“This doesn’t have to be anything, Devin. It can end the minute I step off this boat.” The look she gave me told me she meant her words. She sensed my hesitance and I almost told her the truth.
Almost.
“There are some things … things I’m working on. You and I being involved will complicate them.” Not bothering to look at her, I was ready for the inevitable.
“I understand,” she said without emotion. The mood was broken and I felt the guilt.
Why had I even asked her here with me? To fuck her? She was my best client. What the fuck was I doing?
Assisting her off the boat, she turned back to me. “It was amazing and I loved every minute of it.”
“I’ll take you anytime you want,” I whispered, placing a chaste kiss on her lips. “Stay safe, Nina.”
Opening my celebratory bottle of Macallan, I took a long drink as I watched her approach her town car and felt the urgent tug. I couldn’t let her walk away. I needed to let her go. The realist in me knew it was for the best. I was forcefully married, she was newly divorced and had trust issues. We were a ticking time bomb, and yet as I watched her beautiful frame disappearing from my line of sight, everything in me screamed for her to stop. I felt like I was losing her already and I couldn’t prevent my legs from moving, nor the words from coming out. I caught up to her just as her driver was opening her door. He retreated gracefully, giving us privacy as he eyed me with curiosity. I grabbed her hand, kissing the back of it.
“I want you, in every way, Nina. I think about you constantly. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
She looked at me with pleading eyes. “Then don’t hurt me.”
But I did hurt her and every fear I had of us being together came true. Predicting the end and the way it would happen didn’t make it less painful, and now I was begging her to see me by text. And she wouldn’t even fucking answer me.
Still in my suit, I sat on the grass at what was once home, piss drunk with my nearly finished bottle, staring at the pool we’d never used as Eileen approached.
“That was pleasant. I think they enjoyed themselves,” she said as she watched me. I ignored her stare as she stood next to me, waiting for an invitation to join me that wasn’t coming.
“Do you want to fuck?” I said, making a mockery out of the night. “Dear?”
She scoffed as she tried to take my bottle, but I kept a tight hold on it. We struggled for a few seconds before she gave up.
“You really should see a therapist,” she remarked.
I couldn’t help the loud laughter that burst out of me.
“I’m not the one living in denial,” I said, taking one last swig before emptying hundreds of dollars onto our perfect lawn.
“Devin,” she hissed. “Waste.”
I looked up at her, noting her freshly applied lipstick. It disgusted me. “You are worried about waste? Good to know, dear wife, because I’m hoping you’ll take into account the amount of years we have been in this useless union.”
“You loved me once,” she said, completely void of any real emotion.
“I tolerated you. I thought you were a good fuck, and the sad part is you are still beautiful. You can have any man you want, but me.”
She crossed her arms as she sat next to me. “You made a promise. My mother and father have—”
“Your mother and father do not want each other. They do not love each other. They are fucking institutionalized!”
“Devin, don’t raise your voice, please. It’s our—”
I stood up, glaring down at her as the dimly lit pool lighted her features. “Have you been faithful?”
She looked up at me and I saw it. No, she hadn’t.
“Devin, you put me in this position.”
There was no reasoning with that kind of stupid. I wouldn’t beg for my freedom. I would earn it, the way I had earned everything else.
“I can buy you out right fucking now. Let me out of this, or I’ll start over,” I hissed down at her.
“Ah, but you can’t, can you? With your reputation ruined once I’m done with it, no one will trust you with their fortune. Not with the things you’ve done.”
“I haven’t done a damn thing wrong but think marrying you was a good move,” I said, walking toward the house, ready to pass out face first so I could live to fight another day.
“I’ll have her hurt,” she said, standing quickly, making the statement to my turned back. She sensed my resolve and she was resorting to threatening Nina…again. This time physically, though she didn’t say the words. Charging her, I held her by the neck. I’d never gotten physical with a woman in my life, at least not this way. I squeezed hard.
