by Layla Wilde
“Well, whatever.” She waved a hand, not looking back. “You deserve your privacy, and if someone can’t take a hint, you need to drop an anvil on them or something. I’m telling you, sometimes it’s like they don’t even hear what you’re saying. It’s the rudest thing.”
I smiled and decided to change the subject. “So what did you order?”
As she always did, Darla took everything in stride. “I ordered a large chicken and feta lasagna that we can share, as well as some of those really delicious cheese and herb sticks for an appetizer.”
My mouth watered immediately. “Now that—” Before I could finish my sentence, the breath hitched in my throat.
“Steph? Sweetie?” She looked at me with concern. “What is it?”
Neither of us had really paid much attention to the news lately. Now, I wished I had. On the table, almost innocently, was the front page of a local paper someone had left behind. On it was a photograph of Damian Masters. He was shaking hands with his father, and next to him were two beautiful women. One of them hung on his arm.
“Holy crap,” Darla hissed, snatching the paper up to get a closer look. “You have got to be kidding me. He ditched you for these two idiots?”
My heart started to pound, and my chest felt uncomfortably tight. I wanted to burst into tears or run through the café screaming. I had no idea which one would help me, but it was doubtful either would. Swallowing hard, a slight shake vibrating through my hands, I clenched a napkin to my chest and tried to act as normal as possible.
“It doesn’t matter,” I whispered. When Darla gave me an incredulous look, I pressed my lips together and shook my head. “Please… it doesn’t.” I was barely keeping myself under control. “Can we just have a good time and eat our food?”
I was shutting down, hard. I could feel it all the way to my bones, and my brain felt completely blank. He’d told me how much commitment scared him. Maybe it was finally time to let that hope I had been holding so tightly go.
“Okay…” She folded the paper and slipped it into her purse. “Yes, we’re going to enjoy our lunch. And then we’re going to get back at him.” Her eyes narrowed, and she had a wild look in her eyes. Her finger pointed at the table, and she nodded. “Thursday night, it’ll be just you and me. We’ll curl up in blankets and watch silly movies all night.”
“Okay… That sounds wonderful…” I tried my best to smile. “Thank you.”
She nodded and pointed at the table. “And I know it’s childish, but after our movie night I’m going to call him and tell him about the great time we had without him. Because heaven and hell be damned if I let some asshole manipulate and hurt you like this!”
Her protective nature had always baffled me, but I appreciated it more than I could have imagined. “Okay, let’s do it. But not for revenge. More for us. He doesn’t need to be involved at all.”
“Okay.” She reached out and took one of my hands. “Thursday, I’ll come over at nine.”
I smiled again, sighing as I pushed some hair back from my face. “That sounds really nice….”
“It will be. But no ditching, okay? You promise?”
I nodded and tried not to grin at the serious look she gave me. “Thursday, you’ll come over at nine. Movies and blankets.”
Damian
Everything had gone so well at my father’s retirement party that I was still reeling. A month later, I still received phone calls and emails about how impressed people were with me. A modeling agency had found out about the loss of one of my contracts and was scheduled to meet with me at the premiere of a movie in ten minutes. I was already on set. I was starting to feel as though everything would be okay.
Stephanie would be fine on her own, I had decided. She probably didn’t want anything to do with me anymore because of my behavior. I felt a deep ache in my gut without her, but I told myself that as long as I supported her financially, she could go on as normal. She was buried deep down inside along with all of the other regrettable things I had done in my life. With a company to run and a promising new contract, I didn’t have time for a baby.
My gorgeous new clothing director, Marcel, approached me with a smile on her lips. “Hey there, handsome. You all ready to go?”
I adjusted the wine-colored lapels of my custom suit and nodded. “Absolutely, sweetheart.”
“You never told me…” she stroked her fingers along my arm, goosebumps rising in their wake, “what happened to the last clothing director? I heard the two of you were good friends.”
“We were.” I offered her a painful smile. “How about you come over to my place when we’re done here and I’ll tell you all about it?”
