Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
JAMISON
Hunter and I are eye to eye, ready to rip each other’s heads off. My chest heaves as fire burns through my veins.
Dori shakes her head at me, warning me not to explode. “I’m fine. Both of you, I can get up on my own.”
She forces us apart. Hunter smirks, knowing he’s got me in a chokehold. I try to rein in my hate, but nothing will change my mind about him. He’s a horrible person.
How could she turn to him for comfort after what she and I went through yesterday?
It wasn’t Hunter’s baby Dori lost, yet he was the one who took care of her and held her all night.
I’m doing my best to hold in all my anguish, but I’m close to my threshold and don’t care that Aiden’s here to witness it all.
She pushes off the floor as Hunter and I stand and move away. She walks over to Aiden and gives him a hug.
As she does, Hunter leans into me and slaps me on the side of my arm. “How’s Lauren this morning?”
He said it near my ear, so I don’t think Dori and Aiden heard it. I glare and shove him away, seething inside.
Until I get things straightened out with Lauren and know she won’t attack Dori, he’s got me right where he wants me. He laughs under his breath and turns to Dori.
“I’m going home to get ready for the day. I’ll check on you later.” He strides over to the door.
She follows him. “Thanks, but that’s unnecessary. I’m fine.”
“Nonsense. You were up half the night sick and in pain. I’ll get everything in order at work and call you afterward to give you an update. If you touch anything work-related, you’ll be stepping on my toes, so don’t think of lifting a finger.” He stops and faces her.
“Okay, I won’t.” She glances down. “But I feel bad.”
“Not another word.” He leans in, gives her a kiss, and then stares at her lips like he’s going to eat them. “What that mouth and those pouty lips do to me. Damn, beauty. You’ve got me for life.”
“Stop. Not now.” She brushes him away and her pale face turns bright red.
Someone should kill me now. I’m sure he said it to aggravate me. But now the question’s in my head.
What exactly did she do with her mouth?
I think I’m going to be sick.
“Jamison and Aiden, it was nice to see you this morning. Jamison, I’ll see you in the office soon. Aiden, if you have time before you leave, I’d love it if we could sit down and have a discussion about my relationship with your sister.”
Hunter dips his head at Aiden. “Just ask Dorothy for my number if that’s something you’d like to do. I know it would mean a lot to her if we found a way to get along.”
“Don’t count on it,” Aiden growls.
And that’s why he’s my best friend. He has my back even when he doesn’t know it.
I can’t hide the smug smile from appearing on my face. Hunter glances my way and notices how pleased I am. His eyes shoot me with invisible arrows .
I laugh to myself, knowing I got to him. It might be something small, but I’ll take every inch of dissatisfaction I can give him.
Dori turns his shoulders and leads him out of her loft. “Goodbye, Hunter. Thank you for helping me last night and with work today. I’ll make it up to you soon.”
He says something to her in the hallway, but I can’t make it out. Aiden shakes his head as he assesses them.
“He stays the night, and she thinks nobody will find out? It’s almost like she’s trying to get fired.” He sighs and moves to her sofa.
His statement lands funny with me. I’ve never thought about it, but it could be a possibility.
“She wouldn’t do that, would she?” I stride toward him.
“Not consciously, but who knows? She’s playing a stupid game with her career. Anyone can see that.” He sits and looks around her tiny loft. “When is she going to move to a nicer place? One with a separate bedroom would be nice.”
“Tell me about it.”
I stare at her bed and wish I could erase the memory of finding Hunter in there with her when we walked into her place. At that moment, I was convinced the heartbreak I was going through would be fatal.
She comes back and heads toward Aiden. “I like my place. It’s cozy. It may be small, but I don’t need a lot.”
Her soul-gripping eyes catch mine. Now that Hunter’s gone, my anger falls away. My love for her swells, making me want to comfort her so she knows she’s not alone.
Our loss has to be killing her inside because it is me, and I didn’t have to go through the physical part. I can only imagine the depth of her grief.
She breaks our stare and glances away from me like she doesn’t know me. A smoke screen shrouds her face to hide anything she may be feeling.
My insides squeeze, and a ball of grief gets shoved down my throat. It’s torture to see her and not be able to talk to her about what’s going on. It’s tearing me apart.
I need to leave to escape my agony. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to use your bathroom.”
“Of course. You know where it is.” She sits next to Aiden as I rush to her restroom.
As soon as I close the door, I grasp the counter and take a deep breath to avoid my emotions. This would’ve helped, except a sanitary pad container is in my sight.
Yesterday comes crashing down on me. The open box can only mean one thing. Our baby is gone. A wave of nausea hits me hard.
