Page 17

Chapter seventeen

I t was six-thirty, and Mya and Chase were seated on Mya’s sofa discussing the week along with further improvements for Vic and Paris to work on. It was obvious something had, once again, gone awry between them. They put on a show for the board and their coworkers, but they couldn’t fool Chase and Mya, which meant it would only be a matter of time before others began to notice.

“I didn’t wanna bring this up, but Vic and Paris had a second sleepover this past weekend,” said Mya. “I hoped they’d work through their issues, but here we go again.”

Chase rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. “Oh, sister, what are we going to do about them? I think they have genuine feelings for one another. On more than one occasion, I’ve noticed how they look at each other when the other isn’t paying attention. It’s not with lust. Before this whole situation was put into action, I never would’ve guessed Vic was capable of such emotion, but I’ve seen some major changes in him over the passing weeks.”

“Yeah, I feel the same about Paris. She’s actually living her life again. For a long while, I worried she’d never make it back from the emotional scarring Alli’s death created. I’m thankful she seems to be healing some, but this stuff with Vic is a setback for sure.”

“You know you’re a huge part of her return to normalcy, don’t you? You’ve stood by her no matter how she acted. You loved her unconditionally, even though it hurt. I’ve seen first-hand the damaging blows that girl has dealt you, but you stayed through it all.”

“I love her. She’s my family,” shrugged Mya. “Not to say there weren’t times when I wanted to give up.”

“Anyone would feel that way. The point is, you didn’t give up. You helped her find her way back.”

“I suppose. I felt in part like I owed it to Alli to stick it out. Anyway, it’s a whole new ballgame now.”

“I’m with you. We need to get those two to deal with each other, and then I think we’ll be golden. The question is, how do we do that?”

Mya was about to answer when a knock sounded at the door. “Hold that thought,” she replied. Hopping off the couch, she marched over to the door and checked the peephole. She was surprised to see Molly on the other side. Her brow furrowed as she chewed her bottom lip.

Opening the door, Mya said, “Hi, what’s up?”

“Something major happened!” said Molly, as she shoved a stack of file folders into Mya’s hands. “You need to take these and give them to Vic and Paris. I tried their apartments first, but no one answered.

“Okay?” Mya was confused. She didn’t understand why the files had become a matter outside the office. She waited for Molly to proceed.

“Dom sent me to Tom’s office to drop the files off. He wanted Tom to look them over and delegate them out, but I don’t believe he will. When I approached his office, the door was closed and I heard the same voices as last time. No one was near me, so I took my phone out and recorded their conversation.” Pulling her phone out of her purse, she fumbled with it momentarily, then played the recording. Chase and Mya listened attentively.

When the tape had finished, they exchanged glances while pausing a moment to digest the newly obtained information. Molly waited patiently for them to respond.

Chase shook his head in anger. “Holy crap. That’s some major B.S.,” he said.

“Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I understand Angela and Tom’s desires for Paris and Vic to fail because it brings them more opportunities, but to stoop to such lows—”

Chase let out an exasperated sigh. “This is pretty bad. I hoped Vic was wrong about Tom using Paris, but this goes way beyond that.”

“I can’t believe they have that much malice. I knew there was some friction, but wow. They risked everything to gain something that could have potentially been theirs, anyway. They could have been partners. I overheard Jessamine talking about exactly that. They would have been partners,” said Mya.

“Well, now they’ll be jobless,” said Chase, “and possibly go to jail.”

“Rightly so,” added Molly.

“…and these files,” said Mya as she waved the folders in the air. “You did the right thing by bringing them to us instead.”

Molly nodded in acknowledgment. “Anything to protect the future of the company and

my friend.”

“Will you send me that recording, please?” asked Mya.

“Yes,” she replied. “It’s on its way.”

“Perfect,” said Mya. “Once we have the voice recording, we can bring it to the board, but first, we need to contact Paris and Vic before any further damage is done.”

“If there is nothing more, Molly, you may get on with your evening. We can handle it from here,” said Chase.

