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No Turning Back (Alvis Alendran&SHARPii)

She really wanted some kind of verbal answer from him. She looked up at him, watching as he seemed to be fighting an internal battle to simply finish it off himself, whether she was being willing or not. Yeah, Esther knew she probably crossed an uncrossed line by stopping the way she did but yes, she really was asking for it by acting out on her own revenge against him. All in good teasing jest of course. She wanted to know and him to know she was perfectly capable of one-upping him as much as he did to her. Yet the consequences of such actions, even she didn’t know. It was one thing to be teased by him. If she did it to him, and as severely as she had just done now, she wondered just what more was up this man’s sleeve? Figurative, of course.

Her breathing hitched however the moment he snarled. She remembered that so well from yesterday in his office and what came after it…She actually gulped. She wasn’t afraid. No, her body simply burned with deep, hot, carnal desire and she wondered just what he might do. There weren’t many options really. She knew he was going to fuck something. Her mouth or…elsewhere. At this point, having just been seduced by that one look, she desperately hoped it was the latter.

Her cheek pushed into his hand and she looked up at him with most innocent eyes coming from the least innocent person ever, after what she pulled and all. What was he waiting for? Pounce. Pounce. Pounce! She practically screamed the last one in her head and then it happened. She was on her back, her wrists were above her head and her head tilted to the side to allow him access to her neck. She moaned deeply, her hands slightly struggling against his hold to just touch him. She wanted to touch him. He was being very mean, depriving her of touching him. But it all subsided when his lips found hers and she melted right into that kiss, no longer struggling but basically submitting to him and his will. Her hips arched into his, her moist slit rubbing against his throbbing erection, begging, needing, desperate.

Then he finally did and she moaned deep and long, tilting her head back and wrapping a leg around his hips. It hadn’t yet fazed her just how grand and big this shower was until this was happening. The amount of space they had to simply go at it like this and the fact the shower tile wasn’t hard like she thought it would be. Esther was a writhing mess beneath him, moaning, her body rocking with his thrusts and that ever growing bloom growing far more prominent into a big blossom. Not yet, but she knew it was going to happen. She could feel it building up deep in her belly. But she had no hope when he started to rub her. That in combination with his hard thrusts, he taking her with such a heady and potent mix of primal and carnal need, it pushed her over the edge. Her body shook and she wasn’t going to stand a chance. If she ever thought that maybe she could take the reigns for a second, she was proven entirely wrong in that moment. He knew how to work her body as if it was an instrument he had been playing for years. In such a short—quite the understatement really—time, Harrison learned more about her than she could have expected for him to, simply physical. She was still guarded and quite the closed book around him, but her body was the complete opposite. Not readily available for any such man. Just him apparently. Especially when she got a taste. Now she couldn’t stop. Right now was proof of that.

Any moment now. Now. Now!
 
She struggled, pulling at her hands, trying to get them loose. To touch, to hold, whatever was on her mind, but he was adamant. And to be honest, teh struggle actually turned him on just a little mroe. He could examine that thought if he wanted, but there was no need. Several of his less savory exploits were in the back of his mind, but he was more focused ow on the fact that Esther was going wild under him. She had to be right on the edge of release, but was just short. He did know that there was a small part of him that had made sure his movements weren't quite as effective as they could have been. He was quite certain that if he'd gone completely all out on her, she'd have been getting off right now.

But he did want this to last a little longer. He wanted to draw her out just a little more, try and release just a hint more of her carnal side, and he felt that he was succeeding. Her movements wer showing less restraint, less technique, and a good deal more primal lust. But that lust had a skilled quality all it's own. Not the carefully measured moves of a person with a great deal of experience and practice at this sort of thing, but the sign of a person who possessed an amount of just raw, sexual talent and energy. And in Esther, he had finally met someone who semed to be not only willing, but actually able to match his own. Oh, she might not see it in herself, thinking that she was run over and rendered a puddle by his actions, but it was really just a different way of reacting. While she might 'puddle' and get lost in the moment, he was no less stuck in what he was doing, spurred on to more primal urges by what she did.

He flt her leg around his waist, felt her pressing up to meet his thrusts, keeping herself pressed into him well. He could feel her heating up more, and experience told him that she was getting close. With all that he'd been doing to her, it was hardly surprising. he eleaned down, pressing his lips to her neck, hard this time, and dragging his teeth along, a little gently at first, but then enough that he knew there was going to be a small mark. He moved a little farther up, his tongue drawing her ear to his teeth, and he gently drew his teeth along it, fighting the urge to wihsper into her ear as he was there. The urge to take her and do things to her that had never been done before was rising, the urge to roll her over and take her in every way imaginable, possessively, almost viciously, but he kept it at bay, simmering in the back of his mind. His hand came away from her clitoris for a moment, and came around to deliver a hard, wet, slap to her ass. The sound rang clear in the shower, adn he repeated the gesture, a little harder this time, jarring her body slightly. He went back to his work with rubbing, seeing the beginnings of a red hand print on her ass now. The small bite on her neck, the hand on her ass. She was his now, he had staked his claim fully in his own mind.

He swirled his hips into her, grinding them together, hitting more and more sensitive points inside of her. His mouth caught hers again, that same release of passion and power that drove them both a little wilder each time. His mind wandered a moment. He was going to give her what she wanted, adn then he was going to push her even farther. There would be nothing civilized about what he was going to do to her, and he wanted nothing left of her during it other than her lust and need. With that in mind, he knew he'd have to change his normal routine with her. He kept thrusting into her, until he could feel her reaching her climax, but instead of holding within her like he had until now, he withdrew, and groaned as he came, spraying onto her stomach. he took a few deep breaths, releasing her hands. He held that pose for just a moment, loving the look of her on the floor of his shower, before he sprang into motion again.

His tongue hit her by now extremely moist slit, and plunged into her, his upper lip tagging her clitoris. She hadn't had a chance to cool down at all, and he was going to drive her just a little mroe mad this morning. And then he was going to have her again.

There was every chance they might both be late for work this moring.
 
Her body was his to do as he wished. She wouldn’t ever stop him most likely unless it was something serious that she really didn’t want to do or didn’t think went together with sexual deeds. Right now, she was sure he could do almost anything and she wouldn’t dare stop him. Esther was so close it wasn’t funny one bit. Her body writhed, her moans turned into cries, as if pleading for him to give her the release her body so longed for. He was going, but even she could tell it wasn’t like how he had taken her in the office or the elevator. Like he was there but there was a bit of him holding back. She wasn’t sure if he was afraid to lose control or he was doing this on purpose. Either way, it was driving her mad.

A small squeak came from her when he spanked her. Oh, that was deeply erotic and delicious and did wonders to her. He did it again and her head tilted back even more against the wet marble. It produced a drawn out moan from her, deep and the pleasure roared through her body. If that didn’t spur on her orgasm, she didn’t know what would. Either way though, the build was always the best part and that’s what was making her really writhe. That and his constant thrusts, the way he touched her, kissed her, and simply had her. It was all so intense. Like she was a ticking bomb just waiting to go off. Any moment now.

