Page 38 of Seducing a Sagittarius
“I’m totally embarrassed, Avery. Now everyone knows that we’ve been sleeping together. Something I was trying to avoid happe?—”
“Fuck them! Layne, you came into my life and made me feel shit I’d never felt before. You made the ‘mean asshole’ turn tofucking puddy in your hands. I’m telling you that what he said isn’t true, and I need you to believe that.”
“Av?” I looked up to see Emani standing on the stairwell above us. “You’re needed upstairs.”
“Can you handle it for me?”
“We both need to settle this. You need to handle Denver because he’s refusing to leave, and I’ll handle everything else.”
I sighed heavily while looking at Layne. She lowered her head, refusing to give me her eyes.
“Will you wait for me? Please? I’ll be right back. You can wait in the main lobby or my office, but just wait for me. Okay?” She didn’t reply as I kissed her forehead then opened the door to the second level while Emani followed.
“That bum ass nigga gotta go,” I said, stabbing the button to the elevator then began pacing.
“He’s always been jealous of you. I told you signing him on as a partner was going to be a problem. Then the fact that healwaystargets your assistants should have been a red flag.”
“He’s my cousin, E, and the best at what he does. I was just trying to keep the shit in the family.”
“And? We could have found someone better! Shit, I’m only your best friend and have more loyalty to you than him. He almost had us broke and having to start over because the nigga is a fucking hornball!”
“I know, Emani.”
“Then act like it. I’m so glad Terrance, and Ma and Pa left before you went crazy. You could have cost us that meeting with him.” I didn’t say shit because she was right. I could have handled shit a little better, but Denver wanted to make this shit a recurring problem. I told his ass to leave her alone. Hell, I told him to leave all of them alone, but the nigga was hellbent on doing what he wanted to do.
Losing his parents at an early age, he was forced to live with us from the age of seven until he went off to college. I always felt he had something against me but ignored it because we were the only males in the family.
I could tell when I got certain shit that he didn’t, he’d start acting different toward me. I’d literally have to share whatever I had that he didn’t, for him to be happy. I didn’t see it while growing up, but Emani was right. He was jealous of me.
The elevator doors opened to the ballroom, and we stepped off while others were stepping on to leave.
“Have a good evening. Thanks for coming,” Emani voiced while I continued my stride to the restroom. I pushed open the door and saw him nursing his bloody lip.
He looked at me and laughed lightly. “You really busted my shit, Cuddy. You went a little too far, but it’s all good. I’ma let it slide because you family.”
“Get the fuck out of my establishment. You’re fired.”
“What? Come on, cuz. You know as well as I do that you playing wit’ shorty. I know you. We’ve been slicing bitches together since high school.”
“Denny, I’m really trying my hardest not to fuck you up no more than I already have. Get the fuck out, now, and never come back.”
He turned slowly and looked at me. “So, it’s like that? You really taking her serious, huh? I mean, I definitely understand. She’s probably that baddest one to ever work for you. You should have made that shit clear, though, and I wouldn’t have tried to hit that.”
“I told you to leave her alone. I even told you that we were dating, and you still tried your hand at her. Then you fucking lying and made this shit worse. I tried to overlook your malicious ass ways. You almost had me lose my company because you swear you’re God’s gift to women.
“Luring them to fuck you with false promises of giving them a higher position or more money. You were trying to be me, and you can never be me. For the last time, get the fuck out, and don’t come back.”
He scoffed, tossing the wet paper towel in the trash. “You’ll regret this. I’m the best CFO you ever had or will have for that matter.”
“You ain’t shit but a jealous wannabe. Leave, before I make you leave.” He walked toward the door then stopped after he grabbed the handle. “I’m glad I ran her off. You don’t deserve a bad bitch like that.” I was about to put his head through the door, but he hurried out, and I sighed in frustration. My gut was telling me that Layne had left. What was once a beautiful night had turned into a night I wanted to forget.
My feelings were hurtas Jen and I got inside of her Range Rover and left the scene. I mean, I didn’t expect Avery not to have a past, but when we would have our deep conversations, he never told me anything about the women and the lawsuit against his company.
I wouldn’t have judged him. However, I wouldn’t have continued with our situation. I wasn’t some pass around or a chick who was desperate for money.
Iwasdesperate, but not that damn desperate to sleep with him and his cousin. Not to mention being embarrassed that half the people at the party were now privy to us sleeping together, since Denver’s loudmouth ass decided to air us out.
As bad as I wanted to quit, I had bills to pay. I would just take a few days to regroup then pretend as if none of this ever happened between us.
