Why is he not saying anything?' I questioned with curiosity as he took his time, letting the silence engulf us in discomfort. After a while, he looked up at me and I was sure I caught a glimpse of danger in his eyes.
"Miss Jones, can you bring me a cup of coffee from the canteen?" The boss asked me, and I instantly agreed, quickly escaping the room that was suffocating me. The canteen was on the ground floor so to save time I took the elevator, for once appreciating the melody playing through the speakers as it distracted me from my thoughts of Elijah. Heading through the tables and chairs I walked up to the counter where a man was bustling around preparing for orders.
"A coffee for Mr Elijah, please", I requested. The guy enthusiastically nodded, preparing the drink as I waited, fidgeting with the belt of my formal grey dress.
"What are you doing here this early, Miss Nora?" Asked a disgruntled feminine voice which I recognised as Anna's. 'I could ask you the same question', I venomously commented to myself as I slowly turned around and looked at her. Today, she wore a black form-fitting dress which stopped just above her knees, a small slit made to trap men's attention. Paired with it was a denim jacket that stopped around her waist and a small black bag that hung effortlessly off her shoulder.
"I... Uh... The boss asked me to bring him a cup of coffee", I stuttered looking down at my feet. For some reason whenever I was around her, I felt inferior, like we were in a game of cat and mouse. Out of the corner of my eyes I could see Anna judgingly scanning me from head to toe, making me squirm in discomfort as I once again fidgeted.
"Nora, I need you to come with me. I have some work for you", Anna stated just as the man at the counter placed the cup of coffee in front of us.
"But I have to give this coffee to Mr Elijah, ma'am", I replied. She looked disappointed for a second before a mysterious glint appeared in her eyes making me suspicious.
"You can give Elijah the coffee later, he won't mind, now follow me", she ordered sternly. I didn't want to follow her at all, but I also didn't want her to get pissed off with me, so I reluctantly nodded and trailed after her. Anna strutted towards the storage room like she was rehearsing a catwalk on the runway and the coffee was left behind, forgotten for the time being.
She politely opened the door to the storage room and nodded towards the darkness in the room. "There is a blue folder in here, find it for me and then give it to me", Anna demanded as she waited impatiently for me to start moving. I informed her about my phobia of darkness, but she merely told me to use my phones flashlight, shrugging without a care.
I tensed as I crept deeper into the room in search for the folder yet pausing as my eyes looked over multiple blue ones all tucked into separate boxes around the room. 'Which one was it?' I asked myself as I pulled some out and analysed them, they were exactly alike. I spoke out, asking Anna which exact folder she wanted me to look for, but no reply came from the door.
Apprehension came over me as I hurried towards the entrance only to find that she wasn't even there, she had left me, moreover my dress had become dirty and wrinkled in dust.
'Great, she just wanted to waste my time and now Elijah's going to kill me', I cursed Anna to infinity and beyond as I walked back towards the canteen, grabbing the coffee which had slowly started to turn cold until I heard the hoarse and husky voice again over the building speakers.
"Miss Nora, did you fall asleep on the way to the canteen? Where is that coffee, I asked you to get me?" Elijah asked annoyed. I tightened my grip on the cup and scurried towards the elevator, hopping inside, and dreading the moment the doors opened. In my panicked state I pressed the button to the eighth floor a couple of times, wishing it would get me there faster.
'This wasn't even my fault! Why did Anna even pull this kind of stunt? What have I ever done to her?', I heatedly raged. As I left the elevator, I stormed towards Elijah's office halting before the door to take in a few quick calming breaths before knocking. Elijah's voice commanded me to enter the room.
I saw Anna standing beside Elijah, they faced a statue discussing in hushed whispers before Anna looked over at me and abruptly left the room.
"Why are you so undisciplined, Miss Jones? You've been late every day since you started, if I tell you to do something you're supposed to do it straight away and get it to me instantly.
