Still, none of that is Melanie’s fault. I put the box on the desk and head in to the meeting.
But gradually, through the long discussion, the crummy mood from the morning returns and clings to me, like a film of paint you can’t get rid of no matter how many times you scrub yourself. I’m pissed off that Kim thought I went into her unit on purpose. I’m doubly pissed the way my cock responded to seeing her in nothing but a towe
l.
She may look fuckable, but she isn’t. Her reaction yesterday made it clear. I don’t understand how she could get so offended just by seeing me, as though I was the one who did something wrong. I’m not the one who got used and discarded. And if she got herpes back then, it wasn’t from me. But she was looking at me like I was some kind of human-sized genital wart.
Damn it, forget her. You’ve got bigger things to worry about.
Like this meeting. And the date with Bethany later. And figuring out how to connect with Vi, who these days speaks a language that sounds like English but never seems to mean what I’m expecting.
And this last agenda item here on the screen, because Sweet Darlings is paying me to work, not brood about a girl I thought was the one. Besides, wasn’t I too young to know about that sort of thing anyway? Teenage hormones… Well, not just teenage hormones. They lasted into my twenties and made me do stupid shit, like marrying a harpy like Geneva.
After the meeting, I leave. I wish Melanie took decent notes, but that’d be like asking Geneva to have a conscience. I’m going to have to talk to David’s assistant. Erin takes great notes.
“So. Big night, eh?” David grins. Like most of the Darling brood, he’s your prototypical tall, dark and handsome. Popular among women, and he’s been taking advantage of that by man-whoring around after breaking up with his last girlfriend. He’s excellent at his job as head of marketing. Otherwise Alexandra would’ve kicked him out, family or not.
“Yeah.” I force an enthusiasm I don’t feel because I don’t want to look ungrateful. “Something like that.”
“Don’t be nervous. I know you’ve been out of the meat market for a while, but it isn’t that hard to jump back in.”
“Uh-huh.” He forgets I have a child and can’t just hop from girl to girl the way he does. Not that I want to. The idea of sleeping my way through a bunch of available females seems about as appetizing as gorging at one of those hotdog-eating contests.
“Hey, you’ll be fine.” He slaps my shoulder. “You’re exactly her type.”
Somehow that doesn’t reassure me, even though I’m not sure why.
Chapter Eleven
Kim
All through the day I think about the damned statue and how I’m going to pry it out of Dane’s clutches before he hands it over to Wyatt.
Money won’t work. He’s too rich to be tempted.
Maybe a favor…? No. He already thinks he owns me because of that dumb bet with Salazar.
What, then?
Do I have to honor the bet? But even if I do, it still won’t mean that he has to give me the statue. I want to tell Salazar to give up, but he’s so, so determined to give the damn thing to Ceinlys.
Should I ask Ceinlys to tell Salazar she wants something more, mmm, romantic than Wife? But what if she asked for the damned statue? What if it was her idea?
Argh. I hate this!
On my way home, I buy a bottle of Merlot and some Kung Pao chicken. I deserve both after the kind of day I’ve had. Actually, the kind of week I’m having.
The bonus is the nice lady at the Chinese takeout place I love so much gave me a big bag so I could put everything in it. People like her remind me that the world isn’t full of crazy rich people like my boss or subhumans like Wyatt and Dane.
I march toward my unit, happy to be home at reasonable hour and looking forward to enjoying dinner with my favorite wine. You’ve got to find little pieces of joy in your life somehow, or you’ll end up being so miserable no therapy will—
Something on the hall floor catches my foot, and I stumble forward. Agh! Not the wine!
I manage to catch myself before I hit the floor. No food or drink is spilled. Relieved, I straighten up, about to kick away whatever it was that—
“Meow!”
I look down and see a small black cat. My annoyance immediately fades as I crouch and pick it up. It’s gorgeous, its deep ebony fur soft and silky. The only place that isn’t black is a crown-shaped patch of white on its head. I note it’s a female and cradle her in my arms. “Hey, little kitty, are you lost? I’ve never seen you around before.”