by Tammy Lewis
warm breath against my bare shoulder, he whispered, “but
what does Domini want to do?”
Confused, I looked up at him and asked, “I don’t see that I
have a choice. It’s my job, she’s my boss. I have to be
professional about all of this.”
Stepping back once more, with a look of sheer bewilderment,
sensing his tone change, clearly annoyed, Quinn suggested,
“she can’t do this. We both know the reason why she is
sending you away, with Jarred of all people, she wants to get
between us. But the question is, are you going to let her?”
Sure, that I couldn’t be hearing him correctly, certain that he
seemed to think that he had all of the answers, I asked “so
what do you suggest that I do?”
Pouring himself another drink, he confidently replied “quit!”
Shocked, I could feel my eyes widen, repeating his words, I
gasped “quit! You think that because my boss wants me to go
away for a few days, on business, that I should just quit my
job?”
Nodding, Quinn replied, “yes, I think that she is being
unreasonable.”
Annoyed, feeling my temperature rise, I asked, “and what am
I supposed to do for a living?”
Bewildered by his silence, feeling the fury rise up from the pit
of my stomach, it was then that I came to realise, that he
obviously didn’t take my career seriously. Gathering my
thoughts, not wanting to scream, I asked, “so I am guessing
that you think, that because my father has money, that I don’t
need a job. After working hard, for all those years, to get where I am, that I should just quit, all because of some stupid
business trip.”
Shaking his head, taking another sip from his glass, he
replied, “I didn’t say that, now you are just putting words into
my mouth.”
Feeling my anger rise once more, sure that I knew exactly
what he was getting at, I asked “now l have a question for you,
say one day, one way or another, a lot of money came into
your life. Would you then no longer be an architect? Could
you just give it all up? Would you throw away everything that
you have worked so damn hard to get, just because the money
became your main focus? I am sorry that I can’t be there on
Saturday, but I can assure you, I wanted to be there more
than anything, but…”
Placing his glass down on to the counter, seeing the
desperation once again return to his eyes, he asked “but
what.”
Realising that this had gone quite far enough, that I didn’t
need to explain myself to anyone. Marching into the living
room, collecting my things, turning to face him, I replied “I’m
not doing this. I have to go.”
Reaching the front door, I heard him call out to me “I’m
sorry. Domini, let’s talk it through, please don’t go.”
Turning to face him once more, sure that whatever that we
had was gone, now that I had seen this other side of him. I
had seen him in a whole new light. He was just like all of the
others. Convinced that just because I came from a privileged
upbringing, that I had no right to try to fit into the category,
of a hard-working, independent woman. Positive that he had
lost whatever control that he had over me, I was no longer
taken in by him. Standing to look over at him for what felt like
the last time, shaking my head, determined, I replied
“goodbye Quinn.”
Chapter 26
Returning home, after being chased through hallways, the
stairwell and all the way down to my car. With Quinn begging
and pleading for forgiveness, while I was adamant that
whatever we had was most certainly over. Ignoring his plea, I
left him standing in the centre of his apartment buildings,
underground garage, sure that I never wanted to see him ever
again.
Throwing my things on to our hallway floor, hearing my keys
hit the marble flooring. Bouncing up and down on the spot in
sheer temper. It wasn’t long before Marcus appeared,
standing in front of me in our hallway. His eyes wide with
fury and his tone lowered as he asked “what has he gone and
done now?”
Throwing myself down on to the floor, wanting to kick and
scream like a small child, who couldn’t get their own way. I
replied “I told him about the business trip and he told me to
quit my job.”
Seating himself down next to me, laughing loudly, Marcus
placed his hands on to his head. Looking over at him
bewildered at his amusement, I asked “and what’s so funny?”
Shooting him one of my deadliest of glares.
Sure, that Marcus couldn’t grasp Quinn’s reasoning, he asked
“so let me try and understand this. He has spent all of this
time, trying to win you over. To get you to give up the honey
trap business, then he goes one step too far. To try and get you to quit your job and he expected you to comply?”
Laughing loudly once more, Marcus continued “schmuck, he
obviously had no idea what he had, when he had you. Good
riddance to bad rubbish, is what I think Dom’. I am sure that
you can do so much better than some control freak, that
believes that a woman should be kept.”
Arms folded, frowning heavily, I sat there, trying to go back
through this evening, trying my best to obtain closure. Feeling
as though everything that had happened today, I had little
control, yet had suffered the most trauma. Placing his arm
around my shoulder, pulling me into him, feeling Marcus’s
lips press down, on to the top of my head, he asked “do you
want to go over to the bar to celebrate?”
Glancing up at him bewildered, I asked “celebrate, Marcus,
celebrate! And what would we be celebrating?”
