Page 47 of Fair Trade

I make it to my office and slam the door shut, rattling the hinges.

I take a seat at my desk and force a handful of deep breaths into my lungs.

I’m okay. He’s just a man. And men are trash. We already know this.

I open up my email and stagger back slightly at his name staring back at me.

So many emails.

I ignore all of our past correspondence and instead shoot off an alarming amount of meeting requests with my team and agents across the country.

It’s time for me to remember who I am and why I’m here.

I’m going to make a name for myself.

And I’m going to do it inspiteof the men who try to stand in my way.

Because this is what I was meant to do with my life.

Because people are counting on me.

Because I’m going to make my family proud.

And, most importantly, because Nicholas Stonehaven can get fucked.

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I need her tohate me.

I keep repeating the thought in my mind.

It’s for the best. She needs her anger to keep her company when I can’t.

She won’t allow herself to date me, and I’m not going to make her life difficult by making her feel guilty about her choice.

When I saw her standing outside my office, with that look of hope in her eyes, I knew I would be submitting us both to a world of pain if I didn’t nip this in the bud.

I knew what she’d come to say. Hell, she probably needed the day to process her feelings around dating me instead of murdering me.

But I knew how things would ultimately play out.

She would give in. I would fall in love with her and try my damndest to make her stay. But time would pass, articles would be written, and she would grow resentful until, eventually, she left me.

She would always be remembered as the woman who slept with her boss, while I would walk away unscathed. The media never holds men to the same diabolical standard they do women, and I’ll never let that happen to Luisa.

Therefore, I need her to hate me.

Because if she doesn’t and she comes at me once more with that look in her eye, I’ll crumble and welcome the inevitable pain.

I run my hand through my hair as I look around the airplane.

The flight attendant is making me a stiff drink as the pilots prepare for takeoff.

I look over at the only lady who can bear to be in my presence when I’m in this dark of a mood. “Get over here, Delilah.”

I pat my lap, and she comes willingly, her pretty eyes shining bright.

“That’s my good girl,” I say, as she wags her tail and her tongue lolls out the side of her mouth.