Page 92 of Invisible String
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
MAX
Shutting the door to the meeting room. Leo is standing at the foot of the door with a look of horror in his eyes. “What did you say to her? She was so nice, like an old lady dropping off cookies, and then she transformed into Darth Vader. She hates your guts, man.”
I blink. “Who are you talking about?”
My assistant follows behind me.
He shrugs. “Hell, if I should know.”
We walk toward the front office. Then I see the box of cookies. Shit. Rainey was here. I toss a manila envelope on Leo’s desk and peer at him. “What was she doing here?”
“She came to drop off a check. Remember when I told you that the technician accidentally hit the mixer, causing it to fall? It turned out that when she tried turning it on, the mixer didn’t work, and she thought we broke it. It’s because it wasn’t plugged in.” He laughs. “She dropped the cookies as an apology and asked if she could give my boss the check to apologize.”
I run my fingers through my hair, grip it in frustration. “And then what happened?”
“She went into your office. And when she came out, she was fuming. She said, you’re dead. Like this.” He gestures with hishands, a knife slicing my neck. “Also, she said you could shove the check up your ass.”
The blood drains from my face. Damnit, did she get into my stuff? “Fuck!”
“Why do you look frightened? You fight the most dangerous, scary men, and you’re afraid of women.” He laughs so loud, his voice booms.
“Not women. Woman.My woman.” My voice snaps into a dark admission.
Leo and Benji’s laughter shorten with surprise.
“I told her not to go into your office when I was coming out.” Roxy puffs her chest, smiling as if she did me a favor.
“Like I said, Roxy.My woman.That woman you told couldn’t go into my office ismy woman, and if she ever sets foot in my building, she has the authority to do so.”
“You never told me you had a woman or that the baker was your woman.” Leo’s forehead knits, and he frowns. He is clearly hurt that I never told him about Rainey.
“Her name is Rainey.” I peer at Roxy and Benji. “Back to work, you two.” Once they’re gone, I avert my gaze to Leo. “Rainey and I have a history that goes way back. We are not officially together, but she’s my girl. I have her photo on my computer.” I shrug.
He nods. “I saw the photo but never asked, and she looks different. It didn’t click until now.”
Something about Leo. For the first time, I shared something private with someone. Maybe it’s because we have a lot in common. Or maybe it’s because we bicker like brothers.
“Good luck. She’s pissed. She didn’t know you owned this company, huh?”
I shove my hands in my pockets. “No, she didn’t. I’ve been the target of her anger for years. I walked out on her four years ago. Now I’m back to square one.”
“She’s your reason, huh? We all need something to keep us afloat. I’m trying to find my reason.” Leo sits at the corner of his desk, and I know what he’s feeling—the loneliness of not having a family or someone to anchor you.
“You’ll find it, buddy, but to answer your question, yes, she’s my reason, but she’s more than that. She’s my way of breathing, the light I need in my darkness, the solace I need in my world of chaos—the queen I want to worship.The one.”
“Does she know all this?”
“No, she barely talks to me. She fell out of love with me.” My chest caves, knowing I lost the love she once had for me. You’d have to be crazy to love someone like me. Yet, she did at some point. I pat him on the shoulder. “I’ll be in my office. Get those orders out to the technicians.”
Parallel lines form over the bridge of Leo’s nose.
“What is it?”
“Maybe she loves you, and she’s only saying that because she’s mad at you.”
“I thought about it at first, that maybe she was just saying it, but I’m starting to think she doesn’t. I fucked up, and I’ll keep trying to earn my spot back in her heart.”