“You’ll what? Eileen, you have tried the last of my patience. She is out of this. Don’t ever speak to me of her again.” I let go as her eyes bulged. I knew I hadn’t hurt her. I’d only meant to scare her and it worked. I’d scared her into stuttering.
“I…I…I…” She looked at me as if I’d shot her. “I can’t believe you did that!”
“Why is it so hard to believe? I loathe you, you sad, sick, sadistic bitch. I dream of the day your life will end. I fantasize the scenarios.” Even after all she’d done to ensure my misery, I tried to reason with her. “We were friends once, sincere friends. We may have a chance of parting the same way. End this now, let me buy you out and stop the rest of your threats!”
“It’s over when I say it’s over,” she chided as she passed me to get into the house. “And your whore will pay for what she’s done to our marriage.”
“Stay the fuck away from her, Eileen, or I will hurt you,” I said carefully. “You can play every fucking card in your hand to ruin me, but if you touch her, I will hurt you.”
She whirled on me. “Why do you love her? Why, Devin? Why is she so worthy?”
I shrugged out my honesty. “She makes me whole. You only wanted me for half.”
Studying me with ever scrutinizing eyes, she shook her head in disgust, closed the door behind her, and locked it before turning off all the lights.
“Happy anniversary!” I yelled at the dark house.
It was never about money. It was about starting my own legacy. I took a shortcut by marrying Eileen, taking years off networking to get clients. Now it threatened to cost me my livelihood. She was right. If she carried out her threat and blew the whistle, I would lose my business completely and had no hope of starting over again. I sure as hell couldn’t go crawling back to my multi millionaire mistress penniless and begging her to house me while I tried to put the pieces of my reputation back together. Even then I wasn’t sure once she knew the truth as to why that she could look at me the same.
The damage was fucking done.
I made my way to my car, very aware that I wouldn’t make it past passing out in the front seat.
NINA
Waking up to Aiden’s late night texts made me smile.
AIDEN: Good night, sad girl. I sang for you tonight and went home smiling and thinking about…fucking. I hope you did as well.
No, I hadn’t, because I was terrified I had again jumped into the sac with another mystery. It was time to get to know Aiden.
I made my way to my desk in my home office and was surprised to see an email from Devin. It was a bottom line of the amount of profit he’d made me. I had to admit, I was impressed. He was good at what he did. The email was completely impersonal and thanked me for my business. I couldn’t help the emotion as I burst into tears he didn’t deserve. What the hell was I doing?
My phone rang but I ignored it.
Devin knew every side of me. That couldn’t be helped. Only Taylor and Carson got a glimpse of the woman who still lay beneath…and Aiden. I wiped the moisture from my face and smiled at the thought of him. Then my heart sank. If I were to discover he was related to Devin in any way, would I end it?
I drove myself to work, intent on breaking ties. I would sign over that land and wait on the background checks. It was only then tha
t I would have clear options. Though I was a silent partner in the sale of my fitness program, I’d evolved Scott Solutions into an entity of its own, bringing a direct line from inventor to investor. Taylor had thought of the concept and execution when we began forming our corporation. It gave me a sense of purpose, and it gave young inventors a new platform to cultivate their ideas and bring them to life. It was also fascinating to see what they came up with. We didn’t take much from either party, just a small amount off the top, a finder’s fee, and a portion of the proceeds after market.
The idea went global within months and suddenly I was thrust into the spot light once again with an enormous work load, categorizing young inventors and their creations from not just the USA, but all over the world. We brought in a full staff, created jobs, and now had more than my first fortune to manage. I’d been selfish in the indulgences of my personal life and the way it would affect Taylor’s already enormous workload, especially when things went downhill with Devin. Taylor deserved far more than she was compensated for and I was changing that today.
When Taylor had mentioned we were in this together, it was one-hundred-percent truth. She’d struck gold with her idea as well and had unfortunately given it to me. I was more than afraid of losing her. I needed her.
“Good Morning, Taylor.”
“Boss,” she said, typing away without looking up. “Boy do we have an agenda today.”
