Rebeka – 15. chapter

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A week had passed since the day Erik drove Rebeka home. In that time, he hadn’t seen her once. Over the following month, he caught sight of her a few times, but at most she said hello. She never called him in, showed no interest in conversation. He decided to give it time and not push her.

His plans, however, were being ruined by Rebeka’s success at work. The company recovered from the crisis and stabilized. Deeply frustrated, he finished reading the email about Friday’s corporate celebration of the end of the crisis. He didn’t want to go. It was obvious that this day marked Rebeka’s departure. But not showing up wasn’t an option.

Rebeka’s final presentation on the company’s future steps was, as always, flawless. Or at least the part Erik managed to register. Most of the time, he was lost in his own thoughts. What to do about Rebeka. And whether anything at all. Meanwhile, on stage, the board members congratulated her and thanked her for her work. Filip must have said something funny because she laughed. She looked stunning. Radiant. In a black fitted dress, her long hair falling over her bare shoulders. And she was smiling, which wasn’t usual.

Everyone moved into another hall with buffet tables. Waiters began serving drinks. Erik tried for a while to keep track of where Rebeka was, but someone was always shaking her hand. He turned his attention back to the group of colleagues he was standing with.

“Erik,” he heard her voice behind him after a while.

He turned and stepped toward her. She held out a small flash drive.

“Your ticket to prison. No other copies exist. Except the one you already have on your phone.”

He took the drive, silent. She continued.

“So… take care.”

She smiled, a little artificially.

“Are you leaving already?”

That surprised him.

“At events like this, my departure is usually the real reason to celebrate.”

Another artificial smile. She turned and took a few steps away.

“Rebeka!”

He went after her and waited until she lifted her gaze to him.

“What if…” He didn’t fully know what he wanted to say. “…what if we started over? You make up for what you did to me for months, and we try to make this normal somehow.”

“…Sorry, no.” She shook her head. “As you’ve heard, I’m not the relationship type. I work eighteen hours a day. I can’t afford something like that.”

He thought.

“Just out of curiosity,” Rebeka continued, with amusement in her voice, “how exactly do you picture making it up to me?”

“…I don’t know. You obey me from now until Monday. And you do everything I tell you.”

Rebeka raised an eyebrow. Erik stepped even closer to her and lowered his voice.

“And I get to savor you. I’ll compress months of harassment and abuse into three days.”

She laughed.

“Yeah, right. No, thanks.” She turned to leave.

“Rebeka,” he stopped her again. “Do you remember the morning after Robo’s accident?”

He saw her freeze. She stood motionless for long seconds before turning back to him, holding her breath as she looked into his eyes. He liked that reluctant defeat in her reaction.

“This is my wish,” he said.

“…That’s not how I meant it originally,” she said slowly. “It was supposed to be one complete sexual activity.”

“In essence, it will be,” he winked. “So?”

She stared at him in disbelief for a moment and hesitated, then took a deep breath.

“I don’t like it,” she said. “But fine. Until Monday.”

“Whatever I want. No talking back. Immediately,” he emphasized.

Another deep breath. Then she nodded.

“Deal.”