by Hannah Ford
“Is that a threat?” The words were out of my mouth before I realized they probably weren’t the best thing to say to my boss a second after she’d pretty much told me she should fire me.
Kiersten shrugged, seemingly unfazed by me calling her out. “It’s a fact, Adriana. This is a very small industry. People talk. And if you make the wrong move, if you decide to be a little baby tattletale, I’ll make sure that what they’re talking about is you.”
A little baby tattle tale? It too me a second to realize what she was talking about, and then I got it -- telling Callum. She didn’t want me to tell Callum, because she knew he might do something about it.
But Kiersten wasn’t done. “So if you value your career, even just a little bit, you’ll keep your mouth shut and get back to work.”
The elevator doors opened again then – someone on our floor must have pushed the button for the elevator.
Kiersten stepped out and started down the hall toward her office, leaving me standing there for a moment, trying to catch my breath.
A girl stepped onto the elevator, young and harried-looking. She was wearing a flowered skirt and a peasant blouse, and she was clutching a maroon folder in her hand.
She had a dreamy look on her face and a laminated visitor badge clipped to the pocket of her blouse. She must have been interviewing for a job.
She started to push the button for the lobby, and then her glance fell on me, frozen in the corner.
“Going down?” she asked, her cheerful tone faltering as her eyes drifted down to my ruined shirt.
“You have no idea,” I sighed.
* * *
Kiersten kept me doing busy work all day, scurrying around to different toy and party stores around the city to pick up things for a book signing Archway was having that night for one of their children’s authors.
She communicated with me only through email, one after another, including a particularly terse one instructing me to get a new shirt, which I did, at a GAP near the office. I did the best to do as I was told, buying tiny little toys and favors for the children who were coming to the book signing, and toting them all up to the Barnes and Noble on the Upper East Side.
The signing was at five o’clock, and I was sure Kiersten would expect me to not only attend, but to stay and clean up after. I was all ready to text Callum and tell him that I wasn’t sure I could make dinner, but Kiersten surprised me by sending me home early. It definitely wasn’t a reward for my hard work – it was a punishment for what she’d found out this morning.
But I wasn’t going to fight her on it.
I still had a couple of hours before it was time for Callum to pick me up for dinner, so I decided to take the subway back up to my apartment in Morningside Heights so I could pick up some of my things. If I was going to be staying with Callum, or at least, at a place of his choosing, I wanted to make sure I had some of my own stuff. (Although he hadn’t mentioned where I would be staying tonight – if I couldn’t go back to his satellite apartment, then where would I stay? I wasn’t sure, and it made me slightly anxious.)
In any case, I wanted my makeup, my laptop, my own shampoo and conditioner. I was sure Callum would have gotten those things for me if I’d asked, but I felt kind of weird about it.
As soon as I got off the subway at Morningside Heights, I tapped a text to Callum letting him know he should pick me up at my apartment instead of at the office like we’d planned.
I climbed the subway steps to the sidewalk at West 104th Street, every step reminding me of Callum as the vibrator inside of me put gentle pressure on my clit. He hadn’t made it vibrate all day, which had somehow made the torture even worse. I’d spent the whole day in a state of anxious anticipation, wondering if he was doing it on purpose, to keep me on edge, or if he was even thinking about me at all. His presence was a constant in my mind, never going away no matter what I was doing or who I was talking to.
I pawed through my bag for my keys as I got closer to my apartment, slowing down as I tried to figure out what I was going to tell Nessa about why I was grabbing a bunch of my stuff.
Should I tell her I was moving in with Callum? It felt weird to say that, and besides, it wasn’t even true. I wasn’t moving in with Callum. I would be staying in a place he’d chosen for me, yes, but I wasn’t going to be living with him.
I’d just decided that for now I would just say that I was planning on spending a few nights at his place, when someone fell into step next to me on the sidewalk.
Jason.
I tensed, my hands tightening around my keys in case I needed a weapon.
I whirled around, ready to fight.
But it wasn’t Jason walking next to me.
It was Isaac, my neighbor and Nessa’s boyfriend.
I let out a sigh of relief.
“Sorry,” Isaac said, giving me an easy smile. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“Oh, no, it’s fine,” I said. He was dressed in a suit and a tie, his hair neatly combed. “Did you get out of work early too?”
“Yup.”
“Time off for good behavior, huh?”
“Something like that.” He grinned. “You?”
“More like time off for bad behavior.”
“Ah,” he said, sliding his hands into his pockets and nodding sagely. “Been there, done that.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “Oh, yeah. It’s like a rite of passage or something. Everyone needs to get sent home from their first job by an angry boss. Haven’t you ever seen the Devil Wears Prada?”
“Have you ever seen the Devil Wears Prada?” I asked, shocked.
“What, I can’t be in touch with my feminine side?”
I raised my eyebrows at him skeptically.
“Fine,” he said, sighing in mock defeat. “I saw it with an ex-girlfriend.”
I laughed. We were coming up on our building now, to the wrought-iron gate that separated it from the street. We walked through together until we got to the steps that would take us on different paths – him upstairs, me down.
