Tatum didn’t answer. Her therapist knew what was happening.
“Did you know it’s alright to be angry at someone and not want them out of your life?”
Seth was enjoying breakfast at Score when his eggs, bacon, and toast were dumped in his lap, followed by his orange juice.
Seth surprised himself. He was actually calmer than he would have ever envisioned.
“You stupid son-of-a-bitch. I hate you.”
Seth placed the plate back on the table. He ate the bacon and put everything else back on the plate. There was nothing he could do about the orange juice.
He pushed back his chair.
“Aren’t you going to say something, you filthy, stupid, backstabbing asshole?”
He walked to his office door, grabbed the woman walking beside him, and pushed her inside. Now, he was ready. She had some answers he needed.
“Karla…”
“No!” she yelled. “I’m doing the talking. I hate you.”
“That’s been established!” Seth yelled in return.
“I can’t believe you convinced me to take that deal. If it wasn’t for you, I’d still have my friendship with Tatum.”
Seth was surprised more than concerned. “Does Tatum know?”
“Hell yeah. She knows everything and—”
“You told her?”
“Yes and—”
“When?”
“It doesn’t matter—”
“The hell it doesn’t matter. When did you tell her?”
Karla took her time. When she finally told him, he quickly connected the dots. Now he knew why Tatum had come to see him that day. She’d planned to confront him about the deal. Then she’d overheard his conversation with Gabby.
It was his turn to be pissed. Karla had done this to get back at him.
“Why the hell didn’t you give me that account?” Karla couldn’t resist asking.
“You’re sick,” he said, disgusted. “Your friend just found out we had a deal and all you can think about is the account?”
“Yes, and why not? My friendship is ruined. All I have is my job, which I’m barely hanging onto thanks to your bullshitting me into believing I had the account.”
“You’re pathetic.”
“And you’re any better? Tatum was so confused about you and Gabby that she didn’t know what to do.”
Seth pointed his index finger at her. “At least I didn’t betray her.”
“Betray her? You’re the one who decided she was something to do while you waited for Ms. White Right.”
He gave a humorless chuckle. “You have no idea what I feel for Tatum.”
“Let me guess. You’re in love with her like no other woman you’ve met before. Please Seth, I know your type.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah, all you wanted was that piece of black ass to make yourself feel like a man. You didn’t care about Tatum. If you did, you wouldn’t have made the deal.”
Seth wasn’t going to discuss the deal. It was dead. All he wanted was to console Tatum. He didn’t care what Karla thought. He was deeply in love Tatum.
“What does that make you? You accepted the deal.”
“You forced me to take it.”
He shouted, “Don’t you dare blame me! I didn’t twist your arm.”
“I hate you, do you know that?”
Seth shrugged. “Do you think I give a damn how you feel about me?”
She reached up to slap him, but he grabbed her arm. He tightened his grip around her wrist. He knew he couldn’t hurt her. He didn’t want to. He just wanted to give her a reality check.
“Let’s get two things straight here. You lost your friendship because you chose your job over Tatum’s feelings. You lost the account because you had to force the issue.”
Karla snatched her arm away. “I didn’t force the issue. I convinced Tatum to be with you.”
Seth wasn’t going to discuss it. “Next time, get it in writing.”
“You sick son-of-a-bitch.” Karla rushed out of the office.
Seth picked up the phone and dialed a number. “Gault, please. Tell him it’s Seth Carter.”
He didn’t see this as revenge. If Karla wanted to blame him for all her problems with Tatum and in her career, he couldn’t stop her, but he could make her pay for what she did to Tatum.
Karla’s boss hurriedly answered the phone.
“Gault…” he answered, stopping briefly as Karla’s boss interrupted him with needless information. “Please, this will be brief. I was very interested in your firm representing me, but…”
He explained the situation and let Karla’s boss decide what would happen next.
Tatum stood at the entrance of Score. She was underdressed for a night on the town, but that wasn’t her concern at the moment. She had an agenda. Her therapist had made it seem like she was afraid to confront Seth, but she wasn’t scared of Seth. She simply didn’t want to be with him anymore. That was why she was here. She was going to prove her therapist wrong.
Tatum decided she would confront Seth, end their relationship, and leave. It was that simple.
Full of false self-confidence, she didn’t wait for the hostess to approach her. She entered the club and walked to his office, but he wasn’t there.
She rushed around the club to find him, growing frantic. She couldn’t let the confidence she’d struggled to keep disappear. She had to hurry and get this over with before she lost her nerve.
She was close to giving up when she finally saw him talking to Mrs. Rapport on the second floor. They were having a deep conversation about something. He looked down, shook his head, then threw his hands up. She studied him, biting her bottom lip.
Tatum approached them. Seth stared at her, then turned his back to the new manager. He motioned for his employee to leave, but she didn’t.
Seth reached out to touch Tatum, but she stepped back, avoiding his touch. She knew it was vital to keep eye contact. He had to know she was serious.
