by Chanel Ivy
“Emma Cross...”
“Oh, shit.”
“Now, wait a minute. You haven’t even heard what I’m going to ask yet.”
“I don’t need to. You two got involved, didn’t you? Something happened, and she’s all of a sudden whisked away to London on ‘business,’” he said, using air quotes.
“Well, yeah, but what do you know about her?”
“She’s wildly successful, beautiful, and a hard bitch that doesn’t take shit from anybody. Why?”
“I’m just trying to figure her out. We had something, like a real something, and it freaked her out.”
“I told you she doesn’t do relationships. She only does flings. Once she’s done with you, that’s it. Finite.”
“How many other ‘flings’ has she had?” It was my turn to use air quotes.
“I don’t know exactly. She’s normally with models or stuck up socialites that don’t think anyone is good enough for them unless there is a ‘B’ in front of their net worth.”
“Wait a minute, did you say ‘B,’ as in billion?”
“Yes, honey. Didn’t you know? Emma Cross is right up there with Walton, Mars, Bezos, and Jobs.”
“Shit. I knew she was rich, but I didn’t know she was that rich. Holy crap.”
“So, you can see why she’d be guarded about who she lets into her life.”
I knew that was one of the reasons, but not the reason she had for shutting me out. That was information I wasn’t going to get from Matt. I had to do some digging of my own. First, I should try to reach out to her before I ended up doing anything stupid that I didn’t need to.
We finished lunch, and Matt went back to his office. I pulled out my phone and texted Emma.
‘I’m so sorry about last night. I was wrong to not respect your privacy. I hope you can give me another chance. Missing you.’
I hit send and waited. Nothing. No message read receipt, no three bubbles indicating she was telling me to bugger off, nada. I was going to give Emma the rest of the day at least to respond before I tried to find more information on my own.
I went back to work emailing and calling clients, and the day flew. It was almost five when my phone buzzed on my desk. I grabbed for it so quickly I almost dropped it on the floor. I looked, and it was Todd. I was happy to see his text, but I was still hoping it was Emma.
‘Hey, Mom! I miss you. I had so much fun this weekend and great news. Dad said I could spend the summer with you! Can we go camping or on vacation somewhere please? You pick where.’
I knew Ben would see it my way. Now I hopefully wouldn’t have to get the courts involved to see more of my son. I didn’t like holding something over my ex’s head, but if that is what it was going to take to spend time with my boy, then damn it, that’s what this momma bear was going to do.
‘I’m so excited, Todd! I will plan an excellent vacation for us this summer. Let me know when you’re free to spend another weekend together, and I’ll clear it with your dad. Love you.’
At least that’s one problem solved.
I finished up my last few emails and walked out with Matt just after five. It felt good to leave the office before or at the same time as everyone else.
As soon as I got home, I booted up my laptop. Still no response from Emma, so I guess I was going to have to do this my way. I pulled up a search box and typed in Emma Cross. The expected information about her company came up. I scrolled through some of the articles and didn’t really learn anything new.
She went to the University of Cambridge. Wait. She said she was born in Livingdale, Texas, and lived there until she was seven. How did she go from Texas to the United Kingdom? Why didn’t I question that sooner? The accent should have thrown up red flags, but I guess I was so blinded by her that it slipped right past me.
I searched ‘Emma Cross Livingdale Texas Family Members,’ and a result popped up from the white pages with North Carolina as her current state of residence and seven previous addresses, but the related to names and old addresses were all blacked out. What the heck?
Just as I was about to do some additional searches, my phone buzzed in my purse. It was a response from Emma.
‘Stop digging. I’m on my way to you now.’
Holy shit. Was she flying back because I searched her name on the internet? How the hell did she know? I typed back, ignoring the fact that she knew I was snooping yet again, even after what happened last night.
‘Flying back from London?’
‘I never left NC - Be there in 10.’
Crap, crap, crap. I ran around cleaning up the house from the weekend with my son. Laundry and cleaning didn’t get done because we were too busy out having fun. Plus, living with a fifteen-year-old boy isn’t the most cleanly. I threw clothes in the hamper, took out the trash, and cleaned up the bathroom as quickly as possible. I had an empty box of pizza in one hand and a pair of dirty socks Todd had left behind in the other when there was a knock at the door. I threw the items in Todd’s room and slammed the door.
I took a deep breath to clear my head of the million thoughts buzzing through it currently and straightened myself before I answered the door.
Emma was standing there in tight jeans, a black V-neck t-shirt, oversized dark sunglasses, and a Carolina Hurricanes hat. I was not used to seeing her like this, she looked so ordinary but still gorgeous.
“Hey, come on in,” I said, shyly.
“I’m not staying long. I just wanted to apologize for last night. I shouldn’t have overreacted like that, and I’m sorry.”
“No, Emma. I’m sorry. Come in, please, sit down, and we’ll talk.”
