The silence in the private dining room was suffocating. Essie's hands shook as she reached into the pocket of her faded sweater and pulled out her phone.
The screen lit up with a text from an unsaved number: Restroom. Now.
Essie felt a fresh wave of cold sweat soak through her sweater, sticking the cheap fabric to her spine. She knew exactly what Kieran would do if she dared to ignore him.
She stood up so fast her chair wobbled. "My stomach is killing me. I need to use the restroom," she lied to her coworkers, not meeting their eyes.
Ignoring their weird looks, Essie pushed open the heavy oak door and practically sprinted into the dimly lit hallway.
The thick carpet absorbed the sound of her footsteps. The wall sconces cast long, creepy shadows across the corridor.
Essie pushed open the heavy wooden door to the women's restroom. It was completely empty. Soft jazz music played from hidden speakers in the ceiling.
She walked over to the marble sink, reaching out to turn on the cold water to splash her face.
The door to the last stall-the oversized handicap stall-suddenly swung open. A massive, muscular arm shot out.
Before Essie could even scream, a large hand clamped hard over her mouth. She was violently yanked backward into the stall.
Bang. The stall door slammed shut. The sharp click of the deadbolt locking echoed loudly over the jazz music.
Kieran slammed Essie against the freezing tile wall. His massive frame pressed flush against her, completely immobilizing her.
His eyes were blazing with a psychotic fury. "Why wouldn't you look at me at the table?" he demanded in a harsh whisper.
Essie shook her head frantically. She brought her hands up, pushing desperately against his solid chest, letting out muffled whimpers against his palm.
Kieran grabbed both of her wrists with one hand. He wrenched her arms above her head and pinned them flat against the cold tiles.
He lowered his head and crushed his mouth against hers. It wasn't a kiss; it was a brutal punishment. His teeth tore at her lips, forcing her mouth open.
Tears spilled out of Essie's eyes. The pain was sharp. She bent her knee, trying to knee him, but he easily trapped her legs with his own heavy thigh.
Kieran's free hand grabbed the collar of her cheap sweater and yanked it down roughly. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, sucking and biting down hard on her sensitive skin.
Essie squeezed her eyes shut in pure agony. A sharp, stinging pain radiated from her neck. She knew he was deliberately leaving a massive, dark bruise.
Suddenly, the sharp clack-clack of high heels hitting the restroom tiles echoed from outside the stall.
"Kieran?" Adelle's voice rang out as she pushed the main restroom door open.
Essie's entire body went rigid. Her lungs stopped working. Her eyes flew open, staring at Kieran in absolute, paralyzing terror.
Kieran didn't pull away. Instead, a cruel, twisted smirk formed on his lips. He pressed his body even tighter against Essie's, purposefully rubbing the tip of his nose against her cheek.
Adelle's heels stopped right in front of the sinks. The sound of a purse unzipping followed, then the rush of water from the faucet. She was touching up her makeup.
Essie shook like a leaf in a hurricane. Silent tears streamed down her face. She was terrified that even the sound of her heartbeat would give them away.
Adelle's phone suddenly rang. "Yes? I'm coming," she said, her tone annoyed. The water shut off, and her heels clicked away.
The main restroom door swung shut.
Kieran finally removed his hand from Essie's mouth. He raised his thumb and casually wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.
He stared down at her ruined, sobbing state. "My penthouse. Tomorrow at eight PM," he ordered, his voice leaving no room for negotiation. "Or Charles's medical trial is gone."
Kieran unlocked the stall door with a loud click. He adjusted his suit jacket, stepped out of the stall, and walked away without a backward glance.
Essie's legs gave out. She slid down the tile wall, hitting the floor. She wrapped her arms around her knees, desperately covering the throbbing hickey on her neck as she broke down.
