Page 6 of Fiercely Protective
To make matters worse, if I was lucky enough to get the job, there was a high possibility that the guy from last night frequented the club and I would see him again. Of course, those kinds of guys didn’t have relationships with the help. He might not even recognize me. I might have been just one of many girls that he lured to a private room.How humiliating would that be?
I shook my head and tried to forget about it. It was a stupid mistake that I would not let happen again. After taking one last look in the mirror, making certain my hair and makeup were good, I knew I needed to make my way downstairs to catch a cab. This interview was important, and I would rather arrive early than late. I was swiftly running out of options. If I didn’t get this job, I could lose my apartment and I would be faced with moving back to Colorado. I squeezed my eyes shut tighter as flashes from that night came back to me.
After coming close to being sexually assaulted and having the shit beat out of me by a crazy and abusive stalker, I fled my hometown and moved to Chicago. Tony, a guy I had only been on a couple of dates with, started giving off these weird and scary vibes. He became insistent on having sex and was handsy all the time. It was like fighting off an octopus whenever I was with him. When I refused, he became agitated and aggressive. On the last night that I had gone out with him, he slapped me a few times and shoved me into the wall when I refused him again. He kept screaming that I had no idea who he was and that I would be sorry for spurning him. Thankfully, my neighbor had been home and called the cops.
After that night, I filed a restraining order against him, but that wasn’t enough to stop the harassing phone calls or his stalking me everywhere I went. Then one night I came home late after seeing a movie with my friend Allison, and he was waiting for me. He beat me nearly unconscious, broke one of my ribs, and left my whole body bruised. He would have raped me had Allison not forgotten her purse in my car and come back for it. When she heard the noises coming from inside the house, she started pounding on the door, and he ran out the back. She finally broke a window to get inside, but I was barely conscious and don’t remember much after that. That encounter put me in the hospital for a week.
When I got out of the hospital, the judge had already released Tony on bond. Knowing that it wasn’t safe for me to stay there, I left that same day. Allison had paid for my bus ticket and gave me enough money to stay in a hotel until I found a job. She was the only friend I had and the only one that knew of my location. It was safer that way. She had called me a few times saying that Tony was looking for me and swore he would find me, but I had no relatives in Chicago or any other connections to the city, so it was a safe bet that he wouldn’t think of looking for me here. It was a big city anyway and easy for a girl like me to remain invisible which made it the perfect place for me to move on with my life. So, this interview and getting this job was important. I needed it to stay focused so I would be able to stay in Chicago and put my past behind me.
When I got downstairs, a black Jaguar was waiting by the curb and the driver was holding a sign with my name on it.
Confused, I stepped toward him.
“Brielle Rogers?”
I nodded. “I’m Brielle, but I didn’t send for a car. There must be a mistake.”
“No mistake. You have an interview atSinnerstoday at noon?”
“Yes, but…”
“I am here to escort you to that interview.” He stepped back and opened the car door for me.
I hesitated for a second, thinking that this couldn’t be real. I knew the club was high-end, but to send a car to collect job applicants was unheard of. But, once again, I went against my more cautious nature and took a seat in the luxurious car and allowed myself a few peaceful moments to compose my thoughts and get my nerves under control.
My eyes closed as I leaned back against the soft leather, noting the new car smell, and tried to mentally focus and get ready for the interview. I had practiced my smile in the mirror and googled some common interview questions that might be asked, now I just needed to appear confident and prepared.
When the car came to a stop outside the club, the driver came around quickly and opened the door for me. I grabbed the folder with my resume and walked toward the door.
“Just go inside, there will be someone to walk you back to the office. They are expecting you.”
I looked back and smiled at him. “Thanks.”
I took one more steadying breath, put a small smile on my face, and walked through the front doors. The club was very different in the light of day. The lights were on, and there was no loud music or flashing colored lights. The staff that werethere were busy either cleaning or preparing for the next shift. I stepped toward the bar when a lady came over to me.
“Miss Rogers?”
“Yes.”
“You are here for an interview with Mr. Kent. Unfortunately, Mr. Kent had some other business to attend to.”
The sense of disappointment was almost crushing. “Should I reschedule?”
“Oh no, that won’t be necessary. Mr. Delaney is here and will conduct your interview. If you would please follow me, I will escort you to the back office.”
I followed behind her briefly allowing my eyes to stray toward the stairs that led to the private rooms above, and I couldn’t help but wonder ifMr. Handsomemanaged to entice some other girl upstairs after I left.
The older lady stopped outside a solid black door. “Wait here and I will see if Mr. Delaney is ready for you.”
I nodded but was much too nervous to reply.
When she returned, she opened the door wide and stood to the side. “He is ready, Miss Rogers, and good luck.”
I took a deep breath, pasted a small smile on my face, and walked through the door only to come to a halt when I saw the man standing before me.This can’t be happening.
“You?”
The smirk on his face said that he was rather pleased with himself and at the fact that I was shocked at seeing him. “Good morning, Bri.”