Behind Closed Doors

Chapter 25: Do You Fancy Him?

"A promotion? You haven't spoken to me about this Marcus..." I fold my arms. "What are you promoting him to anyway? He's been working with us for what? Like a month?!"

Michael clears his throat.

"Uh hi, I'm still in the room."

"Layla don't be like that." Marcus snaps at me. "Michael clearly needs to be higher up. He's been impressive since working for us, even though it's been a short period of time."

"But it's ridiculous..."

"All he has shown is that he is good at what he does so I want to give him a promotion. Why don't you agree? What has he done?"

I hesitate and look at Michael. He stares at me intensely. He takes his mobile and holds it in his hand on the kitchen table. I wish I could say something like hey, Michael is a drug addict, he held me at gun point and made me give him a lap dance which he is now black mailing me with. I sigh.

"Yeah, ok. As long as he works twice as hard." I reluctantly say looking away from Michael.

"What do you say Michael? A promotion to lead."

Michael smiles widely and looks at me. Ugh. He stands up and shakes Marcus's hand.

"So that includes a pay rise too?" He asks.

"Yes." Marcus laughs.

"I'm in." Michael smirks.

"Great, we will go over contracts tomorrow. Layla will sort that."

They both look at me.

"Yeah." I force a smile.

"Thank you, it's been a nice evening. I should leave you both to it."

"Sure ok, I'll walk you to the door." Marcus nods.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Michael looks at me.

"Yeah... bye."

He smiles and then Marcus leads him out. I roll my eyes and sigh deeply. I shake my head and start cleaning up.

"What is your problem?" Marcus asks sounding pissed off as he walks back in to the kitchen.

"What's your problem?!" I shout turning to face him. "You NEVER run things by me! I've told you this so many times! We are supposed to work together, but it's like I'm just one of you employees who you couldn't give a fuck about! But Michael strolls in and you promote him within 4 weeks? Didnt you think to ask me what I thought about him? He done well in ONE meeting, big fucking whoop. That doesn't mean anything! I don't trust him and I don't like him!"

"Why don't you trust him?"

"Because... I just don't. It's clear we can't trust him when he went against everything we agreed to say and do in the meeting. He wants things done his way and that isn't going to help us."

"That's another reason I promoted him to lead, because he likes thinking on his feet and making decisions. He is a natural leader, and I want someone like him to do the job."

I shake my head.

"Well I don't like him and that's that. The business is my job too and we are supposed to work together."

"Well just accept that I offered Michael a promotion! You want us to work together then we have to give and take. We won't always agree on things."

"You're missing the point." I sigh.

"Do you fancy him?"

I lower my eyebrows and scoff. That was out of the blue...

"Oh please."

"No come on, tell me the truth. You like him don't you?" Marcus walks up to my face.

"No I don't. I've just told you I don't like him. Don't be ridiculous. If I liked him why would I refuse him of having a promotion?"

Marcus grabs my wrist hard and yanks  me forward.

"Ow!" I moan.

"I hope that's the truth." He grunts glaring at me.

"It is!" I feel his grip getting tighter. I make a face. "That hurts." I try and pull away.

"You've barely spoken to me since you got back from France. Anything happen between you and Michael?"

"No.." I say feeling worried now.

He pushes me making me fall back in to the counter. Some glasses smash and I cut my hand on a piece of glass as i try and support myself. I moan and look at the blood on my hand.

"Michael said something interesting, about you dancing."

"Marcus nothing happened, i had some wine and there was music-"

He grabs my neck.

"You've already told me that lie." He stares in to my eyes looking mad.

"It's not a lie!" I try pushing him off.

"If I'd of known youd go slagging around again I wouldn't have let you go."

He sighs deeply and let's me go pushing me again, as he releases his grip.

I breathe heavily looking at him, feeling scared. I rub my neck.

"If you really think that, then why the fuck have you promoted him?! Why don't you just fire him! You're an asshole!"

He screws his face up and slaps me around the face. I close my eyes and hold the side of my face. My eyes cloud with tears as I feel my face sting. He grabs my arm and pulls me out of the kitchen.

"Marcus!! Get off!" I shout.

He pulls me over to the stairs and throws me on them.

"Get up! Go up to the bedroom." He nudges me.

"No!"

He sighs and grabs my arm pulling me up the stairs. I try to fight back but he's too strong. I can never manage to fight him back. He yanks me up and in to the bedroom and slams shut the door.

"Marcus please! Stop it! I love you! I don't like Michael and nothing happened between me and him, I promise.." I plead through my shaky voice.

He sighs and takes off his belt.

"Take off your clothes."

I shake my head as a tear rolls down my cheek.

"No, I don't want to! I don't like it when you're like this! Please Marcus." I beg and walk up to him trying to calm him down.

He pushes me back on the bed.

"You say you love me and you don't like Michael so prove it. Prove that you haven't fucked him." He says sounding mad, tugging at my jeans pulling them off.

I wriggle around wanting to get up. He pushes me down putting his weight on me.

"Ok." I start to cry. "If that's what you want then I'll show you."

He kisses roughly down my neck. I close my eyes trying to zone out.