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“Amy, call me back. Haven’t heard from you in months. Man, on some real shit, this ain’t even about the back child support. Your son’s been asking for you...”
Temples throbbing with irritation, I backed out of the voicemail. For every good day I had, there were at least two dark days waiting to wipe it out. Days like this.
After parting ways with Sonia last night, I couldn’t stop my mind from racing with the bombshell she’d dropped on me. So many different scenarios involving Max raced through my mind, which made for a sleepless night of tossing and turning. Fortunately, sleep still found a way to take me under. Unfortunately, I overslept, jumping out of bed a whole hour and a half later than I should have. I damn near tripped over my own feet rushing to the office, knowing damn well that Max would light into my ass for my lack of punctuality-and for not having his coffee ready upon his arrival.
Sonia’s story was compelling, even tugged at my heartstrings, but something about it didn’t sit right with me. She made it clear that if I wanted to keep breathing, I should abandon all ambitions of ever sampling what I dreamed was the applause-worthy dick Max was working with. Don’t get me wrong, I heard her loud and clear, but still...I just had to have a taste. Shit, I’d put in enough work playing the role of the perfect sub so, at this point, I needed the dick.
Maybe if I don’t make the same mistakes she did...
When I stepped off the elevator, I figured I’d be walking into the usual office bustle with one exec or another rushing off to an important meeting. To my surprise, I was greeted with the sight of a group of execs crowded around Max’s desk. Just beyond the reception area that housed my desk, I spied Deborah’s raggedy, overworked ass in the bunch.
Quiet, calculated steps took me closer to the crowd, and damn if I wasn’t curious what I had walked in on. Sliding past a few of the execs, my face instantly slipped into a scowl. Dead center in the circle that had formed around them stood Max. That million-watt smile illuminated the entire room as he stood there proud, chest out with an arm circling Raven’s waist. There he stood, holding that bitch close to him like he was afraid she’d evaporate.
“Whew, that is some serious bling,” Deborah complimented. She held Raven’s hand, marveling at a diamond so big it literally stilled my breath. Every muscle in my body went rigid; the galloping throb in my temples spoke to the rage that ran through me at the very sight of this bullshit.
“You two are...engaged?” I croaked, locking eyes with Max. For a split second, the world went dead around us. No crowd circling us, no Raven tucked into his side, just us. Reality came back in waves with the room spinning back into focus. I was waiting for Max’s reply to confirm my worst fears, but it was Raven’s voice that offered the insight I didn’t really need because that big ass ring said it all!
“Happily!” Her eyes sparkled, beaming with joy that I low key felt like she was trying to flaunt in my face.
Wobbly legs led me past the fake ass festivities, and I made a beeline to get to my desk. I’d never been one to suffer from panic attacks, but it felt like the walls were closing in around me. Engagement...them...it was all too much, and I was two seconds away from exploding.
I stole a glance at Max’s office in my peripheral, just as the last straggler exited Max’s office. I swore Max made eye contact with me just as he eased the door shut, sending him and Raven into soundproof privacy to do god knows what.
I had no idea how long I’d been sitting there, stewing in a rage that I was just dying to unleash on someone. This shit ain’t fair. I didn’t even realize I was shaking until Ricardo leaned up against my desk and eyed me with concern.
“What the hell was that about?”
“What was what about?” I mumbled with a clenched jaw.
“That dry ass congrats you gave them? That look that said you wanted to smack fire from Ms. Raven. And mami, you’re giving that keyboard hell. So what’s the deal?”
Ricardo was right. I’d just tabbed a little too hard, causing the key to pop off its base. Truth was, I was pissed. Truth was, whatever fake ass fairytale Max chose to portray with Raven was his business, but if he expected me to keep playing along in this secret, sadistic sexual...whatever it was we were doing, he was damn sure going to pay. I’d been more than patient, so he owed me.
“Nothing. I’m fine,” I barked, a little too snappy.
“And you look like shit, like you rolled out of bed at the last minute. Get it together, mami, or all that sneaky shit you’re mixed up in will catch up with you.” Though he used choice words, his eyes said what he was really thinking.
“Excuse me?”
“It’s written all over your face, chica. Get it together...or someone might think you do more than just work for the boss man.”
A light breeze carried Ricardo away, and not a moment too soon because I really wasn’t in the mood for his shit today.
Sonia’s words rang out, pulling me back to the horrors she’d shared with me, but fuck all that. I wasn’t Sonia, and I damn sure wasn’t easily scared off as Sonia probably was. Sonia was probably caught slipping, but I wouldn’t make that same mistake. Max Calloway was going to come up off what was mine, one way or another.