Black Diamond (Obsidian Book 2)

by Victoria Quinn

  Rome was just a woman.

  They came and went.

  I shook it off and got to work, but my focus only lasted an hour at the most. My thoughts drifted back to that busty brunette with those long legs running through my mind. I didn’t just miss having her in my bed because the sex was great. I missed holding her, brushing my lips against her soft hair. I missed telling her about my day, telling her things I never told anyone else.

  It felt like I’d lost a friend.

  The end of the day couldn’t come soon enough. I was eager to leave the office space I shared with her. Pretending everything was fine to everyone I talked to was much more difficult than I thought it was going to be.

  When I finally left for the day, I felt some of the stress leave my shoulders. I walked to the elevators and happened to catch one right when the doors opened. I stepped inside and hit the lobby button.

  Because I was the unluckiest man in the world, Rome rounded the corner, obviously leaving for the day too. She stopped when she saw me, her eyes immediately glued to mine. It didn’t seem like she was going to take the elevator, but it would be stupid for her not to. She could easily have to wait ten minutes for the next one.

  I held the door open and nodded for her to come inside.

  She tightened her purse over her shoulder like I might snatch it and walked inside.

  I released the door and returned to my side of the elevator, my hands resting in my pockets.

  The elevator began to move, and it was the tensest two minutes of my life.

  Rome looked at anything but me, keeping her eyes trained on the metal door in front of her. She pulled her hair over one shoulder, trying to block her face from my view. Her perfume filled the small space, hinting of flowers in summer.

  I missed her even more now.

  I wanted to say something, but I wasn’t sure if it was too soon. Was it better just to stay quiet? Should I say hello? Was it more or less awkward to say something? “I got your budget reports. I approved everything you asked for.” It wouldn’t be smart to talk about our relationship, not when we’d just broken up twenty-four hours ago. But talking about work was safe. It was better than not saying anything at all.

  “That’s great.” Her beautiful voice came out quiet. “Thank you.”

  “I have a few potential donors on my line. If we snag them, we can do more this year. We’ll see.”

  She nodded but didn’t say anything.

  Once the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened, she walked out first. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Owens.”

  Mr. Owens.

  I fucking hated it when she called me that. So impersonal. So meaningless. I was so much more to her than Mr. Fucking Owens. “Have a good night, Rome.” I wasn’t embarrassed to admit I stared at her ass as she walked away, watching it shift from side to side in her tight dress.

  I’d probably beat off to the image tonight.

  The second I got home, I hit the bottle again.

  It’s not like I had anything else to do.

  My liquor cabinet was impressive because I collected fine wines and aged scotch. Sometimes bourbon and whiskey were in the mix. Ironically, I didn’t care for beer. Far too weak for what I was used to.

  A knock sounded on my front door, my hopes immediately jumping to finding one person standing there.

  Rome.

  Only she and Jackson knew where I lived. And it was unlikely that Jackson had decided to show up at my door.

  I opened the front door without even bothering to check who was on the other side. I wanted to come face-to-face with the beautiful woman who was constantly on my mind. I wanted to hear her say she would accept me for who I was and that we would work it out somehow.

  But it was Christopher.

  Looking just as pissed as before.

  And Rome wasn’t with him.

  “I’m not gonna punch you in the face.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “But if you say something, I might change my mind.”

  My disappointment swelled into my lungs and spread into my stomach. He was the last person I cared to see. “What do you want, Christopher?”

  “What are you going to do about the apartment? I can get out within a month, but Rome is gonna have to go somewhere else. There won’t be room for her.”

  “You guys are staying put.” Even if she wasn’t mine to take care of, I liked knowing she was safe. “I don’t want the apartment. Keep it.”

  His anger never faded. “Is that supposed to make me like you?”

  “No. I can tell your hatred is here to stay.”

  “Damn right it is.” He dropped his arms to his sides then cracked his knuckles. “You’re such a fucking asshole. You’ve got a lot of nerve.”

  “You’re one to talk,” I snapped. “You’re the one who wanted to join Ruin.” If he was gonna judge me, then his record better be squeaky clean.

  He held up his finger like he was making a point. “I’m a single guy who can do whatever he wants. I’ve always been up front about my true colors with women. If you’re into that kinky shit, I don’t give a damn. But you swept Rome off her feet by pretending to be this compassionate humanitarian, and it was just a bunch of bullshit. That’s unforgivable, Cal. And we both know it.”

  “I am a compassionate humanitarian. But I’m also into Ruin.”

  “I can only imagine the shit you did behind Rome’s back every night she was sleeping down the hall from my bedroom. You’re a piece of shit. I would kill you if I could get away with it.”

  I knew he meant it. “Christopher, I ran the business, but I never betrayed Rome. My hands were kept to myself. I never even looked at another woman.”

  He stared me down, his expression cold.

  “I know you believe me.” It was a gut instinct, a sense I could feel. “I was happy with Rome and never needed anyone else. My brother Jackson is too stupid to be in charge, so I need to do it. Yes, I’m a Dom and I usually have a sub, but I haven’t participated in that lifestyle since the day I met your sister.”

