Mutually Exclusive

by Charlotte Winston

  Roman broke the kiss, his hands tucking her wayward strands behind her ears, smiling softly. “Missed you,” he whispered, his lips trailing to her neck, kissing the spot behind her ear that never failed to drive her crazy.

  “Never again,” she said, her hands grabbing the back of his shirt to lift it over his head. He stopped her with a touch to the wrists, leading her to the bed instead of taking her against the door like she expected.

  “I promise,” he vowed, after he’d sat beside her on the bed.

  He gathered her close. “I want you to know as long as there is breath in my body you will never again be rejected by me. I’ve never felt like this before, and you fill up parts I didn’t know needed filling. You’re like a balm to my battered soul when I would have gone on the way I was. I know I told you not to fall for me, but then I broke my own rule and fell for the girl who bulldozed me into a sexual relationship I didn’t know I needed.”

  She lifted her leg so it was wrapped around his waist, wanting the contact. “You always know the right words to tell me how you’re feeling, while I walk around like an awkward schoolgirl who’s never been asked to a dance. I can’t explain it. I’m self-assured, a kick-ass lawyer, and never had a problem with relationships, but with you I can’t find my balance. I’m second-guessing myself, and I can’t find my footing.” It was an admission she wouldn’t have made months before, but he made her feel secure in her feelings and she needed him to know where she stood. If they wanted to create a lasting relationship, they needed equal footing, which meant hard conversations and honest truths.

  “Baby.” His eyes softened. “When you come across the only relationship that matters, it’s going to be different than all the ones before. No one before had the power to destroy me in the way someone who truly matters does. No use fighting what you’re feeling. Just know I’m here to catch you, every time, as many times as you need. I’ll be a soft place for you to fall. When you love someone, they’re the only person who matters. You no longer end where they begin; your existence becomes tied up in theirs.”

  She felt the warmth of his words, so excited it manifested itself into a smile on her face. Only Roman would bury a declaration of love in a lecture. It was what he did. He lectured, she listened, and chose to take what was useful. Every word of his last declaration she would be keeping forever. Alexandra considered herself an ordinary girl with an extraordinary job. She had amazing friends who helped break up the monotony of her otherwise boring existence, but Roman was a burst of light that overshadowed the darkness.

  “What did I do to deserve you?”

  “You think you don’t deserve me?” he scoffed. “I’m the one who thanks my lucky stars you refused to take no for an answer. I would have missed out on your goodness, and that would have been a shame.”

  “I love you, too.” She traced patterns along his chest. “In case you were wondering.” He squeezed her tighter, his lips on the top of her head as though breathing her in. She continued on, while she was protected in his arms. “And I’ve had to get myself off this whole week. I need you to get on with it.”

  Her words spurred him into action. He took off her shirt before throwing her down on the bed. He lay over her, leaning down to lick the tops of her breasts peeking out from her bra. “You better not have orgasmed without me. Those are mine.”

  “Maybe I did, maybe I didn’t.” She shrugged as though she wasn’t underneath him with nowhere to go. “But I think we need to renegotiate.”

  “There won’t be another contract,” he growled, possessing her lips again. That’s what it was, a possession. She was no longer her own, she was a part of a team, and Roman told her with his hands and his lips she belonged to him. Hands gliding down her body seconds before his lips, he kissed her everywhere. He licked a line down her stomach, and Alexandra was lost to the emotions within her. This was too much, and one of the reasons she’d always commanded he fuck her. She refused to acknowledge everything happening within them. He smiled up at her when his hands reached the clasp of her jeans, and she nodded her agreement. Days without Roman felt like a lifetime, and they both needed the affirmation.

  “Love you,” he told her while he removed her jeans and panties. Giddy when she heard him reiterate his love, as long as she lived, she hoped she never took his words for granted. He stepped back, removing his own clothes before joining her again on the bed. “There’s no rush.” He kissed the spot behind her ear, telling her without words they were taking this slow.