“Sounds good,” replied Molly. She looked relieved that she didn’t have to stay. “Let me know how it goes,” she called over her shoulder as she exited Mya’s apartment.

Once Molly was out the door, Chase jumped up from his seat. “What in the actual frick?”

“I know, right? This is messed up.” She couldn’t believe anyone at Sense of Adventure could be so awful.

“We need to get Vic and Paris together, pronto.”

“Call and tell them we need them here immediately,” demanded Mya. “We can’t waste another moment.”

Chase had already punched in Vic’s number. He listened as the phone rang. Vic was none too quick to answer. The voicemail picked up, and Chase clicked off the call. He had only gotten the words, “No answer,” out when the phone rang back.

“Hey, what's up?” asked Vic.

“We need you to come over to Mya's as soon as possible.”

“Is something wrong?”

“Just get here. We’re calling an emergency meeting. I’m only filling you and Paris in on the situation once.”

“Okay, fair enough. Let me throw on a shirt and I’ll be right over,” he said and hung up.

Mya was on her phone as well and had freshly hung up from speaking with Paris. “She’s on her way.”

“Lucky they were both home, I guess,” said Chase. “Did you tell Paris that we called Vic over as well?”

“Yes. I didn't want to start the meeting off with any extra surprises. Hopefully, they’ll be okay. Let's get everything out in the open right away so we can put a plan in place.”

Fifteen minutes later, a knock sounded at the door. Mya hurried toward it. She found Paris and Vic both waiting on the other side.

“Good evening,” said Vic as he stepped over the threshold. Paris followed him. They sat on opposite ends of the sofa.

“What’s so urgent?” asked Paris. “I’m supposed to be on my way to a dinner date.”

Vic’s head whipped around to stare at her. The look in his eyes was contemptuous. “With whom?” he asked.

“None of your business,” Paris responded.

“Get over yourselves,” said Mya. She was tired of the bickering.

“Can Paris and I have a moment alone?” requested Vic. The tone of his voice suggested he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Sure,” said Chase. “We’ll be in the hall. Knock on the door when you’re ready for us to come in.” He followed Mya out the door and shut it behind them.

“Listen, I don’t know what you think happened Monday night, but literally, nothing happened. I didn’t invite her over,” he said calmly. “She showed up unannounced. I asked her to leave, and she did. I didn’t even let her in the door.”

“That’s fine,” Paris replied, her voice shaking.

“Please tell me you don’t believe I turned around and called her after you left.” The hurt could be seen in his eyes. “I know you’re struggling to accept it, but I honestly care about you.”

“I’m over it.” Standing up, she walked to the door and knocked.

Mya opened the door a crack and peered inside. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes. We’re fine,” she snapped.

Chase and Mya marched back into the condo and took their seats. Mya looked at Vic and Paris in turn. “Why can’t you two get it together?” she blurted.

“What do you mean?” asked Paris.

“Come on! This is ridiculous,” vented Chase. “You guys are willing to screw up your entire future with the family and the company all because you screwed a couple of times? Get over yourselves and work it out. This company depends on you to be there to run it.” Paris’s eyes looked like they might pop out of her head, due to Chase’s outburst.

“Which brings us back to why we called you over tonight,” said Mya. Grabbing her phone from the coffee table, she waved it in the air. “Earlier this evening, Molly sent me a recording she made earlier today. You’ve got to hear this. It should clear up some of your problems.”

“What kind of recording?” asked Vic.

“One that will prove you’re being sabotaged,” added Chase. He was thrilled that they had proof.

“By whom?” questioned Paris.

Mya gave Paris a look. “Just listen.” Hitting play, she kept her eyes on Paris and Vic.

“Is that Tom and Angela?” asked Vic.

“Shh,” snapped Mya. “Just wait.” She let the sound clip play, and she could see from the expressions on both Paris and Vic’s faces that they were sickened by what they were hearing. When the recording finished, she set her phone down and looked at her friends. “You were both being played,” she said. Her tone was gentle but sincere.