Her lips meshed to his own in a deep kiss and she had the natural instinct to lift her arms but found she couldn’t. He still held her hands down but she didn’t care. She lost herself in that kiss. It was almost there. With his thrusts, that kiss and the way he rubbed her, she started to teeter over the edge. And then he took it away just like that and the build boiled down to a simmer. She whimpered. She actually whimpered but then the hottest sight ever took her gaze away, even her breath. He came on her. She watched in a panting awe as his warm essence hit over her stomach. It was…dirty. So dirty. The kind she liked a lot. Propped on her elbows now after being released from his hold, heavy breaths came from her mouth, her cheeks were so flushed as was the rest of her body and her eyes were on him. It was such a lustful look in her eyes and what happened next she never would have foreseen. She was back against the ground, her arms moved up over her face, her hands in her wet hair and she moaned loudly. Oh yes, there was that build again, that delicious build that had her body shaking, she gasping for breath and her hips lightly rocking.

“Please, Harrison.” She begged in a breathy voice and her eyes closed. She succumbed and gave in, letting go of everything that could hold her back. It didn’t take long after the way he left her high and dry. Esther screamed, her body writhing, shaking right before him and her hands gripping back to touch the tile above, holding onto nothing in her need to hold onto something. Every orgasm he gave her from the beginning to now had always been so intense. So when it subsided and she simply basked in the aftermath of it all, she didn’t move. She just breathed, hard. What more could she do? She just got royally fucked and pleased by Harrison Trenton. The man was a sex god!

Esther couldn’t stop smiling. Her eyes were closed and she was smiling like the little minx she was. Her head lolled to the side and her weak arms managed to come up and cover her face. She felt embarrassed for smiling like such a fool. “Mm.” She turned her body a little bit, coincidentally angling it better under the water and it started to wash his cum off of her. Her breathing began to regulate and all she was thinking was how she could go to work feeling more than satisfied now. She had no idea of Harrison’s plans. She figured they could still make it to work on time.

Her mind was at ease while there was something devious brewing in his. “Harrison you are…” She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. The fact she trailed off, unable to finish simply showed how in awe, how enthralled and totally his she was. Whatever that meant to him or to her, he knew. He’d know. She’d never let him forget it.
 
She was still on her back, and Harrison was planning to make the most of that as quickly as he could. She couldn't quite get the sentance that she was trying to speak out, and that only told him she was likely on the edge of a kind of sexual delerium. And that had been his goal for the morning. He had his fists on the ground, leanign forward as she pulled herself into the stream of water, starting to wash his cum off of her. When he moved, it wasn't a slow, steady advance, it was a sudden snapping of motion, an explosion of motion that had him advancing on her without warnin or mercy. He was still hard, still wanted more, still wanted to see how far he could push her, how far he woud push himself. And what would happen as the result of his actions.

A hand took hold of her leg, and lifted it, rolling her onto her side. He didn't hesitate now, didn't slow down, didn't take a second thought. He lined himself up, and slid into her. again. Different angles, different ways of moving, it was all moving forward. There was no sound from him but a few pants, and a few grunts of effort as he began to pump into her. He wanted more. He wanted to work on Esther until he felt like he was stripped of any modes of civility. And Gods knew he was close. His movements got more savage, but never quite to the point of violence. With a quick move, he rolled her over, putting her on her knees, and he reached around, getting both hands on her, filling both palms with her breasts, and kneading them. now he felt much more possessive of her, more like he was taking advantage of what the two of them had become to one another, and that he might be bringing her closer and closer to a total loss of control.
 
Esther didn’t see it coming one bit. She, herself, wasn’t even sure if she’d be able to stand it or even survive. Still, she wouldn’t deny him. So when he was upon her, her eyes opened and she looked at him. Oh my… She thought to herself as she steadied herself but simply moved to how he guided her to be in his moment of lust and she sucked in a lungful of air through her teeth and rest her head against her arm. It was always that same feeling of when he sunk deep inside of her and as quickly as he did just now. Lifting her head, she looked up at him, soft moans coming from her, though she wasn’t letting go completely yet herself. She never did. She always waited, waited until she just simply couldn’t hold onto anything anymore. Like right now. She was fighting the urge to scream. Her body was still so sensitive after that orgasm he gave her. Another next? Three in the morning back to back? Would he expect her to go to work after this? The thought came unbidden to her mind. The thought of being on her feet all day long and making runs? She was dreading it for the first time. Perhaps she should deny him? No. It was impossible. Even if she ever tried to, she’d succumb. Harrison Trenton was not a man she could say no to. No matter how much her body wanted her to, at the same time, it didn’t want to and neither did she. Her lust and insatiable desire for this man prevented her from doing so. It wasn’t her fault. It was his. He was…irresistible.

Next she knew, Esther was on her hands and knees and Harrison was taking her from behind. She groaned softly, one hand coming up to move over his right hand that was cupping her breast. She gripped his wrist shakily almost and pushed her bottom to his front, wanting more, needing more, no matter how spent she felt. Hey, if he wanted to bone her as much as he wanted, she wouldn’t stop him. A few years or so dry spell would do that to someone. She wasn’t anywhere close to getting her fill of sex. Nowhere near close! Unlike right now. If Harrison was involved and one of the goals was to make her orgasm, she couldn’t control it. If it happened, it happened. And with him, it always happened.

A gasp came from her feeling just how hard he was taking her, how out of control it was, how out of control she felt. She couldn’t begin to fathom how out of control he must feel. She didn’t care. She liked it. She loved it. She loved it when he lost control with her. Her head tilted back and her eyes closed. Her hand dropped from his and gripped at nothing on the tile floor. Her arms shook, her legs shook, hell her entire body shook and not just because of each relentless thrust against and into her. “Harrison.” She moaned his name, it rolling off her tongue with so much ease. She loved saying his name. Especially since she was allowed to. “Harrison.” She moaned louder, almost as if it shocked her that she could do that. The things he could do to her. Literally.
 
It seemed she was barely able to keep herself up, he could feel her shaking, see the vibration of her arms, she was clearly losing it. But then, Harrison had already lost it himself really, so much savagery in his movements now. His hands worked on her breasts, and he was able to use that point of contact to brace himself, pounding into her harder and harder, his every impact shaking both of their bodies. Every bit of his body seemed to be tingling, an odd pins and needles feeling that he couldn't quite place, but Gods, it made eveything he was doing feel amazing. His hands slid around, off of her breasts, and onto her shoulders, his body leaning forward, getting in position to go just a little harder, just a touch deeper. He could finish her like this, finish himself, he knew it, knew it cleanly, but something in him just wouldn't let it happen yet, wouldn't let them fnish up.