“We do, but come see me. I have something for you.”
She looked puzzled but nodded and followed me back.
I pushed the contract that was couriered over from Devin’s office and asked if she’d reviewed it.
“It’s legit,” she said, pushing it back toward me.
“And this one,” I said, pushing forward another. She read for a few moments and then went deathly still.
“It’s time for you to start gambling, Taylor.” Her eyes swelled with emotion, an absolute first in the two years I’d known her. I hadn’t even so much as encountered a menstrual mood swing since we’d been acquainted. Assessing her now, I knew I’d done the right thing.
“You can’t do this!” she said, jumping from her seat. “You are handing me a fortune.”
“And a stake in this company and the risk that goes with it. I’m committed, Taylor. I want you for the long haul. I’m a little selfish that way.”
“Clearly you aren’t!” She shook from head to toe. The contract promised her a signing bonus of two million, a position as co-chair CEO with endless perks and an automatic twenty-percent share in the company with option to buy as much stock as allotted, making her a millionaire with the click of the pen.
“I can’t accept this,” she said, turning ghostly pale.
“I die tomorrow, no one gets it. Well, technically my father will inherit most of it, but he has enough. Taylor, you made this company what it’s become. You have organized my life and helped me through endless bullshit. I don’t want to be your boss anymore. I want to be your equal and your friend.” She stared at me as if I were insane. I laughed loudly. “I didn’t feel like I deserved the break I got either, but I took it. I want you to as well and you deserve this, Taylor, you do.” A single tear slid down her cheek and I sighed. “And when you’re done with your signature, your first order of business will be to tell me why the hell you are hanging out in Savannah.”
She sat down again, reading the contract, and took a pen in her hand. I saw her body stiffen the more she read. I told them to make the offer irrefutable. They’d done their job.
She lifted her eyes to mine with a smile. “I’ll sign this, but I think I’ll keep Savannah to myself, just for now.”
“Fine.” I nodded to her, prodding her to sign and she did so accordingly at the marked tabs.
“Keep that pen, it just made you a millionaire,” I said, repeating the words my investor said to me when my life drastically changed. I hadn’t done well by evidence of my recent mistakes, but I had zero doubts about Taylor.
“I don’t know what to say,” Taylor whispered, looking down at the paperwork in disbelief.
“How about we go over your new role,” I said carefully. She nodded as we both became excited with plans to expand the top floor and build her new office. She would carry out the task of hiring a new PA as soon as possible. It was done.
With Taylor I felt safe.
I was halfway through my work day when I heard the protest coming loud from Taylor.
“You can’t go in there,” she said, following Eileen McIntyre into my office. Suddenly, I wanted my pen back. If not for a weapon, then for a dismissal, but I couldn’t seem to find one and the contract on my desk was the only thing keeping this woman in my life.
“It’s fine, Taylor,” I assured her as she shut the door behind her.
Eileen stood at the door, scanning my large office. She must have noticed I used Devin’s decorator.
Good.
“He has impeccable taste, that husband of yours,” I said, ridding my desk of the contract and bracing myself for the inevitable fight.
“He used to,” she seethed as she turned her gaze to me, roving my appearance. We were polar opposites in the looks department. I was dark and she was light, but in contrast to reality, I wasn’t sure which of us light represented. We had both been tainted by Devin and our love for him, and our willingness to keep him.
“Honestly, Eileen, I’ve wanted to apologize, woman to woman, but I really just don’t have it in me anymore. You win. I’ve ended it. He’s your burden. Please just leave me the hell alone.”
“I honestly wish you’d made that decision a little sooner,” she said, taking a seat as I continued to stand.
“You need to leave. We don’t have a damn thing to discuss. I have a company to run.” Her sneer was unmistakable in that she had no intention of leaving until she said her piece.
“So self-important. Tell me, whore, how many times have you sucked my husband’s cock in this office?”
