Chapter Thirty-Nine

My phone rings, waking me from a sound sleep.

I jerk upward. Where am I? Still at Braden’s penthouse in Manhattan. I look toward the other side of the bed. No Braden.

Shit! My phone’s still ringing.

“Hello.”

“Skye, it’s Eugenie Blake.”

“Oh.” I clear my throat. “Good morning, Eugenie.”

“Good morning?” She laughs.

I eye the clock on the night table. Noon? My God. No wonder Braden’s gone. He’s probably already put in five hours this morning.

“Sorry. Afternoon,” I say. “What can I do for you, Eugenie?”

“I’m just calling to see if you’ve made a decision on the contract yet.”

“Oh. Yes. I’d be delighted to sign with you. I can bring it by your office today.”

“That would be great. It will be wonderful to see you again. How does two p.m. sound?”

“I can do that. See you then.”

Now, where did I put the contract? First things first. I need a cup of coffee and a shower. I rise and stretch—

Ouch! My arms and shoulders are sore.

I don’t mind, though. It’s a reminder of how Braden bound me last night, just the beginning of what he has in store for me.

Excitement courses through me. I don a robe quickly and walk to the kitchen to get some coffee. I have to start a pot. No Marilyn here to make me coffee no matter when I rise. Odd that Braden doesn’t keep a staff here.

I laugh out loud. Since when is not having a full-time staff odd? God, I sound like Addie.

Time to come back down to earth, thank you very much.

Once the coffee is brewed, I pour myself a cup and head back to the bedroom. I shower quickly and dress in another one of the outfits chosen for me by Mandy, the personal shopper Braden hired. Now, to find the contract. I’m due at Susanne Corporate in an hour, so time is of the essence.

I text Braden, but he doesn’t reply. Probably in a meeting.

Crap! We were reading it in the kitchen before we met Eugenie and the team for dinner. I head back to the kitchen. No contract. The dining table. Nope. It isn’t in the bedroom, so where is it?

Okay. Not a huge deal. I can ask Eugenie for another copy and sign it at our meeting at two. But that won’t make me look very responsible.

Where is the fucking thing?

Shit! Why did I offer to bring it by? Why didn’t I just say I’d have it messengered over?

I sigh. If I were a signed Susanne Cosmetics contract, where would I be?

Does Braden have an office here? Other than the big one in the front of the penthouse?

Who knows?

Ding!

I jerk. A text from Braden. Thank God.

I had it messengered over to Eugenie this morning.

Fuck. That’s right. He said yesterday he’d do that. How could I have forgotten? Now I look disorganized. I have a meeting with Eugenie to deliver the contract, which she’ll already have in her possession by then.

I text him back.

Okay. Thanks. I’m on my way to see Eugenie.

Then I race toward the elevator, using the card Braden supplied me with. Time to hail a cab.

…

I walk into the building that houses Susanne Corporate, check in with security, and make my way to the elevator.

Only to see—

“Skye. Back again?”

Addison Ames. Seriously?

“Yes,” I say simply.

An elevator opens.

And it’s fucking empty.

Which means I get to ride up to floor twenty-seven with Addie.

Only Addie.

I hold my head high and enter the elevator ahead of her. I push twenty-seven. “Floor?” I ask her.

“Same,” she says.

Which I already knew anyway, but I was hoping she was going somewhere else.

“You’ll make a wonderful discount-cosmetics influencer,” she says snidely.

God, she’s such a bitch!

“Nice outfit,” she continues.

I say nothing.

“Cat got your tongue today, Skye? Or has Braden forbidden you to speak?”

Nice touch. Not only does she diss my new contract, she brings Braden into the mix, and she seems to know he likes to keep me from speaking during sex. Not surprising, since she also knows about his penchant for nipple clamps and butt plugs.

I say nothing.

But only for a couple of seconds.

Before I can stop myself, I turn to Addie, my temper on fire. “You want to have it out? Take your best shot.”

She gazes down at her hand, looking at her perfectly manicured fingernails. “Please. Your immaturity is showing, Skye.”

I resist the urge to whip my hands to my hips. And the urge to bitch-slap her. “My immaturity? I’m not the one sending snide texts and making rude remarks.”

She meets my gaze. “Don’t pin this on me. I told you Braden Black was trouble. I told you to stay away from him.”

This time my hands hit my hips. “Why? Because you want him for yourself?”

“Because I care about you,” she says, though her tone negates her words, “or did you forget that conversation we had at the office?”

