I reached for the limo door and got out. When I looked at Bryce, I knew I’d remember his sad blue eyes for the rest of my life, no matter what happened next.
38.Bryce
My dad was my hero.I looked up to him more than anyone else, and if I needed advice, he was the one I went to.
But I couldn’t go to my dad for this—he wouldn’t understand. Especially not with the forced marriage looming over my head.
And my friends? They were just as paranoid about women who only wanted us for our money as I was.
No, there was only one person I could go to right now.
And she wouldn’t answer her damn phone.
So I had Vieve take me to her building and promised the doorman front row seats to a Dallas Diamonds game to let me up. Riding the elevator up to the tenth floor, my chest got tighter and tighter.
Especially as I thought of Jada walking up the sidewalk to her grandma’s house. The way she stopped on the porch and looked back at the limo, like she was trying to remember everything about the moment too.
But now I stood at the door, knocking loudly. “I know you’re home,” I called out. Her car was out in the parking lot. “I really need to talk!”
I knocked again. But when she didn’t come to the door, I let out a heavy sigh and leaned back against the wall. We did have a company therapist on retainer. Maybe I could call them? But I wouldn’t be able to tell them about the forced marriage, so it wouldn’t make sense.
The door creaked open, and Maya stared at me in her robe, her face flushed red and an annoyed look there. “What the fuck, Bryce! It’s my evening off!”
I stared at her. “Were you... Do you have someone in there?”
Her cheeks grew even more red. “It’s none of your business.”
I bit back a smile.
“Bryce!” She stomped her foot on the floor, annoyed. “What do you need?”
I shook my head, still trying not to laugh. “He’s in there now?”
She pushed my chest. “You might be my boss, and my uncle, but I’ll kick your ass.”
Shaking my head, I said, “I hate to do this... but can we talk in private? For a minute? Maybe he can go get you two a snack?”
“A snack? I have a perfectly fine kitchen.”
“Okay, then tell him to scram.” I reached into my wallet. “Give him fifty for his troub?—”
“I am not paying a man I just had relations with,” she said annoyed. “Go inside and wait in my coat closet until he leaves.”
“In your closet?” I asked, confused.
“Discretion, Bryce.”
I shook my head, but beggars couldn’t be choosers, so I said, “Fine.”
“One second.” She disappeared back into her apartment, then a moment later came back out and grabbed my hand. “Come on.”
She dragged me inside with way more force than I knew she had and shut me in the closet with the light flicked on. “Stay there,” she ordered.
I barked back.
She groaned, annoyed.
I shook my head, looking around the small entry closet. Why did she need this many coats? It barely got below fifty degrees here.
