by Ruby Forrest
Janet double checked that she had everything that she could think of, before letting Fang know. They locked the apartment and headed downstairs, to where the car was parked. This time, there were others there, dressed in black, caps on. They didn’t seem to be in uniform, but rather in civilian clothing. Janet assumed that this was just an added layer of security. They would blend into a crowd, but also hide in the shadows. It was a smart way to dress in this industry and Janet found that she was impressed by the thoughtfulness. She said as much and Fang smiled.
She slid into the seat and he stepped into the driver’s seat, “Ready?” He glanced at her.
Janet nodded, “Ready.”
The ride to the meeting didn’t take long and Janet didn’t have much time to feel the nerves building in her stomach. She shifted in her seat and rehearse what she was going to say, getting it straight in her mind, preparing herself in any way she could.
Fang didn’t say much either, focusing on the road ahead. She assumed he was fully in work mode and she was not about to interrupt that. It wasn’t until they approached an office block that Janet felt her stomach tighten. Fang turned to her then with a smile, “All you, now.”
Janet nodded. They got out of the car, Janet flanked by people. Fang then walked beside her until they were inside, where the rest of the guards disappeared, leaving only Fang beside her, “This way.”
Janet approached the reception, trying to walk with an air of authority. Fang introduced her, and she nodded, trying, in her own way, to look the part of a wealthy CEO, instead of a recent business graduate who was very much out of her depth.
The receptionist ushered them inside right away and they were set to wait in a lovely lounge, complete with leather chairs and drinks.
Fang smirked and looked around, nodding, although Janet could still see the guarded nature of his eyes, the way he inspected everything, making sure that she was safe. She felt the rush of gratitude again and she was about to tell him as much, before she was interrupted.
“Miss Delphare?” A voice chimed from the doorway. Janet turned her head, standing in way of greeting, “Yes?”
“The board will see you now. Right this way.” He gestured for Janet to follow. Fang nodded in encouragement. She knew he would be there if anything went wrong in regards to her safety. But now, this bit, it was all on her. She had to make sure she didn’t put a toe out of line. Taking a deep breath, Janet followed him down a long corridor, to a pair of wide doors.
“Through here.”
Janet grabbed the handles, steadying herself. With a great heave of courage, Janet pushed the door and marched straight into the meeting room.
She was met with the stares of several, older men, all about her father’s age, when he had died, or a little older. She felt her breathing catch, feeling terribly out of her depths, but she kept her face smooth.
“Ah, Miss Delphare, thank you for joining us.” One man stood and smiled, “Please, have a seat.”
“Thank you.” Janet slid into the only available seat, sitting with her back straight as she took the scene before her in.
“I’m Mr. Bairn, CEO. On behalf of the company, I would like to offer our condolence for your loss.” There was no sincere pain in his voice, but there was a certain regret in the man’s eyes as he spoke. Janet nodded, “Thank you, Mr. Bairn.”
And as Janet stared into the gaping hole of the unknown, she felt a surge of power. She could do this. For her sake and the sake of her father, she would succeed.
Chapter 7
“Now, Miss Delphare, does that sound fair to you?”
Janet considered for a long moment. They had been back and forth all meeting. This was the deal that her father had supposedly closed already, and Janet had all the paperwork from that. He had, unfortunately, passed away before anything was signed.
The company had wanted to re-negotiate and Janet immediately saw why. They were expecting her, as a young woman, to be a lot easier to push into a better deal. They had hoped, or so she assumed, to make more of a profit. Janet, however, was not in the mood to be a pushover. She had read the minutes of the last meeting and she knew what they had promised her father, what they had agreed to.
She was not happy to settle for anything less, comparatively. Sure, the price of the company’s stocks had dropped, so she had to act accordingly, and adjust the price for that, but she had a clear and accurate picture of what that was, and she wouldn’t settle for less.
It didn’t take the board long to figure out that she wasn’t about to be a pushover. They had then tried to confuse her, but Janet gave as good as she got. She knew business and she had done her research. Nothing confused her. The only thing she felt was a growing frustration that people saw her as nothing more than a figure head in this company, frustration that no one seemed to see her merit as a business woman. Janet folded her arms quietly as she stared them down.
They had finally relented and Janet had begun negotiating a deal that was fair and reasonable, given the circumstances. Eventually, Mr. Bairn had given her his final offer. It was exactly what Janet had hoped for and she felt a flicker of satisfaction. She had gone into this meeting worried about what they thought of her. She was preparing to leave the meeting feeling a lot more confident, a lot more sure in her abilities.
“More than fair.” She smiled softly, “Shall we sign the contract now?” Janet leaned forward, “Oh, but Miss Delphare, don’t you want time to go over it?”
“I’ve gone over it many times, Mr. Bairn. Let’s add the terms and caveat, shall we?”
An hour or so later and the fresh contract was drawn up and signed, after it had been gone through with a fine toothed comb. Janet felt discomfort at the thought of waiting to sign the contract. She had to secure this deal, of continued trading within the company, or her company would be in trouble.
