The late afternoon sunshine shone brightly into the office, blinding Courtney as she looked up. The sound of the door opening had caught her attention as she finished up a phone call. She smiled in the direction of the person who had come in, holding up her finger to signal that she'd be with them momentarily as she directed her attention back to the caller on the phone.
She couldn't see the customer as they stood there, just out of her view. From the corner of her eye, she could see that they paced anxiously. She shrugged it off. 'Oh well, they'll just have to wait a minute.' She thought to herself.
When she finished, she flipped off her headset onto her desk and leaned to the side so that she could see the client. Her heart stopped in its tracks as her eyes met his. It was Michael.
"Hello, Courtney." He said, smiling at her. She knew that he saw the look of panic that ran across her face. He stepped toward her desk, watching the color drain from her already pale complexion.
She had an email open to Rick on her desktop. "Get back here ASAP. He's here." She typed frantically, clicking send seconds before Michael reached her desk.
"You don't look very happy to see me." Michael said, quietly as he sat across from her. His voice had an edge that made Courtney feel instantly uneasy.
"You know what the problem is, Michael." Courtney replied, bitterly. "I don't think I need to be blunt." She looked away so that he didn't see the tears that were threatening to build in her eyes.
Michael smiled darkly as he leaned across her desk, "I want you again, Courtney."
"Please... Don't." She whispered, closing her eyes at his request.
"I told you how this worked," he replied, his voice dropping, "and I reminded you of the consequences."
"I told you what you wanted to hear so you would let me go, Michael." Courtney snapped.
Michael reached out, grabbing her by the chin roughly. His dark eyes pierced through her as he stared violently at her. "Lying is a dangerous habit, Courtney. It causes a lot of heartbreak," he paused, smiling wickedly, "and a lot of pain."
Courtney's eyes widened at his masked threat. "Please..." she pleaded. "Stop this."
"If you're a good girl, and do what you're told," Michael growled at her as he leaned closer, "I might think about it. But you don't know how, so where does that leave us?" He raised an eyebrow at her questioningly.
Courtney pushed her chair slowly back from her desk. "Michael, please." She pleaded. "You're scaring me." She fidgeted nervously, moving to the edge of her chair, preparing to make a getaway.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Courtney." Michael warned, his tone ominous. "You don't want to run from me."
Before she could turn to run through Rick's office to lock herself in the bathroom and call for help, he grabbed her by the waist. She cried out in surprise as he pulled her backwards against him.
"I don't think so, sweetheart." He growled menacingly.
She struggled to get free, but he overpowered her easily. "No...Michael, let me go!" she cried.
"Stop fighting, stop screaming, or I swear it will be the last thing you do." He whispered threateningly in her ear. His breath was hot against her skin.
"Michael, please... just let me go. We can just forget this happened." Courtney pleaded as he flexed his arm tightly around her neck. "I don't want any trouble. I don't want to fight you."
"You should have thought about that." He growled in her ear. "You aren't in the position to call the shots anymore." He reached his hand down to her pocket, pulling her phone out. "You're not going to need this." He chuckled as he tossed it back onto the desk. Courtney's stomach dropped like a stone. Her lifeline now was several feet away from her.
She whimpered in pain as he flexed his arm tighter still. He was not much taller than she was, and easily overpowered her. "Do I disturb you, Courtney?" he whispered into her ear. His voice was cold, and twisted into a snarl so vile that Courtney shuddered in response.
"Yes." Courtney whispered weakly.
"Good." Michael whispered back.
"What are you going to do?" she asked. Tears were burning at her eyes. She blinked hard, trying desperately to keep them at bay.
"I think," he growled into her ear, "That I'm going to have you right here." The feeling of his breath on her neck caused chills to run through Courtney's body. She stiffened under his grasp.
"You can't!" Courtney protested, struggling against him. "Someone would see, Rick could come back –"
"Stop talking, Courtney." Michael snapped. "I locked the door when I came in."
He shoved her up against the wall, pinning her against it. They were basically out of sight from anyone passing by. "No one's here to help you now." He chuckled as he looked down at her. "You look so beautiful when you're scared." He whispered, leaning down to her ear. "It makes me want to do so many things to you."
Courtney gasped, partially in response to his words, and in response to the feeling of his breath on her neck. "You don't have to do this, Michael," Courtney pleaded quietly.
"Yes, I do." He replied. "And you're going let me." his voice was cold as he reached into his coat, pulling out his knife and holding it at her chin. "Because if you don't, Courtney," his voice became dark as he turned the blade ominously, "I will slit your throat and watch you die."
The sound of the back door opening interrupted Michael's plan. Before Courtney could yell for Rick, Michael covered her mouth with his hand. "Scream and you'll regret it." He hissed. He turned his head and listened to Rick taking his coat off in the back.
He shoved Courtney back toward her desk. "We're going to have an audience!" He turned toward Rick's empty office. "You've been saved...for now."
By the time Rick opened the back door to his office, Courtney was sitting in her chair, facing Michael, who was eyeing her threateningly. His gaze switched to Rick as he walked toward the doorway.
Rick walked through his office, continuing out to Courtney's desk, oblivious to what had just occurred, but aware that Michael had been there for some time. "Hi, Michael, what can we do for you today?" He said casually.
Rick and Michael discussed business for a few minutes. It wasn't until Rick moved and leaned against the back of Courtney's desk that he realized she was shaking nervously in her chair. He asked her a question so that she would turn and look at him.
When she looked up at him, he could see that something was desperately wrong. Her green eyes were wide with panic, and she bit her lip in a vain attempt to keep from tearing up.
Michael cleared his throat, causing Rick and Courtney to promptly turn their attention back to him.
"But," Michael started, "I also came in to thank Courtney for all of her assistance. She's really helped me a lot." He smiled wickedly at Courtney, causing her to shudder nervously. Rick noticed her stiffen in her chair, and he placed a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.
