Page 60 of Deal with Mr. Cruel

“Home, please.”

Jonas tapped his foot impatiently as they drove and as he rode up the elevator to his place. He hoped he wasn’t too late. He quickly unlocked his door and stepped inside.

“Mae?” he called out.

There was no answer. He looked around the condo, but everything was as he left it. He walked down the hallway to her room and pushed the door open to see all of her things still there. Jonas breathed a small sigh of relief, but was disappointed she wasn’t there. He sat down on the edge of her bed and looked around solemnly. Her perfume still lingered in the air and he breathed in as he put his head in his hands. Where could she be?

He thought for a moment before opening the drawer of her nightstand. It didn’t feel right to go through her things, but he was looking for a clue of where she could be. He found an address book and excitedly flipped through it. After a few pages he realized it was no use. There were so many contacts, and many of them were business contacts. He couldn’t call every single one.

Frustrated, he shut the book and went to put it back in the drawer. Just as he was about to shut it, he spotted the corner of a picture peeking out. He slid it out from underneath the romance books she loved to read and smiled when he realized what it was.

It was a picture of them. Probably the only one they had together. He had taken it in his old apartment. Her head laid on his shoulder as they sat on the couch. He had made a funny face by crossing his eyes and sticking his tongue out. She was laughing in the picture. Her nose scrunched up and all her teeth showed. Jonas could hear it now. He loved her laugh.

Jonas stood from the bed, desperate to find her. He wouldn’t give up. He couldn’t lose her. He tried the office, but it was empty. Everyone was at the festival. He tried the corner market where she would stop for wine, but the owner hadn’t seen her. He tried her favorite coffee shop, but she wasn’t there. Jonas walked defeatedly back to the car and closed the door behind him. His driver looked at him questioningly.

Out of options, Jonas thought of one more place she might be, and it was the last place he wanted to go. He looked through his contacts and found the address he needed, and gave it to his driver. A short drive later, he got out of the car and walked into the apartment building. He skipped the elevator and walked up the two flights of stairs swiftly. When he reached the door, he knocked and waited with bated breath.

He heard the door unlock and watched it open to Nico standing in the doorway. He looked at Jonas, surprised.

“What the hell do you want?” he asked, keeping his hand on the door.

“Please, Nico. Is she here?”

“Who?”

“Don’t play dumb.”

Nico sighed. “She’s not here.”

Jonas didn’t believe him. He pushed through the door and entered Nico’s apartment.

“Are you serious right now?” asked Nico. “I told you she’s not here.”

Jonas glanced around, hoping for a sign Mae was there or had been there. Another player named Josh walked into the living room. He looked at Jonas, confused.

“Hey, boss.” He eyed Jonas and Nico warily. “I’m not going to have to break up another fight, am I?”

“No, no. Everything is fine, Josh,” Jonas assured him. “Actually, can you give us a moment?”

Josh nodded. He gave Nico a questioning look as he grabbed a beer from the fridge. Nico nodded anit’s okayand Josh headed back down the hall to his room. He didn’t shut the door all the way and Jonas was pretty sure he was eavesdropping, but he didn’t care.

“Look, Nico. I know we have our history,” said Jonas.

“Yeah, but I don’t know why.”

“You really don’t know?”

“No. You’ve just hated me from the beginning. I’ve never done anything to you.”

Jonas sighed. If he were to win Mae back, it was time he was honest. Not only with her, but the people who mattered to her.

“May I sit?” Jonas gestured toward the couch.

“Sure.” Nico slowly sat down on the opposite end as Jonas took a seat.

“It was never anythingyoudid. It was really about my father and his infatuation with you. I worked my whole life to be noticed by him, and you just waltzed in, fresh out of college, and he took to you quickly. I hated you for it.”

“Wow.” Nico looked surprised.

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