Ah, shit.
17
VALERIAN
She doesn’t knowhow to behave herself. I warned her before.
But Joy walks straight into the punishment. Every fucking time.
It’s like shewantsit.
She takes one look at me and dashes through the lobby, out into the courtyard. I take my time walking down the staircase. She won’t get very far.
She’s like a fish in a tank. There’s only so many places she can hide.
And I can see everything.
“Mr. Valerian?” A potential investor tries and stops me.
I keep walking past him. “Please excuse me for a moment.”
I set my eyes on the prize out through the courtyard. I can see her running. I walk faster, taking long steps until I’m inches away.
I reach out and grab her. She gasps.
I put my hand over her mouth to silence her. And then I drag her up the staircase. Nobody notices. Most of them are drunk at this point in the night. And if they’re not, they’re probably still deep in conversation about me throwing my employee into the staircase and firing him.
I’d fire every fucking person in this room for touching what’s mine.
Including the camera crew. They’re fired. And they also just wasted a few hours of their life doing free labor for me.
I bring Joy into my room, slamming the door behind us.
“Good try.” I throw her onto my bed.
She clambers up, gasping. “I had to do something.”
“Why?” I step forward, watching her curl up on my bed.
“Isn’t it obvious? Because I don’t want to stay here anymore.”
“You’ll do as I tell you to do.” I fold my arms over my chest. “I warned you before what would happen.”
She gasps. “What is it you want? To win?” Joy sits up on the bed. She stares right into me.
People don’t look at me like she does. Everyone in the lobby takes me at face value. But Joy is searching for something else.
“You’re scared.”
I sniff a laugh. “That’s the conclusion you’re reaching?”
“And hurt,” she keeps going.
“Anything else to add to the list?”
“You’re not as powerful as everyone thinks you are.”
Interesting observation. I’ll take it. And prove her wrong when I fuck her senseless, showing her she’s wrong.