“Oh, my God,” replied Paris. She turned to look at Vic. “You were so busy looking at Tom that you failed to see what Angela was doing to you. This is exactly why you aren’t relationship material. Because you’re self-absorbed and you let your penis do the thinking.” She was angry, and she felt dirty. She wanted to lock herself in Mya’s bathroom and cry, but instead, she took it out on Vic.

Getting to his feet, Vic pointed a finger at her. “Seriously?” he asked. At least I try new things and experience life. You’ve had a crush on Tom for years and never even bothered to go after him. It took a crazy event such as your job and life hanging in the balance to make him come after you, and you thought it was legit? I guess the ‘safe option’ wasn’t so safe after all. If that’s how you want to live life, fine, but count me out. This self-absorbed man doesn’t need a woman who is fearful and stuck in the past. No, thank you!”

“Whoa! Stop!” barked Chase. “That’s enough out of you both. We need to deal with this situation before it gets worse, but with the way you’re acting, I almost want to let Angela and Tom have the whole shebang. You’re ridiculous. Mya and I can both see you’re mad about one another.”

“Whatever,” Paris replied as she continued to glare at Vic. “I don’t need to be buddies with him to run the company.”

“Oh, now wait a minute,” said Mya. “You think you can run this company without him? Think again.”

“Why not? We’ve worked side by side for the past few years with no issues until now,” she stated.

“Trust me, girlfriend,” replied Chase. “You’ll need each other. Running a company is a big messy deal, and you need people who understand the business as well as you do and who can help you make decisions and back you. You’ve got to be close, or this palace will crumble.”

Mya held her hand up to tell Chase to pause. “Let’s reign things in for a minute. It’s clear work needs to be done regarding your relationship, but it’ll have to wait until we secure your family’s legacies. So, for now, please table your anger." Mya was not one to easily anger, but this situation made her want to pull her hair out.

“Okay,” replied Vic. He sat back down on the sofa and looked at Paris, waiting for an agreement.

“I’m listening,” she replied.

“Good, now let’s get to it. We need to bring this situation to the board, but before we do, is there anyone else that could be working with them?” asked Chase.

“I doubt it. Angela and Tom probably wouldn’t trust anyone with the knowledge of their plan,” said Vic.

“I agree,” replied Paris.

“Okay, then I suggest we call an emergency meeting with the board before anything else happens. Sorry Paris, you won’t be going on that date tonight,” said Mya.

Vic glared in Paris’s direction. “I knew it. I knew it was him.”

“Well, obviously!” screeched Paris. Mya reached out a hand and gently touched Paris’s shoulder to calm her shakiness. “I’m fine,” she said quietly. “I’ll be fine.”

“I know,” whispered Mya. “Don’t be so hard on him. You’re both going through the same thing.”

Whispering back, she replied, “I know, but why does it feel like everything is on me?”

“Because you blame yourself when things go wrong. It’s a learning process. Don’t be so hard on yourself either,” said Mya.

Chase got to his feet. “Alrighty, who wants to make the call?”

“I will,” replied Vic. “I think the board will appreciate the initiative.”

Chase nodded. “Sounds good.”

Picking up his phone, Vic dialed his father’s number. The phone rang twice before Dom answered.

“Good evening, son. What's up?”

He sounded cheerful. Vic hated to ruin his mood. “Dad, do you think you can get the board together for an emergency meeting this evening?” he asked.

“Why? What’s going on?” he asked.

“We have some information to share regarding a situation within the company.”

“Okay, what kind of situation?”

“Scandal,” he replied evenly. The kind that will require the entire board’s presence.” He looked at Paris, took a deep breath, then proceeded to say, “Paris and I might be involved in a lawsuit in the near future.”

“Vic—” his father paused. “What have you done? Did you do something to Paris?”

“Dad! No!” he gasped. “Why would you think that?”

“I know something’s going on between you two. I thought maybe this was part of it.”

“No, Dad. Just—no. Paris and I are the victims, as well as ADG. Can we please get the board together to discuss it in person?”

