Page 40 of Obeying His Rules

“I came to see you,” I say, feeling the corners of my lips threaten to twist into a smile. “How are you?”

“How am I?” She laughs to herself and shrugs. “Oh, you know, I just got fired from my job and now I’m blackballed from the entire fashion industry in New York because when Janelle Blanc fires you, you’re pretty much ruined. So now I won’t be able to afford rent and I’m going to have to move back home with my parents and completely reevaluate what I’m going to do with my life. But besides that, I’m fine. How about you?”

My heart goes out to her, pounding strong inside my chest.

I can feel the swirling of emotions threatening to take me over the way a tsunami takes over the sea. But I push them back down and stare back at her.

She’s like a vision of beauty, even now without an ounce of makeup, no stylish clothes, and her hair a total mess. The fabric of her T-shirt seems like it’s decades old. It’s fraying on the hems, is torn at the collar, and is so thin that I can see the outline of her breasts and nipples as she stands there looking at me.

This is a girl who doesn’t need to be glammed up to look gorgeous. This is a girl who already is, both outside and in.

“Why did Janelle fire you, Rain?”

Rain shrugs and almost laughs again. “At this point, what does it even matter?”

“I have connections. Maybe I could talk to her–”

“There’s no talking to Janelle, Marlon. Once she’s made up her mind, that’s it. Plus, she’s in the fashion industry. That’s just not your world, I’m sorry to say.”

“Rain,” I say slowly. “What did she fire you for?”

Rain sighs deeply and places a hand on her forehead.

“She caught me working on my own designs at work, and you’re not supposed to do that.”

“What do you mean your own designs?”

“I want to start my own fashion line,” she replies. “It’s been a dream of mine forever. But if you work for Janelle, anything you design at work belongs to Janelle. I was working on something in secret that Randy, one of our sample sewers, was going to work up for me so I could get it out and get opinions on.”

“And she caught you and fired you for that?”

Rain nods. “Someone snitched on me most likely.”

She leans against the doorframe, looking utterly defeated.

“I wouldn’t worry about that, Rain.”

She looks up instantly, eyes ablaze, her nostrils flaring. “Oh, you wouldn’t? Why? Because you’re like a billionaire and being fired doesn’t matter to you? Because money doesn’t matter to you? Because you have everything you could ever possibly need–”

I move in quickly and silence her with a kiss.

My arms wrap around her tiny waist as I pull her to me, holding her body close, feeling her softness as she presses against me like a light in the darkness.

It takes her a second–almost as if she were stunned by my advance–but she kisses me back oh so gently. Like a wounded puppy not sure if she’s being loved or tricked.

I pull back before I lose myself to her and gaze deep into her eyes, seeing things in them I never allowed myself to see before.

“It’s going to be all right, Rain. I promise you. And I don’t want you to worry. I want you to put some shoes on and come with me. Right now.”

She looks back at me, and I can see a hint of anxiety come over her.

“Marlon, I look terrible. I’ve been crying, I have no makeup on, I’m in no condition to go anywhere–”

“Rain, you look absolutely beautiful, just like you always do.”

She twists her head and looks at me like I’ve gone crazy.

“Beautiful? Marlon, why–why are you talking to me like this?”

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