Page 37 of Corporate Escapades

“Tell me, since you seem to have everything figured out, why doyouthink we do these things?”

This time Vic shook his head at her as he gave in to the truth. “Loss. Right? We do it because of the pain we feel from the loss.”

“You’re still hurting?” asked Paris. She never thought he’d admit it. There wasn’t a day that went by in which she didn’t wish Alli was still alive.

“Yes,” he replied. “Brody was my best friend. We kept each other sane. How do you say goodbye and move on from a loss like that?” Tears pooled at the corner of his eyes and he blinked them away, taking on a more serious face.

“I miss my sister so much,” replied Paris. “I’d give anything to have her back. I’d sell my soul.”

“That’s pretty extreme,” replied Vic. “I don’t think Brody or Alli would want you to sell your soul to bring them back.”

“You wouldn’t do the same?”

“No. I’m pretty strict on that rule.”

“Do you think we’ll ever get past this?”

“I think there’ll always be a piece that hurts and longs to have them back, but I believe we have to find a way to move on. Don’t you think it’s time? I, for one, don’t want to be arrested ever again.”

“Yeah, me neither,” replied Paris.

“Then you have to stop stealing things. Stealing will surely land you in jail.”

“I’ll think about it,” she said half-heartedly. He was catching her at a vulnerable time when she actually had no money to buy even the small things she wanted, but she knew he was right.

“And stop with the pills. You’ll kill yourself if you keep on with that. I don’t think your parents deserve to lose both of their children.”

Paris’s expression went dark. “I told you, I haven’t tried to take any pills since the first day in the boardroom. Mya ground up the last of them in my disposal.”

Vic cocked his head as he looked at her. “That’s good. Smart girl, that Mya.”

“Whatever,” replied Paris. “I wasn’t taking them enough to become addicted.”

“That’s what an addict would say,” noted Vic. “Just don’t. I won’t tolerate living with an addict or a thief.”

Paris jumped up from the loveseat. “Okay, womanizer.”

“I’m not a womanizer,” Vic barked.

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that. Anyway, I’m going to bed,” she said and disappeared into her room.

Vic thought about her words. He knew he had a voracious sexual appetite, but did that make him a womanizer? It wasn’t as if he was incapable of meaningful relationships. He wanted something real, but the last girl he’d given his heart to had pulverized it and divulged his private life to the press. How could a man trust any woman after an incident like that? Pushing himself up, he turned off the living room light and headed for bed. He was tired and didn’t want to think about his conversation with Paris any further, but her words had cut deep enough to haunt him while he slept.

It was one in the morning when a loud banging sound woke Paris from her sleep. At first, it didn’t register that the sound was someone pounding on her door, but then she heard Vic asking if she was awake.

“Paris, wake up!” he hollered.

“I’m awake,” she replied groggily. “What do you want?”

“There’s been an accident,” said Vic. His voice came out with a shakiness that was uncharacteristic of him.

“What?” squeaked Paris. “What kind of accident?” Fear flooded her body turning her legs to jelly. She found herself propelled back in time to the night when Alli and Brody were killed. What if it was her parents or her grandfather?

Vic could hear the fear in her voice. He didn’t know how to proceed, so he was as direct as possible. “Mya and Chase,” he said. “They were out with some friends this evening, and their car was hit by a drunk driver on the way home. Chase called and said they were in an ambulance and being transported to the hospital. I told him we’d meet him there.”

Paris’s mind felt numb, but the adrenaline coursing through her veins gave her the strength to jump out of bed. Trying not to panic, she pulled on her sweats and a pair of socks. “I’ll be out in a minute,” she called to him as she searched for her tennis shoes.

When Paris emerged from the bedroom, she realized they had a problem. “How will we get to them when we don’t have a vehicle?”

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