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I swivel directions and head toward her bedroom. Then I smell it. That… It’s Drake’s cologne. I’d be able to pick it out in a crowd because I’m the one who got him his first set. He loves it and douses it on liberally wherever he goes.
breathy. And way too low to be a sign of pain. It finally dawns on me. What I heard outside—the sound that made me barge into my sister’s place uninvited—was not an ‘I’ve fallen and I can’t get up’ groan. It was something else. Something a lot more… private. I take a step back, heat burning my face. My sister is an adult, so it shouldn’t surprise me that she’s getting certain… itches scratched. But I still remember her as the scrawny tween who wanted to be everywhere I was. It’s hard to reconcile what I knew of her to that of an adult who can…
She’s breathing hard. Must be nice. I should go. Maybe I’ll call Drake and find out where he is. See if we can meet up to get our own time in. A weekend apart was long enough to go without holding him. “You like that, baby?” I freeze. All of me goes cold. Every. Single. Part. Why did that voice sound like my boyfriend of three years?
have to see. Have to know. I push the door with my hand. It opens slowly. Oh. Oh, my go— The bag of fruits falls out of my hand. Grapes and strawberries roll through the room, scattering
“Yes,” Sasha is bawling. “Drake…” Drake? Heart pounding at the confirmation, I twitch. The next thing I know, the umbrella is gone from my hand. I see it sailing through the air as if I’m not really connected to my body. As if I’m having some kind of trippy dream. The umbrella slams Sasha square in the middle of her tan back.
hope he can never have kids because of it. “The hell?” Sasha flings her hand and presses it to her back. Her neck twists next and her head whips around. That’s when our gazes collide. Deafening silence fills the room as she stares at me. It’s funny the way horror crawls over her expression. If it wasn’t my sister and my boyfriend— If it wasn’t my life—
‘Making the beast with two backs’, as Shakespeare would say. My hands start shaking again. Hell. Holy crap. This can’t be happening. “Kenya!” Sasha gasps, grabbing for the blankets and covering herself. Her long, straight black hair curtains half her face. Big brown eyes, soft and soulful like her Mexican grandmother, dart to the ground. “Kenya?” That voice belongs to my boyfriend. Ex-boyfriend as of now.
“Kenya, I can explain,” Sasha says, her voice tight. All at once, I’m too overwhelmed to keep standing there in a room that smells like sweat and lovemaking. I need out. I need air.
I fall hard, landing on my elbows. My bones rattle and a physical pain jangles my fingers all the way up to my shoulder. I come nose to nose with Sasha’s lingerie that was, apparently, discarded right along with Drake’s boxers.
Tears fill my eyes, but I forbid myself from crying. “Kenya, are you okay?” Wow, my sister sounds like she actually cares. That’s ironic, isn’t it? Not only that she’s concerned about my fall but that she thinks I could be okay right now? Who in their right mind would be okay in this scenario?
“Kenya, wait!” I hear cloth rustling and footsteps pattering the ground behind me. All of a sudden, this is a horror movie. Except there’s no guy in a mask with a chainsaw. There’s no clown peeping at me from the sewage pipes. There’s no possessed doll rising from my collection with an evil sneer.
I’m the one bleeding. I’m the one fighting to survive. “Kenya, please! Wait a minute!” I power through the living room without looking back.
I’ve got my arms around her. My hair is kinky curly while hers is long and straight. My skin is dark while hers is a sun-kissed tan. Different. But the same. Sisters. Not by blood but by choice. I charge down the stairs and crash through the exits. My mouth is open. Big gulps.
I want to tell him it’s okay. I’m not running from thugs. I’m running from family. Isn’t that nice? A glance over my shoulder reveals Sasha has given up the chase. My phone rings. It’s Walt from work. “You need to come in now,” Walt says without so much as a greeting.
Not a great addition to my day, but it’s too late to whirl around and head home. He’s caught me. Walt frowns. “You’re late, Kenya.”
“Do you think you can slack off without repercussions? This isn’t a playground! I expect more from you!” “You’re the one who told me I could come in an hour later,”
“Check your attitude, young lady. You had our very important guest waiting for an hour and—” “That’s enough, Walt.” My eyes lift to the man stalking around the corner. My heart trips over itself. Holy Fitzwilliam Darcy.