  “There’s no rush,” she agreed. His fingers parted her while he lazily stroked in and out, getting her worked up. She widened her legs so he could move deeper, and he continued his ministrations as though he had all day. It was different, they were different, and she allowed herself to let go, finding her release. He grabbed a condom, prepared to open it when she grabbed it from his hands.

  “I’m on the pill. We don’t need it.” And they didn’t. He was the forever kind, and she wanted to feel him within her without any barriers. He kissed her deeply, bending her knee back before he entered her to the hilt. She let go, lifting her hips to match him stroke for stroke. It was slow, methodic, beautiful, and told her how much he loved her.

  ***

  Alexandra walked into the bar weeks later, ready for her girls’ night. Time since the cabin had been amazing. She’d gone back to work, getting her old cases back while she and Roman had spent their evenings together. It took getting used to, since they’d rarely been out in public prior to their exposure from the media, but it was exhilarating to go out and not have to worry about her job. She’d even met his family, who welcomed her with open arms. It was one of the reasons she’d called for the girls’ night out, in order to introduce Rachel to her sister and Blair.

  “You look gorgeous!” Parker hugged her when she walked up to the table.

  “So do you.” She kissed her on the cheek, wiping away the pink lip gloss she’d left. “How have you been this week?”

  “Living the dream. Sit down; I already ordered your margarita with no salt.” Alexandra used her hip to push Parker to the other side of the booth, leaving the other side for Blair and Rachel. “Who else is coming?”

  “Blair called, she’s about ten minutes away, and Roman’s sister should be here any minute. And you need to be nice.” She pointed at Parker.

  “Me? What did I do? I don’t even know the girl.”

  “Nothing yet, but you tend to judge before you know somebody, and I want you to give her a fair shake.”

  “It’s ’cause you love Roman.” Parker waved her hands dramatically in the air, prompting Alexandra to roll her eyes.

  “Shut up and act like you have some sense. I met Rachel the other day and invited her out because she was upset. She just broke up with her boyfriend, and I want to make sure she has a good time.” Alexandra took a sip from her margarita, watching the door for Rachel. She did feel bad for the girl. Her boyfriend had told her she was too much work. She was a firecracker, but seemed a bit weepy. Hence the reason Alexandra suggested Rachel join them for a girls’ night. There she goes, she thought, watching the bubbly brunette in red hot pants, black tank top, and heels walking toward her.

  “Hey!” Rachel waved, and Alexandra quickly made introductions. Rachel slid into the other side of the booth. “Where is the waiter? I need a drink!”

  Parker leaned closer to her, eyes bright with sympathy. “I hope I’m not prying, but Alexandra said you just broke up with your boyfriend. Don’t worry about it; we’ll get you good and drunk and you’ll forget all about him.”

  “It’s no problem.” She waved off her sympathy. “He was a flash in the pants anyway, and a horrible lay. I’m just mad he got the jump on me when I was going to break up with him next week. Now it makes me look pathetic, which I hate, and I became the subject of dinner last week when Roman brought Alexandra for everyone to meet.” She thanked the waiter, who placed her drink in front of her.

  “My mother loved you, by the way,” Rac
hel added as an afterthought to Alexandra, and then continued the conversation with Parker about horrible boyfriends as though she hadn’t just rocked Alexandra’s world. She’d hoped to make a good impression, but never in a million years did she believe she’d gain acceptance so quickly.

  “Sorry I’m late.” Blair sat down with a huff. “I was trying to deal with my husband. And I need a shot. NOW.” She grabbed Alexandra’s drink, downing it in one gulp.

  “Okaaaay.” Alexandra took the empty glass and set it away from her. “You wanna tell me why you came in here and started drinking like you’re trying to break the latest world record? What happened with Derrick?”

  Blair rolled her eyes. “Let me tell you what the asshole did to me.” She pulls out her phone, pulling up her latest messages. “I hear a crash outside. Then I get this text message that said ‘Hey, babe, how attached are you to your bumper?’”

  Parker choked on the drink she had just taken a sip from, spitting it all over the table.

