Page 62 of The Enemy

We had switched sides during our little morning escapades, so I was on “his” side of the bed. I didn’t mean to snoop when the phone pinged, but it was his fault that part of the messages were displayed on the screen.

Everything that was warm in me at that moment instantly went cold. My heart, which had been broken and jagged by my family, finished chipping off as I read the message on the screen.

Tatum: It took three long years, and I can’t believe we pulled it off, bro. Thank you for believing me…

I couldn’t help but wonder if Neo was in that room right now, laughing at my stupidity. He said he believed me, that he would take care of it, and I believed him because my infatuation with him blinded me, but the facts said otherwise.

Right before landing, I turned on my phone and sent Cristobal a message. One of the other reasons why I kept a friendly relation with him was because he could get information on anyone. He knew climbing up the ladder was a dirty game, and if you wanted to play then you needed to play outside of the rules.

It was a decision I had come to when I knew the board was going to throw everything that was out of my hands back at me. From my sex to my heritage, and if they wanted to play dirty, so could I.

Me: Hiiiii!

Me: I’m going to need moreeeee!

Cristobal: No good morning? How are you doing? Just ask for it raw?

I rolled my eyes, and if I hadn’t been fucked raw a few hours ago, I might have laughed.

Cristobal: I’ll talk to my guys.

After I read his text, I turned my phone on silent then do not disturb, and then I wiped my tears away.

I was aware of my many fuckups this weekend, but it was time to stop settling for the scraps my family was giving me.

“I’m sorry,Mamita,” I whispered, knowing she would hate the way I was about to eviscerate my elders. It wasn’t the way she raised me, but she was no longer here, and I had to survive in this den of vipers on my own.

One week later

My list of fuckups kept piling on. In the last week, I laid low, put my heart together the best I could, and then gave myself one hell of a pep talk before returning to work.

I was sure my father was pissed at me. Not only did he give me a chance to attend a meet I wasn’t even invited to, but I left early. Even though in the three years that I worked at the company I had never taken a day off, hell, I still had two years’ worth of vacations and some PTO days. I knew that my week off would get me in trouble. Someone—and by someone, I meant the bitch married to my father—had already snitched on me to my grandfather because he called me. And he never called.

I came back from Florida, and instead of going to my apartment, I stayed at Clove’s place, too scared that Neo would come barging into my life. The only time I went out was when I met up with Cristobal, so he could hand me new information.

It was dumb luck that we ran into Wes as we left the café.

The world really was a small place sometimes.

Just as I was ready to walk out the door and go to work, my phone rang. When I saw Marie’s name flashing I was able to breathe easier for just a second.

“Hi, Marie,” I greeted her.

She sighed.

“Oh,mija, I wish I could be calling with better news.”

My stomach dropped even though I had expected something to go down.

“What happened?” I asked hesitantly.

“The vote for the COO position will be at the end of the week.”

Even though I knew I never had a fair shot, and after last week, I blew the minuscule amount of respect the board had for me, it still hurt. I cleared my throat, but the ache remained as I spoke.

“I’m ready for them. I’ve been preparing for this moment,” I let her know.

Before I walked out the door, I looked at myself. My hair was in loose waves, my lips were a dark red that matched my heels, and everything else was black.

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