He wanted more, to keep her off balance, to make sure more happened to keep her guessing, to keep her reeling and giddy and desperate for more. With that thought, he shifted his hands again, gripping her upper arms, and pulling her off of the floor. Her back came tight to his front, his arms around her, keeping her in place. The new position letting him plunge up into her, and not for the first time, but certainly one of the mroe vivid times, he was glad of the difference in height between them. Dspite the position, he could lya her head on his shoulder, turn her face to his, and deliver a kiss of savage, vicious passion. One of his hands slid along her midsection, loving the feel of her water-soaked contours, remembering the feel of her, rediscovering it at the same time, it was all so new and yet familiar. It had been only those few days of time with her, and it already felt so much like they'd been together for months. His hips were nearly a blur with the speed of his endless, relentless pounding into her body, and his hand finally settled not her clitoris with his fingers, massaging it, wanting to feel her climax again, wanted her to do it there and then, right as he held her to him, while they remained locked together at the waist, and with the kiss. It was all he could d to hang onto her and keep going.
 
He was going to kill her. Was it possible for someone to die in the rigorous throes of passion? It just might be possible! It just might happen right now. It felt like it was building up, the pleasure deep in her belly yet it wouldn’t just burst already and consume her like she was expecting. He was doing something to prolong it. Of course, Esther had no control over her orgasms. They just happened when properly done. But right now, no matter what, she couldn’t orgasm and it was killing her. Her body was in that state of overflowing pleasure. It felt divine. She felt like she was in pleasure overload to be perfectly honest yet she couldn’t stop it or move away from it. She wanted more. She had too much already, but she was being greedy. Couldn’t they just play hooky and do this all day long?

Another position change but despite the movement and it being a position where he could do her harder and more than he already was—if it was possible—Esther took comfort in it. She was able to relax back into his arms, rest her head against his shoulder, her head tilted back and her eyes, half open they were, could see him. Really see the passion, the strain and the pleasure on his face as he took her. It felt so effortless. They were fast and hard thrusts, like his hips became possessed by a Jack Rabbit yet it didn’t feel like that. Maybe it was because of how he was holding her, looking at her that it didn’t feel like he was jolting her world. It just felt like he was giving her each delicious thrust one after the other and it was deeper, oh so much deeper. She groaned softly, her hand moving up and around the back of his neck. When he turned her face to give her a kiss that could make her delirious, she melted in his arms and closed her eyes, moaning deeply and loudly into his mouth. She was breathing hard yet she couldn’t not kiss him, her tongue dancing erotically with his own.

Then he was doing it again and she was finding it hard to resist him even more. It was already said. He was irresistible, widely irresistible. And this was proof of it. As he started rubbing her, her body shook more inwardly and she could feel herself tightening even more, clenching around his thick girth. She had to part her lips from his, gasping for air and her head hit back against his shoulder gently. It was there. Right there. Almost.
“Oh my—“ She groaned, her hand around his arm gripping it deeply, nails digging into his skin and she cried out. It was an intense orgasm like all the others, different in its own way yet it consumed her, the way wildfire spread and consumed the very nature it touched with a single ember. Her orgasm consumed her and spread over her like a tidal wave, a tsunami and a wildfire all together. Then her body went limp in his own. All she heard was her heartbeat, her erratic breathing and the distant sound of the shower spray still washing them with its water. She was more than sated. Yet even if she was sated, she would always want him. They came so far in such a short amount of time. It didn’t feel just like sex anymore. It felt like more. And that was so scary.
 
Her nails digging in almost drew blood from his arm,, but not quite. Esther was going blank in his arms, he felt it when he body went limp, though as it happened, she clamped down on his member harder than ever. If he hadn't known better,m he'd have sword that she'd bee holding out on him, keeping back some of her prowess, but he knew that what she did now was anything but planned or reasoned. It was all animal now. And that was perfectly fine by him. She came in a glorious wave that he could feel through her, and he let himself go, jerking within her, and shooting deep within. His breathing came to his ears, harsh and ragged, and barely sounding human to his ears.

With a surprising amount of gentleness, he set Esther down on the shower floor, moving around to face her. His hands went to her face, cupping it both palms, and giving her a weary, but caring smile that told a great deal. Far more than he ever could with simple words. He leaned in, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead, before leaning down to give a gentle kiss on her lips, one that spoke of being sated, and being happy with what had been going on. He could find no flaw in what they had done, and a part of him certainly had the thought of doing it again. And soon. Regardless of the fact that he could still feel a touch of need for her, he knew that he'd need a day to recover from something that intense. He broek the kiss of slowly, and leaned her head onto his shoulder, sliding his arms around her in a tired embrace. Keeping her close right now just seemed... right in this moment. And the moment was certainly one he wanted to hold onto.

Esther Martin... the poor runner who had found her dead friend, who should have been an open and shut legal case that would take no more than a day or so from his time. And now, a few days later, here they were, soewhere that he had not ever expected to be, but somehow grateful that they were. He did have things to do. Tasks to complete. Lloyd might understand, but there were those who might not. He let the concern die away. The moment he was in? He'd rather not ruin it.
 
His warm essence filled her and she was gone. That was the last straw—in case that intense orgasm really wasn’t—and she wasn’t sure if she just drifted into another world, passed out or died. She was sure it was not that she died. She heard his breathing over her own. Her own coming back to normal slowly but the feeling that weighed down her body in the most delicious way didn’t leave. It stayed. It made it difficult for her to want to move, to want to get out of this shower and get ready for work. If she was going anywhere out of this shower, it was to his bed and lying down for the rest of the day. Would it be possible for her to call out? Surely, if he showed up at work and she didn’t, it wouldn’t be suspicious. She promised to keep this under wraps. She promised him and Lloyd. She wouldn’t break that. Hell, if she was in their shoes, she’d want to keep a liaison like this silent for as long as possible too. No, probably no. She’d want to tell the world. But they needed to keep it under wraps. She was a runner, a nobody in the firm and Harrison was a somebody, a major somebody, partner-somebody.

Her body was lowered to the shower floor but she didn’t move. She just let herself be lowered though thankful when he came in front because he didn’t even really have to move her. She sort of fell forward slightly willingly, though his hands cupped her cheeks. Esther managed to open her eyes slightly to see his face, to see that smile and it made her melt. Her heart beat faster for this man and it was scarily overwhelming. What was she getting herself into? She was getting way in too deep but she’d be a fucking fool if she ever dared to run away. Not right now. She wasn’t sure of the future. But for right now, she wanted to be right here, like this, seeing that beautiful smile on his face and knowing it was because of her, or for her. He was smiling to her, her, Esther Martin. Of all people. Of all women.

Her chin lifted after her eyes closed from that kiss to her forehead and she was met with his soft lips, leaning up into a kiss that made her heart flutter. Her heart hadn’t fluttered like that in a really long time. Perhaps the last time was when she and Chad kissed for the very first time at homecoming. She just hoped this wouldn’t be met with the same end as that last one. She wasn’t just hooking up with this celebrity. She was his lover. And he was hers. End of.

