His Choice
1013 Words
EMILY
I sat frozen, listening to footsteps cross the floor.
This is it. My end
Leo appeared at the edge of my vision. His eyes found mine and stopped my breath.
"Father." His voice was controlled, but I heard the anger underneath. "What's the problem?"
"Don't play innocent with me, boy." Hartwell's voice cut through the room like a blade. "You know exactly why I'm here."
Veronica opened her mouth to speak, her father raised one hand, silencing her without looking.
But Leo wasn't looking at them. He was looking at me, and I saw the question in his eyes.
"I'm fine," I whispered, not sure if he heard me, or why he was concerned about me in the first place.
But I couldn't help but give Veronica a disgusted look.
Damn, sis. Trying to seduce your own brother? You're worse than I thought.
She caught my eye, and as if she saw the judgment there, she burst out: "He's adopted!"
All heads turned to her. Her face flushed crimson, and her father sighed.
"Veronica." Hartwell pinched the bridge of his nose. "That is hardly the point."
Leo pulled out the chair next to me and sat down, positioning himself between Veronica and me.
"Your employee," Hartwell said slowly, "has been telling us interesting things about my daughter. I'd like your version."
Leo's expression didn't change. "Really."
Veronica's smile grew confident. She reached out to touch Leo's hand on the table, her fingers hovering like a promise. "Leo, darling, just tell Father the truth. Emily claims I tried to seduce you."
He pulled back abruptly, as if her touch burned. "Don't."
I sat there holding my breath, waiting to find out if I'd just destroyed the only good thing that had ever happened to me.
"Leo." Hartwell leaned forward. "Did I not ask you, a year ago, if you had any interest in my daughter? Before I made arrangements for her betrothal?"
"You did, sir." Leo nodded.
"And your response?"
The silence stretched so long and uncomfortably that I started bouncing my foot rhythmically off the floor.
Then I felt a hand snake up my thigh. My legs were exposed because of my ridiculously short dress. I sat up straight when his fingers connected with my skin. My foot stopped dancing.
Veronica glanced at me. I gave her a sheepish smile in return, my heart hammering against my ribs.
I turned to Leo, but he was looking at Hartwell, giving no sign of what his hand was doing under the table.
"I said," Leo continued, looking directly into Veronica's blue eyes, "that I would never see her as more than a sister."
Veronica and I both drew sharp breaths. Her from his words, and me from the fact that one of his fingers was now under my dress and moving upward, getting dangerously close to my lace panties.
Hartwell nodded slowly, his fingers steepled. "Then perhaps you can explain what my daughter was doing in your office last week. Leaving at eleven o'clock. Barely dressed, according to a witness." He looked at me.
The trap snapped shut.
Leo removed his hand from my lap, and I almost whined in disappointment.
The corner of his lip curved up at my silent sigh.
The question Hartwell had asked was simple: What was Veronica doing in your office?
But the real question beneath it was a choice.
"Leo." Hartwell's voice cut through my thoughts. "I'm waiting."
The choice hung in the air. Veronica or me.
Leo glanced at me, and I refused to meet his gaze, my eyes darting to the exit, to anywhere but him.
My heart kept hammering, hard enough to shake my ribs.
The restaurant hummed around us. People who should have finished their meals were still lingering, watching three people wait for Leo to decide which story he'd claim.
Choose me. Please.
Leo spoke, his voice steady. "I'm sorry it took this long to inform you properly."
Veronica's smile bloomed.
My breath hitched. Sweat beaded on my forehead. I braced for the blow that would end my employment and whatever fragile thing Leo and I had almost built.
Leo reached under the table again. He found my clenched hand, squeezed it hard, then let go.
"But your daughter," he continued, "has been harassing me for months. I kept silent out of respect for you, sir. But I will not let her destroy an innocent woman to cover her own obsession."
The silence that followed was absolute.
Veronica's face cycled through a dozen emotions. "Father, he's lying. I did no such thing." She turned to Leo. "She's nothing, Leo. Just a trashy waitress, and you'd take her side?"
"Be quiet." Hartwell's command cracked like a whip, and Veronica's mouth snapped shut, her face red with humiliation.
Leo chose that moment to drop a bomb.
"She's not nothing. She's my girlfriend."
Even Hartwell, who had maintained a blank expression throughout, looked momentarily stunned.
"Girlfriend?" someone at the table behind us whispered.
I was right. They'd been eavesdropping the whole time.
Veronica choked on her drink. My mouth fell open.
Leo had the audacity to close my mouth with one hand while patting Veronica's back with the other as she coughed.
Hartwell wiped his mouth even though he hadn't eaten anything yet. He stood and put on his coat. "Veronica will be punished for her indiscretions. As for you, I'll expect proof of your relationship." His gaze shifted to me. "If I find out you've taken me for a fool, Emily will pay for it."
Hartwell turned and walked away. Veronica scrambled to follow, her composure in tatters.
"And son?" He paused his stride without looking back. "The next time you decide to make a stand, make sure she's worth the empire you're burning."
He left. Veronica trailed behind, her heels clicking a furious rhythm, her hatred a physical force that scraped my skin as she passed.
And then we were alone. Or as alone as two people could be in a restaurant full of staring eyes.
I found myself saying, "What have you done?"
- Writer
