Unexpected Turn

by CY Jones

  Nodding, I reply, “I think I do.” McHottie is a distraction. A distraction I can’t afford to keep.

  “Good, good. So my son tells me you’re living with him now. I did not think your relationship progressed that far.”

  I’m sure if I had a cup of coffee I’d be spitting it out all over his expensive desk. Did Tyson have to be that forthcoming to his father?

  “Don’t look so shocked,” he chuckles. “I know everything going on in my son’s life. Do you think a beautiful woman moving in with him would escape my notice? If he didn’t tell me, I would have found out anyways.”

  “Well..um, sir...you see I haven’t actually moved in yet. I mean he asked, and I stayed over last night.” Oh my God, Jade, shut the fuck up, I chastise myself. I’m completely embarrassing myself. Here Garfield is lecturing me about distractions and I’m being affected by one as well as being just that, a distraction to his son at the same time. Garfield suddenly laughs at how uncomfortable I am and reaches over, placing his hand over mine and gives it a slight squeeze.

  “I’m glad he’s finally settling down. I’m sure you two will be good for one another. What do they call it nowadays? A power couple.” I smile at that, finally at ease from this first morning back.

  For the next hour, Garfield goes over where we left off. Turns out, reading about litigation law came in handy and I was able to follow along and share what I read. Learning with Garfield is always interesting, and when I leave his office, I am beaming until I see nasty Nancy waiting on me at my desk.

  “Are you fucking Mr. Garfield too? You’re such a slut. Keeping it in the family, huh?” Her nasally voice makes me want to punch her, but I rein in my anger. A step up from yesterday.

  “How do you figure that? According to you, I’m also fucking Grayson and the last time I checked, he’s not related,” I snark and she narrows her eyes on me.

  “Just so you know, I’m watching you. This little innocent act you got going on won’t last long, and soon everybody will know just how much of a whore you really are, then they’ll be kicking you out of here and onto the streets where you belong.”

  Thinking about what Garfield told me, I turn to her. “You know what, Nancy? Watch, snap a picture, I really don’t give a shit. You’re jealous over a desk job, which shows just how pitiful you are to settle on something so insignificant. I see bigger things in my future, but don’t worry, once I leave to achieve those things, you’ll be the first person I recommend to run the front desk.” With that, I dismiss her, going on with my work like she isn't there. Garfield is right. Nancy is merely a distraction, one of the many in my life trying to prevent me from becoming great.

  The rest of the day passes by quickly. Grayson never came into the office. He and Lewis have been in court all day. Apparently, their case was right at the thick of things. I also wasn’t asked to bring anything to them, which was good. Tyson treated me to a nice lunch, leaving me with a sweet, teasing kiss before he had to go to the courthouse himself. Unlike his father, who deals with criminal cases, Tyson is actually a kickass family attorney, which doesn’t surprise me with how passionate he is. I would love to see one of his opening or closing arguments in court one day, or just watch him period. After I have the baby, I was thinking of going the prosecutor route. I think I’m better at proving that people are guilty. I could never do family law filled with petty divorces ripping people’s families apart. No, I’d like to go after criminals and put them where they belong.

  “I have a present for you,” Tyson says once he’s back.

  “Another. Haven’t I had enough with this?” I ask, showing him my arm.

  “That was yesterday’s present. Today is a new day. Now, smartass, close your eyes and hold your hand out.”

  “Tyson,” I gasp. “I thought I was your jewel.”

  “Jade,” he groans all serious like and I laugh before doing as he asks. When I feel something cold in my hands, I open my eyes to see a familiar keyfob resting in my palm.

  “Is it really a gift if it’s already mine?” I question, raising my brow.

  “Technically, it’s new since the tracker has been removed and your every move is no longer being monitored.”

  “I’m doubtful the Hastings have been monitoring my every move. They probably haven’t paid the tracker any attention until Grayson mentioned it to you yesterday so you could find me.”

