Page 66 of Guarded Hearts
“It’s not how it seems.” He grimaced. “Yes, she fired me, but that was more for show than out of anger or obligation. I’m still employed by the umbrella company.” His lips twitched with a partial smile.
“Umbrella company?”
“M and T Productions.”
“M and T Productions,” I said slowly, my mind trying to grasp where I’d heard that name before. Wait, wasn’t that… “Is Telling the T in that? Malone and Telling? Are you—are you working for Sarah?”
A grin split his face. “I am on loan for her next tour, which starts rehearsals”—he pretended to check a watch that wasn’t on his wrist—“tomorrow?”
I bounced up and down, excitement spilling out. “Ahh! We get to be together. Oh my God.” I jumped into his arms, and he lifted me off the floor. Then he dipped me down and planted a quick kiss on my lips. “Wait. What about the contract? Is it—is it the same?”
“This time,” he said, “there is no reason we can’t be together. Sarah doesn’t have that clause in her contracts.”
“Ahhhmazing!” I was giddy with relief.
“We get to be together.” His face turned serious. “But first, we get that asshole out of your house.”
I laughed, my hair sweeping along the floor before he tipped me back onto my feet. “I’m working on it. I have a lawyer. I’ve filed a complaint with the police. But all my paperwork is in the house, and Ricky won’t let me back in unless I say I’m taking him back. Which will never happen.”
“No, no, no. We go today. He leaves today.”
I cocked my head. “How are we going to do that? I’ve been working on getting him kicked out the last two days.”
“You just need a little”—Pasha flexed and tapped his bicep—“muscle.”
“A little, huh?” I raised my eyebrows in amusement. “He’s not easily intimidated.”
“Intimidation is my job. Don’t worry. If he isn’t gone when we get there, he will leave as soon as he can.” Pasha pulled me into his side. “He won’t like me when I’m angry.”
An image of the Hulk flashed before me. Though the green guy had never been my favorite superhero, picturing Pasha in his place definitely had my interest. I glanced up at him, fluttering my eyelashes. “Might as well get my money out of the room today. No need to hurry over to kick him out.”
His smile started in the corner of his lips before widening to its full wattage. “I like your thinking.”
“I thought you might.” I scooped my purse off the floor, tugged him down the hall, and slipping my keycard into the lock on my room door.
Ricky could wait. Right now, I wanted to enjoy my reunion.
When we arrived back at the house, the front door was wide open. What now? I rushed toward the door, but Pasha grabbed my arm and held me back.
“I’ll check the house. You stay here. In the car, just to be safe.”
Even from the driveway, I could tell he’d cleaned out the house again. All the furniture was gone. In a rage after Pasha’s visit, he’d probably ripped the TV right off the wall. I couldn’t even remember what attributes I’d seen in Ricky.
Before Pasha, my instinct would have been to rail against all men. But Ricky wasn’t all men. He was simply representative of the poor choices I’d made in the past. Let him have the furniture. I would have the better life.
A deep sigh preceded Pasha out of the house. “He’s taken everything of any value.”
“Sounds about right,” I said. “This isn’t the first time he’s been a total shit. But it’s the last time he’ll be a total shit to me.” I tapped the roof of the car. “How’d you get his car?”
“I can be persuasive.” His playful smile morphed into a grimace. “I can help you get your stuff back. He shouldn’t have taken it.”
No,he shouldn’t have, but Ricky’s issues weren’t mine anymore, and the sooner I could be rid of him, the better I’d feel. The last three days had been stressful and emotional. I wanted to enjoy my last day before rehearsals started. “Did he leave me anything?”
He scratched the back of his head and looked toward the bay window. “A mattress on the floor.”
At least he’d left that. “Do we really need more?” I pinched his shirt and tugged him closer.
“He robbed you again.” Pasha let out a frustrated noise.
