Page 77 of Scrooge

Again, my eyes flick up to the crowd. Is that how Alex sees me? I know he said the agreement was null and void, but why would he tell his best friend I am for hire?

“You think I am an escort?” I ask, my blood now starting to boil. A cat lady. That is what I am going to become. Men. They are all the same. I grab my ear, a move I realize I haven’t done recently. My ear stings with the severity that I grip it.

“A mighty fucking fine one too… Open your top button, let me have a little look at you for when I fuck my hand later.”

I vomit a little in my mouth before I bolt to my feet so quickly I almost fall. Blood rushing around my body, my vision feels like it goes black around the edges. I’m hot all over and feel like I’m going to vomit. I can’t get air. I look around the room. Are people staring at me? Gossiping about me? Do they all think that I'm an escort? Is that what the media’s saying?

I swallow, my heart thumping a painful beat. I think I’m going to have a panic attack. Shit, am I having a panic attack right now? I need to get out of here. With my handbag in a death grip, I start to maneuver out of the booth.

“Hey, darlin’, where do you think you are going?” Logan asks, moving quickly, grabbing my wrist. I wince as I pull up suddenly and look down at him. “Sit down, we need to talk,” he says in a tone that leaves no room for argument. I look up to see if I can spot any familiar faces, but I can’t. I’m alone.

I sit right on the edge of the seat, ready to run at a moment's notice. I need to get out of here. I need to get some air. I need to get home.

“Now, you are going to end this little charade with Alexander immediately; otherwise, I am going to tell everyone about it.” He is acting like this is the best day of his life, while my world is crumbling. Again.

“What?” I ask, confused, wondering what he is getting at.

“You heard me. Alexander has been different now that you are around. Missing our meetings, hanging out with homeless people. It isn’t a good look,” he says with a shake of his head, and I frown. “Youare bringing him down. I know this is all an agreement, but it has gone too far now and needs to stop.”

“Bringing him down?” I question, my head like mush, finding it difficult to hear him and process what he’s saying. But my temperature rises at this asshole insinuating that not only I am a hooker, but I am also lowering Alex’s profile when it has done nothing but rise to positive standing since we got together. So, if nothing else, I have held up my end of the contract.

“You are interrupting the flow of things. The natural order of things.”

“I don’t understand,” I say as my anxiety peaks, mixed with bubbling anger and a desperate need to escape this moment. This is how I felt all those months ago, after I left Jaryd.

“Pretty, but dumb,” he huffs. “Let me be real clear. Now that you are in the picture, I’m being pushed away. Having the richest man in the city as my best friend has perks that I am not ready to let go of just yet.”

“Perks?” I question, trying to keep my voice steady. It’s not easy with my body vibrating from the inside, nerves running amuck.

“Networks, connections, money, and…” He looks down my body and back up again with a look that I want to scratch from his face. “Pussy.”

I think this guy even gives Jaryd a run for his money. His words, his aura, his look, it’s all disgusting. Given that he is Alex’s best friend, I’m really questioning if anything I saw of Alex is actually true.

“So you need to end things. Immediately. Cut all ties. No seeing, speaking, or fucking him anymore,” he says, and I take in a shaky breath.

“And if I don’t?” I dare to ask.

“If you don't, I will tell my friend, who is the editor atNew York Businessmagazine, about this entire charade, and Alex goes down harder than a drunk on the Fourth of July. You will lose your precious toy store because, hell, I am sure families don’t want to go buy their kids toys from a hooker.” Nearly laughing, he throws back the rest of the second glass of whiskey he’s had since I sat here tonight.

I swallow, not able to move. My mind is a mess. I have no idea what to think or what to do. I have no idea who to believe or what is going on, but I do know one thing. I always keep my end of a deal, and because that is what got me into this whole mess, I will make sure I’m a woman of my word. Alex needs to have a clean reputation and a lift in his profile. I just hope that our rental agreement will stay as it was and he keeps to his end of the agreement as well.

“When?” I ask, then watch as his smile broadens.

“Tonight is as good a night as any.”

Before I give him a nod, I take a moment to really take him in. He is so different from Alex. Overweight, sloppily dressed, obviously underhanded. Glancing through the crowd to the front doors, I spot a few photogs, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.

“I have your word?” I ask, standing, and I put my bag over my shoulder. I’m going to run for it. This isn’t my life. It never was. Hanging out in a penthouse, taking a helicopter to the Hamptons. That isn’t me. It was always an agreement. I was the fool who thought it was more. I was the fool who thought it was love.

“You do.” He nods, and I step away, pushing through the crowd, which is easy to do when you are short like me. Moving under their eyeline, my head down, my shoulders rounded, I feel battered and beaten, even though physically I am fine. I reach the door and pull up my collar, wrapping the thick scarf around my neck so it covers my ears and half my face. Thank God for the snow. I now look like everyone else trying to get home this wintery evening. Keeping my head low, I push open the doors. No one bothers to look my way. They are waiting for Alex, not thinking I would leave solo, so I walk fast to the end of the street, and once I am around the corner, I make a run for it.

I run to preserve Alex’s profile, and to preserve my heart, although I think that’s already broken.

37

ALEXANDER

Iend the call and rub my eyes. Singapore is a nightmare. If I knew how many hurdles I’d have to jump through to get this off the ground, I may have held off on that expansion for a little while. As it is, I may postpone it. I need to be there, I need to meet people, make connections, but there is no way I am leaving New York now. Not unless I can take Haylee with me. Leaving her behind would be like cutting out my own heart and stomping on it. She is everything to me, and I don’t want to be away from her for even a second. I pace back through the crowd from where I found a quiet corner to take the call and see Logan sitting by himself.

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