Page 22 of Tiebreaker

I could do a gigantic Mandela mural on one wall. I smiled to myself to think I would do something so hippy and boho here in this palace to upscale luxury. This absoluteshrineto upscale luxury. It's ridiculous.

I walk over to one long low leather couch, white of course, and sit on the edge of it. It's so silent in here, the thick glass windows cutting out any noise from the street so far below.

It feels like I'm inside of an ice cube. I take a slow, uneven breath. I really wish I understood more of what that lawyer had said, because it still feels like it’s all flown over my head.

But I'm not stupid. I'm being offered an escalator up in the world. And unless I can find another coffee shop gig soon, because there's no way I ever want to go back and work with Mariah, this is my best option. This is better than my best. This is an unreal fairytale. I only wish my parents were alive so I could ask them how this happened. And why they'd never said anything to me when I was little.

I guess my mom didn't know. If she had, we wouldn't have suffered so much, maybe.

A knock on the door jerks me out of my thoughts and I get to my feet. It swings open before I can get to it and Kai pokes his head in. Immediately my heart starts hammering in my chest and I try to swallow around the lump in my throat.

“Hey,” he says lifting a hand in greeting. Just the sight of him sends all my nerves buzzing.

He stands in the entryway, hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans, looking like a Calvin Klein ad. His hair is tumbled over his forehead, tousled and looking finger raked.

“I was hoping we could talk,” he says, and glances around the room. “Nice digs. I've never bothered to look at mine, I’m sure it’s mothballed by now.” I blink in surprise.

“You have a suite here-“ I pause as he interrupts me.

“Yeah, I do. We all do. Even Vince, although he's the same as me. I think he’d rather sleep on the street than be here. Honestly, it's kind of where he belongs.” There's a cold way he says the last few words that sets me on edge. It doesn't do anything to diminish that weird fizzing feeling in my belly as he walks closer, though. His eyes are dark and intense, and I can feel the pressure as they train on me.

My stomach clenches, and I remember the way he held me, pinning me into that door in the green room. The paint biting into my cheek cold and unforgiving hot slide of his cock thrusting in and out of me. I close my eyes for a moment. I need to stop remembering that. I need to be here, not in the past.

Every time I do all I can ask myself is why I'm not angry at him. Why the sight of him doesn't repulse me. I should want to slap him. Instead I'm filled with this unstoppable urge to grab him by the collar and lean up and kiss him.

Maybe it would encourage him to pin me down again. There's something really messed up and wrong with me. I’ve never felt like this before, about anyone.

“So,” he says, “I guess this is pretty awkward.” I bite my lip. And I don't really know what to say to that.

I'm pretty sure he still thinks that I'm a prostitute. Just someone who turned a trick with him. He doesn't know that I'm not that person, but for a fleeting second I want to tell him, confess the truth so I can see if he feels guilty about it.

The front door swings open and the moment is stolen from me.

“Well, this is not a fucking surprise,” someone drawls. It's Everett as he walks in while Kai glares at him.

“At least I knocked,” Kai says.

“That's sweet. It's almost like you guys are dorm room buddies,” Everett mocks. “Does this mean you're going to be around the tower a lot more?” He raises an eyebrow at Kai. “I guess it's nothing compared to that 7000 square foot mansion you've got up on the hill.” Everett swings his gaze from Kai to me. “Did he tell you about that? He's got three cars. It's quite fancy. A little bit above your pay-grade but I'm sure you could do a good job of the house cleaning. I heard he's looking for a new girl after he fucked his maid.”

Kai's face goes flushed red and he looks furious. My gaze ping pongs between the two of them, waiting to see who’s going to break and bite first. Kai’s hand is flexing, fingers trembling as they clench up into a fist.

“Just get out,” Everett says, “I’ve got some private business to speak with Miss Copper about.”

Kai’s about to say something, but I lift my hand, urging him not to. He stops and I shake my head. I don't want him to step in. Everett spreads his hands and gestures to the two of us.

“I mean, the alternative is that you could always get on with it. In fact, in front of me isn’t a bad idea. I could use some entertainment.”

My stomach swoops at howballsyhe is, and I choke up, making a sound that has Everett smirking at me. Kai shakes his head

“You’re a fucking pig,” he mutters before walking out of the room, glancing back at me. “I’ll see you later Olivia,” he says. And then he's gone. Leaving me with this guy. Abandoning me with the wolf.

I turn to Everett, my mouth open. I'm about to tell him to get fucked as well.

“One million,” he says that stops the short in my tracks. W-what? Is… is he asking me to… withhim?For a million?

Does he really know that I slept with Kai? Does he think that I'll sleep with him too?

He frowns at me.

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