Page 136 of Are You Going to Love Me

“Who the fuck is this?” Maximus boomed. “The fuck you mean someone broke in my shit...who the fuck is it? Nah, keep her right there, I’m on my way...I said I’m on my fuckin’ way!”

Now Eden was out of the bed, grabbing her clothes to go wherever he was. Maximus, still covered in Eden’s honey, stomped back in with anger scribbled over his face. “What’s wrong? Who's at the house?”

“Don’t get dressed,” he grunted. “It’s your birthday. It's a whole bunch of shit planned for tomorrow. Stay.”

“Maximus, what is happening?”

He groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, quickly resetting himself so he wouldn’t raise his voice. “I extended my mother's rehab stay when we got back from Ocean City. She was still on some bullshit when I went to see her. Apparently, she checked herself out and found her way to the house. I need to get over there before they carry her ass off to jail.”

“I’ll go with you-”

“Eden. No. You’ll stay here and enjoy yourself. I got this shit. I’ll be back once I get her settled.”

Eden retreated and nodded. “Okay.”

“I know if I need you, you’ll come runnin’. But I got to handle this on my own, E. Hear me?”

She nodded again, “Heard you. I love you.”

He kissed her quickly before finishing dressing. “I love you, too. I’ll be back.”

With that, he whisked out the door, leaving her in a beautifully decorated hotel room, wrapped in a robe and worry etched over her forehead. “God, please.”

She scoffed at herself. “After what I just did to that man, I shouldn’t be asking you for nothing. But please just keep him safe and keep his mind. Please.”

Eden barely slept, finding herself dressed first thing in the morning and in the private dining room downstairs. Maximus texted her a schedule for her day. Breakfast, spa, shopping, and a promise to be back by lunch and to make up for leaving her in the middle of the night. She accepted it because, after all, taking care of his mother was a priority. Regardless of their history, he was a man who housed a little boy still needing his mother’s love.

She knew that void and that pain would never impede on him from doing what he needed to do for her. So she sat in the nook,pushing her fruit across the plate, not wanting to eat, thanks to the taste of metal in her mouth.

“Is this seat taken?” A soft voice flowed, hitting Eden’s ears. She looked up, finding the owner of the St. Harlem.

Samyra St. Harlem-Steele.

Eden straightened up. Considering Staysha’s history with her COO, she didn’t know how this would turn out. “No, I'm solo for right now.”

“I promise I won’t take up too much of your time,” Samyra spoke softly, taking a seat. “I was craving the salmon and grits and just happened to see you sitting here. How have you been?”

Eden offered a professional smile. “I’ve found my footing again. You? Expecting baby number two?”

Samyra smiled. “Yes, he sure is making up for lost time. Listen, I wanted to extend you an apology. You and your sister, despite the way everything was handled, it wasn’t right. The way we retracted our business once MRA sent us a letter about misconduct on your behalf.”

Eden nodded and winced. “That letter must’ve been typed up and ready to go, the way I was dropped from everything within a day of the news breaking.”

“I cannot speak for any other business or brand. Only us. Poppi did a lot of business with my father. She helped build this place, and the way you were treated was unacceptable. Please forgive us for that.”

“Actually, Samyra, life has been so good as of late, I’ve let all of that go.”

Samyra smiled softly. “That’s good to know. But it doesn’t negate the fact that we were on the wrong side of this. I wanted to offer you and your sister brand positions.”

“I’m not sure your COO or his wife would want Staysha in their space.”

“I fired him. His extracurricular activities were tainting my brand. And if a woman can be ridiculed for sleeping around, so should a man. Especially when it’s a string of women he’s trying to keep silent with my money. Or the businesses he was buying with it. I won’t have it. The coffee shop near your apartment was obtained through the accountant’s funneling of my money. So I’m restructuring. Or as you said, finding my footing again.”

“I'm sorry to hear that."

“No," Samyra hummed. “That's not why I'm telling you all of that. I’m saying that because, with your influence and power, we’d like to extend a place on our board for creative direction. You and your sister. And if you’re up to it, a line of coffee at forty percent return to roll out with a relaunch.”

“This is generous.”

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