Get your ass up
Dora’s POV
It’s a good thing you didn’t hear me. It’s better if you hate me. Those words echoed in my mind, though I didn’t hear them at the time. Austin had muttered them under his breath as he carried me out of the elevator, his arms strong but his expression unreadable. I was unconscious, lost in a fog of exhaustion and fear, but even if I’d been awake, I wouldn’t have known what to say. Austin was a puzzle, cold and distant one moment, saving my life the next. When the emergency team finally pulled us out, Austin didn’t hesitate. He scooped me up like I weighed nothing, his grip firm but careful. I remember the warmth of his chest against my cheek, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, and the faint scent of his cologne, something sharp and masculine. But everything else was a blur.
He must have debated what to do with me, take me to his apartment, wake me up, or call someone. In the end, he chose the last option.
He called Sienna.
I don’t know what they said to each other, but I can imagine the tension. Sienna has never liked Austin, and the feeling is mutual. Still, she told him to bring me to her place. When we arrived, Austincarried me inside, his movements deliberate but his expression cold.
“As much as I hate seeing you, I appreciate you saving her and bringing her here,” Sienna said, her voice sharp as a knife.
“Trust me, Ms. Addison, the feeling is mutual,” Austin replied, his tone just as icy.
And then he was gone, leaving me in Sienna’s care.
When I woke up the next morning, my body felt like it had been run over by a truck. My muscles ached, and my head throbbed with the remnants of a headache. I blinked at the unfamiliar ceiling, trying to piece together how I’d ended up in Sienna’s apartment. Before I could ask her, her voice cut through the silence like a whip.
“What the fuck are you still doing in bed? Get your ass up! You have a presentation today!”
Her words hit me like a bucket of cold water. I bolted upright, my heart racing. The presentation. Today was the day. I couldn’t believe I’d almost forgotten.
“Sienna, what time is it?” I asked, panic creeping into my voice.
“Late enough that you don’t have time to go home and change,” she said, tossing me a towel. “You’ll have to make do with something from my closet.”
I groaned. Sienna’s wardrobe is… well, let’s just say it’s not exactly office-appropriate. Every dress she owns is either too short, too tight, or too revealing. But I didn’t have a choice.
I rummaged through her closet, finally settling on a black jumpsuit. It was sleek and chic, but the deep neckline at the back made me nervous. Still, it was the least revealing option I could find. To make it look more professional, I pulled my hair into a loose bun, hoping it would hide the bare skin.
“Oh, you’re growing sexier by the day,” Sienna teased as I emerged from the bathroom.
I rolled my eyes, already feeling self-conscious. “Thanks, but I’d rather not draw attention today.”
“Too late for that,” she said with a smirk.
Meanwhile, Austin’s day was already in full swing. He was busier than usual, juggling meetings, last-minute preparations, and a lunch with the foreign clients. I could tell he was on edge, his jaw was tight, his movements sharp. But when he saw me in the hallway, his expression shifted.
“What are you wearing, Ms. Nur?” he asked, his voice low but laced with disapproval.
I stiffened, trying to keep my composure. “I’m perfectly aligned with the company’s dress code, Mr. Jess. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”
Before I could walk away, he grabbed my elbow and pulled me into a corner. His grip was firm but not painful, and his closeness made my heart race.
“Dora, it’s not the time to argue,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. “Change your dress. Now.”
I could feel his eyes on me, scanning the jumpsuit, the way it hugged my curves. I knew what he was thinking, that I was drawing too much attention, that I was making a scene. But I didn’t have time to change, and I wasn’t about to let him bully me.
“I’ll manage,” I said, pulling my arm free.
He opened his mouth to argue but stopped himself when he saw the determination in my eyes. Instead, he walked away, leaving me to deal with the consequences.
The presentation was in a few hours, and I was determined to make it perfect. But as I sat in the conference room, waiting for my turn, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. Austin’s words echoed in my mind, and the way he’d looked at me, like he was trying to control me, made my skin crawl.
When it was finally my turn to present, I took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage. The room was packed, senior management, foreign clients, and my colleagues all watching me. I could feel their eyes on me, their expectations heavy in the air.
I started strong, my voice steady as I explained the project. But when I turned to look at the projector screen, I noticed something strange. The room, which had been silent moments before, was now filled with gasps and murmurs.
I froze, my heart pounding. What was happening?
I looked at Austin, hoping for some kind of explanation, but he just smirked at me, his expression smug. Then I glanced at Sienna, who looked horrified.
It wasn’t until after the presentation, when Sienna dragged me to the bathroom, that I realized what had happened.
“What’s wrong with you?!” she demanded, her voice sharp.
“What do you mean?” I asked, confused.
“I mean this,” she said, spinning me around to face the mirror.
My breath caught in my throat. There, on my back, was Austin’s name, tattooed in bold, black letters.
“I don’t know how this happened,” I whispered, my voice trembling.
“Oh, I think you do,” Sienna said, her eyes narrowing. “Austin has a hobby of tattooing, and that’s definitely his handiwork.”
My stomach churned. He’d done this to me, marked me like I was his property. And now the entire office had seen it.
“Sienna, do me a favor and remove his name from my back,” I said, grabbing a tissue and handing it to her.
We scrubbed at the tattoo until my skin turned red, but the name didn’t budge. It was permanent, a reminder of his control over me.
Furious, I stormed out of the bathroom and headed straight for Austin’s office. My heart pounded with every step, my mind racing with questions. How could he do this to me? What was he trying to prove?
When I reached his office, I didn’t bother knocking. I pushed the door open and found him sitting at his desk, calm and composed, as if he hadn’t just humiliated me in front of the entire company.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I demanded, my voice shaking with anger.
He looked up, his expression unreadable. “I warned you to change your dress.”
“So you thought it was okay to tattoo your name on my back?!” I shouted, my hands clenched into fists.
He stood, his towering frame looming over me. “You should have listened to me, Dora. Now everyone knows who you belong to.”
His words sent a chill down my spine. I took a step back, my anger giving way to fear. This wasn’t just about control, it was about possession. And I wasn’t sure how far he was willing to go to prove his point.
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