To Take a Step Into the Abyss.

Emily didn't need to have any special skills to know that the woman opposite was drunk. She looked relatively decent (if the definition of the word "decent" could fit such a revealing outfit). But the smell of wine and cigarettes was so strong that no perfume would have helped. Shower only. And preferably an ice-cold one.

Hayes removed her hands from the table and clenched her fists. It would be great if she could squeeze this upstart's neck so easily that she got into their conversation at such an inappropriate moment!

Justin threw the brunette's hand from his shoulders and looked at the woman with disgust, "Miss, leave our table, please. You are disturbing us."

The stranger rolled her eyes and laughed out loud. The sidelong glances of the other visitors did not bother her. "Ahaha, are you trying to save your face in front of the girl? Oh, yeah, that's right. If she finds out what the real you are, she will immediately run away. Honey, so what do you think of him? Has he already won you over with his humor and non-standard actions?"

Emily didn't want to answer that question. She didn't want to talk to the brunette at all. But such disgusting behavior was hard to ignore.

She turned her gaze to the boss. The woman clearly knew him, since she knew the man's name.

"Mmm, are you one of the shy ones?" the lady with the alcoholic perfume grinned, "Baby, he doesn't like those like that. His passion is fast cars, alcohol, drugs and raw animal fuc-"

BAM!

A man's hand hit the table, cutting off the drunk woman's speech. Emily flinched at the harsh sound. The brunette also tensed noticeably. Justin clenched his hand into a fist and looked down at the intruder with a murderous look.

"Did you finish already? Now get out of here. Or should I remind you how our last conversation ended?" the man hissed through gritted teeth.

The woman frowned. Her haughty expression quivered, revealing hidden fear under her mask. "Or esle what? Will you hit me again like that time?" she snapped, getting up from the chair and stepping aside, "A wolf in sheep's clothing."

The brunette pulled down her slipped up skirt and looked at Emily with feigned sympathy. "If you don't want to end up like me, I advise you not to mess with this guy, lady. All the best!" She brushed her hair back, turned and walked away with a staggering gait.

There was an oppressive silence at the table.

"Sorry about this scene, Miss Hayes. I'm sorry you witnessed something like this," Justin said evenly. The normally joyful man now looked thoughtful and a little distant.

"It's okay," the girl nodded. The remnants of the ice cream had completely melted, and there was no desire to finish it.

A lump of discomfort clenched in Emily's chest. Not that she attached great importance to the words of an unfamiliar (and even drunk) woman. But Emily clearly did not like the way Justin Evans looked after the brunette had left.

She didn't like seeing him like this. The smile suited the man much more. His jokes and teasing with unambiguous hints were the first associations when thinking about the boss.

Apparently the brunette was right. Evans has already conquered Emily with his humor and non-standard actions.

"Thanks for lunch, Mr. Evans. I think I will go?" she said in an intonation as if asking permission.

Justin smiled, but the smile did not touch his eyes, "Of course. I will accompany you," he rose from his seat and held out his hand to the girl.

Emily put her hand in it. The man's hand was warm and strong, as if if you hold on to it, you will withstand any bad weather.

Evans waited for the girl to get up from her seat before releasing her hand. The man took out several banknotes from his wallet and left them on the table.

"Can I give you a ride?" he asked as they left the building and onto the street. Emily noticed a black Maybach standing nearby.

"No, thank you. I am on foot, my home's not far from here." She was sure that without that unpleasant person intervening in their conversation, now they would most likely go for a drive around the city or somewhere else.

The man nodded and silently followed her. He didn't ask if he could walk her home. She didn't stop him.

Even now, she was pleased to walk next to him like this, silently, when each of them was immersed in his own thoughts.

They passed the street, the second one, and Emily's building along with her entrance appeared.

How far was he going to see her off? Not to the apartment, right? And if he asks to treat him to tea? Or, as it happens in many films, wants to do something else at her doorstep?

Emily hugged her clutch to her chest. She did not stop at the entrance and went inside. The man followed her.

The hall, which had seemed spacious before, suddenly became smaller.

The girl pressed the button to call the elevator. The doors opened and they went inside.

"Which floor?" Evans asked.

"Seventh," she replied barely audibly, trying not to look at the boss.

Damn it! What's next? Maybe he decided to continue the conversation in a more intimate setting? Stop, is my house clean?! What's in the fridge? And what am I wearing at all?!

"I'll be busy for a couple of days," the boss's words interrupted the girl's thoughts, stopping the incipient panic. "If I have time to finish things, then on Monday-Tuesday I will already be in the office."

The alarm sounded and the elevator doors opened.

"Oh, okay," Emily replied. Why is he reporting this to me? I'm not his girlfriend or wife, am I?

She got out of the elevator and reached into her purse for the keys.

"Miss Hayes."

Emily turned around. Evans remained standing in the elevator. His finger was still on the stop button.

"That woman. There was nothing between us." The man's gaze penetrated into the depths, as if he wanted to reach out to the girl's heart. "I haven't slept with her."

Emily swallowed. She hadn't expected that a man's confession would bring such relief. Even if it wasn't true, the girl decided to believe that he was sincere.

"As for everything else that she had said, I-"

"Mr. Evans," she interrupted her boss, noting that the topic was not easy for him. Emily didn't want to force the man to confess what he was not ready to say, "Everyone has a past. There are some dark sides that we do not want to reveal to others. This is normal."

The man closed his eyes for a few seconds, and when he opened them, they were again warm and calm.

Emily's heart pounded like crazy. She gripped her purse and breathed out barely audibly, "Uhm... Want to come inside to drink some coffee?"

Justin's gaze instantly became deep and piercing. They were not more than a meter apart. The girl froze and stopped breathing. It seemed to her that you would move a little - and a huge wild beast would rush from its spot to devour you.

She saw his passion, his desire. She was sure - just take a step and everything will change.

"You have no idea how much I want this," Justin's hoarse voice echoed in a wave of goosebumps on her skin.

The man removed his hand from the stop button and took a step back, "Have a nice weekend, Miss Hayes. See you." The elevator doors slammed shut.

Emily stepped back and leaned against the cold wall to somehow cool the heat that was raging inside her body.

She slowly slid down and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Damn, now I'm definitely screwed."

She had no idea what Justin Evans wanted. But now she knew one thing for sure:

She wanted this man. She wanted him so badly that it did not matter if he was an angel or a demon which would devour her without a trace.

In this race with passion, she was initially the loser. So why not enjoy the wind, even if you are falling into the abyss?