"Elena, come here."

My boss, Mike, was lounging on the office couch, one leg crossed over the other. He patted the spot next to him, a smirk on his face that oozed sleaze. I hesitated, the drinks on my tray wobbling. "The customers are waiting for these drinks."

Mike's eyes darkened, flashing a dangerous, hungry glint. "I said, come here."

Reluctantly, I set down the tray, cautiously keeping my distance as I approached. But Mike lunged forward, grabbing my wrist with bruising force and yanking me down onto the couch, pulling me fully onto his lap, straddling his thighs. "Just a minute, Elena," he growled, his hot breath reeking of whiskey and sourness as it fanned against my face.

My stomach churned as his hands clamped onto my hips, squeezing with possessive greed, grinding me against him. "I've gotta check things out." His gaze flicked to the mirror across the room, clearly reveling in the reflection of us, his eyes glinting with perverse delight. His wedding ring glinted coldly under the light, a stark contrast to the heat of his grip.

"Please, don't…" I pleaded, my voice trembling, but his fingers dug deeper into my flesh, pulling me tighter against his evident arousal. Mike's arm snaked around my waist, locking me in place, his eyes shamelessly raking over my chest, lingering on the way my uniform strained against my body. I tried to twist away, but his grip was like iron, forcing me to feel every inch of him pressing against me.

"I need to deliver the drinks; the customers are waiting," I repeated, struggling to keep my voice steady.

"Let them wait." Mike licked his lips, the stench of tobacco and cheap cologne making me nauseous. He leaned in, pressing his face against my neck, his rough stubble scraping my skin as he inhaled deeply, a low, guttural growl vibrating against me. "You don't smell like the others… more like… human. Makes me wanna taste every damn inch of you." His tongue flicked out, dragging a wet, invasive trail along my neck, while his fingers tugged harshly at the collar of my uniform, popping a button and exposing my collarbone and the edge of my bra.

My skin crawled. I needed this job—desperately—but at that moment, I wanted nothing more than to shove him away at any cost.

His hands slid lower, one roaming down my waist to grip my backside, kneading roughly, while the other shoved the hem of my waitress uniform up to my hips, exposing my thighs. His fingers dug into my bare skin, creeping higher, brushing against the edge of my underwear with deliberate, violating intent.

"Look at yourself now," he sneered, his eyes locked on our reflection in the mirror, his breath hot and ragged against my ear as he forced my head to turn. "See how good you look, all flushed and helpless on top of me? I’ve been thinking about this for weeks, Elena. Picturing you like this, pinned under me, squirming while I take my time with you. Bet you’d look even better stripped down, spread out on my desk, begging for me to stop—or maybe for more."

I struggled to pull away, but he pinned me tighter, his fingers digging into my flesh, sending sharp pain through me as he ground his hips up against mine, making his desire painfully obvious. His hand under my uniform grew bolder, slipping beneath the thin fabric of my underwear, touching places he had no right to, his movements rough and invasive. "I keep imagining how tight you’d feel, how you’d whimper my name when I’m deep inside you," he hissed, his voice thick with lust. "I’d make you forget everything else—just you and me, over and over, until you can’t walk straight. You’d be mine, Elena, every damn night."

"I'm giving you three days to think about it, Elena. Either you come to my bed at night, spread for me, or you're out of here." His voice was low and chilling, dripping with lust and menace. "Isn't your daughter's medical bill due next week? If you can't pay, that'd be real tragic."

My face drained of color. Fear and helplessness flooded through me like ice water, my mind screaming. He gripped my chin harder, forcing me to stare at the mirror, while his other hand continued its assault under my uniform, fingers probing with sickening boldness, making me flinch with every unwanted touch. I tried to break free, but his strength overpowered me, my body trembling uncontrollably, tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.

"Remember my words, Elena," he whispered against my ear, his voice laced with naked menace, his lips brushing my skin before trailing down to suck at my neck, leaving a wet, bruising mark that made me shudder in revulsion. "Three days. If you don't comply, I'll make sure you don't earn a single cent. Your daughter's life is in your hands. Don’t make me take what I want by force. Though, hell, I’ve fantasized about that too—pinning you down while you fight me, making you scream until you give in. I’d enjoy breaking you."

His words hung in the air like a noose tightening around my neck. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst, each beat echoing the terror of losing everything. Mike's hand lingered under my uniform, his touch a constant reminder of the power he held over me, while his other hand slid down from my chin to grip my chest through the thin fabric, squeezing with crude entitlement. I wanted to scream, to claw at him, to run far away, but I was paralyzed—trapped by my reality.

"You're shaking," he chuckled, his voice dripping with mockery. "What's the matter, Elena? You used to be tougher. Has life beaten every last bit of fight out of you?" His fingers tightened on me, forcing my head toward the mirror. "Look at that face. So pathetic. No wonder you're stuck here, just waiting to be claimed. I can’t wait to see that look when I’ve got you under me for real, all mine to play with."

I bit my lip, holding back sobs. I couldn't let him see me break completely. But every word felt like a blade, stripping away my dignity. His hand under my uniform grew even more brazen, fingers pressing and exploring with disgusting confidence, and I flinched, a choked whimper escaping despite my efforts to stay silent.

"That's more like it," Mike grinned, his eyes gleaming with sick satisfaction. "I like a little reaction. Gets me going. I’ve been dreaming about those sounds, Elena—how you’d moan and cry out when I push you past your limits. You’ll come around, I know it. They always do. And if you don't, I've got ways to make you scream for me, one way or another."

His threat sent a shiver down my spine, cold dread pooling in my stomach. I knew he wasn't bluffing. Mike had a reputation for getting what he wanted, no matter the cost. I'd seen other girls disappear from the bar after refusing him—fired or driven out by rumors and harassment. I couldn't afford to be one of them, not with Elva depending on me.

"Think about it," he continued, his voice low and menacing. "Three days isn't a lot of time, but it's enough to make the right choice. You don't want to be the reason your little girl suffers, do you? I’ve already got a whole damn list of things I wanna do to you once you say yes—tie you up, mark every inch of you, make you forget anyone else ever touched you." He tilted his head, studying my reaction in the mirror, feeding off the fear in my eyes as his hand gave a final, intrusive press before pulling away just enough to let me breathe.

Mike finally released my chin, but his other hand stayed on my thigh, a possessive gesture that made my skin crawl. "Go on, then," he said, his tone suddenly casual, as if this were just another conversation. "Get back to work. But don't forget what I said. I'll be watching—and waiting."

He gave my thigh one last lingering, violating squeeze before shoving me off his lap, the force making me stumble as I stood. My legs felt weak, barely holding me up as I smoothed down my uniform with trembling hands, the fabric feeling like a flimsy shield against his gaze, my skin still burning from his touch.

I didn't dare look back at him, didn't want to see the smug satisfaction on his face. Instead, I grabbed the tray of drinks and hurried out of the office, the weight of his stare burning into my back, my body still trembling from the violation.