Mr. Big Shot: An Enemies To Lovers Romance (Kinda Cocky Book 1), стр. 44
Kelly gasped. “You what?!”
I paused. “Haven’t I already told you guys this?”
“You’ve told me. I never told Kelly,” Roxy said.
“Wait, you what?” Kelly quipped.
“Guys, please!”
“Okay, okay, okay,” Kelly muttered, “just act like you haven’t. Let us both get a clear picture of what’s up.”
I sighed. “Well, that happened. And then, he got stiff on me. Which I figured was because he was getting cold feet. But, things warmed up between us again, and he took me out on this wonderful romantic boat thing on the ocean with dinner and drinks. And we danced while the sun set.”
Roxy paused. “And then you had sex?”
“Yeah.”
“Uh oh,” Kelly replied.
“And after that, things were good. For a solid week, we were flirty and bantering and holding hands and kissing. I fell asleep with him every night and woke up to him every morning. It was phenomenal, guys. Really.”
“So, what’s happened?” Roxy asked.
I paused. “He asked me out on a date. Right? We had this big meeting, he asks me out, and I’m supposed to meet him at a bar at seven. But, he doesn't show up.”
“That asshole,” Kelly hissed.
“And after waiting for him for almost an hour, I try to go find him. I mean, he hasn’t called. Hasn’t texted. Or emailed. He’s not in his room, and he’s nowhere to be found. Then, get this. He starts sending me the lists of things he wants me to do for him for the coming days on a fucking piece of paper with the guy that delivers me breakfast every morning.”
“You can’t be serious,” Roxy said.
“Nope. I’m dead serious. I haven’t seen the man since he stood me up. Hell, since before he stood me up. And I’m supposed to continue working for him like nothing ever happened?”
“You know what you need to do?” Kelly asked.
“I’m really hoping you’ll have a solution. Because I don’t.”
“You need to come home,” Kelly said.
“And you need to quit,” Roxy added.
I sighed. “I don’t know if I can quit, you guys. I need this job.”
“But, with this job comes him. It sounds like all he’s doing is using you. And you deserve better than that in a boss. You know you do,” Kelly reminded me.
I wiped away my tears. “You don’t think this will get better, do you?”
Roxy cleared her throat. “I think he’s set enough of a pattern for you to answer that question yourself.”
My lower lip quivered. “I hate him so much.”
“Then come home,” Kelly told me, “and we’ll be waiting for you.”
“We’ll even pitch in and help you find a new job,” Roxy said.
I knew they were right.
“Okay. I’m going to get off here and book a flight. I’ll let you guys know when it’s coming in, okay?” I said with a shaky voice.
“We love you, girl,” Roxy whispered sweetly.
“So much,” Kelly echoed.
I sniffled. “I love you guys, too. Let me look at tickets, and I’ll get back with you.”
I hung up the phone with them and quickly booked my flight home. Then, I pulled up an email to Zane. I let the cursor blink for the longest time before I finally figured out what I wanted to say. And I decided to make it as clear and concise as possible.
Zane,
I can’t do this with you any longer. Nor will I be a workhorse to a boss that doesn’t even have the guts to look me in the face when he knows he’s done something wrong. Grow a pair.
Karina
24
Zane
One Week Later
I charged through the door of my home and dropped my bags. With the driver standing on the porch, waiting for me to tip him, I rushed straight to my home office. I toggled the mouse to my computer and watched the screen come to life, and my fingers had never flown so fast across them in my life.
“Come on,” I grumbled.
Maybe my phone was messing up. Maybe it had hiccuped, and I needed a new one. Maybe it had died on me and wasn’t relaying my calls and my emails. Maybe, just maybe, Karina had sent me something more than that blasted fucking email I had read three days before.
“Or, maybe not,” I murmured.
I had no new emails in my inbox. Well, no new ones from her, anyway. I yanked my cell phone out of my pocket and sifted through my text messages again. I even tried calling her, only for it to be sent straight to voicemail.
“Come on!” I roared.
“Uh, sir?”
I heard the driver’s voice softly wafting up my hallway.
“Sorry. Yes. Here. I’m coming,” I said.
I ripped my wallet out and pulled out some bills. I didn’t know what they were, and I didn’t care. The only thing I cared about was getting back in touch with Karina. Her leaving from Hawaii had hit me pretty hard not only in a professional way, but in a personal way, too; even though I knew I deserved it for what I had done to her.
“Here. Take this,” I said.
I shoved the bills into the driver’s hands and turned him back toward the staircase.
“Now, get out,” I commanded.
“Sir, not to intrude, but this is--.”
“Just take it!”
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry. You, uh. Well, I hope you get things squared away.”
As I stood at the top of the steps with my loose tie and my wrinkled pants, I watched the cab driver make his way out my front door.
Karina.
I shot off like a bullet back into my home office. The immaculately-tailored exotic expanse of my backyard didn’t call to me like it usually did after long business trips like this one. The sprawling gardens of my front lawn and the swinging porch swing didn’t boast of the sweet songs it would sing to me as the wind softly whipped around my home. The sweet smell of freshly-baked cookies did nothing for me. The fresh food that I knew was sitting in the fridge, courtesy of my chef, did nothing to appease me, either.
The only thing I wanted was