I’m delirious with hurt and fury. And he so happens to be the closest and most deserving target. “It’s impolite to stare,” I snap. Walt’s eyes widen.
“This is her?” Walt bobs his head.
“Fetching coffee is not in my job description.” Walt’s eyes widen. “Kenya.” “You’re going beyond your boundaries, Walt. And I’m not going to take it.” His jaw drops.
“I’m here early even though you gave me an hour off today. And I didn’t complain about that,”
“Even though I’ve been working all weekend and I deserve a full day off, I took the crumbs you thre...
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“If you’re asking me for a favor, I’ll consider it, but bossing me around is not going to fly here.”
me. “How long has she been working here?”
“She just started about three months ago? Previously, she was working in a store, but she was responsible for so many sales at the product relaunch that we brought her into HQ on probation.” “Hm.” The stranger glances at me again. “She’s the one who tripled sales? With this attitude?”
“Do you know how disrespectful you’re being right now?” Hot Grump blinks rapidly. “Me?”
“If you have any questions, you can direct them to me.” “I have nothing to say to you.” My blood boils. Of course he’s a giant prick. Of course.
“K-Kenya, why don’t you calm down and come with me?” Walt mumbles. “I’m not going anywhere with you.” I give the jerk a floppy wave. “I’m here to work, so if you’ll excuse me…” “Freeze.”
“You’re going to pack up your things and you’re going to HR.” His voice is as delicious as his face, but the words…
He swallows and glances down, shaking his head as if I dug my own coffin and he’s not going to help me out of it. “Didn’t you hear me?” The stranger growls. The sound is almost barbaric.
“Who are you to tell me where I can and can’t go?” I snap.
“How did you get this far being so unlikeable?” Me? I’m the unlikeable one?
“How dare you,” I scowl. “You don’t know me. I bet you wouldn’t last one d...
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“you’ve never had to work a day in your life. And with that pretty face, people don’t say no to you. Well, I’ll be the first. I don’t care how important you think you are, I’m not g...
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“Kenya. Stop it. Stop it.” Walt prances to me and grabs my hand like I’m a red-zone Pit bull jerking on the chain. “Let me go!” Walt points to the stranger. “This is Holland Alistair.” “I don’t give a—” “Our boss.” “Boss?” All the fi...
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“Why didn’t you just say that?” I hiss, horrified. Mr. Alistair turns away from me. “Take her to HR.” “Yes, sir.”
“Ms. Jones, pack up all your things.” I see the full picture in an instant. And it’s not looking pretty. Pathetic Girl: 0 Massive Jerkface: 1 Walt gives me a sucks to be you look.
“I’m sorry, Kenya,” Walt whispers, grabbing my arm. Sorry? He’s sorry? How does that help me now? “You heard him, you need to pack your things and report to HR.”
need to go home and lie down. Wait, I don’t have a home to lie down in because I’m moving out of Drake’s apartment. My steps are heavy when I follow Walt to HR. I will not allow Mr. Giant Ego or Drake or even my sister to keep me down. I’m going to show them all that I’m stronger than they ever thought I was. And no amount of betrayal or icy hazel eyes will stop me.
She turns her head away and I find I cannot do the same. Why am I so fixated on her?
Something tells me that Kenya wouldn’t be so fragile. I have a feeling she’s exactly what Belle’s Beauty is in need of. Someone with spunk, with guts, with a sharp tongue and poisoned darts that shoot out of impossibly plump lips— No.
I cry in the shower and try to brush away the evidence when I emerge.
Tech Mogul Loses Wife In Tragic Accident
Unacceptable. I want her. So I must have her. It’s very simple.
“What are your objections to the position?” I growl.
“You. You are my biggest objection.”
My eyes slide down her body. I can’t help it. She’s too beautiful for me not to notice.
“That’s it! I’m going to jail today.” She takes big, angry steps toward me.
😂😂⭐
Of course it alerts me. My daughter is the most important person in my life. If anything happens to her, I won’t be able to forgive myself.
Sasha: Please call me, Kenya. Sasha: I’m sorry. Sasha: I need to talk to you.