My chest tightens, and I rub my hand over it to relieve the pain. It’s almost unbearable.
Swords fly toward me from the invisible knife thrower by the name of misery and each one cuts deep into me. One after another, they slice through my heart. My mouth dries and I can barely swallow as hopelessness consumes me.
I thought this bathroom would be a barrier from all the pain of a future lost, but it’s not. This is a slow, torturous room of hell.
I want to run out of here and grab her by the wrist. Then pull her out the door and out of this city so we can start a life in a new place with new hope—a place where the love between us is accepted and not crippled by all of our suffering.
I throw some water on my face, get myself together, and open the bathroom door to find Aiden and Dori sitting on the couch.
He’s got his arm around her, and her head is on his shoulder. Their relationship has always been close like this, and the thought of it makes me drenched in guilt.
“Dori doesn’t feel well, so she’s staying home from work. Since we can’t go to breakfast like originally planned, I told her I’d go get her some coffee and juice. ”
“She can’t have coffee or orange juice.” The words fall out of my mouth without thinking.
Fuck!
I’m usually better when it comes to formulating what I want to say. But when it comes to her, I’ve got loose lips with a mind of their own.
“Why can’t she have coffee or orange juice?” Aiden glances at me with a mix of confusion and anger bunched on his face.
Her head lowers as I clamor for words. “Because, you know. She’s been sick.”
“If she didn’t want them, she would’ve told me.” Aiden eyes me up and down.
I growl my annoyance.
“What’s with you, Jami? You’re acting very protective of her. And if I didn’t know better, you and her boss have some animosity going on. I know you and there’s more to this story.” He moves his arm away from Dori and stands.
My eyes shift between Dori and Aiden. She won’t look up, so I’m on my own. Not shocking since I’m always on my own when it comes to her.
“Aiden, she’s not feeling well. Everyone knows coffee and juice are highly acidic. She might want them, but they won’t help her feel better. She should be drinking water and bland tea. I need her back at work as soon as possible.”
I drive my hands on my hips and stare. “We have a launch that has to go off without any problems. She’s directly involved, so if you’re reading into me being protective, you’re damn right I am. My business is riding on this, so I want her better.”
“Jami’s right, Aiden. I’ve dropped the ball a few times. I’d be surprised if I have a job if this launch fails. I’m still queasy and as much as those sound nice, they would upset my stomach. I’ll stick to water and make some tea. ”
Aiden runs a suspicious eye over her. “Are you sure? I don’t mind bringing you some if you want.”
“No, that won’t be good for me.” She smiles his way. “If you’ll give me a minute, I need to use the bathroom.”
He nods, and she disappears into that room of hell seconds later.
Aiden waits for her to close the door. “Now that she’s busy, what’s up with you and her boss? I couldn’t help but notice the shove you gave him. He turned around, feeling pretty good about whatever he said to you, so let me hear it.”
“We do not get along. He loves to play Dori and me against each other.”
“How so?”
“Ninety percent of the time when she and I fight, it’s because of him and something he’s stirred up between us. He’s bad news, and she doesn’t see it. I wouldn’t be surprised if he sabotaged this launch to screw with me and get her fired just so she’ll marry him.”
“What? He wants her to get fired? So he can marry her?” Aiden’s face turns red in an instant. “That does it. I was considering it before, but now I’m going to investigate that guy.”
“Do you think you’ll find anything? The business seems legit to me.” I study Aiden.
“The business probably is. But it’s a casino company, so who knows? That doesn’t matter anyway. I wouldn’t be investigating Efron Worldwide. I’d be investigating him. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and that guy is definitely burning something somewhere. Mark my words.”
God, it pays to have a best friend who’s in the FBI.
I hide my smile. “Let me know how I can help. Their relationship spells trouble. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.”
“What’s a disaster waiting to happen?” Dori comes out of the bathroom and gives Aiden and me the stink eye .
“The deal the Broncos made with the new quarterback.” He plays it off without a hitch.
How many times has he done that with me?
She continues to analyze us as she returns to the couch. I’m not sure she believes us, but she’s weaker than usual since she’s sick, so I hope she drops it.
“If you say so.” She sprawls out on the couch and covers herself with a blanket. “I’m sorry, Aiden, but I didn’t sleep well and I want to take a nap.”
“We’ll get out of your way in a minute, but it’s my turn to use the bathroom.” He disappears into the room of hell.
I wait until the door’s closed and then bolt to her side once it is. I kneel next to the sofa, rushing the most crucial conversation I need to have.
“How are you feeling?”
“Don’t do this, Jami. I don’t want to talk about it.” Her eyes hold a heavy shield in place.
“Just tell me you’re physically okay and I won’t say anything else.”
