I looked both ways as I crossed the parking lot. As I moved about the city over the last few days, I still felt as if I was being watched. Given the circumstances, I should’ve been scared but that wasn’t the case at all. I was actually less nervous than I was before. Part of me believed it was because I knew it was JJ, and the other part knew that because of him, nothing would happen to me, no matter if I was speaking to him or not.
“Who is this?” I asked when the called didn’t respond quick enough.
“Blossom, please don’t hang up, baby. I need you?—”
“TJ?” I glowered as I stepped inside my building. The smell of fresh pine filled the air. “I have told you to stop calling me. If you need help, call one of the girls you were fucking behind my back. There’s nothing I can do for you, buddy.
Click.
“Good morning, friend,” Stacy greeted as she eyed me skeptically. “Don’t you sound like a ball of sunshine.” Her eyes scanned me before adding, “You look terrible, Bloss Baby.”
Giving her the middle finger because of her comment and the nickname, I bypassed her desk and made my way toward my office. Today was one of the worst mornings I’d had in a while, and I really wasn’t in the mood for her shit today. Never the one to leave well enough alone, before I could power up my desktop, she was already barging into my office.
“Stace, I’m not here for your shit this morning,” I mumbled, reaching for my ginger ale. “I’m not feeling well, and my day has already had a shitty start.” Pulling up my email, I frowned seeing I had a house showing today. “Since when did I have a client on the calendar? I thought I asked you to clear today’s schedule?”
I didn’t mean to act like a bitch with Stacy this morning, but the sun hadn’t been up for a full three hours, and I had already had a full day. Before coming in, I had to be present at the Governor’s Mansion for an official statement regarding Rowan. I cried for the cameras and played the role of the heartbroken sister. I answered the rehearsed questions for the reports. I stood with my family, posed for the photos that would be all over the Sunday paper for Milly Grove. All the acting had me wondering if I genuinely cared about what had happened to my brother.
The day Rowan waltzed into my father’s home as if all was well after he tried to sex trafficked me, I wanted to kill him. Burning his face off wasn’t enough for me, but he’d vanished from my father’s home before I could beat his ass some more. When we found out he was missing, though, I was worried. I was scared that my actions caused him to be seriously hurt or even killed. I shouldn’t have cared being as though he didn’t care what happened to me. However, I wasn’t him, and some part of me would always care, whether it was because he was human or because he was my brother.
When he was found dumped in Sunset Valley, badly burned, the captain wanted to begin an official investigation. I wasn’tsure what my father told the captain for him not to press the issue, but he didn’t. So many questions surrounded what had happened to Rowan and who could have possibly been involved in contributing to his current state. We knew that with all the happenings in Milly Grove, the city and the reports would eventually move on from this story, and our family could focus strictly on my father’s reelection.
“Look here, hoe.” Stacy pointed her manicured nail at me as she stepped further into my office. “I told your ass not to go to that damn press conference because it was going to put you in a bad mood. You’re a better sister than I could ever be.” She glanced over her shoulder before stepping closer to me. “Have you spoken to JJ? Do you think he had anything to do with Rowan being beaten, on top of being burnt up?”
Shrugging my shoulders, I nibbled my bottom lip as I began sifting through my morning emails. In the back of my mind and in my heart, I felt like JJ was responsible. What surprised me was how I felt about it. He was adamant about killing Rowan for what he’d done to his father and what he’d done to me, so why didn’t he kill him?
He loves you.
Even with everything that had happened with JJ, I missed him. The morning he approached me at the coffee shop as I sat with Glen, I didn’t know if I wanted to slap him or sex him. He was so damn sexy and arrogant that it drove me crazy. My body craved that man, and I didn’t know how long I would be able to stay away from him.
“Outside of him checking on me in one breath and threatening to fuck my brains out in the next for playing with him, JJ and I haven’t really spoken.” I shrugged, not wanting to think about it. “That’s really not something I want to discuss anyway. I just want to get my life in order and back on track.” I turned my desk monitor toward her and pointed. “This client?”
“M. Banks.” She leaned forward, glancing at the screen before taking a seat in front of me. “From what I’ve gathered, he’s a very well-connected person in front and behind the scenes, and he’s looking for a property in the city. During your hiatus, we met, and he’s wanting to buy sooner than later. I didn’t want you to miss the sell, and he specifically wanted you because you were recommended to him, so I went ahead and booked the showing yesterday. You should be happy he waited, girl. The man is ready to spend some bank.” She reached over my desk and grabbed a piece of bacon from my breakfast, giving me a wink. “I know my job, and I do it well, boo.”
Snickering at her smug expression, I didn’t bother to argue because she was right.
“Thank you, but you should’ve pushed and got the sell yourself.”
Grunting, she waved me off, and I left it alone. Upon checking my email, I saw that Mr. Mitchell sent a message saying he would stop by in an hour. While I was gone, Stacy made sure he was moved in and taken care of. Grove’s Luxury Realty hadn’t missed a beat while JJ held me prisoner, and I was so thankful to have her on my team.
As I was looking through my appointments, my stomach fell once I saw there was one that was canceled for JJ that was supposed to be happening in a few weeks. When I got back to work, removing him from my agenda was one of the first things I did. The weird feeling in my chest and stomach made me want to reconsider.
“You keep glancing at your phone as if you’re willing it to ring,” Stacy called me out, snatching me from my thoughts. “If you miss that crazy-ass man, just call him.”
“Anyway.” I rolled my eyes, folding my hands in front of me before focusing on my best friend. “Have I told you how much I appreciate you? I don’t know what I would do without you. OnceI get my living situation together, I’m going to do something very, very nice for you.”
“Girl, you don’t have to thank me for doing my job.” She gave me a small smile as she stood from her seat. “You’re not just my boss, you’re my best friend… my sister. You know I love you and got your back. Always.”
Getting up, I walked around my desk, pulling my best friend from her seat and hugging her tightly. “How about an all-expenses-paid vacation to Jamaica?” I snickered as her eyes gleamed. For someone who didn’t need to be thanked, she sure wasn’t going to turn down a free trip. “After we clear the calendar. Whatever you want is on me.”
“I love that my bestie is also my favorite trick.” We shared a laugh as I swatted her arm. Wiping the lone tear from my cheek, I nodded as my stomach began to turn. Stepping back from her, I frowned slightly.
“You know that’s nothing for me to handle, but um, did you get a new perfume? It’s making me lightheaded.”
Eyeing me suspiciously, she pulled her blouse to her nose and took a whiff. “This is the same Jimmy Choo I’ve worn for years.” Stepping back, her eyes scanned me before a grin came to her face. “Let me find out, bitch.” She snickered before retaking her seat, eyes still on me. “You’ve been actingreally weirdlately. You’ve been moody, sleeping more, and now your nose is playing tricks on you. You know what that means!”
“No the hell I don’t.” A wave of nausea came over me. I spun on my heels to make my way back to the lobby for a bottle of water. “You know I get like this when I’m going through something.”
“Only thing you’re about to go through is three trimesters and eighteen years dealing with a nigga that looks through your window and watches you sleep.” I heard her heels clacking behind me. “Your ass is knocked up.”