“No. You don’t get it, Mia. I can’t just talk to you. I wanted to tell you I’m sorry and that you need to stop snooping about my past. If you go any further, you’re putting yourself in danger. I can’t explain any further, and I know that’s not what you want to hear, but that’s all I can tell you. We can’t see each other anymore personally. I also need you to sign these as soon as possible and get them back to me,” she said, handing me a manila envelope. “You can give them to Jamie, she’ll get them to me since I won’t be back in the office until next week.”
“Wait, what? What’s going on? I don’t understand,” I said, reaching out for her hand.
Emma pulled away quickly. “It’s better that you don’t understand. I’m not good enough for you. You deserve someone that’s going to treat you the way you deserve to be treated, and I can’t do that. I’m sorry. If you take anything away from our time together, I hope it’s that you listen when I tell you to do something, and I’m telling you to forget about me. I have to go. I’m sorry things turned out this way, Mia.”
Without another word, Emma turned and left my doorway. I was completely and utterly lost from the information she had just shared with me.
I closed the door behind me and sat on the couch with the envelope in hand. I opened it, and it was a non-disclosure agreement. I read through it briefly. By signing, I was barred from ever speaking to anyone about any personal interaction I had with Emma or researching anything about her or any of her affiliated businesses. As long as I followed the NDA, I was to receive an additional hundred thousand dollars a year on top of my annual salary at Cross Financial. If I refused, then I could be held liable for lawsuits by unnamed parties.
I was now even more confused and had more questions than ever. This was definitely not over.
To be Continued...
HER
CARNAL DESIRE
Book Two of the
Her Carnal Games Series
By
Chanel Ivy
Copyright © 2019 by Forever Morris Publishing, LLC
This book is a work of fiction. The name, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and are not to be construed as real in any way. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, business establishments, or actual events, or organization(s) is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without written permission of the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of any author’s rights.
First Edition November 2019
Published by Forever Morris Publishing, LLC
ForeverMorrisPublishing.com
®
ISBN: 9781711246727
Chapter 1
I just had one of the most bizarre conversations with Emma ever. She was supposed to be in London on business, but it turns out that she never left North Carolina. I didn’t know the reasoning for the lie regarding her whereabouts. And after our last conversation, I did some digging online into her past. She mysteriously showed up at my place dressed in a t-shirt and jeans with big sunglasses and a hat, so it was hard to recognize her. She was only on my doorstep for a few minutes, dropping some cryptic words and papers on me, telling me not to look into her past. She said that it could be dangerous for me and that I deserved better than her, so I should just forget about her.
She had to know that was never going to happen; I was never going to give up on her or us for that matter. Even in the short amount of time we had spent together, I’d grown to have deep feelings for her. Emma knew that, and it scared her. I understood that, but this... this I didn’t understand.
I sat on the couch, staring at the papers Emma had given me. I was utterly bewildered at what I was reading. Why would I have to sign a non-disclosure agreement about my relationship with Emma, and why was I going to be paid a hundred thousand dollars a year for it? What was in her past that was so terrible that someone was this nervous about me finding?
Emma giving me this document shrouded in disguise and being told to sign it made me more curious than I was before, but I had no idea who I was dealing with. Who were these ‘unnamed parties’ threatening to sue me if I spoke to anyone about my relationship with Emma?
I needed more answers, and I couldn’t get them online, it seemed. Emma said it could be risky for me, and I already knew she was monitoring my search history. I just didn’t know who else was watching. I decided I had to go back to the source. Emma had to realize I was never going to stop. She meant too much for me to just give up on her. Especially now with all of this cloak and dagger nonsense. I took out my phone and texted Emma.
‘I know you said to forget you, but you know I can’t do that. You told me you don’t do relationships, but I know we have something special with one another, and I’m not going to let that go. You have to give me more information. I’m not signing this NDA until you agree to meet with me and really talk. I don’t want any other answer from you except for when and where. That’s final.’
I hit send and waited. When nothing came back right away, I cleaned up the rest of the house and poured myself a glass of wine. I had just sat back down when the doorbell rang, surprising me.
My heart raced at the thought of Emma showing up at my door again. I checked my phone, and she had read the text but not responded, so I was highly confused.
I answered the door, and it was a delivery guy with a pizza in hand.
“I’m sorry, sir, I think you have the wrong house. I didn’t order any food.”
“Mia Blackburn, right?”
“Yes, but I...”
“It’s all paid for, and I was tipped a hundred to give you this pizza ma’am,” he said, handing me the warm, delicious smelling box. “Have a pleasant evening,” were his last words as he turned and walked away.
I took a step out of my doorway and watched the guy walk back to his car and drive away. There was no one else on the street or the landing. All of the other apartment doors were closed, and no one was around. Everything seemed quiet and perfectly normal.
I turned and went back into my apartment, closing and locking the door behind me. The unexpected delivery gave me an uneasy feeling of being watched that I couldn’t shake.
