Page 50 of With a Broken Wing
“And this Fisher guy… he is afriendof yours?” Demetri was angry. I could tell by the harsh tone of his voice.
I gulped, clenching my hands into nervous fists in my lap. “No. He never was. Not exactly. I… he used to sell me benzos or painkillers, whatever he had. Mostly things like Xanax.”
Demetri backed away from me, as if instantly repulsed. “You’re a drug addict?” He paused to run his hands over his face. “The lack of appetite, the jumpiness, the paranoia. I should’ve known.”
“No, I’m not an addict. I… it’s a long story, Demetri. My life has never been… good. It helps to cope.”
He turned to walk towards the window, ignoring the tears that streamed down my face. “And he’s been watchingus?”
“Yes,” I whispered. “I begged him to leave you out of it.”
When he turned around and closed in on me, I cringed. “To leave meout of it. You weren’t just using me to get the money you need for you and your little dealer friend? You’re unbelievable.”
“Demetri, it’s not like that. I love—”
“Don’t. Don’t you dare finish that sentence.” When he turned his glare to me, his eyes were filled with an expression I didn’t recognize. It was darker than the frustration or anger I’d seen before. “You’re on the first fucking plane to Grand Rapids tomorrow. Erin will send you your last check.”
“No, please.” I dropped to my knees, grabbing his hand. “Demetri, please let me explain. Please.”
He pulled his hand from mine. “No. Nothing you say will make me change my mind. I guess there are just some things begging on your knees won’t get you.” The malice in his voice was thick and caused a crack to form in my chest.
A loud sob broke from my lips, and I fell flat to the floor when the wooden door slammed behind Demetri. He was gone.
I’m dead.
I staredat the door across the hall—the one that hadn’t been opened since I’d gotten back from New York. It wouldn’t be either. I wasn’t replacing her. If I’d learned anything, it was that I should’ve followed my instincts and just handled it myself.
“Fucking hell.”
The pen I launched out of my hand hit the screen of my computer and bounced back at me, causing me to try to dodge it. A fresh wave of annoyed anger rushed through me when the plastic pen hit me anyways. The literal consequences of my actions reminding me my choices would come back to haunt me.
I was haunted enough by the memory of wavy red hair and an ass that jiggled when you slap it. I was haunted even more by the images of her face when she came apart, by the sound of my name on her lips or muffled by her pillow. It echoed in my ears and hung in the front of my mind.
None of that was worth the lies, the manipulation. If she had genuinely been in trouble, she would’ve asked for my help. She knew I would have taken care of it, taken care ofher,but she’d hidden it from me. She hid her collection of pills and conveniently told me she loved me the day she let everything shatter around me. In the end, she was just another desperate woman who needed my money.
My chest constricted before there was a shy knock on the door frame. “Hey, can I come in?” Erin asked, stepping in without waiting for my response.
“You’re going to anyways,” I grumbled back at her.
She nodded. “Right. Are you okay?”
“Erin, not now.”
“That good, huh?” She sat in the chair across from my desk and made herself comfortable. I sighed. “I just came in to tell you I mailed her last check.”
“Why did you think that was information I needed?”
“Because you obviously love her. Anyone can see you’ve been a miserable fuck for the last five days. I saw how you looked at her.” She rolled her eyes, remaining relaxed even as I stiffened in my chair.
My face was warm, likely flushed red with my anger. “I don’t love her.”
Erin shrugged as if she was saying she didn’t believe a word I said. “Whatever you say. Maybe you should let the girl explain.”
“Damn it, Erin. I said not now!” I slammed my fist into my desk, annoyed when she didn’t flinch. I thought about the way Andy had cowered at the slightest advance, and my stomach twisted in knots. “I don’t pay you to care about my personal life. Drop it.”
She stood up from her seat, leaning against my desk. “I’m not here as your employee, you tight ass. I’m here as your friend. The one who’s trying to tell you you’ll make the biggest mistake of your life if you just let her go.”
I didn’t let her go. I’d walked away and sent her home. She wasn’t coming back because I wasn’t bringing her back. Erin sighed with defeat, turning and walking back out the door.
