Page 85 of Protect Your Queen

The fists clenched at his sides loosened and his face relaxed. He went from my sweet autumn lover, to cold as winter.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, with a slow bow of his head.

Then he turned, walking out of the room and into the hall, leaving me in the control room by myself with nothing but the sound of my pulse and the eerie silence.

What had I done?What had I done?What. Had. I. Done?

Terror filled me all at once, as if the silence were a living thing closing in on me. I pushed the booth door open and ran out the main door into the hall. I looked left and right. But he wasn’t there. He was gone. Fuck!

I ran, aimless, looking for familiar pastures. Surely, he’d go somewhere he knew. The breakroom, by Stasia’s office? That sounded likely. Maybe he went to get coffee to calm down. That would be reasonable, right?

I walked briskly, because I understood that I didn’t want to seem insane. Imagine the tabloids saying that I was running through the halls like the White Lady of Balete Drive?

No, I calmed myself, even as the throbbing in my mind increased.Thud. Thud. Thud.

It was louder than normal. Faster too. The change from the slow, agonizing pace from before was so rapid, I thought my heart would pop out of my chest.

I checked the break room, there was no one there. There was no sound but the gurgle of the coffee maker that spit black liquid into a pot.

I went into the central area, where all the offices of the big wigs faced inward. They were all open, except one. He was fact-finding, right? He was prying to see how to protect me. So maybe he was talking to someone. Right?

But he wasn’t in any of them. Each office was empty, which wasn’t unusual for this industry.

Stasia’s office was the only one that was closed, the thick, wooden door keeping me from seeing inside. Surely, she wouldn’t mind if… he wouldn’t be in there with her, right? Was he questioning her about her husband?

Had he moved on so quickly? Jealousy pitted in my stomach, poisoning me like the black silence in my head. I knew it was ridiculous, but there it was.

I tried to knock, until I heard a moan. A female moan. One of pleasure. Not dissimilar from what I had emitted last night. Would he… cheat? Had he left me so early?

I had to know. I knew I should walk away. It wasn’t my business… or was it?

I pulled at the door and peeked inside. At first, all I saw was a bare thigh, Stasia’s red skirt hiked up high. She sat on the edge of her desk, her hands behind her, propping up hergraceful, slender form. A head of brown, wavy hair moved between her legs. I almost burst in, except I knew that it wasn’t Chris. Not when his eyes tilted up and he looked at her with complete, beautiful adoration, his hands riding up her bare leg.

Phoenix Asher’s green eyes cut to me for just a second, but he didn’t stop.

I shut the door, stepping away with my hand clutching my heart, trying to keep it in my ribs.

I stumbled back towards the studio, using the wall to help me stay upright.

My God, what was happening? They were… lovers?

I leaned against the hall wall, not having the energy, or even the wherewithal to get back in the sound booth. The engineer might be back. Chris might be back. Hell, Dryden might even be in there. What would I say?

“Jestiny,” Phoenix’s voice echoed down the hall. The sound of his footsteps came closer. I didn’t move. I didn’t know how to. “Now you know my secret.”

I tilted my head to the side, unable to look at him straight on. His lips had a light sheen on it, and I was almost disgusted, knowing where he had been.

“It’s not what you think,” he said, his eyes concerned. “We’re in love. It’s new, and her husband has been cheating on her since…”

“Jestiny! There you are!” Mrs. Stasia Dryden came down the hall, her strides much too fast. “I hear you’ve recorded that song. I’d like to hear it.”

Phoenix’s posture changed immediately. A slight sadness passed over his eyes. He wiped it away with a flick of his hand.

“As I was saying,” he said, as if we were deep in conversation. “I’d love to see you again, if your schedule allows.”

Stasia’s face turned red with anger, her nostrils flaring as she stared daggers at the back of his head.

“I… I… don’t think that’s a good… idea?” It came out as a question, though I meant it. Between Stasia and Chris, we couldn’t see each other again. Why would he even want to?

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