Chapter 27
Twenty-Seven
Maeve
O nce I’m dressed and ready to go to work, I send a text to Nick to tell him I’m glad he brought Lani into my life. We’ve been texting to get to know each other before the event, and she’s really nice and fun. I guess we’re modern-day pen pals at this point.
Work is a little chaotic today. Birthday divas wanting last minute changes to up their party even more. A politician needing a charity function thrown together that doesn’t look last minute but is just to do damage control. Luckily, the biggest project that I’m a head of has been going amazingly. Nicholas has been direct and decisive while being polite and a pleasure to work with. I’ve noticed it’s not only me he’s that way with. He treats all his employees with the utmost respect. Maybe he’s not… No. He’s still dangerous. All this proves is he’s a nice and respectable murderer.
It’s not until after two I finally have a chance to take a breath from all that chaos. I take a moment to look over my portfolio. The casino opening really will set my portfolio to the next level. It’ll be my crowning achievement.
“I guess you’re proud of yourself.”
I’m startled to find Miss Bowman standing over my cubicle. She’s looking at me with blatant hostility. A laugh of disbelief escapes me. “With all due respect, what do you mean?”
She shrugs dismissively. “You and I both know you’re sleeping with your clients.” She holds a hand up. “I get it. Do whatever you have to do to get ahead. I didn’t think you’d viciously cut down Kane for rejecting your advances.”
Silence descends between us. What a slap to the face. It was a na?ve thought to think this person was actually going to let me take on this project and show me the respect I deserve. I hate that she’s right, only in that I am sleeping with Nicholas. I’d never use my body to get an account. I also never asked him to come here. Therefore, I’m not going to tolerate this. I stand from my desk, and I charge after her. In front of the entire office staff, I shout,
“Are you fucking kidding me?”
The room erupts in an echo of gasps. Miss Bowman turns and smiles at me like she’s won. “I beg your pardon?”
“I’m not disagreeing that yes, I have been in a relationship with Mr. Deschamps. But you know damn well I’ve worked hard to get to where I am. Honest work. I’ve scraped and sweated every day around here to get a semi-decent amount of respect. I’d rather risk my career than put up with another minute of your snarky, rude, and cruel bullshit. I quit.”
I hurry over to my cubicle and grab all of my items. Miss Bowman doesn’t speak. She doesn’t even move. Nobody stops me or says a word as I hurry to the elevator.
Shit. Shit. Shit. A panicked part of my brain is yelling at me and asking me what in the hell was I thinking. My heart is hammering inside my chest. Nicholas! I quit and he has his event coming up. Oh, this is bad. She tricked me. I walked right into her trap. Panic bubbles in my stomach as my mind races and all my thoughts are a jumbled mess.
When I’m carrying my things to my care, one of Nicholas’ men appear. “Allow me to help you, Miss Goodman.”
As soon as he unloads everything, I lean against my car and slide down to the ground. Grief sweeps through me. Regret fills me. I thought when people stand up for themselves they feel better. I feel as though I’ve been duped, made a horrible mistake, and ruined everything. Heavy footsteps pound on the concrete of the parking garage.
“Maeve.” I freeze. Nick? I sniffle and raise my head up. “I thought you had to get back to Vegas?”
“I had a lunch meeting that ran long. I’m going tomorrow.”
Like the emotional mess I am, I lean forward and crumble into him. I sob. I release it all. Fluids leak from every part of my face: drool, snot, and tears. Nicholas pulls me onto his lap and holds me. His warm hand gently caresses and cradles my head against his chest.
“Who caused this?” he asks.
“Me,” I whimper. “I snapped.”
He chuckles. “I would’ve loved to see that. Do they have security cameras? I need to find the footage.”
My voice comes out shallow. “I don’t know.”
“Hey.” He held me tighter. “Talk to me. Communication, remember?”
I tell him about what happened. Then I have to restrain him from going up there himself. He sighs and grumbles, “I guess both of us snapped today.”
I nearly fall over. “What do you mean?” Nick snapping could’ve resulted in any number of things. I’m sure it was nothing compared to my outburst.
He scratches his defined jaw, and then finally says, “I cut out Leo and Trina’s tongues.”
Horror. That’s the only word that can describe what I’m feeling and it has to be etched on to my face. I scramble backward off his lap. The reality of who this man is, is worse than I imagined. My blood turns icy cold.
“Stop,” he commands. “You don’t know the whole story.”
“How could you possibly justify it?” My tone is accusatory.
“I won’t repeat the vile things he said about you. But he’ll never say them again. Don’t forget that she went out of her way to be cruel to you and then went to Cleric to ruin your life. She won’t be asking for any more favors.” Nick crawls toward me. “I won’t tolerate anyone disrespecting you. You might not like my choices, but I didn’t kill them, sweetheart, so that’s progress.”