“I can’t do that because I’m not well. I’m in pain, tired, have cramps, and on top of that, I’m having my period. Other than that, I’m wonderful.” Her sarcastic words are bitter, almost like she’s trying to hurt me.
“Why are you acting this way toward me?”
“I don’t need to explain it. You were there.”
Does she think this is my fault?
Is she upset that I didn’t demand to stay and help her last night?
“Look, you need to know this. I wanted to be the one here taking care of you last night. Not him. If you would’ve let me, I would’ve told Aiden everything.”
Her brows pinch together. “What are you saying?”
“Aiden’s not going to stop me anymore, so when you’re ready, I’m ready.” I stare deep into her eyes, trying to communicate my feelings for her with laser-like focus .
Her gaze bounces around my face, and she sinks further into the couch. “Ready for what?”
“For us to be together. What else would I be talking about?” I brush her hair away from her face. “We can make it work if we want it bad enough. The way I feel about you hasn’t changed. I love you.”
Her eyes close, and she shakes her head. “Please don’t.”
The tone of her voice and those two words are like a steel fist to my jaw. I’m disoriented. After everything’s said and done, she doesn’t want us to be together. It’s never going to be me.
Once again, I’m obliterated. “Oh, I see. I guess… I assumed after?—”
“After nothing. This is done. As far as I’m concerned, nothing happened.” She sucks in a shaky breath and hooks me with a glare. “If you bring it up to me again, it’ll be the last conversation we have unless it’s work-related.”
“Dori, you can’t be serious.”
“I’m dead serious. Am I making myself clear?” She pushes up on her forearms and spits hate fire into my eyes.
My soul turns into a hollow ghost. I can’t move my gaze away from her because I’m waiting for her to take it back. It never comes. My hopeful heart is shredded.
I huff in frustration. “Crystal clear, but before it’s done and we never speak about this again, I have some things to say. You don’t get to dictate everything because I’m a part of this too, Dori.”
“Jami, stop.”
“No, you’re not the only one hurting. I feel the loss just as much as you do. And if you doubt that, you shouldn’t.”
The water in the bathroom turns on, so I know I only have seconds left.
“Dori, I’m not running cold anymore. I would’ve been there for you through all this. You could’ve leaned on me, but you turned to Hunter instead. When you look back on this, know the distance between us was your choice. Not mine.”
My body trembles. I steady myself and then finish what I have to say.
“You need to keep your appointments with the doctor. You may require further treatment or else there could be terrible consequences to your health. And finally, read the damn list of things to avoid.” My blood races and seethe inside. “Now we’re fucking done.”
I stand and glare hard into her eyes, stuffing all the hurt and pain down deep inside me. She and our lost child are just two more things I love that will be added to the list that makes up my eternal pain.
That thought has me rubbing my chest to work the ache out of my heart from being trampled on by the beautiful temptress that lies before me.
I should be surprised when I find Melanie pacing in my office, but I’m not. “Good morning, Mel. What’s new today?”
“That’s why I’m in here. I haven’t been able to get ahold of Dori. Hunter assigned everyone on the marketing team tasks that are marked urgent. When I went to talk to her about it, I was told she’s not coming in today.”
“There’s your answer, so why are you looking at me like I have something to do with this list of urgent matters?”
“What happened at her doctor’s appointment?” Mel rests her hands on the back of the chair and stares me down.
“Dori’s sick. Some kind of female infection.” I place my computer bag on my chair and move some papers that were left on my desk .
“Jamison Stone. Are you telling me you gave her an STD?”
“God, no. You need to get your facts straight.” I scowl and set up my desk.
“You were the one who said it.” She rounds the chair and moves to the edge of the desk. “Who gave you the atomic wedgie that’s stuck in your ass?”
“Ask your best friend.” I pretend to be looking over something important while forcing my agony away.
“Now she’s my best friend? What’s the problem with calling her by her name?” Mel pushes the papers over and climbs onto my desk.
Not in any mood to play her games, I deadpan, “This is a desk, not a chair.”
“Hmm. I see you’re not having any of my charm today.”
“Charm? Is that what you call it?” I shake my head. “Mel, I’m not upset with you, but I need to get to work. I have so much to do and little patience to do it.”
“What’s that got to do with me?”
I gesture to the desk. “Your butt is in the same spot I set my computer up.”
Mel’s voice sings as she pushes herself off my desk. “Understood, but trust me. I’ll get it out of either Dori or you. You can count on it.”
“What exactly are you looking to get out of Dorothy or Jamison?” Hunter’s standing in my doorway, rubbing his chin as he looks at Melanie and me.
Great.
Now I get to deal with one more layer of hell. Torture chamber, here I come.