Now, get out." Elijah's voice rang in the air, I flinched at his tone before I bitterly stepped forward. 'How could he do that? To just scream in my face like that?' I indignantly scowled. I wanted to cry but I didn't want to appear weak in front of him. 'It wasn't my fault so why was I being punished for it?'
My step forward made Elijah focus on me in confusion, "I wasn't late on purpose, sir. Your girlfriend over there held me back. She told me to bring her a blue folder from the storage room and to forget about your coffee", I informed him sharply, enough professionalism within my voice to not get me fired.
As my words sank in, I felt the need to slap myself over the forehead in embarrassment, 'Why did I call Anna his girlfriend? Now he'll know that I stalked him.' I gazed at Elijah noting his confused and pissed expression that rippled in tidal waves.
"My girlfriend? Do you mean Anna?" Elijah cautiously asked as his left eyebrow raised and a smirk appeared directing itself towards me. 'Why did I always have to embarrass myself?' I grimaced in pain.
"You know, Miss Jones, I think you're crossing a line right now", he suggested, his smirk instantly disappearing as his voice seemed to fall down a few notches and the room shifted to an icier temperature.
I stood silently before I blurted my thoughts out loud, "Then who's Anna? Why is she bullying me from the very first day? Did she do this with your previous assistant's too?" I wasn't sure where I found the courage to speak up like that, but I had to know why she was acting like this to me. 'I'll probably end up losing my job now', I realised.
"Anna is my best friend", my boss admitted. He stood up and calculatingly walked towards me, eyeing me carefully. 'What is he doing?' I panicked, my eyes widening in alarm as I backed up to the nearest wall. My heart hammered as he reached me, pinning himself so close I was sure he could hear the frantic beats. One palm placed itself against the wall enclosing me into a tighter space whilst the other grasped at my waist, seductively squeezing it.
"What? Are you afraid now? What's your problem with Anna?" He interrogated me before realisation seemed to dawn on him, "Oh, I get it. If she's not my girlfriend then you think you can sleep with me, right?" His hoarse and husky voice turned rough, lilting me to submit to him.
A disgusted expression inched itself onto my face. I never expected the Elijah Cooper to stoop this low. As tears rolled down my cheeks and my body trembled in raw nausea, I lost control over myself. Elijah was caught off-guard at this, and he immediately took a hold of my hand gently caressing it in concern.
"No, Nora, I-" pushing him away with as much force as I could muster, I took a shaky breath in and removed my hand from his.
"I quit", I stated and left the room, slamming the door in his face. I didn't want to hear his explanation, although there may have been some words spoken from him, but I hadn't bothered to stay around and listen.
I caught Anna standing with another woman down the hallway. Quickly running into my office, I hastily collected my belongings, not bothering to check them, before leaving. When she sighted me, she looked shocked but then again, I looked like a complete and utter mess. I snatched a glass of water from a nearby table before throwing it at Anna's face, drenching her entirely. All eyes were on us as people stared at her, whispers bouncing around the room, and small mock laughter radiating off the walls.
"Bye bitch", I confidently said as I stalked across the floor towards the elevator and left the building.
I waited for a cab as the bustling city carried on as if nothing had happened. 'Oh, I definitely messed up and I really needed this job so badly, I wanted to help you mom but I'm sorry I let you down I'll just go and get another job though', I depressingly thought.
When I arrived home, mom had become stricken with fear at my state. She had persistently asked me questions about what had happened, but I wasn't in the mood to answer so instead I shrugged her off. I didn't want to admit I screwed the job up and that I'd have to start from the beginning with my search for one.
Sludging my way up the stairs I entered my room and locked the door, the only sound being my sister's desperate calls of concern. Cocooning myself in a soft blanket, I laid on my bed and closed my eyes, willing myself to forget about today.
Until I remembered that I had forgotten my phone in my hasty exit to leave the building. 'How could I be so dumb?' I chastised myself. After everything that I'd said and everything that I'd done, I didn't want to go back to the office.