  “Well, now they can’t at all. Anyways, I wanted you to have your own car here. I have to work late getting things ready for a case I have in the morning and don’t have time to drive you home.”

  “Oh,” I say, disappointed. When the hell did I turn into that girl? You know the type? The ones who act like they can’t do anything without a man. “It’s fine. I have to go by my place and pack some clothes anyways. I don’t think your father would look kindly on me wearing the same dress to work for the third day in a row, and then I need to go by the gym and meet my new trainer. I bailed on him yesterday by not showing up.”

  Frowning, he moves closer. “You’re disappointed.”

  “No, I’m not,” I lie. “You’re busy, I’m busy, we’re both….”

  “Busy,” he adds, interrupting me.

  “Precisely,” I reply.

  “You know, I find your possessiveness kinda hot. It means you’re starting to see me as more than a friend. Now we're finally going in the right direction.”

  “I’m not being possessive,” I huff.

  “Sure you’re not. I know you, but I’ll let it slide, just this once. I’ll see you at home,” he replies and saunters off before I can get the last word in. I’m tempted to shout after him, but I refrain for work sake. I’ve been enough of a soap opera for these dull people as it is.

  After I finish my work, I check on the remaining partners, which is just Garfield, and make sure he doesn't need anything. When he tells me he’s fine, I pack up to leave. When I get to the underground garage, I’m happy to see my car sitting there, waiting on me. As nice as riding in Tyson's Porsche is, there’s nothing like being behind the wheel of your own ride.

  Traffic is light and it doesn’t take long for me to get to the townhouse. I make quick work of changing into my gym clothes and then pack my things in a couple of suitcases. I’m used to not having much so I don’t pack many things, just what I’ll need for work, gym clothes, and outfits I’ll feel comfortable lounging around in. It won’t be long before I won’t be able to wear any of my clothes and will have to go shopping anyways. I’m pulling my luggage down the hall when I hear Nichole behind me.

  “So it’s true; you are going to go live with him,” she sighs like she’s so disappointed. What the actual fuck? How dare she judge me. “You know, Jade, I really thought you were smarter than that.”

  For whatever reason, her words make me angry. Isn’t she the one that’s been pushing me on her husband? The same people who put a tracker on my car, and have been trying to control my life since I agreed to work for her? “Who are you to say you know anything about me?” I question, biting back what I really want to tell her. “You don’t even know me, Nichole.”

  “I know you well enough, and I know you’re making a mistake.”

  “Do you now? I think the only mistake I have been making was letting you and your husband dictate my life, but that’s done now. Consider this a renegotiation. I’m going to do whatever the hell I want, and when this child is born, I’ll make sure to call you.” Without hearing what else she has to say, I walk past her and out the door.

  But I still hear her reply, “This isn’t the end,” before I’m fully gone. I’m sure it won’t be, but I’m too angry to argue with her anymore about it. It’s best we go to our respected corners and cool down before continuing this battle.

  Maybe going to the gym after a fight with your employer was a bad thing. I did not think. I just left knowing I needed to find an outlet before I did something crazy. When I walk into the gym and over to the front desk, I ask for my new trainer. After ten minutes of waiti
ng, I’m about to ask what the hold up is when Rob walks over to me.

  “What are you doing here? Where’s Ben?” I ask, looking around his bulky body. Maybe he’s hiding behind him or something.

  “Ben? You mean the trainer you tried to ditch me for,” Rob sneers.

  “I didn’t ditch you for anyone. You were acting like a total ass and I already have enough of those in my life so I decided to do us both a favor by getting a new trainer. You’re welcome, by the way.”

  “I’m not telling you thank you. Ben is not your trainer, I am, and the sooner you get that through your pretty little head, the better.”

  “The hell you are,” I shout.

  “You think I’m lying? Ask the front desk,” he challenges and I storm off to do just that.