I put the food on my dining room table and stared at it for a good long while, and I rechecked my phone — still no response from Emma. I took a healthy swig of my wine and lifted the lid to the box quickly. I was prepared for something to jump out at me.
The only thing that greeted me was a margarita pizza with extra garlic. It was my favorite. I’m admittedly not one to pass up free food, so I grabbed a slice, and something caught my eye. There was a piece of paper sticking out from the bottom of the pie.
I pulled the paper from underneath, brushing away the crumbs, and I read it silently to myself.
‘I told you to stop digging because I don’t want you to get hurt. Some influential people watch over me, and if they find out that you know anything about them, they’re going to assume the worst. I would hate to see what they would do to you. Do not text me anything other than you’ll sign the NDA and bring it to work tomorrow, and give it to Jamie. I will find a safe way for us to talk soon. I promise. I miss you too. P.S. Burn this letter right away.’
Um... holy shit. What the hell was Emma into that she needed to be this secretive?
I immediately took the letter to the bathroom, burnt it in the tub, and washed the ashes down the drain.
I knelt on my knees on the bathroom floor, staring at the black stain the fire had left behind and imagined where Emma was right at this moment. What was she doing? What was she thinking about? Was she as all consumed by me as I was with her?
I grabbed a sponge from under the sink and some cleanser to wipe away the soot residue before heading back into the living room. I picked up my phone, staring at it, knowing what I had to do but not wanting to do it. The thought of complying with Emma’s demands and signing this document made me queasy. Especially since I had no idea who I was actually dealing with. But if Emma was scared, then so was I.
I clutched the cell to my chest and downed the last of my wine before typing and retyping the message at least five times before settling on the right words.
‘Fine. I get it. You want nothing to do with me anymore. I’ll leave you alone, but know I’m here for you if you need me - for anything. I’m signing the papers now, and I’ll give them to Jamie first thing tomorrow morning.’
I hit send and put the phone back on the coffee table next to the documents. I grabbed a pen from my briefcase, signed them, and returned them to the envelope placing everything in my bag to bring with me tomorrow.
I felt completely and utterly useless, unable to dictate how I conducted my own life, and I didn’t even know who was pulling the strings. Was this some elaborate way of Emma breaking up with me? It couldn’t be. She would never have said she’d find a safe way for us to talk if that’s what she was trying to do. My head was spinning, and for the first time in my life, I wasn’t capable of eating. Talk about a good diet strategy. Need to lose some weight? Throw in some old fashioned underhanded clandestine manipulation, and you’ll be too worried to eat.
I put the pizza in the refrigerator and went right to bed. I was emotionally exhausted and physically drained from the events of the last forty-eight hours. I needed a good night’s rest. So much so, that I barely remember my head hitting the pillow.
Chapter 2
The next morning, I was so out of it I felt like I was on autopilot. I was sticking to my regular routine, and that still consisted of getting up early and going to the gym.
Stuart was, of course, there, and he tried to chat me up while I was on the leg press machine, but I barely heard every other word he said. I think he was complaining about how much more work there was for everyone now that I was gone.
“Hey, Mia. Earth to Mia. Are you even listening to me?” Stuart said, waving his hand in front of my face obnoxiously.
“Yes, Stu. It’s a pain in the ass to have to do the work you were hired to do. Does that sound about right?” I replied, glaring at him as I continued to push through the heavy weights.
“Well, when you put it that way, you make me sound like
a whiny little asshole. What happened to you, Mia? You used to be so easy to talk to?”
I let the weights rest as I relaxed in the machine, looking up at him.
“Stuart, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Women don’t like being talked to like they’re pieces of property or uneducated eye candy put here for your amusement, and that’s the way you come off. You’re pompous, sexist, and over-confident. If you want to get women to respect you, you have to earn it by treating them with respect first. Telling them how nice their ass looks, or how they’re skinny and thick in all the right places is generally not the best way to go about winning someone over. Especially a woman. We deserve better, and we know that. It seems you don’t. Unless you have something else you need from me, I really need to finish up my workout because I have a packed schedule today.”
“Wow, sounds like somebody’s on the rag.”
I stood up in a rush and got right up in his face, yelling at him, “Are you serious? I just told you how sexist you are, and you have the balls to tell me I must be on the rag when you don’t like what comes out of my mouth! I’ve wanted to report you to Human Resources for years, Stuart, and now I finally think I’ll do just that.”
I grabbed my water bottle and towel and stormed off to the women’s locker room with several onlookers having just watched my overly loud verbal assault on Stuart. One of the women I passed, whom I didn’t even know, high fived me as I walked past. I heard her mumble something along the lines of, “Serves that pig right,” which put a smile on my face.
I quickly showered and headed up to the fortieth floor feeling refreshed and slightly more in control than I had when I left the house this morning. Thanks, Stuart.
