Page 123 of Savage Bosses

Finally, she nodded. “You’re going to be sorry. You’re going to want me back.”

“That’s highly doubtful.”

Without another word, she brushed past me. She grabbed her suitcase handle and headed for the door. She was out of sight. I could hear the echo of her heels on the hardwood fading as she entered the foyer. I stood idle, waiting to hear the door close.

When the door clicked, I released a long breath, sinking back down onto the couch. It was over at last. The door had finally closed on our tangled history.

I stared blankly at the TV, not really seeing the images dancing across the screen. My mind kept replaying those last moments with Maddie. The hurt in her eyes when I’d rejected her advances. The icy finality as the door closed shut behind her.

Part of me wondered if I’d made a mistake. Earlier in our relationship, we’d had so many good times together. Passionate nights spent lost in each other. Lazy mornings curled in my arms, talking and laughing.

I squeezed my eyes shut, cutting off that train of thought. I couldn’t let nostalgia cloud my judgment. Too much had happened. There was my constant suspicion every time her phone buzzed. The evasive answers whenever I asked where she’d been. The growing sense she was hiding something from me.

In my gut, I knew she’d betrayed my trust. Letting her back in would only lead to more pain down the road. I had to stay strong. My mother never liked Maddie. She never gave much of a reason. I could no longer get advice from my mother. I was stuck out here all on my own. And it didn’t feel good. It felt— lonely.

At first, Maddie didn’t seem to care about the breakup. She didn’t put up a fight when I told her it was over. It took her months to come back to plead for the relationship. I’m not buying it. I’m sure she’s aware I’m the sole owner of FuSeWater now. She knew how wealthy I’ve become after my parents’ deaths. I’m just a meal ticket to her.

With a sigh, I clicked off the TV and stood. Dwelling on it wouldn’t help. What’s done was done. I went upstairs to my bedroom. A shower and some sleep and hopefully I’d wake up feeling lighter, ready to start the next chapter.

I stepped into the shower, turning the water as hot as I could stand. As the spray soaked into my hair and ran in rivulets down my back, I thought over the confrontation with Maddie.

Even after everything, some stupid part of me had felt that pull when she looked at me with those dark eyes and pouty lips. But then I remembered what she’d done. The constant lies and evasiveness. Never knowing if I could actually trust her words. That was no foundation for a genuine relationship.

As the water sluiced away the last suds of soap, I knew I’d made the right decision. Maddie was my past now. It was time to close that chapter and focus on my future.

Stepping out of the shower, I toweled off and put on a t-shirt and boxers. The emotional confrontation had drained me. Sliding under the cool sheets, I let out a long exhale. Tomorrow would be a new start. Maddie and all the baggage that came with her were firmly in my rearview now. I could finally start to heal and rebuild.

With that thought, I let the tension ease from my body. When sleep came, it was deep and dreamless.

The next morning, I awoke feeling refreshed and determined. After a quick workout to clear my head, I grabbed some coffee and sat down on the balcony overlooking the swimming pool. The morning sun warmed my skin as I took a deep breath of the crisp air.

Last night had been a turning point. Letting go of Maddie again was the first step in reclaiming my life on my own terms. No more letting the past drag me down.

As I sipped my coffee, my phone buzzed with a new text. It was from Wes.

Wes: [Hey bro. What you doing?]

Kyle: [What are you doing?]

Wes: [I’m in your neighborhood. You home?]

What the hell did he want?

Kyle: [I’m here.]

Wes: [Be there in five.]

Picking up my coffee again, I leaned back in my chair. The sun felt warmer than before. I was ready for whatever came next. With a contented sigh, I closed my eyes and let the heat soak into my skin. Today was a new day.

My tendency to shut people out when things got tough was the first thing that had to change. I thought about reaching out to a few old college friends I’d lost touch with over the years. It would be nice to reconnect over some beers and swap stories about our lives.

I also needed to be more vulnerable if I ever hoped to have real intimacy again. Opening up to someone new was scary, but without risk, there was no reward. When the time was right, I would put myself out there.

My parents’ dying had hardened my heart. There was no doubt about that. But people weren’t meant to go through life alone. In their memory, I would learn to trust again, eventually.

I took another sip of coffee as I contemplated where to go from here. Rebranding the company and moving forward with our new line of products would take time and effort. Sealing the deal with the Southwest distributors was my first line of business. If anything went wrong, I was going to get rid of the temp girl. I needed everything to go perfectly after my brother fucked up our deal. If this girl fucked up the catering or the accommodations, I was going to be pissed.

I reached for my home security universal remote. I hit the button to unlock my front door. It had been over five minutes. Wes was always late, if he showed up at all.

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