Page 95 of Dirty Little Secrets
I bury my face into my hands. “I thought this is what you wanted, Javier. I don’t understand?—”
“No! Youdon’tunderstand, do you?” he grunts, slamming his fist down. “This isyourcompany, Damon. Yours. You can’t just walk away. Do you think I’ve been hard on you because Iwantedyou to fail? To give up? No! It’s because I wanted you tostep up! To step up and be the man your father hoped you’d become!”
My temples pulse as we go around in circles. “What if I’m not that man, Javier? Hmm? You keep saying this ismycompany, but it’s not. It never was. It was and will always be my father’s vision. Not mine.” I glance up at Javier, his anger palpable. “Draw up the contracts, Javier. I’ve made up my mind.”
Javier's hands tremble with fury. “You are not leaving, Damon. I won’t have it.”
“It’s not your choice, Javier,” I grunt, irritated by his insubordination. “I’ve made my decision. Given my history, I doubt the board will waste a second finding a new chief executive officer. If you truly care about this company, then you know it’s the right thing to do.”
Javier clenches his teeth. “Your father built this company from the ground up, Damon. This…” He motions around the office. “This is his legacy. And he left it to you!”
“I didn’t ask for it!” I growl, abruptly standing up. “I didn’t ask for him to die and leave this responsibility!This organization was my father’s dream, his vision, and it succeeded because he built it with his goddamn heart, Javier. My heart was and will never be like his.”
Javier scoffs, releasing a string of broken maniacal laughs. “Your heart? Your heart?! This isn’t about your fucking heart, Damon. This is about duty!” He runs a frantic hand through his thinning hair. “Your heart… Is that a joke? And what about your heart, Damon? Huh? What does this little heart of yours want to do instead?” His tone turns vile. “Does your little heart want to paint pretty pictures? Is that what it wants?”
“That’s enough!” I demand as my office door creaks open and Miranda pokes her head in.
“Uhhh…” she stammers. “I’ll come back?—”
“No. We’re done here.” I glare at Javier. “What is it?”
“Oh, umm…” She clears her throat. “Alfonso was wondering if, umm… If she said yes? The ring? Did she like it?”
Javier loses his mind. “Alfonso?!” he yells. “A ring? Please do not tell me you proposed to that fucking whore?!”
“Out!” I yell, pointing to the door. “Right now. Don’t make me call security on you. Get out!”
Miranda sheepishly glances at Javier, coming to my rescue like a maiden in shining armor. “Mr. Cortes, perhaps you’d like to take a walk with me, hmm? Cool down a little?” She takes a step toward him, attempting to defuse the situation, but Javier recoils from her grasp and marches out of the room, cursing under his breath. Miranda lets out a shaky breath. “Sorry. I tried.” She hesitates before asking, “Are you… Are you okay?”
I glance at the ticking clock. Shit, it’s later than I thought. “No,” I say, grabbing my phone off the desk and pocketing it. “But I will be.” I look up at Miranda. “You should go home. Christmas is in a couple of days. Go spend it with your family.”
“But what about?—”
“It can wait,” I state, grabbing my jacket off the hanger as I text Emery that I’m on my way home. “There are more important things in life than work. Enjoy the holidays, Miranda. I’ll see you in the new year, okay?”
“You too, sir,” Miranda coos, stopping herself. “I mean, you too, Mr. Cavanaugh.” She offers me a warm smile. “And, uh, congratulations?”
I leave without acknowledging the latter. I don’t want to jinx it. I don’t want to celebrate before I get a concrete answer. Anxiety infiltrates my chest as I drive back to the condo. I know she needs time. Emery’s not one to make hasty decisions. But the uncertainty kills me.
“Hello?” I call out, stepping into my condo. “Emery? Are you here?” I round the corner to find her sitting on the couch, gaze focused on her phone screen. “Emery?” She gasps, face pale as she pushes her phone away. Her features turndistraught. “Emery…? What’s wrong?”
She swallows, feigning a smile. “Nothing, I just, umm… I just woke up from a nap.” Her gaze flits to the coffee table, and my heart drops. Set beside her phone is a gaudy earring. “Oh, I… I found this between the bed frame and mattress.” She holds it up, tilting her head. “Yours?” She examines it. “It’s a bit…loud for you, don’t you think?”
Panic sets in as I sit down beside her. “Emery, I’m not—” I close my eyes. The truth. She’ll understand. “It’s, umm…” She perks up a curious brow, but I don’t sense judgment or hurt. “Before I met you I…” My voice falls low and ashamed. “I have a hard time falling asleep alone. You… You know that. Before I met you, I’d… hire professionals to?—”
“Fuck?”
“No.” I swallow. “To stay with me…until I fell asleep.” I inwardly cringe. “I know it sounds strange, but I…”
My eyes open as Emery places her warm palm on my knee. Empathy radiates off of her, and I take a comfortable breath.
“It’s okay, Damon,” she whispers. “I’m not…mad.” Her brows furrow as she glances back at the coffee table, gaze flicking between her phone and the velvet box. “But tell me…” She faces me, her gaze so piercing it almost hurts. “Is there anything else I should know?” She pauses, searching my sullied soul. “Any more secrets?”
“No,” I lie. “You know everything now.”
Everything that matters.
Because nothing else does.
