Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 138526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138526 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
He’s even more livid now than he was before. “I’m not kidding around.”
“Prove it.”
“I don’t want to fire you. You’re forcing my hand.”
I shrug my shoulders. “Well I’m not moving until you’ve calmed down and apologize.”
“Me? I should apologize?”
“Yes, or stop playing games like Pax and tell me what the fuck I did wrong so I can apologize!”
He winces, obviously not liking the fact I compared him to my ex. This seems to calm him down immensely, the anger leaves his eyes, but a harshness remains in the creases. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I didn’t?”
“No,” he grits, sitting down beside me. “It’s me. I just need to go home and be with my family.”
“Why? We’re supposed to be celebrating, remember?”
He looks at me and I look at him. “I don’t feel like celebrating anymore.”
“Why?”
“I had some… bad news.” He rubs his eyes and looks away, his profile emanates so much sadness and frustration.
“Do you want to tell me about it?”
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because it won’t change anything.”
“Fine, but I’m here if you need me. Even when you’re being an ass.” I lean forward and go to press my lips to his cheek but he turns his head at the last second and I capture his soft lips instead. I jolt back, surprised and anxious. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to——”
I squeak, letting out a high-pitched noise from my throat when he grabs my hair and crushes his lips to mine. His minty tongue licks the seam of my lips but I just can’t.
I can’t even entertain this right now.
What is he doing?
This is going to ruin everything.
His hand grips tighter, his kiss gets stronger.
I rip my head to the side and pull free so hard I fall away from him. “What are you doing?” I shriek, tears filling my eyes as I scramble to my feet and he follows.
“I…” he stammers, trying to find the right words, eyes panicked, desperate.
When he doesn’t find them, he yanks me to him again and tries for another kiss.
This is Mr. Conti… my boss… my friend… a married man… father to a little girl I adore. Yes, I’ve had weird dreams and fantasies about him, but what he’s asking of me right now is to play a part in ruining his marriage.
I wonder how many other women already have.
I slap him around the face harder than I’ve ever slapped anyone around the face. My hand stings and a shiny red welt shows up across his cheek.
We stare at each other but it’s me who speaks first and my words are dripping with vehemence. “Consider this my two weeks’ notice.”
“Oh shit, what did I miss?” Robert asks, appearing from his room at the exact moment I needed him to. “Why’d she quit? What happened?”
“Rose,” Mr. Conti calls as I walk away from both of them. “Rose… I’m sorry.”
“Don’t ever speak to me again,” I reply. “We are no longer friends.”
“Oh shit, you did something really bad.”
“Shut up, Robert.”
I walk away, ignoring them both, feeling my lips tingle and burn so desperately. Truth be told, I didn’t think I had the power to push him away, but I can’t be her. I can’t be the other woman. I can’t be the reason Maria has two homes, and that’s how these things always end.
Chapter Twenty-Two
He wants me.
“Please, just let me explain, or apologize…” He tries to speak to me repeatedly, but I plug in my headphones and ignore him. I’m not going to be some notch on his adulterer bed post. I’m nobody’s second best. I don’t want a man who is already married. No matter how badly I wanted that kiss he so desperately gave me.
I can resist desire. I know I can. That’s all this is.
When I unplug my headphones to give my ears a break, I can hear Robert and Mr. C talking quietly. The sound carries to the back of the private jet where I’ve burrowed into a seat with a blanket and my phone.
I strain to hear them but catch bits and pieces.
“You wouldn’t wake up, my keycard was in your room, I couldn’t be bothered to go to the reception.”
“That’s not…” Mr. C trails off for a moment. “… So, you didn’t sleep with her?”
“We slept, she rejected my advances if that’s what you’re wondering.” He laughs quietly. “Why do you care, Ezra? What does it matter if I fuck your staff? She’s not my staff.”
“I don’t want her to get hurt.”
“She looked pretty hurt by you before we left.” He glances my way, but I avert my eyes and make it look like I’m playing on my phone. I can see the back of Mr. Conti’s head from where I’m sitting and see all of Robert’s face. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” he lies and my heart sinks further. Just another lie he’s going to go and tell his wife.