  “Wait, what?!” Alexandra grabbed some napkins, helping Parker dab up the mess. Blair was obsessed with the white Range Rover she got a month ago. It was her dream car and she made sure it had all the bells and whistles.”

  Blair held up her finger. “Give me a minute. It gets better. So I stared at this for a couple of minutes, because what the hell? My husband didn’t just text that he wrecked me car? So I text back, ‘If you hit my car I’m hitting your face douchebag.’ To which he replies, ‘Fuck’.”

  “That’s it?” Rachel asked.

  Blair nodded in her direction then did a double take. “I’m sorry, we haven’t met. And I just put my business in the street to someone I don’t know.”

  “Oh, sorry. I’m Rachel.” She held out her hand, but Blair looked at Alexandra while she shook it.

  Alexandra answered the confusion in her eyes. “Roman’s sister.”

  “Right. Forgot you were coming. But since I’ve shared the shit I’m going through, we’re all family now.” Blair’s face was flushed, but she didn’t look any different. There was a determined gleam in her eye, but an outward calm Alexandra found disturbing.

  “What did Derrick say?”

  “What do you think he said?” Blair shrugged. “He told me he’d get it fixed, and wisely left the keys for his car.” She drank, ignoring the looks exchanged by Rachel, Parker, and Alexandra.

  “That sucks.” Alexandra patted Blair’s hand when she sat her drink down.

  Blair stared into her drink, stirring it with her straw. “Asshole. So I’m getting drunk and I’m charging his card.”

  “We’ll get you drunk. If you really want to stick it to him, you should charge all our drinks to his car,” Rachel joked. “I’m all for hating men right now since my boyfriend broke up with me.”

  Blair propped her chin in her hand, her eyes downcast. “No offense, ladies, but I don’t want to discuss this anymore. I’ll deal with my husband later. He better fix my dream car, and then I’ll have him buy me something else ridiculously expensive to make up for it.. Besides,” she looked at Alexandra, “I’m not the only one hiding information.”

  “What are you talking about? I’m not hiding information.” Blair reached into her bag, pulling out the day’s newspaper. She opened it to the front page, above the fold, where Franklin Williams was smiling like a loon. She groaned inwardly, thinking she was done with him. Tech Mogul Goes Public, the headline read. She scanned the article but most of the information she already knew, about wanting to go public with the company.

  She folded the paper back, handing it to Blair. “I knew he was going public.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me who was buying stock in his company?” Blair got the paper back out, opening it and pointing at the list of names on the second page. Alexandra’s heart raced, staring at the name in front of her, sure her eyes must be deceiving her. There was no way his name was on the list. She grabbed the paper, tracing the name over and over again, pieces falling into place, the missing link written right in front of her.

  “Oh, my God! Guys, I know what’s going on. Wesley told me to follow the money, but I didn’t believe him.” Parker, Rachel, and Blair scrunched their faces, probably figuring she’d lost her mind.

  “I gotta go!” She quickly kissed her sister, taking the paper on her way out the door.

  ***

  It took her a week to get all her information in line to confront him. After she ran out of girls’ night like a crazy person, she spent the rest of her time putting the pieces together. She ran sweaty palms down her slacks while she walked down the hallway, the lone light at the end like a beacon to her. She took a couple deep breaths to calm her nerves, knocking on the half-open door.

  “Alexandra!” he greeted with a smile, standing up behind his desk.

  “Hey, Barrett.” She returned the smile, sitting in front of him. “I guess you’re probably a bit surprised to see me here, but I wanted to talk to you without everyone else here. Henry said you were working late this evening.”

  “About—”

  “I want to know why.” She cut right to the point and saw happiness switch to confusion.

  “Why what? I’m not sure I understand.” She got up, moving to the whiteboard in the back, because this was better as a visual.

  “I’m going to draw you a diagram, because the pieces are kind of complicated. I know it took me forever to put them together, and it wasn’t until last week that everything came together. Two months ago, I was handed the Williams case, a trademark dispute with Jonathan Hawkeye.” She put the two names on the board. Barrett sat silently while she connected the dots.