“That sounds divine.” She kissed just under my ear, placing a hand on my chest. “And by the way, you look immaculate. I outdid myself this time.”
“Thank you.” I inclined my head and winked at her.
“Alright, is everyone ready?” I looked up as the film director came sweeping through the set. “Ready, ready, ready, ready?” With each ‘ready,’ he pointed at people, myself included.
“Ready,” I said, taking in a few soothing breaths.
“Alright, Damian, you’re up first! You’re in a good position right now, so we’re going in five, four, three, two…” He gestured for me to go instead of saying ‘one.’
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,” a newscaster next to me said. “My name is Clarissa Manes, and I’m here from FashMob News. With me is Damian Masters, the new owner of the impressive Future Tech, and Marcel Collette, his clothing director. Can you tell us a little bit about why you’re representing the new movie, Dark Tech?”
I put on my usual ‘news’ smile and nodded. “Certainly, Clarissa. The movie, Dark Tech, is about a post-apocalyptic world that’s been taken over by machines. These machines were originally created to make the world run more efficiently. Unfortunately, their definition of ‘efficient’ isn’t the same as ours.”
“That sounds so interesting! Can you tell me more?”
“If I did, I’d ruin the movie. But one thing I will say is this: The original corporation that caused all the problems was run by a charming man in a wine-colored suit.”
“Oooh, should I be scared?” She laughed. “And what about you, Marcel? What’s brought you here today?”
“Damian, of course.” She hung onto my arm as though we were lovers. “But the movie will be fantastic, too.”
“I should also mention that I’ll match whatever the premier makes and donate it to five different charity corporations around the world.” I smiled broadly as I spoke, trying to soften my voice so I sounded more generous and approachable.
“Wow, that’s amazing! What brought on such generosity, Damian?”
“Being generous is a good way to give back to the world. It’s given me a lot of amazing opportunities and experiences, and I want to show how appreciative I am for that.”
The reporter beamed at me as though I was her favorite flavor of cake. I smiled charmingly at her, making sure to show my teeth. She licked her lips, and I felt Marcel grip my arm a little tighter, her nails digging into my suit. Her possessive nature both amused and aroused me, and I thought less and less about Stephanie.
“That sounds like a beautiful way to give back.” Clarissa turned away from me and faced the camera. “What a generous man, matching the premiere proceeds tonight and then donating to five different charity corporations around the world. I’m Clarissa Manes from FashMob News. Have a good night and enjoy the show!”
As the camera panned away from me, I looked at Marcel. She gave me the most mischievous smile I had ever seen on a woman. “You know what I think we should do?”
I raised both eyebrows. “No.”
“I think we should ditch this joint and go straight to your place.”
“Oh really?” She tugged on my arm, and I let her lead me to her car.
“Mhmm… Get in, baby.” She opened the door for me, and I glanced back briefly before sliding insi
de. I had said my piece, and I would be donating a hell of a lot of money. Mind you, all of the charities were involved with Future Tech, so I wouldn’t really be losing much, but no one needed to know that.
“You do realize I’m supposed to be on site all night, right?” I pulled on my seatbelt despite that fact.
“Yep. But I like my men a little naughty. Do you have any in you?” She pressed a hand to my chest and kissed me.
Surprised by her boldness—though I needed a little boldness in my life—I bit her bottom lip playfully. “Let’s go. Just drive. Do you know where I live?” I was heating up already under my suit. My clothes were far too confining, and I couldn’t wait to get them off.
“Oh yeah, I know.” She flashed me a seductive grin and made the car rumble to life. My place was less than ten minutes away.
Her lips were like soft velvet against mine. Her hands were strong and demanding. They’d already torn my button-down wide open and pushed one side of my suit jacket off. We were barely even in the doorway of my house and she was all over me. She was like a lioness trying to take down her prey, and I was the one being hunted. It was a thrilling, exhilarating feeling, one I had grown used to. I absolutely loved the feeling of a woman throwing herself at me. I lived for that kind of attention.