“I’m sorry, son, that’s not possible this evening. Mikel and Cristo are away on business. They won’t be back until late morning tomorrow.”

“Can you get them back sooner?” he asked.

“I wish I could, but this meeting is with a huge client.”

“Fine,” conceded Vic. “What time tomorrow can the board meet?”

“I’ll put an urgent meeting on the schedule for one o’clock. I’m sure there’ll be questions about what it’s regarding.”

“Tell them there’s a lawsuit coming.”

“Okay, kid, I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I do, Dad. I’m standing up for our company.”

“Okay, see you tomorrow,” he said and hung up the phone.

Vic looked up to see three sets of eyes staring back at him.

“How’d he take it?” Paris asked.

“He was hesitant at first, but he understands the urgency, and of course, he’s concerned about the company being a part of a lawsuit. I’m sure he’d like more details, but it’s best we play him and the rest of the board the recording when they’re all together.”

“I agree,” replied Paris. “What do you think?” She directed her question toward Mya and Chase.

“I think we have to keep Tom and Angela from finding out we know their game before we meet with the board tomorrow,” said Chase.

“How so?” asked Paris.

“We don’t want them disappearing or causing other issues before the board meets. That means, Paris, you need to get your butt to that date and act like nothing happened,” said Chase.

Paris dropped her head into her hands. “How am I supposed to do that?” she moaned. “He’ll know something’s up.” She felt sick to her stomach just thinking about dinner with Tom.

“Make an excuse. Something that will legitimately cover your agitated state,” replied Vic.

“Like what?” she asked.

“Tell him your mom informed you your grandmother has fallen ill and is in the hospital. He’ll believe that, won’t he?”

Paris let out a loud sigh. “I suppose. He doesn’t know much about my extended family, so he’ll probably buy it.”

“Okay then,” said Mya. “Are you ready for dinner?” she asked Paris.

“No. I’m not dressed. I’m already late. I don’t know how I’ll pull this off?”

Mya held up a finger and said, “Hold that thought.” She disappeared into her room. When she returned, she was holding a black cocktail dress. “Wear this. He won’t even notice you were late.”

“Thanks, Mya. You always know how to help.”

“Okay, in the meantime, Vic, you keep up appearances with Angela as well. No more blowing her off. If she stops at your place tonight or calls and asks you to go out for a drink, you say yes,” advised Chase.

Vic agreed, but hoped Angela wouldn’t stop by. The thought of her made his blood boil.

Thirty minutes later Paris found herself seated across the table from Tom. “You look lovely,” he said. “Now, do you want to tell me why you were late this evening? You seemed quite shaken on the phone,” he added.

Paris was certain that she had sounded as if she were shaking because she was—in anger. “My grandmother has become ill and was admitted to the hospital this afternoon,” she begrudgingly told him.

“Oh, that’s too bad. Is there anything I can do?” he asked. Paris knew he was simply acting a part. He had no desire to do anything nice for her unless it meant helping himself.

“No, I don’t think there’s anything to be done,” she said.

“This is Burt’s ex-wife, correct?”

“Yeah. She’s a tough old woman. Hopefully, she’ll be fine.”

Changing the subject, Tom said, “When I was younger, I volunteered for one of the park cleanups, and Burt was there. He told us stories all afternoon. It made the time fly by. He’s a brilliant man. I’ve often wondered why he works in maintenance?”

“He doesn’t need the money,” replied Paris. “He likes fixing things, and he enjoys overseeing the cleanliness of ADG.”

“Well, he does a fabulous job of it. I can’t recall a day when the bathrooms were not in perfect order or that the floor didn’t sparkle.”

“Let me tell you, he keeps his crew on top of things. I hated working down there because I’m ridiculously clumsy, but I enjoyed being closer to my grandfather.”

“I’m sure that was a bonus. Was he at the Gala this year?”

“No, he had a wedding to attend that weekend.”

“Ah, that explains why I didn’t see him. He loves any event where he can put on a tux, doesn’t he?”