  “You and Henry gave me the case, told me it was a must-win, my partnership on the line. As I told you several times, I was going to win it, because there was too much discrepancy in the dates for me to lose, but you guys continued to stress for whatever reason. Enter Leo Dominic.” She put Mr. Dominic’s name near Jonathan’s name. “Mr. Dominic is a nice family man, owns a pizza parlor in one of the more rundown neighborhoods downtown, and had never had any problems with the law or anything. He’s approached and told to have his grandson Jonathan drop the suit, but he doesn’t, and coincidentally, Mr. Dominic’s store is robbed about a month before we go to court. The person arrested for the crime is Corey Davis.” She put Corey’s name at the bottom with the words INNOCENT under his name in all caps. “You with me so far?”

  Barrett nodded, giving nothing away.

  “Okay, great,” she said sarcastically. “So, let me put this together. You guys can’t touch either of these cases, so you make the Williams case a must-win and tell me I can plead out the Davis case. Except you guys didn’t count on them using an older mugshot, which didn’t include his colorful tattoo, and didn’t count on me.”

  “You were like a bloodhound.” Henry came in the room, sitting in the chair she’d recently vacated. “I told you to drop it. I guess it was my fault appointing one of our top stars, but I needed you to win the Williams case.”

  “But were you willing to let an innocent guy go to jail?” The brothers exchanged a glance, pissing her off. “Are you two serious right now? All I have is a bunch of information that I can’t prove, and you guys are sitting here trying to pretend like I’m some little woman too stupid to know the difference. Which is probably why you gave me the cases in the first place, because you didn’t believe I could put all the information together.”

  “Why do you care?”

  “Because my partnership rested on the Williams case, but the only reason why I had it in the first place was because you avoiding it so you could buy stock in his tech company. Did you know that information is public knowledge? And now I’m standing here and you two are still trying to come up with some way to jerk me around.”

  “We didn’t have to worry about Corey going to prison because you got him off.”

  “But you didn’t want that. You wanted him put away. Now they have to look for the real perpetrator, which may be traced back to you
two.”

  “No, it won’t,” Henry shot back. “The robbery wasn’t even our idea. Williams got spooked because he was insecure about your ability to win the case, but we made sure we fixed it.”

  “And Detective Trajeo? Mr. Dominic kept staring at him during his testimony and when I attempted to contact him, he stonewalled me.”

  “Money talks.” Henry shrugged, as though the fate of a person didn’t matter to him.

  “Right, money talks. But so do I, if you don’t give me what I want.”

  Henry scoffed. “Do you think we’ll be intimidated by you?”

  “No, but I think you’ll let me go with a glowing recommendation, because I’m amazing at connecting the dots. They may not be able to stick you with any criminal charges, but do you want to take that risk? They’ll start sniffing around your personal business, your bank records.” The last couple weeks had been eye-opening. Alexandra realized she shouldn’t have to deal with the long hours and the craziness. She was going to make it work on her own time. She could branch off on her own or join another company, but either way she was doing this on her own terms.

  “You think we care?” Barrett chimed in. “We’ll be happy to see you go. Do you think it was a coincidence Gerald sued Roman for his membership list? That you were outed?”

  Alexandra’s pulse sped up as her anger rose. “I had a feeling you guys were behind it, because you’re so narrow-minded you can’t see past your own imperfections. I’m done. I’m leaving, and I’ll take the clients who want to come with me, or I’ll out you for the assholes you are.”

  “She still thinks we were behind it all,” Henry told Barrett.

  “Of course you are.”

  Henry started laughing. “Then you’re dumber than we thought. You can leave, and take your clients. I don’t care. I’ll be rid of you and whatever problems you cause. But maybe you ought to do yourself a favor and check your diagram again.” He walked out, whistling without a care in the world. She stared at the wall, at the diagram representing information she’d painfully gathered. A chill ran through her. She’d missed the biggest piece of the puzzle. The person who sat front and center.