Page 12 of Broken Pieces
I sigh, choosing not to reply.
When I was little, I was so proud of my curls. I always felt like a princess. Until my mom would point out how unprofessional my curls were, always making me straighten them for school and saying,‘You will thank me one day. You’re not getting bullied at school thanks tome.’
Funny how I felt I was always bullied by her at home, though.
As I kept growing, her comments got to me. I don’t wear my curls unless it’s in a messy bun or I don’t have time to get it styled. I’m all too aware it’s stupid to still care about that to this day and age. Women empowerment and all, but childhood trauma, am I right?
“Okay, you're ready, and you look like a snack.”
“You talk like a 16-year-old sometimes. Has anyone told you that before?” I quip.
She rolls her eyes and replies, “Okay, well, I'm going to head out.”
Just as she's about to leave, my phone rings. I glance at the caller ID, and it's the apartment's front desk.
I answer, “Hello?”
The voice on the other end says, “Yes, Ms. Petrov, I'm calling because you have a visitor. Can I let him up?”
I check the time; he's here ten minutes early. “No. Tell him I'll be downstairs soon.”
The front desk staff sounds nervous. “Ma'am, he's insisting I let him up…”
I sigh and instruct, “Put me on speaker.” Then, I address insufferable Damian, “I will be down there in a minute. Stop terrorizing the poor guy,” and hang up.
Sophia raises an eyebrow. “He's here already?”
I nod. “Yeah, so wait for me. I'll walk out withyou.”
We exit my apartment and step into the elevator. While descending, I turn to Sophia and say, “Please behave.”
“Alrighty then!” she exclaims with an exaggerated wink. Sophia has this thing where she likes to quote 90s movies and TV shows. I'm sure she just quotedAce Aventurabecause she’s made me see that movie more times that I can count.
My best friend, ladies and gentlemen. Gotta love the woman.
As we approach the lobby, there he is, leaning against a wall in a three-piece black suit that seems like it was tailored by the gods, as always. I wonder if he wears anything else besides a suit? I bet he has suitpajamas. Now that’s a funny picture.
Sophia nudges me with a sly grin, raising both her eyebrows. His eyes lock on me, sweeping them from the top of my head to my toes before finally meeting my eyes and delivering a lazy smirk.
Sophia can't resist the opportunity to tease. “Well, you are definitely hotter in person.”
I shoot her a look of annoyance, whispering, “Stop feeding his ego.”
Damian throws his velvety laugh, sending a shiver down my spine. His laugh is a zip of welcome electricity; a sliver of light.
Sophia winks at me and turns to Damian and says, “Take care of my girl,” placing two fingers on her eyesand then pointing them at him, a clear 'I'm watching you' gesture.
Damian plays along with a playful tone. “Will do.”
He extends his arm, silently inviting me to interlace mine in his, and asks, “Shall we?”
I roll my eyes and walk past him, muttering, “Let's get this over with.”
Aria looks absolutely stunning, her signature red lips having a way of invading my mind with impure thoughts I should definitely not be having about my potential employee. As she walks past me, her scent invades my nostrils. It smells like some fruity shit—strawberries, maybe? Not sure, but all I know is that it’s quickly becoming my favorite scent.
To avoid the hassle of driving on a busy Friday evening in Chicago, I have my driver take us to the restaurant. The drive is uneventful, and it's clear she isn't thrilled to be here. However, she’s a necessary piece of my business plans, so I’ll grovel if I have to. Sometimes we have to take necessary risks for a high reward. The business needs to do well.
Are you sure it’s just the business? Are you sure you’re not just infatuated with the woman?