Her arms managed to move around his neck and as their lips parted, she nuzzled her cheek to his shoulder. For the life of her, she couldn’t keep her eyes open. She just fell into his arms a little bit, kind of, needing the support of his strength otherwise she might have just fallen right onto the shower floor and passed out there under the water. She could pass out in his arms right here too. But something told her she shouldn’t. Something told her, she wouldn’t be allowed. She had to go to work today. She had to make up her shift at The Spot tonight. She was in for a long day. The very realization made her sort of cling to him tighter. She didn’t want to go anywhere. She didn’t want to be anywhere but here, in Harrison’s arms. It was the best place to be. Not her bed. Not even his super plush-plush bed. No, his arms. They were more comfortable than anything she knew and she knew comfort. She had a great bed. She loved to sleep. Now she’d love to just sleep in his arms for the rest of their days. Was that such a deluded and stupid thought? Probably. It was Esther. She had horrid luck. She was counting, waiting for it to bite her in the nose, face or ass even.

Still, she couldn’t move or ruin the moment. With some small time that passed, her coherence found her once more and she tilted her head, lifting it up to look up at him. “Can I stay here all day?” It was like a little girl asking, her voice small and tired. She knew the answer. It was worth a go to ask.
 
The water was barely felt, the real warmth was coming from the woman in front of him. Her small words came to his mind. So simple, so...earnest. it was like whatever walls and shields that Esther kept throwing up had crumbled. Maybe not all the way donw, but they were lower, and more of her was spilling out to be seen. A hand came up to her hair, and he held there for a moment, hand on the back of her head.
"I want you too. I want to stay here all day with you." He told her, his voice weary, but contented at the same time. Had they really only gotten out of bed within an hour or so? And he was ready to just fall asleep again with her. But there were things to do, the world needed his attention, demanded it really.

He separtated from her, just enough to get a hand on her cheek, framing her face. He smiled, and shook his head just slightly. No teasing this time, no tricks, just an honest look.
"But there's things to do. I can put you down for a sick day, or just a day off. Take some time to rest up. You can make it back in tomorrow a little fresher." He told her calmly. It was something of an effort for him to stand, but he managed, and offered her a hand up. After all, the real use of a shower still remained to be used.
 
She was still guarded, but not by storm troopers or an entire fleet of some kind militia, guarding the wall around her heart. No, there was just a wall. All the storm troopers and fleet died probably some time ago. Maybe after the time in his office. Or the time in the elevator after quality time with him and Lloyd. No, certainly after right now. At least, that’s when she became slightly aware of it enough to open up more and practically beg to stay with him. Still, even she knew they couldn’t stay this way. As much as she wanted to go to bed and sleep the entire day and recuperate after Hurricane Harrison attacked, she had work to do.

Esther pulled back from him slightly as he did and she looked up at him, her cheek nuzzling lightly into his hand, his big warm hand that did wonders from a single touch. Even right now. It didn’t make her pool with desire. No, it just made her want to never let him go. She could fall hard for him. She could really fall hard. But she wouldn’t let herself, ever. It was one thing to want to be around him and always be in his bed, as if she belonged there. It was another thing to actually want more, to actually let herself feel more than she was willing, capable or confident to do. She couldn’t. It was dangerous. She wasn’t…ready.

“I know.” She almost whispered, her hand moving over his around her cheek. “I’d like a day off. But I can’t. I have things to do.” Things she wasn’t going to share with him. She wanted to go to Abby’s work today and talk with her partner. See what he knew. See if there was anything he could tell her that Abby was supposed to.
Taking his hand, she stood with his help, her legs still a bit wobbly, still feeling like it was jello and she put her hand instantly on the shower wall to stable and balance herself. She smiled to herself. Harrison really fucked some sense into her, didn’t he?

“What are you doing tonight?” She asked softly, making grabs for a bar of soap and started to soap up her body and absently his as well.
 
Harrison smiled, having just the little urge to make a joking moment rise to the surface.
"Tonight? Tonight is a busy night. After work, I've a lot of arrangements to make. With some luck, I'll be having dinner with a beautiful young woman." He told her. He felt her hand moving the soap along him, and he didn't try to stop her. To repay the favour, he reached out to grab the bottle of shampoo from the wall. It only took a second to work it into his own hair, before reaching over to work it ito hers. Turnabout was fair play after all. And it was a different feeling, showering like this, taking the time with her. There was nothing about this to make it a sexual prelude, not after what they just finished.

Instead of erotic and teasing, this just felt...proper. It was something that might happen affectionately between two adults in a proper adult relationship. With the way Esther had briefly described her relationship before, it was possible that she'd never been in a spot like this. He gave himself a nudge. It had been a long damned time for him, and even then, it had been once. And only once. Relationships like this didn't just come in the rain, no they were a rare thing, not to be discarded lightly. When this deplorable business with the reporter woman was over, then he could buckle down, really focus on getting time in with Esther, dig deeper into both of them, and see what might be built out of their lives. He could bring her a certain taste of the high life, and she in turn could remind him that there was a lot of joy to be found in the simpler parts of life. It seemed like a good foundation for a relationship. That and utterly mind-bending sex.

He quirked a smile at teh last, and reached to the side, lightly tapping a button. The water became a few degrees warmer, helping pound off the layers of sweat, soap and time. The steam in the shower became thicker, making it harder to see past the edges of the fixture. He had the thought of how much fun it might be to take Esther north, to one of the hot springs that he enjoyed, adn spend some time with her up there. Just the two of them, the mountains, and the hot water. Not a care in the world, and nothing but joy between them. But that was a plan for later.
 
She frowned almost for a moment, instead focusing her attention on soaping up his body and maybe even memorizing every part of his amazing body. His chest, his pectorals, his taut stomach and then…
Her gaze snapped up to his eyes, her cheeks a little flushed, though that could easily be interpreted as something left over from the intense…game of sex they had going on in this shower not too long ago. “Hmm, dinner.” She mused, a smile tickling her face as she put the bar of soap back on the little soap holder and she used her hands to lather all over his skin where she ran the soap on, foaming it. It reminded her of Phoebe Buffay. Lather rinse repeat. Lather rinse repeat. She sang in her head. Yeah, she was a dork.

“How do you feel about a later dinner? Maybe even a…midnight dinner?” This was Esther’s own way of sort of letting it slip that she had a shift at The Spot. She had one already before skipping yesterday’s. She was sure she’d be in big trouble but considering she covered more shifts than she could count and last night was the first time she ever didn’t show up, she should be good. And if they fired her, well then she’d really be taking Harrison up on that offer to move up further in the firm if she could still. She’d need it.
 
