In My Lover's Mind

Harmony

His eyes seemed to bore into mine. I was too terrified to speak. This only seemed to upset him more. His grip tightened on my face.

"Do you think my work is unfinished?" He asked again, annoyed.

I didn't know what to do. Tears welled up in my eyes involuntarily. I shook my head what little I could in his grip. He let out a frustrated sigh and let go of my face. He was still scowling, but it didn't seem as serious as before. He crossed his arms.

"Stop that crying," he grumbled. "There's no point in crying like that. I wasn't going to hurt you if that was your worry."

He said this, but the dull throbbing I still felt along my jaw implied otherwise. I reached up and rubbed it gently. The tears spilled over onto my cheeks. He let out another sigh.

"Fine, I may have gone a little too far just now. It wasn't my intention to hurt you. You don't need to be afraid. Understand?" He asked.

His way of speaking was just as harsh and surly as ever, but it almost sounded like an apology. This thought comforted me a little. I nodded gently. His shoulders relaxed a bit as I did, but he kept his arms crossed.

"Good, then start being honest with me, it's the least you should be able to do as an assistant," he said, immediately reverting to his negative behavior. "Do you really think my work sounds unfinished or were you just saying so to irritate me?"

I hesitated. Was it really okay to tell him? He rolled his eyes.

"God, I'll get nowhere with you like this," he muttered, shaking his head. "I won't lay a single finger on you ever again. I swear. Now, give me an honest answer."

I looked at the ground and shrugged vaguely. I hoped he would give up. Maybe he'd just insult me again and let me go, but that didn't seem to be the case. He stood there, waiting. As I stayed silent his foot began to tap impatiently. It was obvious I wasn't leaving until I answered. I swallowed, trying to clear the lump in my throat.

"It... did sound unfinished, sir," I almost whispered.

He made a noise of disgust. I tensed up, terrified he might come at me again, but he didn't. I finally felt bold enough to glance up. He was still scowling but at the ground this time. He shook his head.

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" He asked, mostly to himself. "If someone as ignorant as you can hear it, then anyone can. God, how pathetic. At least you can rest easy tonight knowing you were right about me being an absolute failure."

He looked really upset. I may not have liked Samuel, but I didn't like hearing him talk that way. After all, it was still Mr. Weston. That thought gave me enough courage to speak up again.

"I never thought you were a failure, sir," I said softly.

He scoffed. "Right. Your biting comments a moment ago were filled with encouragement, weren't they?"

"I said I didn't think you were a failure," I clarified. "Although you are the biggest asshole it's ever been my displeasure to know."

He shot me a dirty look. I immediately went silent and looked at the floor again. Right. He wasn't like Victor. With Victor, I could say something like that and get away with it. Which is why I was so surprised when he actually started laughing.

This wasn't the warm laughter I was used to hearing from Mr. Weston though. This laugh was dry, and he seemed to do it more out of disbelief than amusement. I glanced up. He was shaking his head slowly.

"You're absolutely unbelievable," he muttered, "and that is not meant as a compliment."

"Don't worry, sir. I'd never mistake anything you said as a compliment," I snapped back.