Page 53 of Paint Me Love
There’s finality in his voice. It leaves no space for arguing, no way for me to salvage whatever I’ve ruined. Still, I try, surprising even myself.
“Please, let’s just tal—”
“No.” He slams the door in my face.
Wow. I stand there in front of his apartment, not sure what to do with myself. I’ve been hurt before, it’s just part of the game that I play. Sometimes it’s necessary, something it isn’t, but at the end of the day, I don’t care as long as Daniel remains by my side. So why did he throw me out?
The next days feel like I’m in a nightmare. Everything has this blurry quality, like it’s half-there and half-not. Sound has lost its sharpness, too. It’s muted, muffled and, quite frankly, irritating, fueling the frustration I’ve been feeling since my fight with Daniel.
I texted him multiple times, but he’s yet to reply. I tried calling. It’s clear he’s angry with me, though I’m not exactly sure what I did wrong. Yes, I was direct, but only because I’m willing to overlook whatever it is that happened between him and Jesse. Why doesn’t he get that?
A knock on my door pulls my attention. It’s my PA. “Alexander is here. Conference room four.”
I thank Jared and head over. The German is having some issue due to incomplete specifications from his end, and now we have to fix a bunch of shit. Fun times.
Despite it being his fault, I apologize and assure him we’ll get everything sorted out by the end of the week. He leaves with a smile on his face after patting me on the back.
“Oh.” He pauses at the door. “I hope you are free tonight. Adam and I are going out for dinner to discuss business. You should join us.”
I smile, nodding my head enthusiastically. “Of course. Leave the details with my PA.”
Great, just what I needed. My head is spinning enough as it is, and alcohol will only make it worse. Oh well, at least it will distract me from thinking about Daniel.
I wrap up work earlier and have my driver who I seldom use take me to the restaurant Alexander has booked. It’s one of the poshest in town, though the kitschy gilded interior is grating on my nerves today.
Alexander doesn’t shut up the entire time, rambling on and on about his expansion in Asia and the profits he’s expecting to see. It’s good for us, I’m not going to lie, but why he felt the need to brag in front of me is beyond me.
Okay, that’s a lie. I’ve done it, too. It’s one of those weird things rich people do, a way to compare dicks. Going off what little I’ve caught of his one-sided conversation, Alexander’s is quite big and he most definitely likes to wave it around.
“Oh, there he is!” he cuts himself off in the middle of explaining about the horses he breeds in his mansion in Porto. His voice pitches higher and his eyes gleam with dark intent. I track where they are looking. The reason for the sudden change in his demeanor is obvious immediately.
Adam, who’s just entered the venue, looks at our table, his lips curving up in a fake smile. He’s wearing a navy suit that looks brand new. He hands his fur coat to the waiter and joins us.
“Good evening, gentlemen.” His eyes meet mine first and then Alexander’s, lingering there. “How are you doing? Are the issues with the deployment resolved?”
“Mm, I see news travels fast,” Alexander muses and jumps into an explanation that I tune out. “I hear you and Derek aren’t together anymore?” he poses at the end, hope lurking in his voice.
“We aren’t, no,” Adam confirms, throwing me alookas he takes a sip from his white wine. Then he flashes me the most genuinely happy smile I’ve ever seen. “He’s finally found someone who’s good for more than sex.”
I frown at my ex. He’s the reason Daniel threw me out and refuses to talk to me, so why is he smiling? Irritation unfurling in my stomach, I tilt my chin toward the smoking area. “We need to talk. Join me for a smoke?”
“You don’t even like smoking,” he counters, challenge in his eyes.
“And you shouldn’t have poked your nose into my business, but you did.”
I storm out of the restaurant, not waiting for him. I know he will come though, because Adam loves being the center of attention or drama. A minute later, he doesn’t disappoint.
“So, what’s troubling you?”
“Daniel kicked me out.”
He chuckles and lights his cigarette. We’ve found a semi-private corner, away from the other smokers. “Ouch. What did you do to piss off the cutie?”
“Nothing!” I exhale, letting my shoulders slump. Then I clench my fists. “I went to see him, but Jesse was at his place.”
I give Adam a rundown of what happened after that, how I confronted Daniel and was willing to forgive him. Adam explodes with laughter.
“It’s not funny! What the fuck do I do now?”