Midnight dinner. He mentally cursed himself. Of course! She worked at that bar! He smiled at Esther.
"I think that can be arranged. Tell me Esther, do you like Italian?" He asked her. He had something in mind, a good meal, and if he was honest, waiting until midnight would give him the time to make sure it was done properly. He had the strange fixation that he wanted to make sure that everything was done properly for Esther. It seemed something small to most situations, but in those moments, Harrison firmly believed that Esther hadn't had someone that was willing to make the effort for her. And because of that, she didn't think that she was worth the effort. And that would not stand.

Harrison leaned back to get the water to rinse out his hair, but the angle wasn't quite right. He reached up, finding a small catch, and pulling it. Water came from another point, this one directly over both of them. It felt for all the world like it was a warm rain coming down on them to help wash the day away from them. Even if had barely started. Feeling the soap and shampoo fall away from him, he took a moment to turn his fac to teh ceiling, closing his eyes. He took a deep breath as the water poured over his face, before turning back to Esther. The simple act had put a bit more energy into him. Not enough to embark in anything too energetic, but enough to make sure he'd make it through his day now. He leaned down to give Esther a teasing, but very affectionate kiss. He ran a thumb along her cheek.
"Take today off from the firm. Bosses orders. You've banked a few paid days off, and I'll make sure that today is one of them. Do your shift at the bar, and meet me back here for dinner. Deal?" He asked her. He kept his face clear of any ulterior motives. If she wasn't in the office, he'd be far less likely to call her into his office for any kind of 'special meetings'.
 
She beamed. She loved Italian. She was also pretty ace at making a bomb-diggity lasagna. Nothing from scratch. Just all store bought. The noodles came in a box. The sauce in a bottle. The ricotta in a container and the cheeses in pre-packaged bags. But it was the assembling, how she prepared it and most importantly, the ricotta in the layers that made the entire dish. Hmm, she was tempted to make it for him. Maybe one day. When she could afford to splurge some of her paycheck on the ingredients and proper ingredients too. Only the finest for perhaps the finest man. “I love Italian. What do you have planned?” She chanced the question, hoping for a little dibble-dabble in what he was going to do. Chances are, it’d be a surprise. He was a man full of surprises after all since she was sure she had to pick her jaw up from the floor on numerous accounts when Harrison was involved.

After washing the soap from her body and making sure it didn’t linger, her hands came into her shampooed hair. Hmm, she liked it when he did put it in for her. Strong hands but gentle when massaging the soap into her hair and now when she touched it, it felt all tingly and relaxed. He could massage her head any day. She remembered, growing up, her dad’s main job was to always at least scratch her mom’s back before she went to bed. It’s what put her to sleep. It was like that for her always since she was little. She always promised if she got with a guy, she’d make sure he would always at least rub her head a little bit. It put her to sleep the best way, like what her mom’s need for back scratching was what a head rub meant to Esther. So while he felt like he could carry on with the day, she felt like she could go right back to bed.

Still, the water that rained down on them from the ceiling, albeit surprised her, but it made her smile and let her rinse out the shampoo from her hair. Once every last sudsy drop left her hair, she made grabs for the conditioner. She didn’t know about Harrison, but her hair wouldn’t survive or be remotely compatible without some conditioner. She applied that in and let it rinse out, her fingers repeatedly combing through her now silky and glossy hair under the water. Her eyes opened and she found his eyes on her. She smiled warmly and leaned up to kiss him in return, her lips doing that thing it did when he pulled away. Following. She stopped herself though and ended up smiling brightly, more than she had in what felt like a while. He was doing that to her. Making her smile a lot more, even after everything that happened so recently. She should be depressed, mourning, grieving. Harrison was helping with that. Making the process easier. She wasn’t alone.

“Are you sure?” She asked softly, giving him the chance to change his mind. He didn’t though and she smiled, eternally grateful. “I’ll be here for dinner. Promise.” Her arms moved up around his neck and she moved up on her tippy toes just to meet his height, though that only pushed her up enough to meet his lips, which was all she really needed then. “Thank you.” She murmured against his lips before pulling back.

Hmm, her shower was done and it seemed safe to get out now before something could pull them in for another round. So with that, she pulled back from him completely and left the shower, grabbing the towel she used previously and wrapping it around her body. She grabbed another towel, a smaller one and wrapped her hair up in it, piling the towel atop her head Carmen Miranda style before she skipped out of the bathroom, an obvious and extra pep in her step now.
 
The way she moved, it was like she truly was looking forward to the coming meal. And she liked Italian. So much the better, since he did know how to get only the very finest in Italian foods. And they had never failed to impress when he set things in motion. He had a random impulse that he felt he might indulge this day. he stepped out of the shower, and hit the kill switch. The water stopped instantly, and he stepped outside. He looked at the towel rack and smiled. She had taken the good towels. He simply steped to teh wall, and ran a hand along it until he found a faint seam. Pressing, the piece of wall swung out. They had told him it was a rather silly idea to make a neraly hidden closet in his bathrom for his extra towels, but he hadn't cared. It made the room seem unbroekn, and he loved the look. Besides, it had confused a few guests looking for the towels. The memory of a professioal dominatrix pacing his apartment in a rage because of a lack of towels made him smile. That had been a good day.

Towelled dry, and hair raked into place, he walked to his bedrom to get the clothes for the day. By now, Esther was likely partway through dressing, but when he entered, all he did to acknowledge this was to set a hand on her shoulder, adn lean over to playfully kiss her neck. He opened the closet there, and looked at the clothes within. He selected a dark blue suit, and set it aside, taking out a pristine white silk shirt. A tie that matched the suit came out, and he began to get himself ready for the day. Socks that he would only likely be able to wear three or four more times before they fell apart. But they felt wonderous, and so he kept buying them. Boxers, simple ones of soft cotton before the pants came on. The soft wool felt divine, before lifting his shirt on. The silk sang across his torso. He let a sigh come at that, and he started to do up the shirt carefully. Putting on a suit was veyr nearly a spiritual thing for him, a feeling that he never got from anytihng else. A sense of completion. The jacket came on next, shrugging it into place. He always held himself just a little taller, a little straighter, when wearing a suit like this. He did have to smirk over his next line as he slung his tie over his shoulder.
"Oh Esther? Might I trouble you to make good on an earlier promise?" he called to her, holding out his tie with a smile.
 
Once her body was dry and her hair no longer dripping wet from towel drying it, she placed the towels at the foot of the bed before she grabbed her clothes. They made a trail from his bedroom to the big bathroom, though she picked them up on the way. No, she was already in his boxers once more, in her bra and had her pants on. When he came in, she was just grabbing her blouse to pull it on and then start to button it up when she felt his lips against her neck. Her eyes closed half way and she tilted her head to the side, to let him feast if he so chose to. But that would be a bad idea and nothing would really get done, that’s for sure.

