“Your conversation is over, move your ass.You’re lucky I don’t fire you for the shit you tried with Cat.”I glance over at the guy she’s speaking to, Charles; he looks like he wants to say something to me, if he wants his job he won’t.“Don’t you have work to do, Charles?”
“I was headed to my office.Later, Paige.”He takes off at a near run.
Taking her arm, I lead her to my office, taking the stairs, which are rarely used.She’s huffing and puffing, her pointy heels clicking all the way up to my office.She almost trips and I help her by yanking her up to my side.
“Nick, you’re hurting me.”
“No, I’m going to hurt you, and not in the good way.”
I let go of her once we’re in my office and close the door.“Stay away from her.”
“She’s pregnant!That’s why you’re with her.”
“When the fuck are you going to get it?I don’t want you.”
“If you wanted a child, I would have given you one.I still can.”
“It’s clear to me now that you’re insane.You can’t give me anything I want.I love her, you can’t compete.You can’t be her fill-in, you’re not even second choice.You can’t come close to being what she is.”
“I don’t know what you see in her.I was expecting to see something more.She can’t give you anything I can’t.What’s so special about her, other than the fact she’s carrying a child?”
“She’s not you, and she’s carrying my child.”
“Nick, I loved you.I still do.I think we could be good together.We are alike in many ways.We’re sexually compatible and both strong and passionate in business.We don’t hear no, and when we do, to us it means push harder and don’t give in until you get what you want.I know I messed up when we were together, but it was one time.I was utterly committed to you.”
“If you believed that, you would have snapped your legs closed and kept what was mine mine.I’m not going to have this conversation with you again—stay the hell away from her or you’re going to be sorry.I’m done playing games with you; get the hell out of my office.”
“I’m sure you weren’t faithful throughout our relationship.I could look past that and forgive you, but the one mistake I make you act like I committed the ultimate sin.”
“Let’s get one thing straight—I never cheated on you.You may have thought I did, I didn’t.And for the record, I genuinely cared about you until you fucked me over.”
“It’s easy for you to be so righteously indignant, like the one mistake I made you haven’t done to countless women.Now you claim you’re in love with this girl.Is she really so different from all the others?What makes her special?”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“It won’t last; you need a strong woman, and from what I saw she doesn’t have what it takes to keep up with you.”
“This will be your last warning.Stay far away from her.If you don’t, I’m going to make you regret the day you laid eyes on me.I’m going to give you exactly what you want, me.I’m going to be your very own personal devil straight from hell, wreaking havoc in and around your life.I’m going to be on your mind from the time you open your eyes until you close them.”
She looks at me with all the contempt of a woman scorned.What the hell does she have to be upset about?She’s the one fucking up my life.She needs to get a fucking grip on reality.As for Cat not being strong, she doesn’t know who she’s dealing with.If Cat is pushed hard enough she will push back.
“Cat?”I yell, going up the stairs to the roof.“Damn.”She’s not here, I should have known she wouldn’t listen to me.I sit down on the chair in the middle of the garden and run my fingers through my hair.Where is she?She’s hurt and angry with me, but even this upset I know she wouldn’t go to her family.I sigh.I know where she’s at.
Why am I always knocking on my cousin’s damn door?I’ve messed up so much with Cat that Ava’s probably going to tell her to leave my ass.
Speak of the devil.She stares at me with the door cracked open like she’s actually considering not letting me.“Hey, Ava, I need to talk to her.”
“You should have kicked her ass out to the curb like the trash she is.What the hell were you thinking?You’re damn lucky you’re my cousin and I know how much you do care about her.If I had any doubts, I would slam the door in your face and split your nose in two.”
She moves back from the door and I see Cat sitting on the couch, her legs curled under her.I’m relieved to see she’s here.I was second-guessing myself all the way over.
“Cat, I’ll be in my room while my cousin gets down on all fours and begs for you to forgive him.”
Ava closes her door.I sit down in front of Cat and she looks at me with red-rimmed eyes.I hate to see her cry.I hate it even more that I’m the one who hurt her, again.
Cat
“How did you know whereI was?”
