Page 160 of Obey

Apparently, I enjoy making bad decisions, because I stop and face him, ready to tell him to fuck all the way off, but he continues before I can answer. “Head of Operations. Reporting directly to me. Substantial increase in salary. More authority. More autonomy.”

“Didn’t we already do this? Because I keep telling you I’m not interested, and somehow you keep treating it like the beginning of a negotiation.””

“Everything is a negotiation.”

“Not me.”

That wipes some of the amusement from his face. Not all of it, but enough. I turn away again and start toward safety.

“I can start your salary at six figures, which is more than you're making now. Equity. Your own division.”

“No.”

“Sloane.”

I stop so abruptly that he nearly walks into me. “What part of this is confusing you?”

His expression goes flat. “I’m offering you the kind of opportunity people spend years waiting for.”

“And I said no.”

“You’re letting loyalty interfere with ambition.”

“No, I’m letting the fact that I don’t want to work for you interfere with working for you.”

“You really believe that all of this is yours, don’t you? Your position. Your access. Your relationship with Nathaniel.”

“What is your obsession with him?” I ask, truly curious. And it seems I asked the right question from the look in Adrian’s face. “No, seriously. You’re starting to sound fixated, and I’m getting embarrassed for you.”

He steps closer, close enough now that I can smell his cologne. “I know Nathaniel better than you do.”

“Did he leave you at the altar or something? Because at this point, you sound like you’re in love with him.”

His eyes harden. “I’m trying to keep you from becoming collateral.”

A cold prickle moves over my skin. “Collateral in what?”

“Ask Nathaniel.”

I pull out my phone, already dialing 911 and wait for the call to connect.

“911, what's the address of your emergency?”

“I'm outside Halden Precision Manufacturing, near Third and Twentieth in Dogpatch. There's a man harassing me, and he won'te—”

Adrian grabs my wrist before I can finish. Every warning bell in my body goes off at once as he drags me toward his car.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I scream as I thrash in his hold, throwing him off balance and making him stumble.

"Goddammit, stop moving." He grunts as he yanks me, making me drop my phone. “Why do you have to make this difficult?”

“Boy, fuck you.” I sink my teeth into the side of his hand, biting down hard enough to taste copper. He hisses, his grip loosening just enough for me to wrench free.

“Fucking bitch,” he snarls, grabbing for me again.

I stumble backward, my heel catching on the uneven sidewalk as I put distance between us. My heart hammers against my ribs as I scan the street for any sign of help, but the block is empty.

“You’re insane,” I hiss, backing toward the building’s entrance. My eyes dart to where my phone lay on the pavement, and Adrian spots it too, already moving to intercept me.