Once her pen lifted from the paper, she felt a relief descend on her, replacing the fear that had rested, heavy as lead, against her body.
She smiled, making to stand. They stepped forward and Janet shook everyone’s hand, and smiled. She felt a moment, just a moment, of blessed relief.
Then all hell broke loose.
The window shattered in a sudden and massive explosion. It was dramatic, it was frightening. Glass went everywhere, skidding all over the floor and flooding the floor with dangerous, little shards.
Janet screamed and so did a few of the men, everyone jumping back. Janet’s heart was pounding in her chest, loud and violent and she felt the fear working through her senses, blocking everything else out. Men were jumping through the window. Before she could move, a man had her by the neck, one arm around her, and the barrel of a gun pressing into her side. She choked, feeling sick, biting her lip to hide the scream of terror as she was dragged to the broken window, to the drop that was many, many floors down.
Janet felt dizzy, felt sick, felt like she might just pass out and collapse right then and there, fall from the window and never wake up. It was terrifying. One moment they had been closing the deal, the next a man was holding her fiercely by the neck, pressing a gun into her skin and leaving her breathless.
Her thoughts were reeling. People were shouting. Everything was chaos. Everything was a mess, a riot, people going everywhere, the sound of guns echoing through the building, through the small room. The board were all backed up against the wall and Janet was shaking as she was pushed closer and closer to the edge, until the slightest breath could have sent her hurtling over the edge.
Janet tried to stay still. Struggling right now could kill her. She stared around the room, but there was no one there to help. She looked at the door, praying for Fang to come in, to do anything, something. But the door remained shut and Janet thought that she was going to pass out.
The man who was holding her spoke, low and quiet, “You’re done. Your company and the terror that they have placed on our people…is finished.”
He turned sharply and Janet was
pushed to the very edge, her feet over the edge, her toes dangling into space. She realized then, with a certain, painful clarity that she was going to be pushed from the building, thrown out to crash on the ground. There was no way that she would be able to survive that, no way.
“It’s over.”
Then he pushed her. Janet felt his hand on the small of her back, and she was pushed, pushed out of the window, into the endless space outside. For a surreal second, she realized that she could see the whole city, see it spread out like a beautiful blanket or quilt, as if she was flying, and flying high above it all.
Not flying. Falling. The terror kicked in and she screamed, hands reaching for something, anything to slow her fall and stop her descent. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Janet felt her heart stop, felt the sudden panic wash her body like a bucket of ice.
Then she was falling, falling and falling as gravity betrayed her and she plunged to her death. When she felt arms around her waist, Janet screamed again, the sound torn from her body as panic flooded every part of her system.
Her world turned in on itself and suddenly, suddenly she was spinning, tumbling, but no longer falling. Her body was yanked, her body tense and tight and she was suddenly dragged across the building.
Janet didn’t know which way was up and which was down. She didn’t know what was happening, why she was suddenly suspended in midair and what she was supposed to do now. She looked around frantically, but strong arms circled around her and held her tight to a chest. She felt his strength, smelt the sweet, smoky smell of his body against hers, and realization hit her like a ton of bricks. It was Fang!
She didn’t know how and she didn’t care. He was here, holding her tight and keeping her safe as she floated in their air, hanging hundreds and hundreds of feet from the ground. She shifted a little, gripping on tightly to him. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she forced them to open and glance at the situation.
Fang was dangling in space, but there was no panic in his eyes. He had a harness that was attached to a floor above theirs, and he was holding Janet, keeping her upright and secure. She didn’t know if she was still terrified, or overwhelmingly relieved. She held on tightly, doing her best to support her own weight, so that his arms didn’t get too tired. She didn’t want to know what would happen if he let go, if she was left to tumble to her death. The panic jolted through her again and she bit her lip, not trusting herself to speak.
Fang was barking orders and she heard shooting and yelling in the room where she had been sitting. A few moments later, she felt movement, felt the shift of Fang as he was lifted upwards, carrying Janet with him. Slowly, slowly, they were lifted back to the window.
“Janet, you need to stand now.” Fang was murmuring in her ear, soft, almost intimate. Janet didn’t know if she could manage it, but as Fang lowered her, her feet found the hard surface of the floor, found something stable and secure, instead of nothing at all.
She stumbled backwards, leaning against the table, trying not to fall over. She knew that she looked a mess, her hair windswept. Her shoes were still on, held on by their straps and she found herself very grateful for that, as the glass that littered the room looked terribly sharp. Janet shut her eyes and tried to steady herself. Guards hovered around her but she brushed them off.
It wasn’t until Fang’s hand touched her arm that she opened her eyes. Her gaze met Fang’s, so blue, so perfect. She felt a wash of calm moving through her, his eyes, his touch, soothing and comforting to her. His eyes were hard, but Janet could see the concern bubbling just beneath the surface.
She shuddered softly and he frowned, “Let’s get you back to the hotel.”
Janet was in no mood to argue, in no mood to deal with everyone’s prying gaze, with the people who were starting to gather outside. She could see the cars pulling up and she realized that she would be all over the news in the morning, possibly even tonight. She buried her head in her hands and felt Fang’s arms around her shoulders, “We’re going.”