She got her blouse on, buttoned the buttons and tucked it in. Sure, she wasn’t going to work but if she was going to wear work clothes, she might as well look good wearing them and she was never too fond of wearing her shirt not tucked in. She grabbed her vest on and buttoned that as well. There, now she looked presentable, even if she was wearing her clothes from last night. After, while he tended to dressed himself, she went to his bathroom and found his hair dryer where she flipped her hair and dried it until it was nice and fluffy, even softer than in the shower and managed to comb it down to something manageable. It actually looked good. Damn, whatever shampoo and conditioner he had, worked wonders on her sometimes impossible mane. That’s when she heard him call for her.

Going back to his room, she saw him with the tie and smiled softly. “No, you may not.” She spoke in a teasing tone as she walked to him and reached up to work on his tie. Damn, he was really tall, she learned this now. With a resigned sigh, she stopped working on it and moved him to sit down at the foot of his bed. There, she stepped in between his legs, using her knee to nudge them open a bit before she took both sides of the tie and worked on it. She was taught two ways to tie a tie. A Windsor knot and then that one where it was like double or something, sturdier and made the tie shorter, perfect for wearing a vest to tuck it into. For right now, she settled on a Windsor knot, her brow furrowed and one line forming on her forehead as she concentrated hard. Then she was done and tightened it before reaching around him to pull his collar down and smoothing it over, making sure the tie was centered and perfect for only the most impeccably dressed lawyer she had ever seen. Phew, he wore expensive clothes. Her hands flattened over his shoulders and then down his jacket, over the lapels where her gaze lifted to meet his eyes. “Dashing. Simply dashing.”
 
"I think I'll accept dashing as a descriptor." He said gently, feeling her hands on his lapels. He found it mildly curious that he didn't mind. Most people who laid a hand on his suit found themselves in a very unpleasant position instantly, but with Esther, it seemed natural, comfortable even. He brought his hands to hers, keeping them in place while he stood up. As he came close to her face, he lweaned in to kiss her, knowing that if he was about to send her on her way home, then he should take the opportunity while it was there. It was a slow, lazy, but not devoid of passion, kiss. One that was comfrotable, affectionate, but wasn't made to provoke her into anything else. He knew that he walked a fine line between making sure she left contented, and never left his apartment at all today. It was time to get his control back in line. He finished standing, resting a hand on her shoulder, and stepping around her, leading her towards the living room.

He had a few things on his mind. A random task to indulge in, and also some work to be done. A few calls to make, and favours to call in. He might also need to look into the people aroudn Esther, make sure the police knew nothing that he didn't. It would also look good on the case file that all of the running had been done. He sighed faintly, and checked his watch. Still time for him. Not a lot, but enough. And he'd make sure that Esther got the break she needed. He turned to her, and smiled.
"The driver downstairs will see you to your apartment. And if you call this number..." He handed her a card. "...he will see you back here, from anywhere in town." He told her. "And do you think that you might be in your aprtment at around 1:30 this afternoon? I may call to ensure that you're doing well." That last wasnt entirely true, but it was also not entirely wrong. He had a plan, but it would be wasted if she wasn't home.
 
As he stood, she took one step back, with one foot, leaving the other in front, giving him room. Then he kissed her and she smiled into it, her chin tilted upwards to meet his lips, but it was like he was her height now. She didn’t have to move on her tippy toes, she didn’t need to reach for him. He was right there and giving her such a sweet kiss, she was already excited for the next time they’d see each other. Tonight.

Parting, she stepped back from him once more, one more step until he led her out and towards the living room. She let his hand go and watched him as he did what he needed before he came back to her. She smiled softly, her hands slipping into the pockets of her pants. She bit her lower lip. A driver? To her apartment? Back and forth? Oh well, she could call a cab and maybe have that cab take her around or just take her to the firm so she pick up her car. She needed her car. She had things to do. Sure, he might have given her a day off from the firm, but she didn’t have a day off from life. And life was tasking her to get down to business. Time to come down from cloud nine to get back to reality. And in reality, Abby told her she had news pertaining to her firm, that could potentially put it in jeopardy. She needed to know what it was. She needed to know if it was the reason she was murdered as she was.

“Um.” She started and worried her lower lip, still having not taken the card he gave her. Hesitantly though so he didn’t get suspicious, her hand slipped from her pocket and she took it, looking down at it and then up at him. “I should be home at 1:30. If not, you can always call me on my cell phone. I do have one of those.” She flashed a teasing smile, scrunching her nose a little bit in her jest.
 
Harrison noted the hesitation. He chalked it up to her normal reluctance to accept help from people though, and didn't read any farther into it. After all, she seemed very guileless, at least around him. He nodded at her words.
"And we do have the number on file, so I may well have to. But remember, you should find some rest today." He advised her having to smile at the way she was scrunching up her nose. He opened the door, and leaned out, kissing her forehead. "Until tonight then." He told her, ushering her out the door, and locking it behind him. The elevator ride down to the lobby was easy enough, and he led her to the car. The driver was indeed waiting, ready to take her wherever she needed to go. Harrison turned back to the doorman, seeingthe man looking as though he wanted to speak.
"Something on your mind?" He asked calmly. The man smiled.
"So did your, uh, niece sleep well?" He asked. Harrison fixed him with an utterly cold glare as the car with Esther in it drove away. Harrison calmly pulled out his phone, and dialled.
"Hello, Eduardo? Do you kno the doorman on duty at the building? Fire him. Now. A reason you say? January 3rd. Yes, of course I'll wait." He hung up the phone, adn the doorman blinked in stunned surprise. It was onyl another few minutes before a middle aged man stepped out of the office, looking a little harried.
"Now then, Mr. Trenton, is there any form of recompense that could be offered for what offense has been offered?" Eduardo asked. Harrison fixed the now nervous looking doorman with a withering glare.
"No." Eduardo hung his head.
"Eddie. I'm sorry. You need to turn in your ID." Harrison walked away as Eddie began his frantic protestation.

Harrison relaxed as he drove to work. Of course he had a backup car in the garage. Not as much fun to drive as the Lincoln, but the Bently was certainly comfortable in it's own way. He pulled into the firm, and took the elevator to his floor. Sure enough the floor was a riot of activity. he saw bree larkin looking harried and stressed, and hesitated beside her a moment.
"Mr. Trenton! I'm sorry! We're short handed today since the Esther hasn't arrived!" She said in a voice that sounded on the edge of shattering from stress.
"Nor will she. Tragedy in her life has prevented her from coming in. However, I will authorize you to pull in any and all help that you need." He explained. She blinked.
"Well...we have nearly a dozen runners on call..."
"Call in three of them. And then after lunch send them home, and call in three more."
"Yes sir! Thank you!" She nearly broke the desk phone as she snatched it up. Harrison kept walking until he found Mallory working away at her desk. He set a paper on it. She frowned as she saw what it was. Esther Martin was approved for a PDO, and that it needed to be entered right away. He went into his office.