Then noticing a glint of excitement in his eyes, Marcus
replied, “celebrate that I never have to put up with Quinn
again. First rounds on me, what the hell, tonight’s on me, this
is the best news that I’ve heard in ages.”
Sighing heavily, I replied “I can’t go out drinking tonight, we
are flying at 9:30 in the morning. Marcus, you know that I
can’t fly when I’m hungover, remember the trip to Miami?”
Noticing Marcus’s face instantly grimace in disgust, as he
replied, “oh god no. I am not going through that again. You
were like some possessed demon, I sat through the entire
flight waiting for your head to do a 360-degree spin.”
Resting my head upon Marcus’s shoulder, looking up into his
eyes, feeling myself slowly calm and return, I suggested “I
know what we can do this evening.”
Curious, watching Marcus glare down at me, sounding a little apprehensive, he asked “what?”
Shooting him a wicked smile, getting myself up off of the
floor, trying to pull him up with me, I replied “I am going to
pack and you are going to help me.”
Shaking his head, he replied, “and what if I don’t?”
Smirking heavily, tilting my head, shrugging my shoulders, I
suggested, “well then, I
won’t go.”
Watching him jump up to his feet in a flash, he called out, “if
that’s what it takes, you pick and I’ll fold.”
8am the following morning seated at the airport departure
lounge, with Marcus, Ashlee and Jarred. Scrolling through my
phone, feeling slightly crushed that I hadn’t received one call
or message from Quinn. Not that I wanted him to contact me
anyway, but after all of his overbearing persistence, to try and
get as close to me as he could. I was surprised that he had
stepped back and disappeared into the shadows so easily.
Handing me a coffee, Ashlee asked “is everything okay Dom’,
you don’t seem yourself this morning. How did Mr Hamilton
take the news?”
Though before I could even answer, Marcus replied instantly,
“they broke up.”
Noticing Jarred’s grin widen, winking over at me as though I
was a fresh piece of meat, that had just been placed on to the
market.
Scowling over at Marcus, giving him a deadly glare, all while
Ashlee apologised for her inappropriate question. Speaking
up for myself I replied “Quinn and I, we didn’t break up. To
break up, you have to be within some sort of a relationship.
We were just friends, who had a slight disagreement and I
have told him that I never want to see him ever again.”
Noticing Jarred’s eyes widen in shock at my harsh revelation, placing his ear phones into his ears, sure that he had heard
quite enough. When again, unable to help himself, Marcus
chirped in, “call it what you want Dom’, I am just glad to have
you back. I like bad ass, I don’t give a fuck Dom’, not whipped
Dom’, she’s so pathetic.”
Laughing at his own comments, while lifting his coffee up to
his lips, almost toasting his own words. I glared at him, just
about to explode, in need of some sort of an explanation, to
his choice of words. Feeling Ashlee take hold of my free arm
forcefully. Turning to face her, curious at her haste, while she
asked “will you come and get some things with me, at duty
free. I think that I have forgotten my mascara.”
It was then watching Ashlee pull me to my feet, in the
opposite direction, away from the guys, that I knew that she
was taking me away to cool off.
Then just over an hour later, onboard our plane, sat in
between Ashlee and Jarred, keeping my distance from
Marcus. Still feeling that his earlier comments had
overstepped the mark, the plane became silent while the air
stewardess stood before us, walking us through the safety
drill. Noticing Jarred sit up straight, and begin taking in every
word so seriously, that it amused me slightly. When suddenly
mid safety drill, Jarred lunged forward, searching the back of
the seat in front of him. Noticing Marcus lean across the aisle
towards him and whisper, “what’s up man?”
Ignoring Marcus’s question, Jarred then began checking
under his seat, while I too, became alarmed to what he was
actually doing.
Placing my hand on to his shoulder, I whispered “Jarred,
dude, are you okay, what on earth are you looking for?”
Noticing that the colour had drained from his face, he replied hysterically “I can’t find my parachute. I need to get off. I
need to call my agent. I never get on a flight without my
parachute.”
Trying with everything that I had inside of me, not to burst
into laughter, pulling the life vest from under the seat, I
handed it to Jarred. Watching him settle instantly, placing the
sealed packet next to his chest, catching his breath, he
thanked me for saving his life. Raising my eyebrow, almost
sure that he couldn’t be serious. Confused I looked over at
Marcus, who right now was past bewildered, he was
completely speechless.
Arriving in Seattle hours later, hearing Ashlee run through
our itinerary, we made our way over to our hotel in a cab.
With just enough time to check in, get ourselves ready and we
would be on our way to the convention centre. Ready for the
conference meet and greet cooperate mingling to begin.
