Page 52 of A Night of Indulgence and Sloth
I lean in, resting my ear on the door. They’re laughing now, likely catching up or whatever it is that men do. Shit, I must be losing it. What if someone were to catch me eavesdropping? It’snot like I can tell them about the elusive Fitz from my sexual awakening. I shake my head and make my way to the bathroom.
Why the hell am I even thinking about Fitz, anyway? I’m perfectly happy in this new, slightly odd relationship I have with Kaleb and Aiden, and there’s no way I’d want to add another member. I’m sure some people can juggle more than two partners, but I am not one of them.What the hell was a woman supposed to do with four dicks? Is it like visiting the DMV where you take a number and wait for a hole to free up?
When I walk past the boardroom on my way back, I’m tempted to listen but force myself to keep moving. No. Only a crazy person would listen in on their boss’s private conversation.
At my desk, I keep busy answering emails and phone calls, jotting down ideas I have for the layout of the Restorative Care App’s new space. Aiden is in his office locked on a call with the contractors who apparently fucked up on the floor we’re renovating. It sounds like a mess, but if anyone can find a solution, it’s him.
A notification pops up on my screen from Dean, asking me to come to his office. When I pass the boardroom that Kaleb and Jasper were using earlier, I find it empty. A little further ahead I hear voices, one of which is distinctly Kaleb, and a smile passes my lips as I approach.
I’m hidden in the hall when I hear the elevator doors open, but before I can rush forward to wave goodbye, Jasper’s voice stops me in my tracks.
“Shit, man. I can’t believe you and Aiden own this place. The Fitz I knew in college was more likely to hit the stage with a standup comedy act than own something like this.”
Kaleb chuckles. “Oh, I’m still hilarious, don’t you worry.”
The rest of his words muffle as the elevator doors close, but I barely notice. I stand frozen, rooted to the spot as a cold chillsweeps over me. So I wasn’t crazy earlier. But if Kaleb’s friends call him Fitz, why have I not heard about it before?
Thoughts battle their way through my mind as every single worry and doubt flashes brightly behind my eyes. I can’t breathe as understanding grows deep inside, rising to the surface until I feel like I might throw up.
A little voice inside my head screams at me to calm down. Aiden doesn’t call him Fitz, and they’ve been best friends for years. Who cares if that was his college nickname? Even Jasper said he was different.
But as hard as I try to think rationally, the realistic part of my brain won’t let me accept those excuses. If Kaleb really is Fitz, the other guy from Club Rapture, it just makes sense. I feel foolish for not realizing it sooner. Aiden was there as Wes, but he couldn’t hide that fact. He even introduced Fitz as his colleague.Shit, shit, shit.
A memory rises to the forefront of my mind, making the ugly truth impossible to ignore. That night at the penthouse, when I slept with Kaleb and Aiden for the first time, Kaleb called me Blossom. Just like Fitz did.
The room seems to spin as I gasp for air. How could they keep this from me? Was any of it real, or was it all just a game to them?
My eyes burn with the need to cry as anger and betrayal seep into my bones, but I hold them back. Not here. They don’t deserve my tears.
I rush back to my desk, glad to find the door to Aiden and Kaleb’s office still closed. Then I remember the entire goddamn reason I went down the hall to begin with. Shit. I send a quick message to Dean, letting him know that something has come up and I won’t be able to meet him. If it’s important, he’ll email. Though it’s not like I’m in the right headspace to deal with anything right now.
I take all of my belongings from the desk, stuffing them into my purse before logging out and shutting down my computer. Rage grows inside me, festering like a wound with every passing second.
Without another moment’s hesitation, I grab my things and walk out.
It isn’t any easier at home.
Thankfully, Calantha is still at work, so I don’t have to explain the tear stains on my blouse or why I’ve spent the last fifteen minutes updating my resume. It took longer than I thought it would to decide if I’d include Exalta Solutions as a workplace, but in the end, I decided not to.
I didn’t trust that they wouldn’t share the details of our personal life, and the one thing I want is to get far away from it. From them and their lies.
Aiden had emailed an hour ago to ask where I was and make sure I was okay. Checking on his little toy, I bet. Instead of exploding at him like I wanted, I just told him I was sick and turned him down when he offered to come by. My heart had squeezed at the kind gesture I now knew was nothing more than a ploy to keep me useful.
He probably only wanted to get me healthy so I’d continue to be their plaything. Either way, I told him I’d be napping and locked the doors.
How many nights had I stayed with them, nestled between them both, and neither one said a goddamn thing? They lied to me, used my body just like my uncle did, except they were cowards about it. As awful as my uncle was, at least he owned his shitty behavior.
I stop my pacing as a thought smacks me right in the face. The gala. Had running into someone from my past truly been a coincidence, or had they planned it all along? Shivers race up my spine and sweat forms on the back of my neck as I try to shake off the thought.
Fuck. A sob escapes me, and I crumple to the floor. How could I have been so blind? Was I that defective that I couldn’t see what was glaringly obvious?Liliana Sinclair, a woman so bereft of love that she’ll debase herself just to have it.
The laptop I share with Calantha dings, signaling a new email. I hesitate for a moment, unsure if I want to read it. What if it’s Kaleb or Aiden?
Pushing past the doubt, I open the browser to find an interview invite from HealthRx.Shit. That was fast. I’d sent my resume out barely an hour ago and already they wanted to meet.
The company name sounds somewhat familiar, but I hope it isn’t someone I’ve dealt with while working for Exalta.
They want to interview today in forty-five minutes. I quickly type the address into Google Maps, finding that I have just enough time to freshen up and rush out the door.
