Egotistically Yours by Hayley Faiman

Chapter Twenty-Eight

BETHANIE

My entire body instantly freezes,then melts into Laurent. That is, until everything comes flooding back and by that, I mean the absolute nothing that I’ve heard from him in over twenty-four hours.

Lifting my hands between us, I push away from him. Looking up at him, my eyes search his and I look for something. I’m not sure what I’m looking for, maybe some apology, regret, guilt?

Something.

He is closed completely off and I get nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

“I have to go back to work,” I whisper.

He watches me for a moment, then I see a glimmer of a reaction. Anger. It simmers just beneath the surface, but I don’t understand what I’ve done to earn his anger? Is it because I’m not bowing down to him right now? After a complete full day of silence? He has no right. None.

“What were you doing with her?” he demands. His voice raspy and hoarse.

It’s sexy as shit and I’m pissed off at myself for thinking just that.

“Melody?” I ask, acting dumb.

He arches a brow, his eyes connected to mine, focused on me, and he doesn’t look away. He doesn’t answer my question, he continues to just watch me and wait for me to answer him. Letting out a growl, I take a step back.

“She called me and asked me to go to lunch with her. She invited herself. I couldn’t say no. She’s Cody’s wife.”

Laurent crosses his arms over his chest and stares at me. I don’t have time for this shit. Lifting my phone, I look at the time and notice that I have a couple minutes before I need to be clocked back into my computer and answer the phones.

“I have to go. I can’t argue about Melody and I don’t really care about her anyway,” I state.

“Take the rest of the day off,” Laurent demands.

I don’t even try to hold back, I let out a snort and place my hand on my hips. “You’re high, aren’t you?” I ask. “Because I’ve been out of work for eight weeks and while your dad is nice and may be okay with me taking a day off, he’s not my direct boss. Besides, I would never ask that.”

Laurent presses his lips together, then he lets out a sigh. “Fine,” he growls. “Come home right after work.”

I can’t stop myself. I know I shouldn’t say it as soon as the words slip out of my mouth. “I’m not the one who has a problem coming home at night, Laurent.”

I decide not to shield him from the hurt that his actions have caused. I still don’t know where he was, who or what he was doing. I know absolutely nothing. Laurent’s gaze searches mine, then he flinches. He must realize just how badly I’m hurt by his inaction, by the feeling of abandonment.

“I need to go back to work,” I whisper.

“Bethie,” he says.

Shaking my head, I take a step to the side and try to walk past him. His fingers wrap around my bicep and he pulls me backward and toward him. My feet become off balance and he forces me against his chest.

His fingers grip my biceps hard, no doubt bruising me in some way. The look on his face isn’t one of anger though, he’s not doing it to hurt me, instead he looks almost desperate. He shakes me once, then I feel his mouth against mine again.

“I love you,” he grinds out.

I’m not sure if he’s trying to convince me or himself. It doesn’t matter. I have to get back to work. He’s the one that walked away and didn’t come home. He’s the one who didn’t answer my calls, my texts, he’s the one.

“I’ll see you at home, if you show up,” I say, being petty.

His hands drop from me and he looks like I’ve physically assaulted him. I know I’m being immature, being completely childish, but I’m tired and he’s hurt me so damn badly. Laurent nods his head once, then he clears his throat before he turns and walks away, leaving me alone on the sidewalk.

I watch him for a moment, then I turn to make my way into the building. I only take one step. My entire body is jerked to the side and I gasp as a hand wraps around my mouth. “You say or do anything to draw attention and I’ll kill you,” a voice rasps.

This voice is familiar, too familiar and I recognize it from yesterday. It’s the man at my counter, later at my front door, then again in the parking garage. He doesn’t allow me to move my feet, instead he just drags me to the side of the building.

There is a small alleyway between LoneSTAR Investments and the next office building. That is where this stranger forces me and I know no matter what, unless someone looks up from their phone, I won’t be seen or heard.

“Please don’t,” I whimper.

He watches me for a moment in silence, his dark eyes searching mine, then he smirks. He tilts his head to the side before he leans over, his face just inches from mine, he speaks.

“Every step you take, I’m documenting. When this is done, I’m going to come back and get you. When you’re all alone, when you’ve been tossed to the side. When you least expect it, you’ll be all mine.”

Before I can say anything else, he turns and swiftly walks away. I stand, my back against the dirty wall, my entire body trembling. Tears well in my eyes and start to fall down my cheeks.