“Yes, he does.” Nothing could keep her grandfather from showing people his clean-shaven debonaire side. “He needs a woman in his life,” she sighed. “He isn’t getting any younger.”

“What exactly happened to your grandmother?” Tom asked. He sounded interested.

“Can we change the subject? I’m worried enough about my grandmother.” Inside, Paris was seething. Her grandmother hadn’t been heard from in years. She abandoned her family, but Tom didn’t need to know that.

Raising a hand in the air, Paris flagged down the waiter. “Will you please get us a bottle of the house Chianti?” She needed some liquid courage to continue. The waiter disappeared, and Tom prattled on about his own family. Paris nodded and focused on the story as a way to keep herself from dwelling on the sick feeling in her stomach. She never would have guessed he was capable of such insubordination had she not heard the evidence played before her.

Returning to the table, the waiter poured them each a large glass of Chianti and took their orders. Paris tried to maintain a happy persona. Tom watched her every move.

“I’ve been thinking,” said Tom. “Why don’t you come over to my place after dinner? We can sit on the patio, drink some wine, and listen to music.” Smiling, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a box. Handing the box to her, he said, “I saw this the other day and thought of you. It’s a little something to show you how much I care.”

All the red flags went up at once as she reached out and accepted the box from him. She had no desire to take the gift, but she also knew that not taking it would be suspicious. She pulled away the cover to reveal an ornate emerald necklace. Small white diamonds surrounded each emerald. Jessamine had excellent taste.

“It’s breathtaking,” she replied. “It must have cost you a fortune.”

Tom smiled. “It will look beautiful with your dark hair and green eyes. Here,” he said, standing up. “Let me put it on you.”

Paris let him proceed. Thank goodness for that recording , she thought.

“Astounding,” he said. “You look like royalty, my dear.” Moving around the table, he took his seat.

“You’re much too generous. Thank you,” she said with a yawn. “It’s been a long day. I hate to do this to you after such a beautiful surprise, but do you mind if I take my food to go? I’m exhausted and not in much of a social mood with my grandmother falling ill.”

“I understand. Perhaps we can meet for lunch Monday afternoon instead?” asked Tom.

“Yes, that would be wonderful,” replied Paris.

The food arrived, and Paris wasted no time in having the server package it up. She said one last thank you, and was out the door seven minutes later, which was not soon enough for her standards. Walking fast, she wanted to put as much space as possible between herself and Tom. She was glad she had told her driver to stay close.

As she approached the car, her stomach flipped, and her mouth watered. She knew things were about to turn ugly. Jack hopped out of the car and held the door for her. “Where’d you come from?” she asked, but before he could answer, she dropped her food container and ran for the bushes at the edge of the walk. Throwing herself to her knees, she lost the contents of her stomach all over the small patch of grass in front of the restaurant. Jack had run after her and was right there, holding her hair and rubbing her back.

“It’s okay, I’ve got you. You’re fine,” he assured. When Paris finished, he helped her to her feet and handed her a handkerchief. “I keep it on me for situations like this,” he shrugged. Paris let out a nervous laugh and accepted the cloth.

“Thanks,” she replied after she’d blotted her face clean. “Do you also carry gum or mouthwash?” she asked.

“Actually, you’re in luck,” he replied, producing a package of gum from his coat pocket. Opening the pack, he handed her a piece. She took it from him, and unwrapping it, popped it into her mouth. “I’m sure there’s some bottled water in the car,” he said. “You’ll feel a lot better after you’ve washed the taste out of your mouth.”

“I’m sorry for sounding ungrateful, but why are you here?” she asked, as she watched Jack retrieve her leftovers from the sidewalk. Somehow, they managed not to spill.

“Vic called me when you were getting ready for dinner. He told me what happened with Tom and Angela and how you had to follow through with this awful date. I followed you in case you needed backup. Then I sent my driver home and asked the server to notify me if anything improper went down.” He handed her the leftovers.

“Wow, Jack, that’s going above and beyond,” she replied. Paris admired the kid’s tenacity, but she hated knowing she had to break his heart.