“I will meet you in your office in ten minutes. We need to talk.” She forced her voice to be strong, even though she trembled inside.
“We can go now.”
“But Mr. Carter…” Mrs. Rapport interrupted.
Seth glanced back. “We’ll continue this later.”
Tatum continued to psych herself up for the talk as they walked to his office, but when they arrived at the door, she wanted to run. She couldn’t do this. The dread from long time ago returned. Something bad was going to happen.
“Babe, I appreciate you giving me a chance.”
“I…don’t!” She sidestepped his touch again.
He nodded his agreement not to touch her again, leaned against his desk, and waited.
“This will be quick. I just wanted to tell you…”
Seth waited. His intense stare made Tatum look away. “Tatum?”
“Why…”
“Mr. Carter, could we talk?”
They turned to the intruder. It was Mrs. Rapport.
Seth walked past Tatum. He looked at Mrs. Rapport then pointed at the hallway. Mrs. Rapport crossed her arms over chest like she was refusing to do as he’d ordered. Tatum watched Mrs. Rapport’s shoulders slump, then she exited.
He slammed the door and turned his attention to Tatum. “Please continue.”
“That was rude,” she remarked.
“She knew we wanted to be alone.”
Tatum shook her head, grateful for the interruption. It reminded her why she was there. Better yet, it reminded her of the kind of man Seth was. He couldn’t be trusted—especially with her heart.
“Is that what you do with people who get in your way?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I was talking about…” She raised her voice not really knowing why she raised her voice, “you and me and that damn deal! You have to have everything you want. When I got in the way of that, I became an object.”
“No,” he corrected. “It…it wasn’t like that.”
>
“Then why did you make the deal? Hell, why did you think it up?”
Seth paused.
“Don’t think up a lie. Tell me the truth,” she demanded.
“I am. I’m…it was a split-second decision. You turned me down at breakfast and I didn’t think you were going to change your mind.”
“Then I became an object. You didn’t want to be with me. You had to have me.”
“No. That’s not how it happened. But the deal was in very poor taste. I can readily admit that.”
“And?”
Seth paused. “You already know that I’m sorry if you feel hurt. I didn’t mean—”
“Sir, Mrs. Rapport needs you.” An employee interrupted them.
Seth exploded. “Tell Mrs. Rapport to handle the situation to the best of her ability. If she doesn’t know what that is, then she better start looking for another job.”
“Yes sir!” The employee seemed all too happy to deliver the message.
Tatum wasn’t going to let him get off easy. “Do you realize how many people were hurt by what you did?”
“I know I hurt you. But Karla…” He seemed to struggle for the words that wouldn’t offend her. “Karla was just…”
“What?” she questioned. “An afterthought or an innocent bystander?”
“I didn’t force her to take the deal. I didn’t think she was going to it. When…”
“You didn’t try.”
“Sir,” the same employee
Seth turned to her. “Tell Ralph to handle it.”
This was a message she obviously didn’t want to deliver. “But sir…”
“Trina, do you want to keep your…” Seth stopped, realizing Tatum was in the room.
The woman left without saying anything else. Tatum shook her head. For the first time, she realized he was on a permanent power trip.
“There’s no help for you,” Tatum said in disgust. She tried to walk past him but he stopped her.
“Listen, I’m under a lot of pressure.”
“Who put you under that pressure?”
“My life has turned to shit since you left. Do you know that?”
She told herself she didn’t care.
“Can we get out of here? I’d like to take you to a place where we can talk privately.”
Tatum declined. She wasn’t going to let him trick her into going somewhere private on the pretense of talking.
“It’ll be on the up-and-up. I swear. We just keep getting interrupted here.”
“I drove my car.”
He suggested, “Why don’t we drive back to my place…”
“No.”
“Fine, we can go to a restaurant.”
“I don’t think so.”
“How about your place?”
She thought about it. It was her territory and she would call the shots. If she changed her mind during the drive, she could refuse to let him inside. So, she agreed.
The whole time she drove to her place, she thought about the deal and Gabby. Seth had broken up with Gabby only to use her. She didn’t understand. “He likes a challenge,” she could hear Karla say.
For the first time in her life, she knew what love felt like. It had felt great until it turned around and bit her in the ass. She didn’t love him; she was in love with him.
Tatum had heard the two phrases many times, had thought it was a copout. Now she knew the difference. She couldn’t imagine her life without him. Somewhere, somehow, he’d taught her how to love a man simply for who he was.
But that didn’t excuse his behavior. He’d hurt her. He was now teaching her another lesson. She was learning how not to play the fool. Seth thought she was an object to be used. Well, she wasn’t going to end up like Gabby. Seth didn’t decide when it was over.
Seth slowed his BMW behind her Jetta. Each found a parking space but Tatum didn’t wait for Seth. She hurriedly entered the apartment. Rushing upstairs, she locked the door and leaned against it, needing a moment to herself. Just one moment to feel in control again. He could wait or go home, if it took too long.
“I’m sorry. You know I am,” he said through the door as she listened on the other side.
