Bonded by Accident Read online

  “You were over an hour late to work yesterday,” Mr. Grabbar said, making a small black X on the performance review form. “And unfortunately, that wasn’t the only time.”

  “It’s my car, Sir,” Brandi said humbly, though the words seemed to stick in her throat. “It’s very old and uh, temperamental. It breaks down a lot.”

  Grabbar raised his bushy grayish-brown eyebrows at her.

  “And have you considered getting a new one?” he asked, with the air of someone stating the blatantly obvious.

  Brandi clenched her jaw. Like there was a new car bush growing outside her front window and she could just go pick a new one any time she wanted!

  “Yes Sir, but I can’t afford it at the moment,” she said, careful to keep her tone calm and neutral.

  “Mmm-hmm.” Grabbar sounded like he didn’t believe her and he certainly didn’t erase the X he’d made on her form. “Now, unfortunately, that is the least of your worries, Ms. Dixon. “You were also caught last week—by me—violating the company Internet policy which states that no employee will use his or her computer to look at suggestive pornographic websites.”

  “We already talked about this,” Brandi pointed out, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. “I explained that it was a spam e-mail I accidentally clicked on. I have no interest in the, uh, products the e-mail was trying to sell.”

  In fact the message had been about penis enlargement pills and had featured a bunch of dancing dicks, getting longer and harder as they danced until they filled the screen. It was actually kind of hilarious to watch in a ha-ha-that’s-so-gross kind of way. Unfortunately, her boss had happened to come up behind her just as she was looking at it.

  Grabbar had pretended to understand it was a mistake at the time, but now he was making an issue of it. Bastard. Brandi stared at him resentfully.

  “Yes, well—I’m afraid that no matter what the circumstances, the fact is that you had pornographic images on your computer screen and I’m afraid I have to mark you in violation of the Bank of Tampa company policy on that.” He made another black X on the form. “Now let’s talk about dress code.”

  “Dress code?” Brandi could hardly keep the outrage out of her voice. “Surely you’re not saying I violated that policy too?”

  Grabbar sniffed. “Your clothing, while adequate, isn’t really as professional as it could be. I’m afraid I’ll have to mark you down for that too.” And he marked yet another black X on the form.

  “My clothes are fine,” Brandi protested. She might not have the prettiest or newest clothes—she got most of her stuff from the thrift store and plus-sizes were hard to come by there—but she always looked neat and clean and she never wore anything that would violate the company dress policy.

  “I think you’d do much better in this category if your skirts were a little shorter and a whole lot tighter.” Her boss gave her a lecherous look. “And if you occasionally forgot certain items of clothing—say your underwear or bra…”

  A whole year of harassment suddenly seemed to come down on her head and Brandi lost her temper. She forgot how much she needed the job and just saw red.

  “That’s it, Mr. Grabbar—I do not have to listen to this!” She got up but he was too fast for her, sliding around the desk as slick as a snake to close his office door and lean his considerable bulk against it.

  “Oh, yes you do,” Ms. Dixon. You’ll listen and listen good if you know what’s good for you.” His piggy eyes were glittering greedily and there was a nasty look on his face. “You know, Brandi darlin’, there is a way to make all these ugly little black marks on your review just…go away.”

  “Mr. Grabbar—”

  “We can have an arrangement,” he went on relentlessly. “A rewards system. Where you let me do so much and you get so much in return, if you know what I mean.”

  “I don’t know and I don’t want to know,” Brandi said, fuming. “Now open the door right now!”

  “Fine,” Grabbar snarled, ignoring her request. “I’ll spell it out for you. You suck my cock right here and now and you’ll get a perfect performance review. Let me fuck you, and I’ll even give you a raise. But deny me again—like you’ve been doing for a solid year now—and you’ll be out on your ass, darlin’. It’s just that simple.”

  Brandi heard what he was saying but she still had a hard time believing this was really happening. For an entire year her boss had been harassing her, looking her over like a piece of meat, trying to grab her ass and breasts. But she’d never really believed he would go farther than that…that the harassment would turn into something even uglier.

  “Let me go,” she said, looking pointedly at the door. “Let me go right now, Mr. Grabbar and don’t say another word and I won’t report this to HR.”

  He laughed nastily. “You know damn good and well all a report to HR will do is get you fired. It’s just you and me back here, my dear—who do you think they’re going to believe? A stupid little trailer trash secretary or the branch manager?”

  “How…what makes you think…?” Brandi couldn’t finish. She was surprised at how much his words hurt—how hard they struck home.

  “Oh yes, I know where you live,” Grabbar snarled. “I’ve driven out and seen your dirty little trailer park—all the way out in Plant City. And I also know you lied on your job application. You do not have an Associates Degree from HCC at all. You barely graduated from high school because you were pregnant at the time.”

  “I…I’m working on my degree,” Brandi protested, feeling blindsided by this latest assault and also deeply creeped out that her boss knew so much about her. Had he been stalking her?

  “But you don’t have it—you lied,” he snarled again. “And if you don’t want me to fire you and put a black mark on your record that will follow you wherever you try to get a job, you’ll bend over the desk and give me that ass you’ve been teasing me with for a whole year!”

  “I have not been ‘teasing’ you!” In fact, she went out of her way not to wear anything even remotely provocative. Brandi took a step back—she couldn’t believe how quickly this situation was escalating. “I’m just trying to survive and support my daughter! I’m a good employee—you can’t threaten me like this!”

  Except she was very much afraid that he could.

  “All right, fine.” Abruptly, Grabbar took a step away from the door to his office. “You can leave. But just know that if you walk out of here, you’re walking out of Bank of Tampa for good and I will make sure that no one here gives you any kind of reference. In fact, I’ll be certain to let any prospective employers know what a terrible employee you’ve been.”

  “That isn’t true and you know it.” Brandi took a deep breath. “I’ve been trying to put up with your bullshit because I wanted a better life for my daughter, Mr. Grabbar. But I can’t stand this any longer. I’m leaving.”

  She put a hand on the doorknob…only to have it knocked away.

  “Oh no you don’t, you little slut!” Suddenly her boss had her by the wrists and was pushing her down across his desk. He twisted her arms up painfully behind her back and gripped them in one hand.

  “Let me go, you asshole!” Brandi shouted at the top of her lungs—but she knew no one could hear her. She struggled to break free but Grabbar was on her, as heavy as a mattress, breathing hot, stinking breath against the side of her face.

  “You don’t get to tease me for a whole year and not give me at least a taste,” he snarled in Brandi’s ear. “You little cock-tease! I’m taking what’s mine before you go.”

  He shifted behind her and Brandi heard the purring sound of a zipper going down.

  “No! No!” She kicked back and fishtailed under him but Grabbar was determined and very strong. He was just starting to lift her skirt and pull down her underwear when the door to the office banged open.

  “Get your fucking hands off my mate, you son-of-a-bitch!” an angry, familiar voice growled.

  “Wha—” Grabbar started to tu