Page 103 of Until Us

I look at the time, and it’s four. I pinch my brows, wondering why Kalum wouldn’t ask me himself.

Aura: Is everything ok?

Janine: Everything is peachy. He is in a meeting and couldn’t get out in time and asked me to call you before it got later.

Aura: Ok. I’ll head out and meet you at the office.

Janine: Awesome. :)

I shower and get ready. I dress in a wool form-fitted dress and long coat. It has gotten notably cooler in the evening, and I don’t want to freeze to death. Henry waits out front, and Camila is making dinner for LJ. I give them both a kiss and head out toward Kalum’s office building in the city.

50

KALUM

“Is she coming?” I ask Janine when I walk out of the board meeting. I’ve been busy with the store I want to open in Manhattan for Aura and her designs.

“Yep. Henry is on his way with her now.”

I smile because I’m dying to see her.

Every night I sleep in the next room, it’s hard not to walk in her room and bury myself inside her, but I don’t because of LJ. I don’t want to confuse him or make him feel uncomfortable. We haven’t been affectionate in front of him either.Baby steps.

I walk in my office and freeze. Meredith is leaning on my desk in a seductive pose with a long coat. I’m assuming there is nothing underneath except for some lacy lingerie. Before, I would have welcomed the intrusion, but now my stomach bottoms out, and dread snakes up my spine.

“What are you doing here, Meredith?” I say, irritated.

“I’ve missed you, Kalum. I haven’t heard from you in a while,” she says in a naughty voice. “It’s never bothered you before.

“I need you to leave right now.”

I hate to be an asshole, but I didn’t invite her, and I figured she would’ve gotten the hint when I didn’t call her or answer hercalls since that night I left her apartment. The last thing I need right now is for Aura to walk in here and think the worst.

She walks slowly, opening her coat, revealing exactly what I assumed. She’s wearing a lacy number that does nothing for me. I’m not even hard. She places her hands on my chest, and I grip her wrists to push her off. But luck isn’t on my side. The door to my office opens, and Janine stops, her eyes widening with Aura right behind her.

My gaze lands on the most important person in the room, and the look on her face breaks me. Her smile dies a quick death, and her eyes lower to the ground. Her eyes glass over, and Meredith’s words make it ten times worse.I have never laid my hands on a woman, but I want to strangle her.

“Excuse me. We will just be a second. Right, baby?” she coos. “It’s been a while.”

Janine backs up after shielding Aura from the scene in front of her. “Sorry to have interrupted. I thought we were having a meeting. I guess I misread the message earlier,” Janine says in a tight voice.

Fuck.

I shove Meredith away. “Get out,” I say in a voice dripping with venom. “If you come to my building unannounced, I will have you thrown out. We are done. I didn’t call or plan to call you.”

“It’s because of her,” she seethes, closing her coat and raising her chin.

I know she saw Aura. You could tell from her expression and the way Janine was shielding her from watching Meredith’s hands pawing all over my dress shirt.

“It will always be because of her. Now get out and don’t ever come back.”

She lowers her head in defeat. She knows the shit she pulled backfired. Had I known she could show up like she did, throwing herself at me, I would have made my point sooner.

I open the door and turn to the secretary seated in the desk by the elevator.

“Call security and make sure she is shown out and is not allowed back in. Where are Janine and Aura?”

The girl scrambles on the desk and picks up the phone. “Yes, sir. I think Janine and Miss Aura are in the boardroom.”

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