Page 74 of On The Edge
“I did,” he says, owning his insane level of control. And here I thought Kai would be the one to tie me up and lock me away, not Reis. “We’ll pay you five times your normal rate. We’ll pay your room and board, you’ll have a credit card with an allowance. You’ll want for nothing, Melody.”
There’s no fucking way I’m hearing him correctly.
“I had clients. Clients that I earned myself.”
“And your partner knows that they’re to be divided up between the others. You’re still the co-owner, still can bring on new managers and clients, but all your attention and work will be for us. Think about how great it will look for your firm that you have us, the biggest rockstars in modern day, as your top clients.”
In his defense, this does sound good. Having star power of their caliber would be invaluable and bring in so much business.
But it pisses me off that this wasn’t even a discussion. He didn’t ask, he forced.
“Reis,” I say softly, shaking my head. “Just when I think you’re maybe not a fucking idiot, you do shit like this.” I storm out of the room.
“Melody,” Reis' stance breaks and he goes to hold my arm, but yank my arm out of his reach, glaring at him in warning. “Melody, please.”
“You didn’t ask! You don’t actually care about what I want, do you?” I throw my hands up.
“I did this before,” he says strongly, refusing to back down. “It was yesterday. I… I just thought if you were here, we could make up for lost time. If you were here, you could see how we’d grown. If you were here, you could be ours. Look, Mel, I understand I fucked up, but this will be good. For all of us.”
I watch him carefully, my eyes trace the sharp line of his jaw, the way his lips press together just a little too firmly. I know what he’s doing, I know what he’s trying to do. And I understand the intention he had behind it, but any way I look at it, he’s controlling me. I tilt my head, letting the silence stretch between us, watching for the flicker of hesitation, the slight shifting of his weight.
“Did you even think of asking me?” I throw out there, narrowing my eyes at him.
“Honestly, no,” he admits, putting his hands in his pockets. “There was too much of a chance you’d say no.”
“So you resorted to manipulation and control?” I scoff.
“Oh, Reis,” Kai mumbles and shakes his head. Adam’s hands clench into fists, and he crosses his arms. The way he does it makes his biceps look so much bigger. But I know he’s doing this to keep himself from smacking Reis.
“You’re not being manipulatedorcontrolled,” Reis says with a huff. “Did you not hear what I said?”
“I heard what you said.”
“Do you not want the opportunity to make your business better? That’s what I’m trying to give to you.”
My nostrils flare and my lips purse in anger as I think of all the ways I could make him hurt.
“Of course I do,” I snap through gritted teeth.
“Then give this a shot, Mel.” He steps closer, holding his hand out to me. “If you stay only for that, I get it. But please, just stay. We’ll take care of you. In every way you’ll let us.”
He’s so genuine, and I know he thinks he’s done the right thing by all of us. He just can’t see it from my side.
“You can’t just make decisions about my life and my business. If you want to actually give this a shot, all of us,” I include the others, pointing over Reis' shoulder to briefly meet their eyes before I return my frustrated glaring to Reis. “Then start treating me as an equal. Start running your ‘decisions’ by me. Start being fucking considerate and communicate for once in your fucking life,” I snap loudly, pulling my hand away from his.
“I’m going to the room. Do not follow me.” I point at him before pointing over his shoulder again. “None of you. I need some space.”
“Wait, Melody,” Reis rushes forward, his tone nervous and filled with worry. “You’re not leaving, right?”
With my back to them, I take a breath, trying to figure out how to answer that question. Of course, I’m not leaving. I love them, and this is our chance to be together the way I’ve always wanted.
But I’m fucking pissed off that he’s done this, that he doesn’t seem to respect me or my career.
“No, I’m not leaving. But I’m walking away for the moment so I don’t say something I regret. Because I do love you, each one of you, but this… this takes disrespect to a whole new level.”
None of them try to stop me this time, giving me the space I’m asking for.
I pause, right before the turn to the hallway, before looking at them over my shoulder.