“I don’t like the idea of anyone hurting you. Anyway, let’s get out of here,” he said, helping her into the car.

Upon settling into their seats, she leaned her head in and rested it on his shoulder. “I know you have feelings for me,” she said.

“It’s pretty obvious, huh?”

“You know I’m not Alli, right? She’s irreplaceable.”

“Yeah,” said Jack.

“I couldn’t be more different from her,” she whispered. “I think your feelings for me are your way of holding on to her.”

A tear rolled down Jack’s cheek. Though Paris couldn’t see it, she could feel his hurt. “I miss her like crazy,” he replied.

“We all do, but you and I being together would never fix that, and it would never bring her back. You need to let me go. We can’t be more than friends,” she breathed.

“I know,” he replied, “but there’s a bigger reason than that for why we can never be more than friends, and I’m okay with it.”

“What’s that?” she asked as she turned to look at him.

“My brother’s in love with you. You might not want to believe it, but it’s true. I’ve never seen him act the way he does in your presence, toward any other woman.”

Paris settled back in against Jack’s shoulder, and though she said nothing, she squeezed his arm, and spent the rest of the car ride contemplating what he’d said.

When the car stopped, Jack gently nudged Paris, who had fallen asleep. She awoke to find that they had arrived back at ADG.

“Let me walk you to your door,” requested Jack. “Are you feeling better?”

“Yeah, I’m okay now,” said Paris. “I was so angry. The wine and my heightened state didn’t mix well on an empty stomach.”

“That’s valid,” he replied as he got out of the car and reached for her hand. They walked silently to her door. “I’m headed to Vic’s. Do you need anything else?” he asked.

“Just for you to be okay with our friendship,” she replied. “Oh, wait. There is something else.” Reaching up, she removed the necklace Tom had given her. “Give this to your brother, please. He’ll know what to do with it.”

“Will do,” he said. Leaning in, he wrapped her in a tight hug and held on for longer than normal. “I’m happy, Paris. I consider you family, and as long as you’re in my life, I feel like part of Alli is still alive and well. Let me know if you need anything. I’ll be right up the hall,” he said as he turned and walked away.

“Goodnight, Jack!” she called after him. He gave her a brief wave without looking back, and she turned and disappeared into her condo.

Walking into the kitchen, she grabbed her favorite wine glass. All she wanted to do was eat her leftovers and curl up on her settee with a soft, cuddly blanket and her favorite Syrah, but she didn’t want to do so alone. The events of the day had put her on edge, and she needed a security blanket to get her through the night. As she finished pouring the wine, her phone rang. It was Mya.

“Hey! I heard your date ended early. Are you okay? Did anything happen?”

“Somehow, I convinced him to let me take my food to go, and that I was not feeling well because of my grandmother’s hospitalization,” she replied. “But my nerves got the better of me as I was leaving the restaurant. I lost the minimal contents of my stomach in the bushes right outside the door.”

“Classy,” laughed Mya. “Sorry, I know it was a rough evening for you. I probably would have done the same.”

“Will you come over?” Her voice shook. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“For sure. I’m packing a bag as we speak. Did you eat anything?”

“Not yet. I’ll share my takeout with you if you want?”

“Sounds great. I’ll bring popcorn and gummy bears.”

Paris smiled at Mya’s response. “You’re the best. See you shortly.”

Mya finished packing. She threw a bottle of sparkling wine in her bag, along with the snacks and Paris’s favorite movie. She had her own situation to discuss, and she wanted the night to be comforting for both of them.

A few minutes later, Mya gave a quick knock on the outside of Paris’s door and proceeded inside. Her friend was curled up on the settee with a full glass of red wine.

“Hey,” said Paris with surprise. “That was record fast.”

“I expected you’d want me here,” she smiled. “Look, what I brought.” She held up the movie, Bottle Shock, for Paris to see. “I also brought a bottle of sparkling wine. I thought we could celebrate your success.”

“Thanks, but aren’t we a little premature? We don’t know what’ll happen over the next week.”

