Chapter one
He was screaming in my face and belittling me in front of others without taking the precaution of bringing me back to his office. I had no doubt of stepping over the line, but the way that he was going about chastising me was wrong on so many levels. There were little bits of spittle flying from his mouth. They were hitting me in the face which only infuriated me more.
“I don’t know who you think you are, but I’m the boss around here. What I say goes and you just cost me a contract worth millions. You couldn’t keep your mouth shut thinking naively the truth was going to set you free. You are a disgrace and I don’t care if you are only here on a temporary assignment. The world is not black and white. The sooner that you learn there are different shades of gray is when you will finally understand how the world works.” He was a harsh taskmaster, but I couldn’t in good conscience allow him to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes.
I didn’t even have to look and the others in the office had taken an interest in his form of management. I stood there at attention feeling like I was back in the Marines, but this time there was nothing stopping me from taking action. Mr. Milton believed himself to be my superior, but he couldn’t have been further from the truth.
“I only hired you because of your pretty face and body. I had to have somebody on the front lines. Walking in and parading what god gave you made you the perfect candidate. Had I known that your idealism was going to stand in my way of business, I wouldn’t have even given you a second thought.” He really was hot under the collar. Even during his tirade, he still couldn’t stop staring at my bosom. I was quite endowed, but that was not something I was proud of. I did learn quickly that using my sexuality could be to my advantage. Smiling and putting on the air of someone that was only after one thing made me a sought after commodity by the temp agency.
Nobody was coming to my rescue and I probably would’ve stood there and taken the abuse, but then he pushed things too far. Putting his finger on my chest brought about the training I had received. He was breathing in my face one second and then looking up at me with his arm dislocated from his shoulder.
“You fucking bitch…you fucking broke my arm.” If I had broken his arm, he would’ve been screaming a whole lot louder. “I’m going to sue you for everything you have.” That was always the way with America. I had bounced from country to country and this was the only one that settled things by taking things to court.
My blonde hair was cut short to stay out of my eyes. I didn’t look like much of a threat being only 5’4, 120 pounds, but I had a big bite for a small dog.
“I don’t have a fixed address, I barely make enough to feed myself and you expect to get blood from a stone. These people are here because they have no choice. You are despicable and the lowest form of humanity. I have seen my fair share of those abusing power, but you take it to a whole different level. I would suggest you change your ways, but I doubt you have it in yourself to make that dramatic of a change.” I felt vindicated, but I knew the job was now out of my grasp. It only lasted a couple of months, but it was longer than any other time.
“I will not allow you to do this to me. I will make you…PAYYYYYYY.” I made him scream a little louder which brought about snickers of approval from those witnessing this display. It was only when he passed out when I finally let him go. I leaned down and slapped him across the face hard enough to leave a mark. I wanted to have the last word and to leave a lasting impression in my wake.
There was a chorus of applause, but I didn’t do this for them. I grabbed my brown suede jacket, zipped it up halfway and then took the elevator down to the main lobby where security was waiting to escort me out of the building. I gave them a stern expression and it backed them down from putting their hands on me.
“I don’t know what you did, but I’m sure he had it coming to him.” Jeannie Mackenzie was a testament to woman power. She had a high profile position within the security force. They protected him from crazies like me. “I hope this doesn’t mean you and I can’t remain friends. You have gotten me a lot of play with some young cubs.” I had seen her use her feminine charms to lure young unsuspecting men into her web.
“We have a standing arrangement and I’m not going to walk away from that. I’ll be there tomorrow night like clock work. I would suggest you wear something slutty, but your closet has never been for the faint of heart.” I’d seen her flaunt her wares with a body rivaling my own. I was driven by a regiment every morning to keep me in tip-top efficiency.
“You always know just what to say.” She gave me a wink of encouragement, but that wasn’t going to put food on my table or give me a place to sleep. “You know my couch is yours whenever you want it.” I was tempted to take her up on the offer, but I was never about charity. I fought for everything I had in my life and I wasn’t going to stop now. “I know what you’re going to say and I respect your need for independence. I’ll see you tomorrow night and I hope you are prepared to play.” Manipulation was just one of the tools I had learned in the Marines. There was a time for diplomacy, but there was also time to take action which Mr. Milton had just found out firsthand.
I saw my reflection in the glass of the door leading to the sidewalk. I didn’t look hard as nails not when I was wearing something more appropriate to get the bosses attention. A low cut red blouse with no bra and a black leather skirt barely covering my ass was my disguise.
It didn’t even bother me the way men looked at me like I was a potential conquest. Women didn’t dress like this without wanting some attention. It made me feel empowered. It wasn’t like they stood a snowball’s chance in hell of getting into my pants. Only a select few could say they had accomplished that feat. It was refreshing when somebody just said what was on their mind. Those that took the initiative got more respect from me than some lame come on.
I was going to have to change for my second job. It didn’t look like I was going to be able to take the night off. This job in the office had afforded me the opportunity to prevent certain injury to other parties. They would not be very happy to see me tonight, but their comfort was never my concern.
Working for a living was tedious and I’d always felt like a penned in animal. Leaving here at the end of the day and watching the sheep go about their business was a mind-numbing exercise in futility. I had no siblings, my parents were dead and bouncing from Foster home to Foster home had given me a thick skin. This life was not going to hand me anything without taking it by force if necessary.
It was so easy to put Mr. Milton in his place and the sound of the sirens from the ambulance approaching was for him. I could easily put my own socket back into place and had done it several times. He was too much of a prissy little bitch. He would need a gentle hand. I couldn’t bear looking at him anymore without wiping the smug look off of his face. He was the one that pushed me too far. Touching me was a cardinal sin. It was a painful lesson for someone to learn.
I had joined the Marines, but it wasn’t easy to gain acceptance with them thinking of me as a joke. I proved them wrong and saved their lives more times than I could count. They had me to thank for coming home to their loved ones in one piece. I had become a leader, but what I had seen changed me down to my foundation. I walked away after my second tour seeing the faces of those who I had killed haunting me in my dreams. There was really only one to get rid of those demons temporarily.