“Go home, Seth.”
“Tatum don’t do this. Please.” Seth paused. “I know you’re angry…Tatum…Tatum?” He sounded frantic. “Tatum, are you alright? I’m coming in if you don’t tell me you’re okay.”
Go ahead, break my door down. You’ll be in jail so fast…
The lock clicked. She remembered the key. He’d talked her into giving him a key.
“What are you doing?” Seth asked angrily.
“Get out or I’ll call the police. I have a right to do so.”
“You heard me calling you. Why didn’t you answer?”
“You don’t own me.”
“I don’t to want to own you. I want to make sure you’re alright.”
“You could have asked,” she told him foolishly.
Seth shook his head. “I did, several times.”
Tatum shrugged. “Now you know how it feels to be in the dark.”
He pointed at her. “Don’t try to teach me a lesson. I was raised a long time ago.”
“Then don’t play with my emotions,” she bitterly challenged him.
“I never have.”
“Yes, you have!” she yelled.
“Tell me when I did?”
“The deal,” she boasted.
“It wasn’t about you. I never played with your emotions.”
“Fine, Gabby then.”
“She had nothing to do with you either. Gabby and I had sex before my relationship with you. I never cheated on you.”
She paused.
Gesturing with his hands, Seth smugly challenged, “You’ve got something else? Bring it.”
Tatum walked away. He grabbed her and made her face him. His intense stare scared her. She knew he wasn’t going to hurt her, but the stare made her fear she was no match for him.
“I want you to tell me what I did to hurt you. Don’t use the deal or Gabby as an excuse.”
“You can’t do that,” she countered, fearing she didn’t have an argument without them.
“Do what?” he questioned.
She felt childish for saying it but did anyway. “You don’t have the right to make up the rules.”
“So you don’t have any more charges, no more ammunition.”
“I do.” She moved away from him.
“Well,” he said, his tone smug. “I’m waiting.”
Tatum searched her mind. Everything she came up with involved the deal or Gabby. She could have used Ralph, but that had nothing to do with her. However, Tatum wasn’t going to give up without a fight. She wanted to teach him a lesson. She had to show him she wasn’t going to be messed with, and she knew how to show him too. The only way he understood.
Tatum approached him. She ignored the skeptical look on his face.
She passionately kissed him. He seemed stunned at first. Then, he pressed her against him. She loved the feel of him, and she forced every touch, caress, and kiss into her memory. She was going to need it for the long, lonely nights ahead.
He pushed her slightly away.
“What?” Tatum tried the innocent act.
“What are you doing?”
“If I have to explain what I’m doing then you’re a little rusty,” she said sweetly.
Seth challenged her. “What about your anger?”
She began undressing him. “I don’t want to think about that.”
“Why?” He stopped her.
“I need you.” Tatum told the truth.
He tilted his head back so he could make eye contact with her.. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
Tatum kissed him before his words registered. She pulled back. “Excuse me?”
“I’m not going to let you…do whatever you’re thinking. I respect you too much.”
“What am I thinking?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you
want to use sex to get back at me.”
Damn, she hated this man. She couldn’t believe he knew what she was doing. She just wanted him to hurt like she did. She had to use the one thing he understood.
Seth backed away from her.
Tatum’s wrath was now mixed with embarrassment. “You’re pathetic. I’m so glad I never fell in love with you. I am not going to be one of your whores on the side.”
“One of my…listen, I know you’re angry. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but that has nothing to do with us.”
“We aren’t together.”
“If that’s what you needed to say to get you through this, go ahead.”
She yelled, “There was never an ‘us.’ You were right the first time. I was experimenting.” He didn’t respond. “Did you hear me? I just wanted to remember how fucking a white guy felt.” She could tell Seth was becoming agitated. “And guess what—you aren’t my first.”
Seth ran his hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. “Curse me,” he said with forced calm, “do whatever you want, but don’t bring race into it.”
Good, I’m hurting you. Unlike him, she was being honest. He wasn’t the first man outside of her race she’d had in her life. Just the first she’d let herself foolishly fall in love with.
“I’m telling you the truth. You weren’t the first and you definitely weren’t the best.”
Seth exploded. “What the hell do you want me to say? You want me to convince you I’m the best lover you ever had? I can’t.”
I want you to beg me to come back to you. I want you to reassure me you didn’t mean hurt me. I want you to make this all go away, make it stop. To go back to the way things were.
These were the answers, the truth she couldn’t speak. Instead, she aimed another insult. “I just thank God I used you. The only thing I’m more thankful for is that I didn’t fall in love with you.”
He laughed. “You’ve mentioned that so many times I’m actually starting to believe you do love me.”
She bristled but didn’t give in. “You are nothing but a selfish, conceited son-of-a-bitch. You think about nothing, but yourself, and I hate you.”
“Babe, what’s your point? You knew all this before you dated me.”
“Oh sorry,” sarcasm sizzled like grease on a hot skillet. “I forgot men will do anything for sex.”
The Score Page 14
