Free Just Tell Me (The Justice Series) by Emma Appleton

of her life.  I feel wanton .  She laughed at the word and she had to tell her friends at home they wouldn’t believe that she had done this; her thoughts were broken when there was a knock at the door and she looked at it expectantly.  Daniel?  Her face fell as she opened the door, registering Andrew standing in front of her, his face stony and harsh in the windowless hotel corridor.
    “Where the fuck have you been? I’ve been ringing you” He walked into the room with his bag and suit hanger, closing the door behind him.  He looked her in the eye and she turned away, the guilt was all over her face, she knew he could sense something different about her. “Take all that make up off Nicole you look like a slut”. He dumped his overnight bag on the bed, unzipped the suit holder and started to get undressed.
    “I’ve been working.   What the hell are you doing?” She watched him put on his tuxedo, he expertly fastened the bow tie and pulled on his jacket. He smiled at her, a sneer on his lips and she turned away.
    “I saw the partners downstairs, they invited me to your wo rk dinner” he squinted at her “What?  You don’t look pleased to see me.” He stood closer to her. “You look different” his eyes trailed down her body “Actually, keep that outfit on, you look hot.  I will deal with you later” he winked at her and she felt sick. 
    She needed to tell him but she couldn’t end it right now, he was scaring the shit out of her as it was, and besides it would jeopardise her career causing a drama at the dinner. They were already late and she didn’t have any time to talk to him as he grabbed her arm to walk to the lift, the familiar dig in the pit of her stomach. She could sense he was angry at her and the only reason he had come to Edinburgh was to check up on her.
    They sat with the senior partner s and discussed mergers over the fine dining meal, speeches were made and morale was high, Andrew was the perfect gentlemen in public, he poured Nicole’s wine and was polite and funny.  No one would ever suspect the monster he was in private, she watched him as he charmed her senior partners, his jokes and stories were just the right tone for the night and hatred ran through her.  She wished she could just stand up and walk away. Why didn’t she? 
    Andrew glanced over at her and she saw the look in his e yes, he wasn’t pleased and dread ran through her veins, the fear was paralysing. Daniel. She needed to tell him not to meet her but she didn’t have his mobile number, a knot of anxiety filled her stomach thinking about the night ahead, she would end it with Andrew here in this hotel when they were alone, her main priority tonight. Daniel would find her, if he had real feelings for her he would.
    As the dinner finished, the murmur of going to FuFu ’s spread and Nicole looked at Andrew. She could lose him in this club, find Daniel and get away from him he scared her and she had to get away.
    “I’m not going to a club” he sneered at her “We can stay here, we have business to attend to Nicole” he ran his hand up her leg and she felt sick as she pushed it away.  He pulled her away from the table and they walked through to the bar area. Why was she stuck with this vile man?  He repulsed her and she felt the strength return as she thought of Daniel. 
    “No Andrew , I want to go” 
    “No? Did you just say no? Don’t be so fucking stupid Nicole” He hissed to her and pinched her arm hard, then turned to smile at the waitress and ordered some more wine from the bar.  He sat her down at a table and her senior partners joined them before she had chance to tell him anything, she couldn’t just walk away now. Oh shit. 
    The night was not going as she had expected and again she felt out of co ntrol, Andrew knew exactly what he was doing and she put her mask of professionalism on as her partners settled down in the leather tub chairs.  She played the corporate game again, her heart was