  When I walk back over, he has a cocky smile on his face, knowing exactly what I was told. That Rob is indeed my trainer and there is no other one available in the future, but they’ll keep me on the waiting list if I’m still unhappy. “You had no right,” I tell him. I know the waitlist is nothing but bullshit. I won’t get another trainer unless I go find another gym and I’m not a Planet Fitness kind of girl.

  “Do I? This is my gym after all.”

  “What are you talking about?” I frown.

  “Oh, did I fail to mention I own this place? I guess your boyfriend isn’t the only one with deep pockets. Come on, you have a lot of catching up to do from missing yesterday,” he informs me and walks off. He doesn’t give me the chance to ask any of the million questions in my head before starting the treadmill for my warm-up, and to make sure I can’t talk, he turns up the speed, knowing damn well I’ll have to concentrate on my breathing instead of talking.

  18

  Jade

  A month has past and I haven’t heard a peep out of Nichole since our disagreement at the townhouse. I still see McHottie in the office, but he doesn’t talk to me, nor look my way, even if we’re in the same room, and there has been plenty of opportunities for us to talk. After winning his case, he was assigned another one just as excruciating, spending many long nights in the office. He never asks me to stay; instead, choosing to have Nancy, of all people, run errands for him. If he thought referring to her would hurt me, he’s wrong. All he’s doing is showing just how much of a jackass he really is. Nancy has been over the moon about the promotion, bragging to anyone who’ll listen how she’ll soon be fast tracked off the bottom floor as an intern to Grayson’s personal secretary. If he does do it, more power to him because the bitch is annoying as fuck.

  Tyson, on the other hand, has been wonderful. He’s really going for that golden boyfriend award. Granted, he works a lot, and spends a lot of long nights in the office, but at least he’s not screwing the secretary or meeting up with women and having flings like everyone predicted he would. When he is around, he makes sure to show me that I am the only one who matters, like I’m the center of his universe. It’s new territory for both of us since I never had a devoted boyfriend before with a steady job and who doesn’t do or sell drugs, and he’s just now learning the meaning of an exclusive relationship. He’s always finding ways to prove to me that he finds me beautiful and cheering me up when I’m down. I still haven’t fucked him yet, and I know it has been hard on him to deny his urges and not touch me the way he wants.

  I still don’t know why I’m torturing us both. At night, I toss and turn dreaming about all the things I want him to do to me. Sometimes McHottie makes an appearance in my dreams, sometimes Rob. Then there’s the one where all three of them are fucking me at once, making me wish I can be a why choose kind of girl, and the guys in my life would be fine just fine with it like some heroine in a reverse harem book. Each morning, I wake up wrapped in Tyson’s arms, my body subconsciously seeking him out at night, realizing him holding me is the only way I find any sleep. I don’t know how long I’ll be able to keep my distance. Now I’m at the point that I really don’t want to. Both Nichole and McHottie have shown their cards and they’re ugly. Tyson was right all along. Grayson is a married man, unavailable, and completely off limits, but where does that leave Rob?

  Over the weeks, I have grown a slight baby bump and had my first official doctor's appointment, which Nichole did not show up to. Tyson had to work, and there was no way in hell I was asking McHottie, so I attended it alone. It wasn’t that bad, and I loved hearing my baby's heart beat over the monitors. Hearing it reminded me that I was at least doing something right.

  “Wow, you look stunning. No one will be able to compare,” Tyson says as I stand in the foyer, looking at my reflection in the mirror. I didn’t recognize myself. I looked like a princess or something. Tonight is the grand ball for the firm and I was super nervous about it. Because it’s a special occasion, Tyson hired a super team to dress me and do my hair, nails, and makeup. My dress was a bold choice, a dark green satin with a deep V in the front. At my waist, it flared hiding my slight bump perfectly. It hung to my knees in the front, and trailed all the way to the floor in the back. It even had pockets. Pockets are life, oh and coffee. I fucking miss coffee. My black velvet pumps were Valentino as is the matching clutch I’m holding. To finish off the outfit, I wore the bracelet Tyson gave me as well as a pair of emerald and diamond teardrop earrings he gifted me this morning. I woke up to him smiling ear to ear with the box laying beside me.