Chapter 27
Leaving the others to network, I made my way over to the bar.
Noticing Jarred appear beside me, when confidently he
announced, “I know why you invited me.”
Sure, that I hadn’t had enough to drink yet, to be
participating in this conversation, but humouring him, I
stated “I didn’t, but enlighten me. Why do you think that you
are here?”
Rolling my eyes, as he replied, “it’s obvious Dom’. You
dumped your boyfriend yesterday, everyone here knows that
you wanted a cheeky little weekend away with me. And that’s why you invited me, it’s obvious that you liked what…”
Leaving him to continue, talking to himself in his reflection,
in the mirrored bar, I slipped away. Sure, that right now he
was seducing himself, in his own little world, consumed by
his own vanity.
Joining Ashlee, who had already made friends. She began
introducing me to her new-found group. Whispering at me
“where is Jarred?”
Answering her question without words, I pointed over to him,
still up at the bar, pouting and blowing kisses at his reflection.
Shaking her head in sheer disbelief, Ashlee whispered in
response “that boy scares me.”
Feeling Marcus’s presence behind me, leaning forward and
introducing himself to everyone. When suddenly he stopped,
frozen to the spot. Looking up at him, wondering what had
interrupted his flow and captured his gaze, I asked “Marcus,
what’s up?”
Frowning hard, pointing over to Jarred, still over at the bar,
Marcus asked “what is he doing?”
Grinning heavily, I replied, “he’s trying to get himself laid
tonight?”
Noticing the confusion consume the entirety of Marcus’s face,
he asked “he knows that he’s talking to himself, right?”
Nodding, throwing my hands up into the air, feeling unsure, I
replied “Marcus, your guess is as good as mine!”
Hours later, laid out in the middle of my queen size, hotel
bed, surrounded by paperwork, detailing our campaign, I
heard a gentle knock, coming from my hotel room door.
Calling out “go away Jarred.”
I heard Marcus’s deep voice echo throughout the hallway,
“Dom’, it’s only me. Let me in.”
Exhausted, peeling myself up off of the sheets, I made my way
over to the door, opening it to see Marcus stood before me. A
bottle of scotch in his one hand and two glass tumblers in the
other. Shaking the bottle at me, grinning from ear to ear,
Marcus asked “fancy a nightcap?”
Feeling my whole face smile at him, knowing that somehow,
he must have read my mind, I nodded and let him in
instantly.
The following morning, waking to hear a loud knock, coming
from the hotel room door, squinting hard at the sunlight
creeping in through the gaps in the drapes. Turning to see
Marc
us, flat on his back, out for the count next to me.
Throwing on my bathrobe, I made my way over to the door,
opening it to reveal Ashlee all dressed and ready to go.
Witnessing an awkward grin consume her entire face, she
asked “shall I give you 10 minutes boss?”
Hearing that Marcus was also awake, passing us by behind
me, making his way into my bathroom, gesturing a wave, he
called out “morning ladies.”
Noticing that Ashlee’s awkwardness had reached a whole new
level, at the sight of Marcus in his underwear. Cradling my
heavy head in my hand, sure that I needed more than 10
minutes, I replied “yeah Ash, give us 20 minutes and we will
meet you downstairs soon.”
Nodding, without another word said, I gestured bye to Ashlee
and made my way back inside.
Collapsing into the middle of the bed, Marcus emerged from
the bathroom. Taking bottled water from the mini bar, he
tossed one into the centre of the bed, landing next to me.
Picking his clothes up off of the floor, he urged, “you need to hydrate Dom’, drink that and I will meet you downstairs in 5.”
Leaning over the bed, he placed a singular kiss upon my
forehead, feeling my temples pulsate. With my eyes closed
tightly, it was then that I regretted every sip that had passed
my lips last night.
Joining the others downstairs in the lobby, we made our way
over to the convention centre, still nursing an aching head.
Noticing that there was still a slight awkwardness with
Ashlee, while I began to wonder, was it due to her witnessing
both Marcus and I unkempt and just woken this morning.
Taking our seats, it was obvious that Jarred looked lost,
squinting hard at the raised platform before us.
Appearing agitated, whispering over to Marcus, Jarred asked,
“do you know any of the acts?”
Confused, Marcus handed him a pamphlet and replied, “no
acts, just speakers, though there is a social media exhibit next
door…”
Standing instantly, placing his headphones into his ears and
pulling his hood from his sweatshirt up over his head.
Looking somewhat moody and unapproachable, he called out
“laters!”
Making his way out of the conference room.
Glaring over at Marcus, I watched him widen his eyes in
dismay, all while he asked me “what, no way Dom’! You can’t