"Lloyd, what have I asked you to do about my office?" Harrison asked before even turning on the lights.
"To make myself at home?" Lloyd asked from the chair behind the desk.
"Exactly, but I believe I phrased it as 'stay the fuck out.' If my memoryy serves."
"Oh yeah. But those two things sound kinda the same." harrison ignored him, adn walked to teh wall, unlocking a cabinet, adn setting a bottle of scotch on the desk. Lloyd grined adn poured a glass, vacating Harrison's chair. "So. A little late today?"
"Errand needed to be taken care of."
"Was it named Esther? And was it scandalous?" Harrison stared him straight in the eye.
"Lloyd, old firend?"
"Yes?"
"Fuck off."
"Okay, okay." He held up his hands in surrender. "You can't blame a guy for being curious. After all, whent he cleaning crew finds something like this..." He held up a plastic bag with a pai of torn panties in it "...a guy's gotta wonder." harriosn noted that teh screen on his computer was called up to a security video, timestamped to when he and Esther were in the elevator. "I wanted to offer you the chance to come clean with me." Harrison smiled, and hit play. The video showed himself and Esther in the elevator. And then went black. loyd frowned, and then mock glared at Harrison.
"Of course I pulled the tape Lloyd. And shame on you, trying to spy on me like that. And thorw out that bag, you look like a dirty old pervert. Lloyd looked at the bag, and dropped it into the paper shredder. He looked a little sullen.
"I am never getting one up on you again, am I?"
"No, but don't let that discourage you." Lloyd left the office, and Harrison smiled.
 
“I will. I promise.” And she would do well to keep that promise but only for a little bit. She had stuff to do as well today and he couldn’t keep tabs on her this way. No, no, no! If this was his way to make sure she didn’t go out and do a little digging on her own than he surely didn’t know all methods to make her stop. No, once Esther Martin—hell once any Martin—had their mind set on something, they did it. No muss, no fuss, no ifs, ands or buts.

Making sure she had all that was hers, her bag, her skirt and got her ankle boots on, she walked out with him and took the elevator down with him. It made her think of their time in the elevator together last night at the firm and made her smile. She hid it by looking down. The doors opened and she was ushered out with him and smiled to the doorman. Getting into the car he had ready for her, she kissed his cheek before letting it drive off, in time to miss the comment of the doorman that would have definitely had her cheeks so red and full of embarrassment.

The driver got her home in record time and she thanked him and told him he didn’t have to stay or be on call for her. He put a bit of a fight but she basically argued that he was going against what she wanted and that wouldn’t sit well with Mr. Trenton. The minute she said something to possibly threaten his job—because well, she had to otherwise he wouldn’t go—he backed off and bid her a good day. She smiled and did the same before going into her apartment. She fished her phone out of her bag, saw the many missed calls, tests and voicemails but she ignored them. She found Abby’s partner’s name, Rodolfo Aimes. She had his number. Of course, they went out for a number of drinks together. Abby had constantly tried to push him onto her. She always declined. He wasn’t her type.

She dialed the number, put the phone to her ear and went to her room, starting to strip.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Rodolfo? It’s Esther Martin, I don’t know if you remember—“
“Hey! Esther! Of course I remember you! How could forget you?” That actually made her blush but she pushed it aside.
“You’re sweet thank you. Look, about Abby—“
”I’m so sorry about Abby, Esther. I heard you were the one that found her.”
“Y-Yeah…”
“I’m sorry, what about her?” He asked, figuring she wasn’t ready to talk about that night.
”Yeah, um, she said the day she died that she had to tell me stuff. Pertaining to the firm I work for?”
“Oh yes! I have that information. Man, it’s some juicy stuff about one of the partners.”
“Lloyd?”
“No, the other one. Um, Harrison Trenton.” He said after looking at the name. Her eyes widened.
“Is it bad?”
“Depends what you think is bad.”
“We need to meet Rodolfo.”
“Come to my office Esther. I’ll be waiting.”
She nodded. “I’m on my way now.”

She ended the call and left, calling a cab as well. It came urgently and she got in, first directing it to the firm so she pick up her car. She paid for the ride and then ran to her car. She had changed. She was no longer wearing last night’s clothes. She wore a deep dark red pencil dress that conformed to her body nicely, short sleeved and black heels on her feet. After what happened in the elevator, she felt more inclined to wear dresses or skirts. So not like her but it if helped making situations like the elevator sexcapade be easier, she was all the more willing. It’s not like she looked bad in them. She looked good. It just wasn’t her. But she was willing to remedy that.

Once she got to the newspaper, she went to his floor, same floor as Abby and was thankful that was he was still alive in his office. She knocked, and smiled at him. “Sit sit sit. And you look stunning in that dress.” He was clearing staring. She blushed and bat his eyes away. “Thank you Rodolfo. What do you have for me?”

“This is yours now.” He handed her a case file.
“Why are you giving it to me?”
“Because, once you read it, you’ll understand and you’ll know who had a hand in Abby’s murder.”
She gulped. That was not exactly something she wanted to hear. “Are you sure Harrison Trenton is involved?”
“My sources never lie Esther. And I did the research. It adds up. These are like the missing links in what has been made public knowledge.”
She didn’t feel so good. “Okay.” She said, having turned pale. He put his hand on her knee, not intrusively or in an offending gesture. “Are you okay Esther?”
She swallowed, her eyes staring down at the file. “I will be.”
 
There was a faint chiming from his phone, and Harrison pressed the button to bring the noise cancellation on. He lifted the reciever.
"This is Trenton." He said calmly.
"Sir, this is Maxwell. You had me working the-" Harrison cut him off.
"Don't be an idiot Maxwell, I know where I put my people. Report."
"Yes sir. There was a file exchange, and not a small one. Happened not ten minutes ago."
"What do they have?"
"No idea sir, could be nothing, could be everything. What do you want to do?"
"Polce. get Mitchell and Jeremiah to shut the offices down. Drugs and extortion. Search the building for copies, detain the person who made the exchange. Who picked it up? Are they on the watch list?"
"Yes sir! The Martin girl." Harriso squeezed his eyes shut. Esther. Of course it was Esther. She was stubborn, persistent, and not stupid. She was a potential problem, and he'd have dealt with it sooner if he hadn't been spending all his time having sex with her. "Sir?" Right. Maxwell was still on the line.
"Leave her to me for now. Focus on the next phase."
"Yes sir." The line went dead.

Harrison hung up the phone, and leaned back, hand on his forehead, thinking. He knew what he shoud be doing. A phone call. The phone call. But if he made that call, there was no coming back from it. Not even a garuntee that Esther would survive the call. And if she did live through it, it was doubtful that she'd be the same. Putting it off a moment, he shut down the noise cancellation, and called his secretary in.
"Mallory, can you get me the file checkouts for the last three months? Anything pertaining to the cases with Gilgamesh Shipping company?" She nodded, adn left him to his thoughts. Harrison wanted a drink. Badly. But he needed to be sharp. And he needed to be direct. Mallory was good at what she did, and brought him the small pile of files within a few moments. He thanked her, and set to work.