  “I think you’re biased,” I say, replying to his comment.

  Moving closer, he gathers a thick strand of my hair between his fingers, rubbing them together. For the occasion, I’m wearing it down and it hangs like silk a little past my shoulders. It has grown quite a lot, and I haven’t had it in me to cut it again.

  “I can’t wait for the day you’ll see yourself clearly. You’re absolutely beautiful, a jewel meant to outshine all others.” He’s so close. His words make me weak in the knees. Hasn’t he more than proven he’s not a douche? On my own accord, I close the distance and our lips meet. An explosion goes off inside me and I devour his lips as his hands roam my body. When he pulls back, we’re both fighting for breath like we stole each other’s air. Pressing his forehead to mine, we just stand there, holding each other.

  When he moves, he gazes deep into my eyes, searching. When he sees what he’s looking for, he says in a husky voice, “If we don’t go now, I’m going to have you pressed up against the wall with your legs wrapped around my waist while I fuck you.”

  “That sounds like a party to me.” I wish I was teasing, but it was the absolute truth. I wanted this man badly.

  “Don’t tempt me, jewel. Our first time will be on the bed, either at the hotel the ball is being held at or here. Either way, tonight, you’re mine, but be warned, once I have a taste of you, I do not share.” I understand his meaning and I nod my head. Silly man, doesn’t he know there isn’t anyone to share me with? McHottie was a job and now it’s done. Rob is, I don’t know where Rob fits in with all this. He didn’t expand on anything about him after he dropped that bomb at the gym, and while he worked me to death, I was too tired to demand answers.

  Taking my arm in the crook of his, he leads me out to the car. For the night, he rented a Bently and a driver to give me the whole princess experience. I can’t say I mind Tyson spoiling me, plus the snobby people who will be attending tonight will be arriving in cars just as ostentatious.

  We ride in comfortable silence with Tyson holding my hand in his, rubbing tiny circles around my finger with his thumb. The small gesture was working me up and I tried to take my mind off how much I want to climb him like a monkey by staring at the city, watching it fly by out the window. It doesn’t take long to reach our destination, and Tyson has me wait until the driver walks around and opens the door for me. Making sure to not flash anyone, I slide out the car all lady like and shit, taking the driver’s offered hand and wait for Tyson to slide out the car beside me. He does so eloquently and once he’s beside me, flashes from cameras go off, momentarily blinding me from the tabloids snapping pictures of us together. By tomorro
w morning, I’m sure we’ll be plastered all over the covers of numerous magazines. We’re not the wealthiest couple attending this shindig, just the most interesting since I snatched one of New York’s most eligible bachelors. Jade, who are you wearing? How is Tyson treating you? How does it feel to be the woman everyone is jealous of? I don’t answer their demanding questions, instead I smile and give a slight wave as Tyson leads me inside.

  “Do you ever get tired of that?" I ask once we’re safe inside.

  “I guess I've kind of gotten used to it. Besides, you’re the only one I ever see anymore. Not the annoying paparazzi, just you. Everything else just fades away.”

  “Did you eat a bee hive?” I ask and he gives me a confused look. “Your mouth is dripping with honey.” When he gets it, he starts to laugh loudly and all eyes turn to us.

  “Is that another one of your mom’s Southern sayings?”

  “Nope, that’s a Jade original.”

  “Yes, you are,” he states.

  When we walk through the lavish double doors of the ballroom, Tyson’s father comes up to greet us. “Jade, don’t you look like a vision,” he compliments. “You’ll definitely have to save me a dance tonight."

  “Sure thing, boss.”

  “Aren’t we pass the formalities by now? Call me Lawrence or Garfield if that’ll make you more comfortable.”

  “Sure thing, Garfield.” It’s not like I was already calling him that in my head. I don’t know how Silver Fox would go down with him.