“Before or after you fired me?”

She shakes her head. “You’re so young.”

“I’m older than you were when you were involved with him, Addie.” I smirk.

She opens her mouth but says nothing.

Ha! Point, Manning.

“You’re nothing but a spoiled brat,” I say. “You’re obsessed with Braden and you can’t have him. Now, because I have what you want, you’re trying to break me. Like I said, give it your best shot, Addie, because I’m a hell of a lot stronger than you seem to think.”

“Please.” She scoffs. “We both know how you got this job. I can bury you in a minute.”

Can she? Probably. Her platform is much larger than mine. But how will that make her look? Of course I know how I got that job. I’ve been ruminating on it all week, but right now my anger takes charge over my feelings of fraud. For the third time, I say, now through clenched teeth, “Give it your best shot.”

She huffs. “You’re hardly worth it.”

“If that’s true, why the snide texts and comments?”

She huffs again without replying.

“I can’t believe it,” I say as I finally understand her. “You’re insecure. The great Addison Ames is a scared little girl.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Another point, Manning. I can’t help a self-satisfied smile. I’ve hit a nerve, and damn, it feels good. After all her bitchy comments that undermine my confidence, I’m freakishly glad I’m getting to her. “Don’t I? I guess we’ll see.”

As if on cue that our conversation is over, the door finally opens on the twenty-seventh floor. I walk out ahead of her, enter through the transparent doors, and approach the receptionist. “Hi, Lisa,” I say. “Skye Manning for Eugenie.”

“I don’t see you on her schedule.”

“She’s expecting me.”

Eugenie comes walking out to the reception area. “Skye,” she says, “I tried calling you. I got the signed contract by messenger. You didn’t have to come over today after all.”

“Good,” I say, warmth creeping up my cheeks. “I just wanted to make sure it arrived.”

“It did. Thank you.” She looks beyond me. “Addie, come on back.”

Please, please, let a giant hole open up and swallow me. I may have given Addie a taste of her own medicine in the elevator, but at the moment, I look like a complete airhead.

Addison’s face splits into a giant grin as she smirks at me and then follows Eugenie.

“Don’t let her get to you,” Lisa says.

“Who?” I ask, feigning innocence.

A young man approaches. “Ready for your break, Lisa?”

Lisa grabs a purse. “Yeah. Thanks, Brody.”

“How long do you get for your break?” I ask.

“Fifteen minutes.”

That’s enough time to find out more about Addie. “Can I buy you a coffee?”

“Coffee’s free in the breakroom,” she says.

“Of course.” I smile. “It was nice to see you again.”

Lisa comes out from behind her desk. “Walk with me for a minute.”

“All right.”

We leave the reception area, walk outside the transparent door to the ladies’ room, and enter.

Lisa looks under the stalls. We’re alone.

“I just want to tell you that Eugenie talks about you all the time,” she says. “We all know how Addison is. She makes the company a lot of money, but no one likes working with her.”

“You told me yesterday that she was great.”

“I did. I wouldn’t dare say anything other than that in the office.”

“Are you sure you should be telling me this?” I ask.

“I’m sure I shouldn’t be, but I see the way she treats you. She treats me the same way. She thinks everyone is beneath her. I’ve even seen her treat Eugenie badly.”

“Then why—”

“Money,” Lisa says. “It’s all about money.”

“I see.”

“In a perfect world, only good people would get ahead. Unfortunately, we don’t live in a perfect world.”

I chuckle with sarcasm. “True enough. Thanks, Lisa.”

“Don’t mention it. You just seem like a person I can trust.”

“Absolutely.”

She checks her lipstick and then washes her hands. “I’ve got to get back. I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”

“I’m sure we will.” I smile as she leaves the restroom.

Lisa means well, and I appreciate her candor.

She knows all about Addie, just like I do.

So why do I feel like such a fake?

A fraud?

A piece of shit?

The answer comes to me, only it doesn’t. It’s been there from the beginning of this new venture.

Deep down, I know the truth.

No one cares what Skye Manning thinks.

People only care what Braden Black’s girlfriend thinks.

I’m losing myself.

I’m selling my soul for an influencing career.

Yes, it’s a wonderful opportunity.

Yes, it’s a way to showcase my photography.

And yes, it’s an income stream I need, since I’m unemployed.

So yes, I’m in.

I’m all in.

The only problem?

I’m not sure who I am anymore.