“Well, see ya,” I said, giving him a wave. “Have a good night.”
“Yeah, you too.” He started up the steps and then stopped. “Hey,” he said, leaning over the railing and staring down at me. “I was thinking of heading out, maybe grabbing some dinner and drinks, seeing what games they’re showing at the bars. You in?”
“Oh,” I said, surprised. “Um…” Isaac wasn’t asking me out on a date, was he? No, I told myself. He was probably just being nice, since he knew I’d had a bad day at work. He felt bad for me and was trying to cheer me up. He probably already had plans with Nessa and was just inviting me along as a third wheel.
“No, that’s okay,” I said. “I actually have plans tonight.” I wasn’t sure, but I thought I saw a look of disappointment pass over his face. “But I’m sure Nessa will be excited to go.” I could hear the sound of the television coming through the door, so I knew she was home already.
“Yeah,” Isaac said. “Yeah, maybe.”
Maybe? What the hell was that supposed to mean?
“Okay, well, um, I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah,” he said, giving me an easy smile. If he felt guilty about asking me out, he wasn’t showing it. Was it possible I’d totally misread the situation? Probably, I told myself, sliding my key into the lock. God, could I be any more arrogant? Not every guy has a thing for you, Adriana, I told myself. Like that whole thing that had happened with Dean. Yeah, he’d given me his card and told me to call him, but that didn’t mean anything.
Still. You should have told Kiersten.
I was going to. First thing in the morning. She was already so upset with me, it wasn’t like it could get any worse.
I was turning the doorknob and vowing to try to forget about my horrible day, when the door opened from the other side and Nessa grabbed my arm and pulled me into the apartment. I lost my balance and almost fell as I flew through the door, my bag flying every which way
and my phone skittering across the floor.
“I thought I heard you out there,” she said. “Thank God you’re here.”
“Why is it thank God I’m here?” I asked as I picked up my phone.
Thankfully it wasn’t broken.
But I had a text from Callum.
Stay at work, Adriana. I do not want you traipsing around the city by yourself.
Too late, I tapped back quickly. I’m already here. Just pick me up at seven.
The reply came immediately.
On my way.
I sighed.
“Why is it thank god I’m here?” I asked again, looking up from my screen. And that’s when I got my first good look at Nessa. “Oh my God, Nessa,” I said. “What’s wrong?”
Her face was streaked with tears, her skin oily, her hair a tangled mess. Her eyes were puffy and red, and when she spoke, she sniffed before speaking. “It’s my mom,” she said. “I think she’s sick.”
“What do you mean you think she’s sick?”
“She went for a physical yesterday, you know, just routine. But she’s been feeling tired, so she mentioned it to her doctor, and they ran some extra blood tests. And they found something off with her blood counts. Some kind of blood disorder, I’m not totally sure.” She sniffed again, and I reached over and ripped a paper towel off the roll in the kitchen and handed it to her.
“Thanks,” she said, and blew her nose. “Anyway,” she said, and now she sounded a little calmer. “The doctor is sending her to a specialist, so she’s coming to the city.”
“Nessa, I’m so sorry.” I reached over and rubbed her shoulder. She was hunched over, and she felt so small. “Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?”
“I’m okay. I mean, I’m not okay, but I’m sort of okay. My sister is going to bring my mom in from New Jersey. We’re all going to go out to dinner and then they’re going to spend the night here. Is that okay? I know I should have asked you first.”
“No, no, it’s fine,” I said. “I’m going to be out tonight anyway. Unless you want me to stay here?”
I crossed the kitchen and opened up the cupboard, pawing through it until I found a satchel of Nessa’s favorite green peppermint tea. I filled up the tea kettle like I knew she liked – Nessa always said that tea tasted better from the kettle rather than if you just heated the water up in the microwave -- and then put it on to boil.
“Where are you going?” she said with another big sniff.
“Callum’s.” It was deliberately vague, and it wasn’t a lie. I was going to Callum’s. “He’s on his way to pick me up.”
Nessa managed a smile. “I’m glad,” she said. “I had a feeling you guys would work it out.”
“Thanks.” I finished fixing her tea then settled her down on the couch with it. “Are you sure there’s nothing else I can do?”
She shook her head. “I’m fine,” she said. She glanced at the clock on the wall. “My mom and my sister should be here any minute.”
I nodded. “Okay. I’m going to go grab some stuff from my room, okay?”
“Okay.”
I ran to my room and grabbed one of my duffle bags, quickly filling it with my laptop, some pajamas, and a book. I headed for the bathroom and added my makeup, shampoo, and conditioner, along with my electric toothbrush.
When I got back to the living room, Nessa was sipping her tea, her hands wrapped around her mug.
“How you doing?” I asked.
“Better.” She held up her phone. “My mom and sister just called. They’re looking for parking.”
“You want me to wait with you until they get here?”
She shook her head. “No. I’ll be fine.”
“You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
I let out a quiet little sigh of relief and hoped Nessa didn’t notice. Of course I would have stayed if she needed me, but I was happy she didn’t. The idea of running into her mom when she was going through something so major wasn’t exactly appealing. And her mom probably didn’t want to see me, either.