“Trust me, you’ll be fine. You’ve made enough changes that the board will put the improvement plan to rest.”

“Improvement plan,” laughed Paris. “I guess this was an extreme form of an employee improvement plan, huh?”

“Definitely,” replied Mya as she grabbed her favorite throw and got comfortable next to Paris on the couch. “There’s something I need to tell you.” Her voice wavered. “I want you to listen and keep an open mind about what I’m about to say. I have to tell someone, and you’re the only person I can imagine who might understand.”

Paris looked at her with curiosity. Immediately, her stomach tightened. She hated that reaction, but it was a defense mechanism she’d adopted ever since Alli’s death. “Go on.”

“Obviously, you’ve noticed something going on between me and Cristo.”

“Yes. I’ve been quite concerned about you.”

“Right, and you know the type of men I go for.”

“Of course,” replied Paris. She waited for Mya to continue.

“This is difficult for me to explain.” She released a deep sigh.

“Girl, just tell me,” Paris pressed. “I want to know if I need to go out and kick some ass for you.”

“No, Paris, it’s not like that at all. I’m safe, but you may not comprehend what’s going on, so I’ll explain it to the best of my abilities, and then you can ask me whatever questions you feel are relevant.”

“Fair enough,” she replied.

“So, Cristo’s not my type. I’ve turned him down dozens of times over the years, which you know. He continued to pursue me, but over the past year, things changed. I don’t know if it was because of the loneliness of being without you and Alli or if my taste has changed, but I felt something different toward him. While I still continued to turn him down, I entertained the idea of being with him to meet an unfulfilled sexual desire.” Mya paused to see if Paris was following. Her friend nodded.

“Roughly six months ago, after one of our corporate schmoozing events, I lost the mental battle I was having with myself regarding the need to feel a human connection. The entire evening, Cristo stayed nearby. He brought me drinks, he danced with me, and he threw every compliment he could think of in my direction. I thought, why not?

“Maybe it was the alcohol, but I felt pretty bold that night. As he walked me to the car at the end of the event, I brushed the inside of his palm, placing a note there. He closed his hand, and I held up one finger to my lips to tell him not to speak. I got into the car, and the driver took me home. At one in the morning, a knock sounded at my door, and I knew exactly who it was.”

“What did the note say?” demanded Paris.

Mya turned a light shade of red. “It said: If you can keep a secret and tell no one of this incident ever, meet me at my place shortly, and I will entertain your desires .”

“So? What happened?” Paris felt like a teenager waiting for Mya to spit out the details.

“I met him at the door with a glass of Scotch for each of us. I took him by the hand and sat him on my sofa, and then, as if I had turned into some sort of wild animal, I threw myself into his arms, spilling his drink and pressing my mouth to his. He tasted like Scotch and mints, but somehow it was what I was hungering for. With all the energy he’d stored during his pursuit of me, he nearly tore my clothes off. He couldn’t wait to touch me, but it wasn’t tender by any means. It was rough and dirty. We slammed into walls and fell over a table, breaking the legs. He threw me down on my bed and gave it to me hard. When we were done, I asked him to leave, which I could tell he found confusing. I think he thought I would want to cuddle or talk, but that was against the rules I’d determined in my head.”

“So, he left?” Paris was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Yes, he left,” Mya exhaled.

“Is that all?” asked Paris. There had to be more to the story.

“No. That’s just the beginning. He began to text and call me, but I didn’t take his messages. He felt frustrated and lost his temper. I didn’t want to care, but something was gnawing at me and causing my brain to itch. For three months, I acted as if nothing had happened. I could tell the situation was driving him crazy. If I didn’t acknowledge him, it was as if I was telling him he had made it up in his mind. The silence had become maddening.”

“I’m sure it was,” mused Paris. “So, what happened next?”

“One night, after another event, Cristo left a depressed message on my phone saying my reaction saddened him. He told me he was miserable and worried that he had hurt me. He didn’t understand why I was acting like that evening never happened and that he, at the very least, deserved a reason for the turmoil I’d placed upon him.”