“Easy. Easy.” I laughed deep in my belly, cupping her face in my hands. “This suit definitely costs more than your car.”
“I don’t want to take it easy.” She slid a leg up my side. “And deep down, I don’t think you want to, either.” She took my hands and pulled them down from her face, kissing me so hard my lips ached. With a low groan, I gave in to her, wrapped my hands around her bottom, and pulled her up against me. She wrapped both legs around my hips and clutched her arms around my neck, clinging to me.
“Mmm… oh, fuck… I want you so bad, Damian.” She kissed along my jaw and sucked on my earlobe, sending a zing through me. Her hands pushed at my suit and my shirt, gripping it, trying to drag it all off. There was nothing elegant about her. She was all wild and untamed passion.
Something, though, was missing. As I tilted my head to the side and pushed her back against a nearby wall, I struggled to figure out what caused the void inside me. She didn’t fill it the way women normally did. She felt insignificant and fake, like she really was some kind of toy and not the sex machine I had hoped her to be.
She must have noticed something lacking in my performance because she drew back, gasping for air. Her hands slid through my hair, and she gave me a wicked smile. “What’s wrong, baby? Am I too much for you?”
“No…” I moved her away from the wall, walking with her until we reached my living room. As I collapsed on the couch, I made sure she was under me when I landed, my hips grinding into hers. “I just have a lot of my mind right now. I have no idea how much money I’ll be donating to those charities, and I prefer absolutes. Surprises aren’t something I enjoy.”
“What about surprises like me? Do you enjoy those?” She watched me coyly while she pulled apart the beautiful suede vest she wore and displayed two massive breasts. They were clearly fake, which I normally enjoyed, but they didn’t ignite anything in me tonight.
What’s wrong with me? I thought. Those are some amazing breasts! And I don’t even care.
“Wow, those are some amazing breasts.” I sounded convincing, at least to myself. She bought it because she wrapped her arms around the back of my head, clenched her fingers in my hair, and kissed me so hard my head spun. I moaned again, rocking against her, one of my hands cupping one of her breasts. My thumb slid back and forth over her nipple, and I wondered how they had been contained without a bra.
“Aren’t they?” She pushed them at me, grabbing me harder and kissing me deeper. Her tongue pushed into my mouth, and I sucked sensually on it. The exhilaration and the spark I usually felt with a woman was diminished. In fact, with Marcel, it was all but gone. “And tonight, they’re all for you.”
With a seductive grin, Marcel gripped me by the shoulders and pushed me off the couch. I landed on my back and felt my cell phone in my pants pocket. When my clothing director straddled my lap and kissed me, I had no time to address the possibly broken piece of technology. It wouldn’t be hard to get another one, anyway. She kissed me harder, and her hands reached for my belt. For reasons I couldn’t understand, I stopped her, my fingers closing around her own. She giggled and kissed the tip of my nose.
“Awww. I really am too much for you, aren’t I, baby? How about we take it a little slower?”
She rocked her hips against mine, but for the first time, I didn’t feel myself responding.
“Marcel…” I sat up, pushing her gently off me. “I can’t do this right now. It’s late, and I have too much on my mind.” I got to my feet, even though she tried to pull me down again. I glanced away from her and attempted to adjust my shirt and suit jacket, my brain whirling. What the hell was wrong with me?
“Fine.” She raised both eyebrows. “I quit.”
“You’re quitting because I won’t have sex with you?”
“Yep! Have fun trying to find someone as amazing and as talented as me, asshole.” She snorted, clearly furious, buttoned her vest, grabbed her things, and stormed out the door. When she slammed it behind her, I felt a sense of relief. I wondered if Rocco would be willing to take his job back.
“What an idiot,” I whispered, staring at the door. I hoped I would never see her again.
I shook my head, the weight of being alone nearly crippling me. I pulled my phone from my pocket to check if there was any damage. As I looked at it, I wondered if I should call Stephanie. After a few moments of thought, I shook my head and decided to call Rocco instead. As I went to my recent calls to find his number quickly, I froze.