It was a time for family, not a random roommate she barely knew.
I would head outside and wait around the corner at Jitters, my favorite coffee shop, until Callum got there.
“Text me if you need anything,” I called to Nessa on my way out.
When I got out onto the street, I ran into Isaac again. He’d changed from his work clothes into jeans and a navy blue sweater.
“Hey,” he said, looking pleased to see me again. “Heading out?”
“Oh,” I said. “Um, yeah. Just to Jitters.”
“I’ll walk with you.” He reached over and took my duffle bag from me before I could tell him I was fine. I still had an uneasy feeling in my stomach about him asking me to hang out. But maybe he’d invited Nessa and she’d told him she couldn’t because of her mom. And that was why he’d invited me, so that Nessa could have some alone time with her family.
“Did you hear about Nessa’s mom?” I asked as we began making our way down the street. The sidewalk was teeming with people now, as we were fully into rush hour, and I had to raise my voice to be heard over the din of voices and car horns and engines.
“Yeah.” Isaac nodded. “I was really sorry to hear that. Is Nessa okay?”
“She was hanging in there,” I said. “Her mom and sister were coming to stay at our apartment tonight. I’ll probably text her later to make sure she’s okay.”
He nodded, but didn’t say the same.
“Are you going to see her tonight?” I asked pointedly.
“Probably not,” Isaac said easily, and I had just decided that I was going to press him this time, that I was going to ask him why he wasn’t going to see her, if maybe they’d had a fight or something, when I heard a voice calling my name.
A very angry voice.
“Adriana!”
I looked up.
Callum’s car was parked on the street, and he was getting out of the driver’s side and striding toward me purposefully.
“Oh,” I said to Isaac. I reached out and took my bag from him. “That’s my ride.”
“Isn’t that the guy who threatened Garrett?” Isaac asked, his eyes widening in alarm.
“He didn’t threaten him,” I said, before I realized it was a total lie. Callum had threatened Garrett. “I mean, it was kind of a misunderstanding.”
“Whatever.” Isaac shrugged. “Catch you later, Adriana,” he said, and then he was gone, doubling back and heading down the steps for the subway.
“Who the fuck was that?” Callum demanded when he got to me. He looked just as sexy as he had this morning, his suit perfectly pressed, his hair perfectly placed, his shoulders broad and strong under his jacket.
“That was Isaac. He’s my roommate Nessa’s boyfriend.”
“Why was he holding your bag?” Callum demanded. He reached out and took it from me.
“He was just helping me.”
Callum took in a breath through his nose and then turned and began striding purposefully for the subway stairs that Isaac had just gone down.
“Callum!” I rushed to catch up with him, stepping in front of him and attempting to block his path. “Callum, stop! You can’t go around threatening every guy who talks to me.”
“Why not?”
“Please,” I said. “Don’t. It’s not… I mean, I want to spend time with you and I don’t want anything to ruin it.”
He relaxed slightly at my words, his jaw softening, his eyes dimming. But a second later, the storm was back. “What are you wearing?”
I looked down at my new shirt from the GAP.
“Oh,” I said, swallowing hard. “Um, I’m … I had a little accident earlier.” I thought about telling him about my morning, how I’d run into Aubrey Zane, how she’d dumped coffee on me. But if I did that, then I’d have to admit that Kiersten knew I’d been with him and if I did that, then I’d have to tell him what Kiersten had said to me, how she’d threatened my job. And then he might
– no, he would – try to do something about it, and that would make everything worse.
“What kind of accident?”
“I spilled coffee on myself.”
His jaw tightened. “All clothing choices need to be approved by me, Adriana.”
“I know.” I swallowed and raised my chin in the air, almost daring him to do something about it. “Do I need to be punished now?”
“Is that what you want? To be punished?” His voice was raspy, his hand tightening around my wrist. “Is that why you were bad, Adriana?” He pulled me toward him and kissed me hard, his tongue moving past my lips and into my mouth, teasing me. His hand wandered down over my ass.
“Callum,” I protested, pulling back. “We’re in the middle of the street.”
“Like I give a fuck.” He pushed his mouth back against mine, holding the back of my neck tightly, not letting me move away from the kiss, letting his hands roam over my body, over my ass, my hips, the small of my back.
My knees went weak and I melted into him as he took over everything, every sense, every sensation, every feeling I’d ever had.
When he finally pulled back, I was breathless.
“God, I want to fuck you,” he said. His hand was still on the back of my neck, rubbing my skin softly, moving my hair off the back of my neck as a breeze blew by.
“Take me home,” I murmured. “Callum, take me back to the apartment.”
The desire burned in his eyes and he rubbed my neck harder.
“You’d like that wouldn’t you, baby? Your ass getting spanked again, feeling my hard cock down your throat.” He brushed his thumb over my bottom lip.
“Yes, sir.”
His grip on my neck tightened, and his eyes hooded as he leaned in and kissed me again. Then he pulled back. “Not yet, baby,” he said and grinned wickedly. “First I’m going to wine and dine you.”
