Yes, Boss

forty six.

Flora. 

I wipe the tears away angrily, having no idea what to reply to his text, but I needn't reply anything as another text comes through, I can barely read it through my teary eyes. 

'I want you to meet me, we need to have a chat' 

I hiccup a sob, lying down and burying my face in my pillows, how do I get myself out of this situation, I finally manage to control my shaky fingers and type a reply. 

'I'll be at Starbucks in Covent Garden in an hour.' 

I think of the busiest place I can, if I have to meet my rapist again it sure as hell isn't going to be while we're alone. I didn't think the severity of the situation has even sunk in yet. Im shaking so much I can barely apply make-up to my sallow face and dry my hair, the lump in my throat isn't shifting and I feel sick to my stomach. 

As I get in the car my phone rings, it's harry. The thought of him makes more tears spill over, I wish I could tell him.. but like Eddie said he wouldn't believe me, I barely believe me. I ignore it and set off, he calls back unsurprisingly a few minutes later and I answer on loud speaker, letting the phone sit in my lap. 

"I can't talk I'm driving" I say, coughing mid sentence because I sound choked. 

"I just wondered how the hangover was, are you okay? where are you going?" He asks suspiciously. 

"To buy some paracetamol for my pounding headache" I lie through my teeth, swallowing a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach. 

"Fancy taking your sorry little self and your headache to mine?" He asks, jesus christ, I don't know what's more of a shock, the drugging and raping from Eddie or Harry's sentimental gesture of some quality time. 

"Harry.. I can't, I'm literally driving two minutes to the shop and back I feel so sick if I drove any further I'd have to pull over and puke like you did that one time in America" I distract him. 

"You've been googling me" He says skeptically. 

"I'll call you later" I sigh. 

"Okay, goodbye princess, get some rest" He hangs up, I'm shaking so much I have to pull over for a few minutes and calm down before I finally reach covent garden and park up, psyching myself up for what's to come. 

As I enter the busy shop I almost walk into someone, all I can see is the figure sitting in an armchair in the corner - two coffees before him, when I'm not drugged the difference between him and Harry is so so clear. I want to cry so badly as I approach him but I can't. 

"Flora, so good to see you, I got you a drink" He says plaintively, relaxed in his chair. 

"You got me a drink?" I spit, sitting down opposite him unable to even look him in the eye. 

"Of course, I'm many things but I'm not impolite" He chuckles. I want to tell everyone in the busy coffee shop what he's done to me, but I can't. 

"What do you want Eddie, tell me what you want" I say, tears threatening. He leans forward, as if he's about to speak, but instead he smoothly grabs my phone from the table. I yelp in shock but it makes people stare, Eddie goes calmly onto my phone. 

"Give it back!" I say under my breath as he smiles. 

"Sorry, one second, I'm just deleting our messages. Can't have you running to Harry can we" He smiles. Dropping my phone back carelessly on the wooden table with an unpleasant thud. This man is absolutely psychotic, he's acting like we're having a casual coffee. 

"Please.. just tell me what you want?" I ask, wiping my tears away as I beg him. 

"I want you to quit" He says with a smile. 

"No! I'm not doing that, if I didn't you could show him the photos and worst comes to worst he'd fire me anyway" I say indignantly, though I'm still panicking.  Eddie breaks into a wide grin, and laughs, outright laughs. I blink in confusion. 

"If you don't quit, I won't just show him the photos sweetie. I'll tell the drug addicts that want his blood exactly where he is, and don't think I'm bluffing" He knots his fingers together. My heart feels like it just fell out of my chest, they'd kill Harry. I shake my head a few times.. they can't, he can't. 

"Why are you doing this" I plead. 

"Because Flora, I don't want my dearest brother to be happy, and I'm afraid you make him happy" He says. I stay silent, my head spinning but on the exterior I'm probably sitting there quietly. 

"Now are you going to quit?" He asks. I nod, it's my only choice, I'd rather Harry's life was saved, it's not a hard decision. 

"Well then, go on, pick up the phone" He smiles beamingly, it's enough to make me sick, what kind of twisted fuck gets happy from this. I unlock my phone, still holding back tears in this public place. 

"Let me dial, come on I'm not stupid" He says as I watch him press Harry's contact and put the phone to his ear before Harry answers, he hands the phone back. 

"Hello?" Harry says again, his voice makes my heart melt.. he sounds way different to Eddie I realise now. 

"Harry I'm sorry, but I quit."