His voice was clear and cool and Janet took comfort in the strength he provided. He guided her out of the door, the rest of the guards keeping her shielded and out of sight. She was hurried into the car, the back seat this time, with the divider down, and driven back to the hotel.
She knew why- they didn’t want anyone getting pictures of her. Janet was happy for the silence of the drive. She took several, deep breaths and tried to calm herself, calm the raging panic that was pounding in her chest and threatening to overwhelm her. It was too much. It was overwhelming.
They had tried to kill her. They had tried to kill her. She had been thrown out of a window, hundreds of feet from the ground. She had almost died. The thoughts rushed around her head on loop, over and over again. She didn’t know why they hated her so much- she had never done anything to them and yet she had come only inches away from death.
If Fang hadn’t saved her, she would have been done for. Janet felt a surge of gratefulness for Fang, an overwhelming sense that she was lucky, so very, very lucky that she had him as part of the security team. He had somehow known to do that, realized that they could employ that tactic. No wonder he hadn’t burst into the room when they had attacked- he had been outside, preparing for the moment that they struck, if they struck at all. He had been thinking ahead and Janet could never express how grateful she was for him, for his intensity and focus.
He had saved her life. She shuddered, feeling the fear of the close call burn through her. She shut her eyes tightly and curled up. She breathed deeply and wrapped her arms around herself. She was shaking, the shock well and truly starting to kick in, starting to flood her system with belated terror. It was all so surreal, all so insane and confusing, it was more than she could handle, more than she could think about, could consider or take in. It was just too much for her right now.
Chapter 8
Janet didn’t remember much of what was happening as she was driven through back roads, escorted to the hotel room, taken the back way whenever possible and kept out of sight. She just remembered arms around her, as she was ushered out of the public eye. She caught snippets of conversation, but never enough to fully catch her attention, never enough to really shake her from the panicked numbness that had tumbled through her body.
It wasn’t until she was back in her own hotel room that she started to wake up a little more. Sounds of clinking and shifting mugs echoed from the kitchen. Before she knew it, a cup of hot, sweet tea was being pushed into her hands. She looked up and was greeted by Fang’s concerned face.
There was something almost stoic about the way that he looked at her, a stillness in his expression, but his eyes were alight with what looked very much like worry. He was worried about her- she could tell. She managed a small smile, trying to settle herself, to bring some sort of comfort to the situation, to the very challenging situation that she found herself in.
And Fang was here, pushing tea into her hands and sitting beside her. She took a deep breath and tried to settle her heart.
“Are you okay?” His voice was soft and low, with a sort of intensity that almost brought tears to Janet’s eyes.
Suddenly, all she could think about was the terror that she had felt in that moment. Had her father felt the same terror before he died? She felt a lump build in her throat and she pushed it down and out of sight, out of the way. She managed a small smile and nodded.
Fang shifted, just sitting beside her. He didn’t say another word, at least, not for the longest time. Janet was grateful for his silence and his company. The tea tasted fantastic, exotic, and she assumed it was something from South Africa that she hadn’t yet tried. It brought the warmth and feeling back into her body, flooding back into her and leaving her a little less shaken, a little less exhausted.
She shifted and Fang looked at her. He leaned in a little, then seemed to think better of it. He backed up and nodded, “I’m glad you’re alright.”
Janet didn’t want him to
back away. She didn’t want him to distance himself, not now. She reached out, her hand falling to rest on top of his. She squeezed his hand softly, leaning across. She felt something shift in the air between them.
“Thank you.” She whispered. It was barely a breath, a whisper across the quiet room, but he swallowed and she knew that he had heard her.
She didn’t give him a chance to answer. She pressed her lips against his and, this time, it was something sweet and almost soft. She pushed her cup of tea to one side and moved, so that she was brushing up against his skin. She could feel him shuddering a little.
Janet didn’t care, in this moment, whether this was right or wrong. All she knew was that she needed him, and she didn’t know what else to do. Then Fang’s arms slid around her waist and she melted into him.
He kissed her in return, the soft and slow kiss building into something else, something furious and passionate and urgent. Suddenly, all the panic of the day came pouring out of her and she clutched onto him, holding him as tightly as she could.
He pulled her in close and she could feel his heartbeat pounding beneath his clothing. She shuddered, felt the sweat of his skin and the warmth burning through the fabric. Janet felt so cold that Fang was like a fire, blazing out of control, unchecked and setting her ablaze with it.
She wanted him. She needed him. Her hands were on his shirt, pulling it over his head. His hands were quickly on her skin, ripping off her clothes with little concern for them. Janet felt a thrill rise inside of her and she slithered out of the fabric, shedding it like an old skin, like the past that held her so closely.
She shook it all off until she was left only in a bra. Fang made short work of it, tearing it from her skin, kissing her passionately, until it was all that she could feel. She could barely breathe, could barely take in air, but she could feel this, feel him, beneath her skin, all over her.