“What are you doing here?”
Her head popped up, and her eyes met mine. “I’m sitting with Sophia.”
“Why? I was under the impression that I hired someone for that.” I slid my hands into my pockets. “Where’s Sasha?”
“It was her night off, Roman.” She turned her phone off and lowered her feet to the floor, sliding them into her ten-thousand-dollar heels I paid for. They were her Christmas bonus from last year.
“So? I pay her good money. It wouldn’t have killed her to work a few extra hours.”
She stood from the couch, and she crossed her arms over her chest as she walked toward me. “She’s a young college student, Roman. She deserves to go out with her friends. She deserves a night out of this house. You’re not the only one who has a life.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
She rolled her eyes and gently shook her head like she couldn’t believe I was asking. “You’re too focused on work, drinking, and fucking any woman you can get into your bed to give a shit about raising Sophia. All I’m saying is that you really shouldn’t judge when the nanny you hired wants to go out and do the same.”
My brows knitted together at her words, and my guts twisted.
"Where is she?” I asked, fear and worry consuming me.
Monica shrugged. “I don’t know. She didn’t say. But she looked hot as hell. A woman doesn’t go out looking the way she did if she doesn’t intend on getting laid. At least I wouldn’t.”
I straightened my back and squared my shoulders, as if my body was anticipating an attack. My hands tightened into fists at my sides.
“Get the fuck out,” I told Monica.
She rolled her eyes, but turned toward the door.
“Gladly,” she muttered as she walked away. “Sophia is already in bed, so keep it quiet, or you’ll have a kid to deal with. And we both know how much you hate that.” She opened the door, stepped out, and slammed it behind her, making me cringe and pray Sophia didn’t awaken.
“Fucking bitch,” I said under my breath as I started toward my room to change out of my suit. I stopped in Sophia’s doorway and looked into her dark room. Her nightlight let off just enough light that I could see her sleeping form. Her blonde hair was splayed across her pillow, and her cheek was smooshed fromher stuffed bear, causing a crease under her eye. Her lips were puckered, the thicker bottom one slightly downturned like in a pout. She looked so much like her mother, it killed me.
I grabbed the doorknob and pulled the door closed, but I didn’t let it latch. I kept it cracked in case she woke, but I wanted to try to drown out as much noise as possible.
In my room, I started stripping off my tie and jacket. I stepped into the shower and washed off quickly. When I got out, I pulled on a pair of gray sweatpants and then went to my office for a stiff drink. Thanks to a full day of work and meetings, I had been sober all day, and it was killing me. I needed a few drinks if I planned on getting any sleep at all.
After pouring myself a splash of bourbon, I took a seat behind my desk. The arm of the chair bumped the desk, and my computer came alive, the time dancing across my screen.
9:34.
I clenched my jaw and took a sip, knowing that Sasha would be getting home soon enough thanks to her ten o’clock curfew.
I pulled my phone out of the pocket of my sweatpants and unlocked it, finding an unread message. I checked my messages and found sixteen unread texts from Sasha.
I’d been ignoring her that week. She pissed me off, and I thought the only way to deal with it was by pretending she didn’t exist. I finally opened the conversation and scrolled up, reading the messages that had pissed me off once again.
SASHA: Sophia is asking for you. What do you want me to tell her?
ROMAN: Nothing. I’m at work. Some of us have to do that, you know?
No reply for a couple of hours.
SASHA: I have no idea what my sister saw in you. If she knew this is how you’d be, she never would have married you.
ROMAN: Thanks for the memo, but shouldn’t you go and do your job now?
SASHA: I’m not surprised you don’t know what time Sophia goes to bed. It’s eleven P.M. Roman. She’s already asleep, giving me plenty of time to make sure you understand how bad you suck as a father.
ROMAN: Alright. You send over everything you need to say. Just a heads up, I won’t read any of it anyway. I have shit to do. Get a hold of Monica if Sophia needs anything.
