CHAPTER 34 Millie Monroe
Quit
The last few days have been excursions, beach walks, margaritas, and sex. So much sex. Amazing sex. Sex with that ruby plugged into my ass, as promised. Sex with toys.
Sex on the beach. Sex we could check off a bucket list.
I feel closer to him than I’ve ever felt with anyone. We laugh together, and I think in totally different ways, we both feel free and happy in a way we never really have been with anybody else.
I suspect that feeling is due to the lack of inhibitions that comes with both tequila and the fact that there’s no pressure coming from outside of here. The only pressure is our self-inflicted end date, and each morning, I seem to wake with a little more sadness in my chest.
When I wake up on Friday morning next to Archer, I realize we only have one week left.
That sadness in my chest feels extra heavy this morning.
It gets worse when Clive, Archer’s personal butler, knocks on the door shortly after we’re awake and moving around the suite. Archer opens the door once we’re dressed, and they exchange some words.
“He’s here for you, not me,” Archer says.
“Ms. Monroe, Diedrick Pinder has requested a meeting with you at your earliest convenience.”
The sadness in my chest morphs into something else. Fear, I think.
Clive bows out, and once the door shuts behind him, Archer asks, “Is that the hotel manager?”
I nod. “He’s probably pissed I’m not using my free room and spending all my time with you instead.”
He chuckles. “So quit.”
I tilt my head and stare at him. “Quit?”
“Let’s make the rest of our time together just about us.” He walks over and takes me in his arms, but I step back.
I blink, trying to make sense of what he’s saying.
“I can’t just quit. This is huge for my career, Archer.
Huge. Having a monthlong sponsorship could open the door to my dream paid partnership, and I’ve barely been putting any effort in at all because we’ve been spending so much time together.
” I take another step back, suddenly feeling like I need a little space.
Here we go again.
He draws in a breath, and it’s as if he’s nervous for what he’s about to say. “I want you to come work with my foundation. You’re smart, Mills. Savvy. You’ve got this great background in social media, and you could lean into it.” He opens his mouth to add more, but I stop him.
“Thank you for the invitation, but I already have a career,” I say, my voice starting to tremble a little.
“I get that, but why is this your career?” he asks.
That’s a great question, actually. But my brain takes the defensive route. “Because it’s been my fucking dream since I was nineteen!”
“But do you actually love it, or do you love the opportunities and the validation?” he asks. “I’ve seen how it affects you. How you’re a different person when you turn it on. It’s not the real you, the one you’re starting to let me see, and it’s not what you need.”
“But I do need you?” I guess.
“As much as I’m starting to need you,” he says softly.
His words are a spear right into my heart.
He’s saying he wants to take whatever it is we’re starting past this month, but he’s only willing to do it on his terms. Only if I quit my job. Only if I come work for him. Only if I give up what I’ve worked so hard for.
My dream.
Except…is it still my dream?
Or has Archer Bradley become the dream?
This partnership hasn’t been what I expected when I was first invited to stay for a month at this resort. I want to post what I want to post when I want to post it. I want my freedom.
What I don’t want is to get yelled at by a hotel manager because I’m not posting what he wants me to post.
I don’t know what I want. But I do know I can’t just give up my identity for some guy I barely know—no matter how he makes me feel, no matter how connected we are. No matter how much I’m starting to fall for him.
“Excuse me,” I say, mostly because I don’t know how to respond to his words. “I have to go get my ass reamed by the hotel manager.” I spin and practically run out of his room and head to the main tower, where Diedrick’s office is.
It’s more formal than the breakfast meetings we’ve had, but I assume this is where I’ll find him.
I’m emotional. I’m upset. I’m on the verge of tears, and I’m panting since I ran over here from Archer’s suite.
My room this week is actually here in the main tower, and I’ve only been in it a handful of times. I didn’t even move my suitcase to this room, instead opting to keep it in Archer’s room at his suggestion.
When I get to his office, I knock on the doorframe. He glances up over the tops of his wire-rimmed glasses.
“I was told you wanted to see me?” I say, the words inflecting like a question.
“Ms. Monroe, have a seat.” He nods to the chair opposite his desk. “Thanks for coming by so quickly. I’ve been reviewing your content, and I haven’t seen what we spoke about.”
“Frankly, Mr. Pinder, I’m shocked you’d insinuate that I should compromise the privacy of one of your VIP guests,” I say.
“I have word that there are several teammates on the way to spend time with Mr. Bradley. I believe it’s a surprise.
Our stakeholders appreciate when our paid partners highlight the full guest experience.
If that happens to include any notable guests staying here, that certainly wouldn’t hurt the resort.
I think you’ll find benefits to your own accounts as well. ”
I blow out a breath as I contemplate how to respond, but he jumps back in before I can.
“Ms. Monroe, the choice is yours. But I do believe you’re aware of the influence I have in this industry,” he says absently as he studies a piece of paper in front of him.
“And you have another week here. It wouldn’t look good if you lost your access and perks, would it?
You have a lot of work to do. You’re barely meeting the minimum requirements, and this is one potential way to make up for that.
” He offers a fake tip of his lips and nods at the door. “You can go now.”
“I’m sorry, sir, but you can’t do that.”
He looks surprised that I’m standing up for myself. “Excuse me?”
“I’ve made it clear from the jump that I’d be here an entire month. If you pull my access and perks now, my followers will know something happened,” I say.
He thinks about that for a moment, and then he nods once.
“Fine. But I stand by what I said. I know a lot of people in the industry, and if your aim is to gain access to any of the resorts here in the Bahamas or in the same brands of Berkshire Resorts, you’ll be out of luck finding anyone who will be willing to take a risk after my experience with you.
On the other hand, I can also offer a paid partnership with our brand if your content does what you claim it can. ”
I press my lips together. I will not cry in here. I will not cry in here.
This is the second time this asshole has made me feel this way, but the stakes are even higher this time. He’s essentially blackmailing me for my dream of a paid partnership with the Berkshire brand of hotels.
What do I do? What the hell am I supposed to do?
“I’ll think about it,” I finally say. I stand and walk out of his office.
There has to be some way out of this. I can put him on blast for telling me to showcase his celebrity guests. That wouldn’t look good for this place, but it’ll just make me look like the petty little whiner who got a free vacation.
Or I can do what he says. I can save my career by posting whichever teammates come to the resort. I don’t have to include Archer in that, despite what Diedrick is telling me to do.
I know it’s wrong. I hate the very idea of it.
But I’m also pretty sure it’s my only choice.