Chapter 1
I’m sitting there, on the edge of the most beautiful lake. Mountains in the distance. Plush short grass between my fingers. Cool breeze in my hair. I look up at the sky. A beautiful sunset falling in front of me. I lay back onto the ground on a perfect patch of soft grass slightly elevated by the ground. I close my eyes and I feel myself drifting to sleep.
I feel a strong hand on my shoulder and I open my now tired eyes. I look up and my peaceful world is shattered.
A deep, bone-chilling voice said to me, “Hello again, Quinn.”
I leap up from my position in bed and feel my hand grip my chest and I look next to me. A sigh of relief leaves my breath as I see my boyfriend there. Laying back I pull myself onto his chest. I feel him sleepily wrap his arm around my small, frail body. I smile softly to myself.
My boyfriend isn’t the perfect guy you would imagine. He’s not the most handsome, but he’s always there for me, he makes me laugh, he makes me smile. He’s mine and I’m his. I don’t regret the choices I made to get where I am.
My thoughts are interrupted when I feel a light kiss on the top of my head. I let out a small sigh.
“Hey, baby. you have another nightmare?” He asked me, his Irish accent thick with his tired morning voice. I love how he always knows what’s going on with me.
I pull myself to him, “Yeah. I don’t know why they keep bothering me.” I lay my head close to his heart.
“You wanna tell me about it?” he questions gently, his breath tickling my neck.
I nod against him, “I was at our spot just laying there enjoying the cool spring air,” I pause, remembering my nightmare, “and the sunset. When I looked up and ‘He’ was standing over me. His hand on my shoulder, that sadistic smile plastered all over his face.” I shudder.
‘He’, my ex-boyfriend, wasn’t a kind person. Oh who am I kidding, he was the worst choice I’ve ever made. The daily beatings and torturing to ‘break me’ as he would always say, left scars I will never be able to get rid of. I never want to see him again, and yet his memory still lingers in my dreams.
“Well, ‘He’, is no longer apart of your life,” I feel his arms tense around me, “He will never come near you again. I’ll make sure of it,” He softens his voice, “You’re safe with me Quinn, don’t forget that,” Tristan, my boyfriend, pulled me closer in a seemingly protective manner. I love how he does that. The way he holds me, it’s like, he would willingly die, just to protect me. He would do, anything for me, to make me happy, to keep me safe; he would stop the earth from turning for however long I wanted him to, all for me.
Tears now streaming down my face, I pull him into a kiss. The passion from our first kiss never seemed to leave us, and we could never seem to simply place a peck on the other’s lips.
I could feel his arms wrap themselves around me and pull me closer than we already were, almost no space left between us. Tristan never failed to want me close to him. He works as the CEO of Jacobs and Co. Once we got together he, almost immediately, insisted I work as his personal secretary. I didn’t hate the job, nor did I particularly love it, but being close to Tristan made me feel safe, protected. He never fails to bring me along on business trips, and anything else that would normally separate a couple like us. I always came first, even when the business needed him, he always made sure I would be ok first.
We break our passion-filled kiss, “I love you,” I whisper to him.
“I love you too,” he nuzzles closer to me and buries his face further in my neck.
With my mind now calm, I drift back to sleep peacefully.
About 5 hours later we wake up to the deafening sound of our alarm clock. We roll out of bed and force ourselves into the bathroom to get ready for the day. A quick shower, some make-up, and a business casual outfit. A pencil skirt, a nice, tight blouse, and some simple black heels. I leave the bathroom and see Tristan in his usual white button-up shirt, black jacket, and slacks. I love how he looks when he wears it, I smile.
“You ready Tristan?” I ask him picking up my purse and a small stack of folders. He takes my free hand and opens the door to the hallway.
The elevator ride was as it is every morning. The calm music playing from the speaker and my fear of elevators causing me to squeeze Tristan’s hand until it turned slightly purple from lack of circulation.
One short ride to the office later, we’re sitting at our desks. Like usual the phone rings and I pick it up, but the voice I heard sent me into a place I never thought I’d have to back to.
“Hello Quinn Sylvia,” his chilling voice spoke over the line.
I swallowed softly, “Hello, do you wish to speak to Mr.Jacobs?” I ask in my calmest voice possible. I hear him chuckle over the line.
“Quinny girl, I called to talk to you,” he hisses through the line. My entire body tenses. Tristan must have noticed because I hear his voice over the line soon after.
“Why are you calling here, Justin? Simply to torture Quinn some more? You pathetic excuse for a person,” Tristan says in an agitated, protective tone.
Another laugh, “You won’t be able to get rid of me when your board decides to hire me.”
My heart drops from my chest, “W-what?” A growl leaves Tristan’s office and is heard on the line.
“I won’t let that happen,” And with that Tristan’s phone is heard slamming onto the console before the line goes dead. I feel my breath quicken and see my vision blur.
I stand from my seat and stumble into Tristan’s office my panic attack imminent, knocking me onto the ground. I feel Tristan’s arms support me and pull me close to him. I start crying into his shoulder.
“Don’t let him work here, please. I can’t do it,” I say between sobs. I feel Tristan rub his hand on my back gently.
“I’ll never let that happen,” He lifts me into his arms and sits in his desk chair. I continue to cry into his shoulder until my panic has thoroughly subsided.
I sit up and straighten my blouse, “I’m sorry. That was unprofessional. I’ll call a board meeting.” With that, I get up and walk to my desk to call the board.
The meeting is underway in less than an hour. I’m sitting next to Tristan taking notes of the meeting.
The 1st advisor finally decides to speak up, “Why are we in this meeting Mr.Jacobs?” I look to Tristan and see his face harden.
“We’re here because my Board, my most trusted business advisors, planned to hire a new Board manager without consulting their CEO,” a deaf person would be able to hear the tension in the conversations that took place afterward, “Why would my Board try and hire Justin Taylors, an accused, abusive man, to be the Board manager and work over his most recent victim?” His head nods towards me and my figure shrinks. I want to disappear with the number of eyes that land on me. The murmurs of the board die down. I stand and grab all of Justin’s documents before sliding them into the shredder.
“Keep in mind that I experienced that torment for 4 years. As long as Tristan has a say I doubt Justin Taylors,” I shudder at his name, “will EVER have a job opportunity here.” I sit in my seat and I feel Tristan’s hand land on my upper thigh. I smile to myself thinking, ‘maybe I’m finally getting over the trauma.’ I was wrong…
