Page 16 of The Passion

Felisha: Of course, you’re one of those annoying people who can only type one damn sentence at a time. Too much for the little brain to process. Not coming!

Flynn: Nothing little here… and you will be coming.

Flynn: 58 minutes now. Tick-tock, time’s a-wasting!

Let’s see if she can ignore me now!

I’ve been told I can be annoying. I like to call it persistent.

Let’s see what she calls it.

I can picture her right now, calling me all sorts of names while she fights with herself, pretending she’s strong enough to ignore me.

Many have tried, sweetheart, without success.

So, bring your A-game.

Chapter Four

FLYNN

“What do you mean she isn’t there?” I yell at my driver Gregory as I finish plating the creamy chicken with charred lemon and crispy prosciutto. The steak’s all seasoned and sitting ready to sear as she walks through the door.

“I’m sorry, sir, but they told me that Miss Kentwall left the office earlier and did not advise them she had a car arriving for her.”

Dropping the frying pan in the sink, I feel my blood start to boil.

“Damn it.” I grip the edge of the silver sink tight enough that my knuckles are turning white.

“What would you like me to do, sir?” Gregory’s voice echoes through the kitchen from the hands-free speaker on my phone.

“Clock out for the night. Thanks, and usual time in the morning,” I mutter through my gritted teeth, trying not to take it out on him how pissed I am.

“Will do. Good night.” With that his call is disconnected, and I’m left looking at two beautiful-looking plates of foodand a plate of raw steak just waiting for me to make it taste sensational.

“Bitch. She stood us up, Sassy,” I mumble to my cat who again just turns her back to me and slinks down the hallway toward my bed where she thinks she can curl up and sleep for the night. Well, I’ve got news for her.

“Okay, you want to play, sunshine, let’s play.”

Setting everything up just the way I want it, I watch my phone until the time ticks over to one minute past eight.

I take the first mouthful of chicken with just the perfect amount of sauce running down from my lips. I use my finger to wipe it up slowly, and then I suck it off my finger.

“Told you I don’t wait. Your loss.” Pressing the stop record button on my phone, I straight away send it to Felisha.

She’s probably hoping I’m over here losing my shit, but I won’t give her the satisfaction.

Tonight wasn’t about inviting her over to get her into my bed. I just wanted to talk about our situation and make sure she was alright. Not to see the hard-ass face she would have had on all day and in the meeting with Rem. But instead, I need to see under that armor she wears, if that tender woman I met that night is spiraling like I imagine she would be.

Maybe I’m wrong and she’s as strong as she appears, and nothing will break her.

But we all have a weak spot somewhere.

It’s not something you ever share or admit to anyone, but there is this gap that is so small, sitting between every boundary you create.

That is your vulnerability.

And in the moment you never see coming, it is pierced, and no matter how tiny an opening it is, the heart bleeds, even if no one is there to see it.

---