Paris nodded. “Why’d you do it?”

“I’m getting there,” replied Mya. “That night, I showed up at his place. When he opened the door, I told him this would have to be a secret if he wanted more. It would be a game between us, and no one else could be the wiser. I had my reputation to protect, and I didn’t want the board snooping around. I also didn’t want to allow myself to create anything serious. We were scratching an itch, and he had to agree to my terms, or I would turn around and leave.”

Leaning forward, Paris asked, “Did he agree?”

“He more than agreed. This time, after we had ravaged one another, I told him that this couldn’t progress into anything more than sex. To keep ourselves even further apart, we adopted different roles, and we played them well. Sometimes I was in charge, and he was my slave. Other times, he was the big bad wolf, and I was the innocent sheep.”

“So, basically, you traded roles back and forth regarding who was the dominant and who was the submissive?”

“Yeah. I guess that’s one way of putting it. Anyway, we always had a safe word, and until recently, no one ever used it, and we always enjoyed the game no matter how crazy the scenario.”

“So, you have a crazy sex game going on with Cristo. Is that all? And who used the safe word?”

“Not entirely,” she admitted. Pausing, her face turned red. “I used the safe word to push him away. I think I’ve fallen in love with him.”

“What?” shrieked Paris, “Now, that, I didn’t see coming. I always thought you might have a sick and twisted side somewhere within that perfectly composed package of yours, but in love with Cristo? How’d you let that happen?”

“It turns out he appears to be as sick and twisted as me.”

“Well, as long as you have your safe word and you respect each other’s boundaries, I say, have fun.”

“Thanks,” replied Mya. “So, what do I do about this? Do I end it with him, or do I pursue something more? How will the board react?”

“I think you do what makes you happy. The board loves you both. If you want to be with him, tell him. Maybe go on an actual date together?”

“But he’s not my type, and he’s nearly twice my age,” complained Mya.

“Who says he’s not your type? Maybe your type isn’t what you perceived it to be?”

“He’s nineteen years older than me, Paris.”

“Mya, if you don’t want to be with him, then don’t, but if you care about him, age doesn’t matter. Don’t be an ageist,” laughed Paris.

“Right, but if he were nineteen years in the other direction, I’d be a pedophile, so I don’t know that ageist is a proper term in this type of situation.”

“You know I was kidding, and clearly, I do not condone pedophilia,” stated Paris. “All I’m saying is that if you care about him and he feels the same, why not try it?”

“What if it really is sex and nothing more?”

“Then your dates will be awkward, and you’ll figure it out and move on.”

Mya let out another deep sigh. “I guess you’re right.”

“I know I am, so why don’t you shoot that man a message and tell him you need to talk?”

“Tonight?” asked Mya. Paris nodded. “I thought you didn’t want to be alone?”

“I don’t. He’s out of town until tomorrow, remember?”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that. I’m a little nervous,” replied Mya. “What if it ruins what we have?”

“I shouldn’t be one to speak, but don’t you know friends with benefits never work? Someone always falls in love. How can you not with the regular intimacy you’re sharing?”

“Yeah. I thought I could keep it separate, but I'm quite positive I was wrong.”

“Reach out to him!” pushed Paris.

“Fine,” replied Mya in resignation. She retrieved her phone out of her purse and began typing up a message which read: I think we need to talk. I thought I could do this, but something has changed for me. Let me know when you can meet. When she finished, she pressed send. “Okay, it’s done.”

“Hey,” Paris said as she gave Mya’s shoulder a squeeze. “You have nothing to be anxious about. I’m pretty sure he has the same feelings for you.”

Mya nodded. “I hope you’re right and this isn’t a mistake.”

“You only live once, girlfriend. Now, what did you do with the movie?”

“It’s already in the machine. You need only press play,” she pointed out. Hopping up, Mya headed for the kitchen. “I’m heating the leftovers. With all this stress, we both need to eat something before we consume any more wine.”

“I’m glad you’re here. Don’t worry, Mya, things are going to be fine.