Most of the staff didn't know about the extra security on files in this place. He opened the first, adn found that it was a simple report about the shipping company. A few layers deeper, he found the first part of a report about the smuggling that was being done. The report was broken into nine parts, and one needed to have the cipher to unlock it. But there it was, the first step in the chain. A few files lower, and it came to the technology smuggling. And then the corporate spy who had infiltrated one of the facilities. And died, but not beofre getting some of her information off to her silent partners. And then it had been found by his secretary at Gilgamesh Shipping. And she'd proven...resistant to joining the enterprise. So she'd had to be dealt with. And he'd dealt with that personally, and with a great deal of finality. He'd enjoyed that particular part of the disaster. He foudn the small mark at the bottom of a file. It had been copied. And if it had been copied, then the files were in the wind. He checked the reocrd for the file being checked out. Bree Larkin. She had made the copy, and that meant she had probably sold them to the reporter.

And quick call got him access to the financial records for Miss Larkin, and while there was no deposits, there was a large purchase. Far beyond her salary. Stupid of him to not have someone watching her. And more stupid for her to have flaunted her payment like this. He pressed the call button for Mallory.
"Send Miss Larking in here. She's late for a meeting." He said with a certian edge to his voice. It only took three miutes for a harried looking Bree Larking to make it into the office.
"Sir? I wasn't told of any meeting that we were supposed to be having, and-" She started to ramble, and Harrison pressed the noise cancellation.
"Shut up Larkin." He said coldly. Bree fell silent out of shock more than anything. He turned his computer screen around, showing her finances, and the copy record for the file. "Explain." She went chalk white.
"Sir...if you'll let me-"
"I am giving you this chance Miss Larkin. Make it good." She twitched, before bursting out.
"It was just so much money! I wanted more, and this was a chance t get it! I'm sorry sir, I truly am-"
"You're fired. The court summons will be in the mail in a few days, bringing you to trial for selling company secrets to the press. Get out. Security will be escorting you They're already waiting." Bree looked like she'd shattered, and was numbly trying to put herself back together for a retort. When Harrison made no other move, she left, finding a guard to take her downstairs.

Harrison lfited his phone after closing the door.
"Darien. There's a job for you." He said quietly.
"Name?" Came the reply.
"Larkin. Bree Larkin. She knows too much, or very well might. She needs to disappear."
"Like the last one?"
"No. She needs to be a runner. No traces of the body. She needs to e gone before the morning."
"Can we...?" The question always came up.
"No time. I might have more work for you tonight, so get it done."
"You got it."

Emerson Card was waiting for Esther outside of the building. She'd been hard to track down, but she might be able to help him. And he might be able to help her. He was waiting until she lef the building before calling out to her.
"Miss Martin?" He called.
 
It took her a while. Rodolfo wouldn’t let her leave until she seemed at least okay. “C-Can I read it now?” She asked so softly, hesitantly and almost in a whisper. Rodolfo regarded her for a moment before he stood and he shut his little office door and locked it. He lowered the blinds and then turned to look at her, nodding his head as he sat back down. He anchored his elbows on his thighs, hands dangling down and he looked at her, all eyes on her. He had a feeling that at the mention of Harrison Trenton, she was feeling more than she was letting on. He wasn’t going to say anything or suspect. But why else would she seem so pale over her boss if there was some kind of ties, emotional or physical?

Esther swallowed hard and shaky hands opened the manila folder and she lifted up the contents. The first page was enough and all she had to read before she placed it all back and shut it. She hugged the file to her chest and looked like she might be about to cry.
“Esther?” He asked so softly. That’s when she stood up abruptly, nearly whacking him.
“Sorry Rodolfo.” She muttered her apology absently as she shoved the file into her bag and swung it back onto her shoulder. “I have to go.”
She walked to the door and opened it, fumbling a little bit, nearly screaming when she couldn’t get it open because her mind was in frenzied chaos. The lock unclicked and she looked down to see she hadn’t even done it. Rodolfo did. She looked up at him and her eyes watered up. “Take it easy okay?” She nodded numbly before ushering out quickly and she left the place. She took the elevator to the first floor since his office was in the basement and hurried down the steps once she was in the outside air. She nearly tripped on her heel when she heard her name.

Fear coursed through her and she looked up, afraid she might Harrison right there. God, the last thing he needed to know was this. That she knew. She just needed to come up with an excuse not to have dinner with him tonight. Maybe say she was too hammered after her shift at The Spot since it certainly wouldn’t be the first time she got drunk after work. It helped her sleep and just…okay it was a problem. Potentially problematic at least.

Recovering her equilibrium, she looked at the man, slowly making her way to him after smoothing down her pencil dress. “Who wants to know?”
 
Card smiled, pushing himself off of the wall that he was leaning against.
"Emerson Card's the name. I'm a PI. Was working with Abigail, until...well, you know. Since then, I've bene trying to get a hold of you, but it turns out you're a hard woman to reach." He told her, taking a few steps to close the gap between them. "I knew what she was getting into, and warned her it was risky, but she was dead set on pursuing things. Poor girl, God rest her soul." Emerson crossed himself. "And now...you've got her files. What are you planning to do with them?"

Harrison kept his eyes closed, and his breathing even. He had to do something. And he needed to do it soon. Delay could be fatla to him, and he needed his head in the game. He looked at his watch. nearly one thirty. It was going to be a moment of truth. He lifted his phone and DIalled Esther's apartment. He didn't get an answer, so he left a calm message, just letting her know her was looking to talk to her. It was amazing. He'd been planning not that long ago t have a lunch delivered to her apartment if she was home, and now...well, he was contemplating something far darker. With reluctance, he dialled her cell phone. When she picked up, it was going to tell him what his next move was going to be. He didn't have a choice here. It was life or death, sink or swim. No turning back now.
 
She was in sort of a haze, at first not really registering all that he was saying, hardly even aware he was speaking. But then he said Abigail, Abby, and she snapped her head up to look at the man. He was much taller, even if she was in heels. She held her hand over her eyes so the sun didn’t beam down on her and she nodded her head. She looked distracted. That’s because she was. She had a very important file on her and she had to not be in public right now. Then he mentioned the same file she was worried about and she worried her lower lip. “Um…” Before she could even find an answer, her phone rang. It startled her, nearly making her scream or jump but she furiously dug through her bag. She was so disorganized at the moment, her mind still in a jungle. A chaotic jungle where Harrison was the angry lion and she was the helpless little bunny. Fuck me… She thought to herself when she finally found her phone.

Looking at the caller-ID, she knew it was Harrison. She swallowed hard. She promised she’d answer if he called. Sighing heavily, she held her index finger to Card to point out she was going to answer and then answered, putting the phone to her ear. “Hi.” She said softly, doing her best to sound, well not afraid of him at the moment. She tried to sound endearing, almost thinking of slipping a ‘Honey’ or ‘Darling’ into that greeting as well but refrained. Then he would know that something was wrong.
 
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