Telling me that he never stopped loving me isn’t enough. If he stands in front of me, looks me in the eye, and tells me that he loves me, then it could change everything. I’d know what he’s fighting for, I’d know why he’s fighting, and perhaps I’d be willing to fight for the same thing.
Perhaps.
Chapter Five
“Um, hi?”
I stop my absent dipping of my finger in the sugar pot and look at Liv. “Hi.”
“Not that I don’t love you being here, but why the f**k are you here?” She drops her bags and kicks the door shut.
“I’m hiding.”
“Right.”
“Angus has been keeping me company. He’s not one for conversation, is he?” I cast a glance at the cat. He hops off the stool, his tail in the air, and stalks off. “Kind of moody, too.”
“He’s a cat,” she replies flatly. “Why are you hiding?”
“Don’t ask.” I lick my finger free of sugar.
“I wish you wouldn’t do that.” Liv wrinkles her face. “It’s disgusting. I’m going to have to replace my sugar now.”
I shrug and dip my finger back in. “I’ll carry on then.”
“It’s Aaron, isn’t it?”
I roll my eyes. “It’s always Aaron. He’s a pain in my f**king ass. A relentless pain—like that annoying muscle ache you get after working out too hard.”
“Why don’t you just tell him to f**k off?”
“I did.”
“And?”
“He told me I belonged to him. Do I look like I have a collar with a nametag on to you?”
Liv’s eyebrows arch. “Okay, Dayton. I think you’ve had enough sugar.” She takes the pot from me, slams the lid on, and puts it on top of a cupboard I can’t reach. “And enough alone time with my cat. How long have you been here?”
“Two days. I told the guy who lives opposite you that he didn’t have to feed Angus. He seemed kinda happy about it.” I would be, too, if I’m honest. This cat is a menace. “Anyway, I thought you were coming back yesterday?”
“I was, but I decided to stop by and see my parents. I wasn’t expecting your mopey ass to be here, was I?”
I shrug. “Whatever. I thought Monique might have called me with a job, but she hasn’t.”
Three days with nothing is unusual—even without the sex side of the job. In a city like Seattle, there’s always someone who needs a lunch or dinner date or even someone to accompany them to an art gallery opening or some shit.
Three days of complete silence is unheard of.
“Really? Nothing?”
I shake my head and take the cup of coffee she offers. “I’ve checked my cell about a thousand times. No calls or messages. I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Have you tried calling her?”
“No. I spoke to Aunt Leigh this morning and she said it was probably just a quiet week with everyone preparing for the new art gallery opening this weekend.”
“Aren’t you going?”
“Yeah. I’m supposed to be escorting someone. I haven’t heard anything about it though, which is odd since it’s in a few days.”
Liv waves my phone in front of my face. “Again with the calling.”
“All right, all right. I’ll call her when I get home. I think Angus hates me now anyway.”
My best friend glances over my shoulder at the cat, who’s eying me evilly. “Angus hates everyone if he has to spend longer than two hours with them. He’s a temperamental little bastard.”
“Like his momma,” I mutter and finish my coffee.
She smacks my leg. “Get out of my apartment.”
I grin and grab my stuff. “I’ll call you later when I’ve spoken to Monique.”
“You better.”
I leave her apartment and climb into my car. It’s fairly early in the morning still, so there isn’t much traffic, and it doesn’t take long to get across the city to my house.
I ignore the message alert on my phone and head straight for the shower. Once I’m dressed and looking and feeling somewhat human, I lie back on my bed and call my agent.
“No,” she answers. “Nothing today.”
“Jesus. Mon, that’s three days now. There has to be something.”
“You have no jobs booked, Dayton.”
“Why? Clients don’t just drop off the edge of the Earth—even with my reduced list. What’s going on?”
A long silence follows. I wet my lips with my tongue, my stomach clenching into a ball of fear. Like I know what she’s going to say.
“You’re booked,” she says softly. “Permanently. I can’t book you any jobs.”
I sit up and look at myself in the mirror. Eyes wide, lips parted, cheeks flushed. “If you say his name, I’m going to go ten shades of batshit crazy.”
“I’m sorry. He’s paying for you indefinitely.”
I close my eyes and rest my hand across my forehead. “Aaron’s booked me? Permanently?” I clarify although my gut knows it.
“Yes.”
“Jesus f**king Christ!” He really wasn’t kidding when he said that I’d never f**k another guy. “He has more money than sense. Shit! What’s he playing at?”
“You know what. This is up to you now, Day. I can’t do anything. I had no choice but to accept his offer. It was that or he could close this business now.”
“He threatened you?”
“He’s that desperate. I can’t be mad at him. If it were Ross, I’d do everything I could to get him back.”
“I can’t f**king believe him. Unreal. I gotta go.” I hang up and throw the phone down.
I stand in the middle of my room, my breathing coming hard and fast, and look around aimlessly. Who the f**k does he think he is? To buy me and threaten my agent?
Without another thought, I pull some boots on. Standing here in my room isn’t going to get this straightened out, so I’m going to give him what he wants. I’m going to go to him, but I’m not going to roll over submissively.
I’m going to kick his sharply suited ass until his balls turn blue.
My car beeps as I unlock it from the key fob, and I tear out of my driveway angrily. I hope Aaron isn’t busy, because he has an unscheduled meeting with me.
***
My heels click against the floor as I cross to reception. A gorgeous blond woman smiles up at me.