Page 105 of Taming a Menace

“Is that how you see it?”

“Yes. I made a mistake. People make mistakes. I don’t think we should throw away everything we built over one mistake.”

“One mistake? What about the pregnant girl you were with at Sakura?”

“What about her? She’s just a friend. You’re the one I love. I don’t even know if the baby is mine or not.”

“And that’s supposed to make it better how?” I questioned.

“Give me a chance to make it better. I know I fucked up.”

“That’s out of the question. I can’t trust you, Wyatt. There’s no coming back from the shit you did.”

“Don’t give up on us, Iyla,” Wyatt ordered.

“I’ve already given up and moved on. It seems to me that you’ve done the same. Even if you haven’t, I honestly don’t care. Now can you leave my office?”

The door swung open behind Wyatt, causing both of us to look back. When I locked eyes with Keywan, my heart stopped. This couldn’t be happening again.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt your meeting. I thought you were on your lunch break. I was just bringing this form from my parole officer to verify that I completed my treatment,” Keywan said, oblivious to who Wyatt was.

“Thank you, Mr. Glover,” I said, accepting the form from him.

“See you Thursday,” he said, looking between me and Wyatt before leaving my office once again.

When the door closed behind him, Wyatt looked at me with narrowed eyes.

“I’m good as hell with faces. I just know damn well my eyes were deceiving me. You would never be stupid enough to be involved with a patient.”

“I’m sure whatever you’re thinking is wrong as hell. Now once again, can you leave my office?”

“No, I think I’m absolutely right. There was no damn reason for you to be out with a patient after hours. Didn’t you leave the restaurant with him? Tell me you’re not that stupid, Iyla.”

“Wyatt, get out of my office!”

“I’ll leave for now, but I refuse to let you throw your life away over some thug trying to get out of his parole hours or something. Be smart, Iyla. That man is not interested in you. He’s using you to get out of therapy.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I need you to leave.”

“And I need you to be smarter. I would hate to have to report you to the licensing board. You’re violating all kinds of ethical rules. He’s making a fool out of you whether you want to admit it or not.”

“Don’t make me have you escorted out of here. I don’t even know how you found out where I work.”

“One of our patients comes here for counseling but gets her meds from me. She couldn’t wait to let me know she saw you working here,” he explained.

“Good for you. Please leave.”

“I’m starting to think I need to prescribe something for you. I know I hurt you, but this is beneath you, Iyla.”

“Bye, Wyatt. You’re wasting my lunch break with your theories,” I said, pushing past him.

“You can only run for so long. Before I let you throw your life away, I’ll report you to the board. I’ll give you the rest of the week to think about coming home and letting this game you’re playing go. I’ll even give you your job back. I’ve kept your spot vacant because I knew you would come back eventually. I know the state isn’t paying you half of what I was. I know how expensive your taste is.”

“Wyatt, you don’t know what you’re talking about. You might not be willing to leave, but I’m not going to stand here and listen to this foolishness any longer. You can let yourself out.”

“While you’re on your break, be sure to letMr. Gloverknow his time is up. It’s time to come home, Iyla.”

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