“I need to be alone.”
He sucks in a deep breath. Finally, his expression turns to one of defeat. “I’ll have one of my men drive you home.” I’m honestly surprised. He always said he always win , but he’s stepping back. “Call me when you’re ready. But please, don’t shut me out. Still give us a chance. You’re meant to be mine.”
Probably the best thing that could’ve happened is that the book event was the same weekend of the week I acted rashly and quit my job, along with taking some space from Nick. The man cut my enemies’ tongues out. I don’t know if I should feel pride or panic over it.
On the flight to Texas, I tell Lani about it. She’s the only person I know that I could retell that story to and not flinch. My stomach churns the whole time I tell her about our relationship. I am so anxious yet Lani just listens.
“Also, how can you love someone who acts so drastically? What am I thinking? He’s a psycho, Lani?”
“You love him?” She smiles.
“I do. What am I thinking?”
“Typically you don’t think when you’re in love.”
“Clearly,” I grumble. I sigh. This is supposed to be a fun trip for her; I need to stop rehashing my disastrous life.
Lani pats my forearm. “Listen. Men like Nick and Cleric, they’re not average guys. You can’t label them or except them to follow social norms. You’re going to feel everything more intense with them, because that’s just who they are.”
She tells me about her experience with Cleric and, surprisingly, I feel better about mine. At least Nick didn’t blackmail me to have his baby. I didn’t realize how badly I needed to talk to someone.
“Did he ever tell you his real name?”
“Of course,” she giggles. “But I’m not telling you.”
“You really love him?”
“That I will tell you. Yes. More than anything.” Her eyes go soft as a small bashful smile tugs at her lips.
Lani means it. I’m a teensy bit jealous of how confident she is in her feelings. This woman is one hundred percent in love with the man who used her body as his personal incubator. I jerk with surprise when she laughs. “He isn’t that bad. He’s a wonderful father and husband. Nick is a good guy, too.”
“I’m pretty sure he’s the bad guy.”
“But a good guy for you.” Lani teases.
We change the subject to the event. I ask her for book recommendations and which authors she’s most excited to meet.
“I’m a huge Sapphire Knight fan. And Ashton Brooks is going to be there this year.”
“Oh, I love Sapphire!”
“Yeah, she’s amazing. Have you read Ashton Brooks?”
“I have not. I’m going to now, so I’ll be prepared for tomorrow.”
Our plane lands and we get checked into the hotel. I won’t deny that I do find comfort that Cleric sent two bodyguards for Lani, too. It’s nice having someone to bond over the craziness with. Speaking of crazy, I don’t want to tell Lani but that Ashton Brooks author seems a little unhinged. After reading only twenty-percent of her book, I was hooked and already adding all of her backlist books to my library. I had to look her up. What I found was triggering. She looks adorable – which is more terrifying. It’s always the ones who look innocent…
I’m lying on the bed in the hotel, completely wrapped in my book, when my phone ring next to me. I want to ignore it, but I check to see who it is. Tristan. I want to ignore it even more now. A text message pops up.
TRISTAN: Answer.
Shit. I swipe the screen.
“Hello?”
“Why didn’t you tell me about Leo? I would never have kept working with him.”
Shit. He’s pissed. “How’d you find out?”
“Not the way I should have. I should’ve heard it from you. Why? Why would you not tell me?”
“I was embarrassed and didn’t want you freaking out!”
“At least Deschamps did something.”
“What? No, Tristan. He went psycho. Did you hear what he did? Wait – are you seriously applauding him?”
“Vincent was wondering why Leo hadn’t been around and wouldn’t take any of his calls. Went to pay him a personal visit. Discovered he was missing a tongue. Leo was eager to have Deschamps punished. Thought we’d do it on his behalf. Vincent knew there had to be more to the story. Imagine his surprise when he discovered Trina missing a tongue as well. He sent for Mark and he got the story out of them. The whole story. I know what he did to you, and how they both treated you.”
I swallow the emotions clogging my throat. “Did anyone speak to Nicholas about it?”
“Yes. He only said they got what they deserved.”
Why does that make my chest ache? “I don’t know about that.”
“I didn’t agree either. But now they’ve gotten what they deserve.”
Click. The line goes dead.
Lani’s soft voice breaks through the pounding in my ears. “Everything okay?”
“No. I don’t think it is.” I turn to stare at her wide-eyed. “I think my cousins are bigger psychos than my boyfriend.”
Lani grins at me. “You called him your boyfriend.”
“It sounds nicer than stalker.”