Stephanie’s number was at the top, and it had been answered. My heart plummeted. I must have inadvertently answered it when Marcel had pushed me off the couch.
Stephanie had probably heard me with another woman.
Stephanie
“No, Darla, I can’t. No.” My breath was trembling as I shook my head. “I just can’t, okay?” Minutes ago, I had tried to call Damian. He answered, but what I’d heard I would never be able to forget: the sounds of him kissing another woman and of them giggling and laughing together. It had pushed me into a full-blown panic attack.
“Sweetie, it’ll just be us. You and me with blankets and movies.” There was a softness in my best friend’s voice that I had never heard before, but I couldn’t stand the thought of following through with our plans. It wasn’t logical, but I didn’t want to put more of a burden on Darla than I already had.
“I don’t want to.” That sounded so childish, but I was in a panic. My anxiety was at an all-time high, and my chest burned and ached with discomfort. The more Darla tried to convince me to let her come over, the worse I felt. “I just… I’m sorry, I don’t.”
She must have heard the catch in my voice because she remained quiet for a little while. Then she asked, “Do you want me to come over tomorrow?”
“Can I get back to you on that?” I looked down at my belly. “I’m really worried about what I’m going to do alone with a baby. I know I have you, but what do I tell her about her father? I can’t tell her the truth. ‘Sorry, honey, but your dad got me pregnant but decided I wasn’t pretty enough so he left me.’ What kind of lesson will that be for her?”
“Steph, you know that’s not true! You’re beautiful.”
Tears ran down my face as I looked at my TV. I had watched the news, trying to catch up on current events, and Damian had shown up for some movie premiere with an absolutely gorgeous woman on his arm. “Yeah, well, if you flipped to channel fifteen right now, you wouldn’t be saying that.”
There was a long pause. Then a gasp. “Oh my God, that asshole. What is he doing with her? Who is she?” I heard Darla growl. “That’s it, I’m coming over!”
“No, Darla, it’s okay!” The panic started up again, gripping my insides like a vice. “
It’s… Don’t come over. I need some space so I can figure out what to do.” After a moment, I whispered, “Please don’t hate me.”
She gasped again. “Sweetie, no! I could never hate you! I love you so much. You’re like my little sister.”
I smiled through the tears. “I love you, too.” As my breaths grew calmer, I shifted the subject away from me. “Why don’t you go out tonight? Take some friends with you and have fun.”
She sounded hesitant. “Okay, but if you need me, call me. I mean it!”
“I will, I promise.” I rubbed at the center of my chest and paced back and forth across the room. “I’ll talk to you later. Bye.” Without waiting for her to reply, I hung up.
My arms folded around my torso as I looked toward the phone again. I couldn't stop hearing that horrifying call. I needed him, and he had let me down so horribly I could barely even remember how to function. Finally, after what seemed like hours, I grabbed it again, as though it were going to bite me. I was finding it hard to breathe. But before I could put it down, it started to ring. To my horror, Damian’s number flashed across the screen.
The first thing I wanted to do was throw the phone across the room, but I answered it instead. “How could you do this to me?”
“Stephanie, hold on. Let me explain!” He sounded as panicked as I was.
“No! I tried to call you because I have no idea what I’m doing, and I haven’t seen you in weeks, and I hear you with someone else, and then I see you on TV with some bimbo with fake breasts! And when you went to that retirement party, your picture was in the news. You had two women on your arm. Did you fuck them, too?” I started to pant and raked my fingers through my hair. “How was she? Huh? Was she the same woman I saw you with on TV? Did you get her pregnant, too?”
“No, please… wait, just let me talk.”
I laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Let you talk? Should I let you come over here and seduce me like you did last time? Should I let you lure me into a false sense of security? You don’t care about me at all! You just care about your ‘sense of responsibility’ and how badly it will hurt you if you turn your back on this baby. The only one you care about is yourself, Damian! You’re the only one you’ve ever cared about!”
