Eva slipped into the narrow changing room adjacent to the staff quarters. It was little more than a closet, smelling of bleach and starch.
She locked the door. She jiggled the handle, ensuring the deadbolt had fully engaged. Click.
Safe.
She exhaled, a long, shaky breath that rattled in her chest. Her fingers fumbled with the buttons of her uniform. She peeled the fabric away, revealing pale skin marred by the red imprint of Alek's fingers on her jaw.
She looked at herself in the small, cracked mirror above the sink. Her eyes were hollow, dark circles bruising the skin beneath them.
She turned on the faucet. The water ran cold. She splashed it onto her face, the shock of it grounding her, pulling her out of the panic spiral.
The doorknob turned.
It wasn't a rattle. It was a slow, deliberate rotation.
Eva froze, water dripping from her chin. She stared at the door in the mirror's reflection.
The sound of metal sliding against metal followed. A key.
The lock disengaged with a heavy thud.
Eva spun around, clutching her unbuttoned uniform together at her chest.
Alek stepped inside.
He filled the small space instantly. He didn't look drunk, which was worse. He looked focused. Predatory.
He closed the door behind him. He turned the lock, sealing them in.
Eva backed up until her hips hit the edge of the small vanity table. There was nowhere to go. The walls seemed to shrink, pressing in on her.
Alek took a step forward. His eyes dropped to her shoulder, where the uniform had slipped, revealing the curve of her collarbone.
"Hiding?" he asked. His voice was devoid of humor.
Eva opened her mouth to scream, but the conditioning choked her. Be silent. Be invisible. Only a harsh exhale of air escaped her lips.
Alek smirked. "Pathetic."
He reached out. He didn't go for her skin. He grabbed the collar of her uniform.
Rip.
The sound of tearing fabric was deafening in the small room. Buttons popped, pinging against the tiled floor like hail.
Eva gasped, instinctively bringing her hands up to push him away. Her palms hit his chest. It was like pushing against a marble wall.
He caught her wrists in one hand, pinning them above her head against the mirror.
With his free hand, he swept the toiletries off the vanity. Bottles of lotion and hairspray crashed to the floor, rolling into the corners.
He pressed his body against hers, trapping her. He buried his face in the crook of her neck.
His teeth grazed her sensitive skin. It wasn't a kiss. It was a claim. A bite.
Pain sparked, sharp and immediate. Tears pricked Eva's eyes, hot and stinging. Her body began to tremble, violent shudders racking her frame.
Alek stopped.
He didn't pull away, but he froze. He could feel her shaking against him. He could feel the terror radiating off her skin like heat.
He pulled back, just enough to look at her.
Eva's face was wet with tears. Her eyes were wide, pleading, terrified.
Something flickered in Alek's expression. His brows knitted together. The cruelty in his eyes wavered, replaced by a flash of confusion, maybe even... regret?
Click-clack. Click-clack.
The sharp staccato of high heels on the hallway tile cut through the tension.
"Alek!"
Hester Crawford's voice was a whip crack.
Alek flinched. The spell broke. The confusion vanished, replaced by a mask of annoyance.
Hester pounded on the door. "Open this door. Now. I know you're in there."
Alek cursed under his breath. He released Eva's wrists.
Eva slid down the wall, collapsing onto the floor amidst the scattered bottles. She pulled the torn edges of her uniform together, curling into a ball.
Alek straightened his jacket. He ran a hand through his hair, composing himself in a split second.
He unlocked the door and pulled it open.
Hester Crawford stood there, dressed in impeccable silk, her face a mask of icy rage. She didn't look at her son. Her gaze went straight past him, landing on Eva.
Her lip curled. Pure disgust.
"Mother," Alek said, stepping into her line of sight.
"Get out of the way," Hester snapped. "You're late for the conference call with the board. And you're here... playing with the help? Don't give me that pathetic, wide-eyed look, girl. I know exactly what you're doing."
"It's none of your business," Alek growled.
"Everything in this house is my business," Hester retorted. "Especially when it threatens the family name."
While they locked eyes, Eva saw the opening.
She scrambled to her feet. She grabbed a spare oversized janitor's jacket hanging on a hook near the door.
She bolted.
She squeezed past Alek and Hester, her bare feet slapping against the cold floor.
"Hey!" Hester shouted.
Eva didn't look back. She ran down the corridor, the oversized jacket billowing around her. She turned a corner, then another, her lungs burning.
She found a supply closet at the end of the service hall. She threw herself inside and pulled the door shut, sliding down into the darkness among the mops and buckets.