  When Christopher was quiet, I knew he’d heard the sincerity in my voice.

  “I miss her.” I normally wouldn’t say that to another guy, but I was at my lowest point. “I miss her like crazy, and I wish we could work this out. But she wants nothing to do with me—and I respect that.”

  “Why didn’t you just tell her?”

  “I was going to. I was just waiting for the right time.”

  “And there was no other opportunity in the past six months?” he asked incredulously.

  “I just didn’t think she was ready.” I wouldn’t go into details about my relationship with Rome. She wasn’t really his sister, but it was still awkward to talk about. “She told me about Hank, and frankly, I can’t blame her for feeling this way.”

  His eyebrow rose. “She told you about Hank?”

  I nodded, feeling my blood boil when I remembered her story. “That he broke her arm in two different places because she wouldn’t sleep with him.”

  He kept staring at me like I might say something else. “Did she talk about anything else?”

  “No.” Was there more?

  Christopher ran his hands through his dark hair, his eyes cryptic. “If you’re cool with it, then we’re gonna stay put. We just moved in, and it would be a bitch to pack everything up again.”

  “Keep it.” I just wished I could give the place to Rome instead. I wished I could make up a fake lottery and give her more money than she knew what to do with. She was already a powerful woman, but I wanted to give her more power. I wanted her to be above everyone else, where no one would even consider laying a hand on her. If I could give her a crown, I would.

  “Thanks…” He placed his hands in his pockets and stepped back slightly. “So…I guess this is it.”

  My misery derived from losing Rome, but I felt an ache from losing Christopher too. I considered him to be a friend, not just her brother. “Yeah…I guess so.”

  He extended his hand
to shake mine.

  I eyed it, touched by the gesture. Despite how angry he was with me, he still had some affection for me. I shook his hand.

  “I don’t really understand what happened with Rome, but I can tell you really care about her.”

  “More than you know.” I lowered my hand and cleared my throat.

  “Good luck.” He gave me a curt nod before he walked off my porch and headed to the sidewalk. He didn’t turn back as he walked away, his hands stuffed into his pockets to hide away from the cold.

  I watched him go, feeling Rome walk out of my life all over again.

  When his shadow was gone, I walked back inside and headed straight for the liquor.

  13

  Rome

  Christopher watched me like a hawk every single day. He didn’t go on dates or hang out with his work buddies. He didn’t play video games either, choosing to watch whatever I was watching on TV. He didn’t ask me a lot of questions, but he stuck to my side like I might crumble.

  Yes, losing Calloway was hard.

  Knowing he’d lied to me was harder.

  Seeing him every day at work was heartbreaking.

  But I wasn’t going to shed a tear. I wasn’t going to give in to the pain. I wasn’t going to let my life slip away. Calloway hurt me in so many ways, I didn’t know where to begin. He was purposely deceitful, and I felt stupid for trusting that man. So, if I let him tear me down the way Hank did, I would let Calloway win.

  I couldn’t let him win.

  I made a sandwich then sat on the other couch, ignoring Christopher’s peering gaze. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to be discreet or not, but his constant worry was as obvious as the sun.

  He finally snapped and turned off the TV. “Look, we need to talk.”

  “About?” I popped a chip into my mouth and ate it slowly.

  “I know what you’re doing, and it’s not gonna work.”

  “I’m just eating a sandwich. What do you think I’m doing?”

  “Don’t be a smartass right now.” He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “Ever since you guys broke up, you’ve acted like everything is fine, like nothing has changed. But everything has changed, Rome. You can’t just ignore the pain and forget the relationship ever happened.”

  “I appreciate your concern.” I kept my voice calm, trying to make him relax. “But really, I’m fine. Calloway lied to me and hurt me… I’m not gonna say he didn’t. But I’m also not gonna sit around and cry all day. That’s not me, and we both know it.”

  “I think ignoring it altogether isn’t good either.”

  “I’m fine.” I knew I was lying to myself, but if I lied enough times, maybe it would become true.

  He sighed then leaned back into the couch. “He’s a complete mess.”

  I was about to take a bite of my sandwich when I changed my mind. “You’ve seen him?”

  He nodded. “A few nights ago.”

  “Why? Where?”

  “I went to his place and gave him a piece of my mind.”

  Oh, great. “Christopher…he’s not worth it.”

  “Too late. I already told him off.”

  “How did you even know where he lived?”

  “Because I’m not an idiot and can figure shit out.” He crossed his arms, his eyebrows furrowed and tense. “And after I finished giving him hell, I actually felt bad for him.”

  “Don’t.” Calloway didn’t deserve any sympathy.

  “I know my opinion doesn’t matter, but despite what he did, I think he really cares about you.”

  I didn’t care how Calloway felt. He didn’t prove it to me when he lied for so long—and about something so big. He liked chains and whips and for women to submit like slaves. I couldn’t be more different, with a back so strong and rigid it would never bend—not even for him. “He had an odd way of showing it.”

  Christopher gave me a sad look, falling silent.

