He throws his head back and laughs before slipping into his room and I’m suddenly wishing I had a nanny cam installed in his room so I can eavesdrop.
Boo.
Whatever.
He pokes his head back out and glares at me.
He’s seen that I glitter-bombed his room.
He points at me and mouths, “You’re gonna get it.”
Despite that his warning makes a thrill shoot up my spine, I stick my tongue out before I spin around and hear him shut the door to his room as he has his private conversation. I angrily spoon stew into his bowl and set it at one of the spots before I unwrap the loaf of bread and set it back on the cutting board in front of the stew.
I pour myself another glass of wine and then pour him one. I don’t know if he likes wine or not, but…
Wait.
What am I doing? It’s like his baka has gotten into my head and now I’m here serving him food when he’s just fucked me over by dumping his relatives on me and making me live a lie as well as face the humiliation of knowing they were here in the apartment when it was trashed, dealing with my sparkles, my laundry, my shoes everywhere including on top of the kitchen counters, which was done to make a point.
My face burns with shame.
I’m just about to lift the bowl up and dump the soup back into the pot when he’s coming toward me, pocketing his phone with a wide grin on his face.
He stops cold and looks at the breakfast bar with surprise.
I take a giant sip of my wine.
“Uh…” he looks unsure as he examines the bowl of stew. “Did you just melt a laxative in here or what?”
A smile spreads across my face. “Maaaybe.” I head down the hall toward my room.
“I trust you,” he says, and this makes me stop and turn around, seeing he’s taking a spoonful of the stew.
My chest feels funny. And then I feel angry.
“You shouldn’t. I certainly don’t trust you. I can’t believe what you did to me today. What the fuck was the point of that?”
He takes another spoonful, eats it, and then reaches over and tears a hunk of the bread off the loaf.
I fold my arms and wait.
“Baka loves you. She’s ready to plan the wedding. Are you catholic?”
I frown.
“A) There’s no way your grandmother loves me. B) Fuck off.”
His shoulders shake with laughter.
“I want you to go. I want you to go and leave me alone. Tonight.”
“Why so angry, Vixen? Your place got cleaned, you had a nice meal. My ma and my baka love you.”
“You’re playing dirty.”
“Told you I would.” He shrugs and takes a bite of bread.
“Well, the gloves are off now, buddy. You’re not just a pain in my ass, you’re officially my enemy.”
He takes a sip of wine and then a spoonful of stew. He’s completely unaffected. And this makes me hoppin’ mad.
I stomp down the hall to my room and slam the door behind me. I nearly spill my wine doing so, but save it and down the rest of what’s in the glass before throwing myself on my bed in exasperation.
Twenty minutes later, I hear him vacuuming up the sparkle explosion in his room.
16
Ally
I leave early, leaving the stereo on loud on a loop of Prince Fatty’s version of Shimmy Shimmy Ya. I throw the double bird at Jude’s closed bedroom door before I leave.
I wind up being Ash’s first fare of the day. I’m in a snit. A big one. So much of one that I tell him to just tell Carly I left early when he goes back for her.
I’ve got lots of work to throw myself into, so I’m going to do that and also going to call Tori to get more information about Japan.
I remotely checked the conference room schedule before I left the apartment and booked the small conference room in the quietest corner at Carmichael Consulting. This way I’m off limits to everyone and I’ll have one hundred per cent privacy.
***
A minute into the drive to work and I’m wishing I’d avoided Ash today.
“How are you this fine morning, Allison?” is how it begins.
“I’m breathin’,” I mutter.
“Yes. We all are. Thanks be to God for that. Can I ask if you are upset today?”
“I’ve just got a lot on my mind,” I mumble.
“Ah. Something to do with that man that keeps paying me to go away so he can take you home?” Ash smiles.
“He needs to fuck off,” I grumble. “And please, for future reference, if he asks you to leave when I’ve asked you to come, kindly listen to me, not him.”
Ash laughs nervously. “Such ugly words from a person who is not so ugly.”
“Not so ugly?” I mutter. “Gee, how flattering. Thanks, Ash.”