I looked up in confusion, pretending to count, and then nailed her with the answer, “Two...No, wait…” I turned my head to the side, recalculating. “Three. Yes, definitely three.”
“You will pay for that,” she said, completely serious.
“I’ve already paid, and aren’t there several others that you should be making rounds to? According to you, I was one in a long line of many,” I snapped.
She hesitated and I saw it. “You lied.”
“So what if I did.” Her callous indifference had my claws embedded in my palms with a welcomed sting.
I felt the pang in my chest and ignored it. It was all over, anyway. The milk that had spilled and soured was resonating throughout my life. I wanted it over.
“Please, leave,” I said, deflating back into my chair, suddenly exhausted at the thought of the circles I’d been running in for months.
She leaned over, placing her hands on my desk, palms flat. “You listen to me. Less than a week ago, you fucked my husband at a party I planned.”
“I paid to attend that party and honestly, it was pretty drab. I needed a highlight.” The small tug at the corner of my lips didn’t go unnoticed.
“You think because you have money now, street rat, that you are entitled?” I studied her perfectly styled chignon, her blue silk pantsuit, and manicured lips, and felt a small amount of pity. She was truly beautiful, and desperately clinging to a man that didn’t love her, had probably never loved her. I wasn’t sure Devin was capable, at least the Devin I’d known over the last few months.
Pressing my lips together, I thought hard before I spoke. “Entitled is a word I would only use to describe women like you. Tell me, have you ever worked a day in your life?” She lowered her eyes in a bored glare. “Earned. I earned this. That’s the word I would use. I’m not a street rat, Eileen. I’m a threat and one you take very seriously. But I can assure you now, Devin and I are no more. You are free to abuse him any way you choose.” I walked toward my door and almost had my hand on the handle before s
he spoke.
“You don’t truly know him. You never will,” she said, now standing. “I came here to warn you, if you so much as contact him again, he won’t be able to stop me from dealing with you.”
I shut the door and turned on her. She seemed taken aback that I wasn’t intimidated by her threat. I glared at her as she took a step back at my step forward. “The truth is, I was truly sorry for what I did, until I realized what you are. I had no intention of sleeping with Devin again. I had no clue he was married. He didn’t act the part, and for that I am forever a fool. But what I didn’t count on was your wrath. I’d been deceived and, well, your antics prolonged our inevitable end. I fucked him to spite you.” Liar. Okay, I fucked him because I couldn’t get enough, either. “And my ending it has nothing to do with you. I’m not afraid of you, Eileen, never have been.” I leaned in close. “Take your entitled ass out of my fucking office before you’re thrown out by this street rat.”
She pushed past me before turning back and facing me head on. “People like you can never possess the things we have. You wouldn’t know what to do with them. You could never preserve history or covet tradition. Look at you…You can’t even hold marriage in high regard. You will never have a piece of my life.”
I peeked my head out the door as she walked off, shooting myself with a finger gun in the head so Taylor laughed and relaxed. She was well aware of who Mrs. McIntyre was. Watching Eileen retreat to the elevator, I let out a deep breath and sat down to sign the contract for the sale of 3445 Peach Tree Way, Savannah and stopped my pen and snickered.
Looks like I would possess some very important land her family had originally owned. And if I felt like it, I would burn it to the ground. I tore up the contract, knowing I was starting another fight.
And for once, I would be ready for it. I picked up the phone to buzz Taylor to send for our courier.
DEVIN
Certain I would go blind if I stared at the torn shreds Nina had sent me that once resembled the contract on the land, I pushed the paperwork into my trashcan. I had a consult in twenty minutes and my head was pounding. What in the hell was she thinking? She’d made it clear she wanted to be free of me and the only thing tying us together was this last shred of business. Fear crept through me as I thought of the possible repercussion of her action. For a brief minute, it was accompanied by a glimmer of hope. Did she still want me in her life? Was this an attempt to prompt me into badgering her some more? I took a shot of whiskey to even the scales of last night’s binge, followed by a thorough teeth brushing and topped it off with a fresh tie.
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