  I felt stupid for giving Calloway so much of myself. Not just my virginity, but my heart. I told him I loved him, and up until last week, I thought he felt the same way—even if he wouldn’t say it. I felt a special connection with him, a partnership that could last a lifetime. He was my best friend, and I felt like I’d lost more than just a boyfriend.

  If I thought about it too long, the depression would start to grow and pull me under. So, I concentrated on my sandwich and changed the subject. “Are you going to keep going to Ruin?”

  He shook his head. “Major conflict of interest.”

  “I don’t care if you do, Christopher.”

  “I know. But I’m still not interested. There’re lots of other kink clubs in the city. If I get bored, I can explore one of those.” He finally pulled his gaze away from my face, not staring at me so intently. “So…are you going to keep working with him?”

  I told myself I could do it, that I could see him every day and still hold my head high, but when I spotted him in the hallway or the elevator, my heart fell into my stomach. “I really love my job, and I’m never going to find anything else like it.”

  “I guess that’s a yes, then.”

  “He asked me to stay because he thinks I’m the best person for the job. He hasn’t mentioned our relationship once while we’ve been at work. It seems to be working well enough. I guess I thought he might try to chase me…but he hasn’t.”

  Christopher turned his gaze back to my face. “You sound disappointed.”

  “I’m not.”

  He gave me that knowing look, like he could see something written on my face. “Can you really not be with him? Or are you just mad at him?”

  “What are you asking?” I didn’t have a clue what kind of point he was trying to make.

  “I’m asking exactly what I asked. Do you really not want to be with Calloway, or do you just need a break? Two completely different things.”

  “No. I can’t be with him.” It was as simple as that.

  “Even though you love him?”

  “He doesn’t love me, remember?”

  “Maybe he doesn’t. But maybe he does.”

  I eyed him suspiciously. “What are you saying, Christopher?”

  “I don’t know… I know what he did was bad, but I still like him, you know? There’s something about him, something so endearing.”

  Obviously. Why else would I have fallen in love with him so quickly? “Yes, he’s very charismatic.”

  “I guess I sympathize with the guy because we really aren’t that different.”

  “Yes, you are.” Night and day.

  “Look, I’m a pig just like him. I like kinky shit and loose chicks. But I know if the right woman came along, I’d cut out all the bullshit and be the man she deserved. Maybe he was part of that lifestyle. That doesn’t make him a bad guy.”

  Christopher didn’t know the whole story. “It’s more complicated than that.”

  “How?”

  “Look, you don’t want to know this stuff, Christopher. I appreciate your concern, but it’s misplaced.”

  “Why would I ask if I didn’t want to know?” he asked.

  “Because it’s personal stuff. I don’t want to know about your lady friends.”

  “Yeah, because that’s all sex. What you had with Calloway was different. So, talk to me.” He snapped his fingers. “I’m all ears, no judgments. I’m not gonna throw up or tease you about anything.”

  I knew he meant well, so I went for it. “Not only is it a problem that Calloway lied to me. But he doesn’t want to give up what he does.”

  His eyebrows furrowed, unsure what I meant. “Which is?”

  “He wants to be my Dom. That’s what he’s wanted from the beginning. He said he wanted to break me in before he pushed me that far. That’s why he didn’t tell me the truth for so long—afraid of scaring me off.”

  “Oh…” Christopher nodded in understanding.

  “And I want nothing to do with that lifestyle. It’s not who I am or what I stand for. I don’t want a man who nee
ds to smack me around to get off.”

  He nodded again. “And he’s unwilling to walk away?”

  “He says it’s who he is—and he’s not gonna change.”

  Christopher’s eyes moved to the floor, his melancholy increasing. “I would believe that, but some parts aren’t adding up… Why would he be with you for six months, giving up that lifestyle, if he couldn’t give it up forever?”

  The idea had been sitting in the back of my mind for a long time. I didn’t want to think about it because it hurt too much. The truth was enough to finally break me down, to make me convulse with agony. “Because he never gave it up. All those nights when he was there and I was here… Who knows what he was really doing.”

  “I asked him about that. He said he was always faithful to you.”

  “But how can we really believe him?” I whispered. “I don’t think we can.”

  Christopher fell silent, caressing his knuckles. “You knew him better than I did, but he seems like a pretty loyal man.”

  “No, I didn’t know him better than you did.” I didn’t know him at all.

  As the week passed, working with him every day got easier. I really didn’t see him that often. There were days when I didn’t even hear his name. I stayed inside my office and took care of my work, and a lot of the time, I was out in the city doing research. I was surveying different communities of the homeless, determining which group needed what kind of care. Those afternoons when I was outside were the best.

  It was the only time I didn’t think about him.

  Calloway had already approved my budget for the next six months, but I had to decide how it would be allocated. As time passed, different needs arose. I couldn’t predict everything so far in advance. Unfortunately, a terrible flu had swept through, and a lot of homeless people died because they weren’t given the care they needed.

  Therefore, funds needed to be moved to vaccinations.

  It wasn’t built into my budget report. So I needed to ask for an approval of a higher budget, or I’d have to take away different expenses, which I wanted to avoid. It wasn’t easy to take away food and warm clothing when those things were just as essential as medicine.