I don’t know what to do, where to go, who to talk to. I don’t know if anyone will believe me. I don’t know if I even believe myself. I don’t know anything right now. All I know is that I’ve never felt so alone in my life and I’ve never been scared this shitless before.

LAURENT

If someone could fuckup majorly, then fuck up just a little bit more, that would be where I am with Bethie right about now. The look in her eyes, the way she watched me with pain clearly etched across her features. It undoes me completely. I know that I’ve screwed up and done so royally.

Walking into my office, I notice Zara watching me as I pass by her desk. She doesn’t just look up to see who is passing by her, she is watching me. I don’t pay her any mind, I have much bigger things to worry about in my life right now.

Like how I’m going to make Bethie forgive me for staying out all night long. Like how I’m going to explain why I checked completely out. Like how I’ll try not to ever do it again, but that I can’t make any promises.

Picking up my office phone, I call Lawrence. I’m sure he doesn’t want to hear from me, but I don’t really give a shit. He’s my brother, so he can handle dealing with me and my drama for a day, or two—maybe three.

With a heavy sigh, Lawrence answers the phone. “She’s really pissed. How do I fix this?” I demand as my greeting.

He doesn’t say anything right away, then he lets out an exhale. “Tell her the truth, all of it.”

“What about jewelry?” I ask.

He hums. “Is Bethie going to forgive you for being that much of an ass over a diamond? Do you think that’s the kind of woman she is?”

I grunt, already knowing the answer to that. It’s an absolute no. “It would be easier if she actually was a gold digger,” I mutter.

Lawrence chuckles. “Wouldn’t it though?” he asks. “Maybe you should dump her like Mom wants and go and get yourself a proper gold digger with a decent pedigree?”

“And maybe that sounds like hell on earth,” I state.

Lawrence is quiet for a moment, then he speaks. “And being with Bethie isn’t hell, right? She’s different than a woman like Mom?” he asks.

“She’s the exact opposite of Mom.”

“Then maybe it’s time you stop putting Mom’s shit on her?”

I hate that he makes fucking sense and he did it in a way that I’m the one who actually fucking said it all and he just made a goddamn suggestion. This slick bastard.

“You know it’s bullshit when you play therapist with me and I don’t realize it until it’s too late,” I snap.

He laughs softly. “I honestly didn’t mean to, it just happened.”

“Yeah, well, you need to get a handle on that shit,” I grumble.

“I’ll see you and Bethie on Sunday?” he asks.

“You will.”

Ending the call, I think about what he asked. Will he see Bethie on Sunday? Can I fix this shit in time? I can. I don’t know how, but I know that I will. I’m Laurent Astor, when I want something, I get it, no ifs, ands, or buts.

Opening up the browser on my computer, I ignore the work that I need to do and put in a search for diamond jewelry. Bethie may not be a gold digger and she won’t forgive me if I give her a diamond, but she won’t turn it away either.

At least I don’t think that she will.

I’m hoping a sincere apology and a diamond can get me out of explaining everything that happened. Looking at the online jewelry store, I wonder if people only buy diamond rings, that’s pretty much all I see. Wedding ring set after wedding ring set.

“Laurent,” a soft voice calls out.

Lifting my eyes from the screen, I shift my gaze across the room to see Zara standing on the other side of the room. Arching a brow, I wait for her to say whatever it is that she came into my office to say.

Zara clears her throat before she speaks. “Is everything alright? You were late and you haven’t answered any emails or returned any of your missed calls. I just want to make sure everything is okay,” she breathes.

Watching her, I lick my lips and notice that her breathing becomes a bit heavier. Zara is pretty, but she’s most definitely not my type, which is why I hired her. I didn’t want someone working for me that my cock wanted inside of. Zara was that person.

“I’m good,” I mutter, closing the browser and giving up on the search for jewelry.

She takes a couple steps inside of the room, then closes the door behind her. I watch her, lifting a brow and wondering what the fuck she thinks she’s doing. She presses her back against the closed door, placing her hands behind her as she thrusts her chest outward.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

She shrugs a shoulder and bites her bottom lip, her eyes wide as she attempts to look like an innocent doe. It doesn’t work for me, there is something behind her gaze that I’ve never noticed before, or maybe I never paid her enough attention to look for it.

“I just thought that maybe…” She lets her words trail off.

I’m not making any kind of suggestion, instead I stare at her, trying to mask the expression of shock, because I am just that completely and totally shocked. I’ve never had this woman show me any type of interest, but I could have just not allowed myself to hear it, to notice it, to feel it before.

She slowly makes her way toward me and I continue to just stare, unable to move. Then she stands in front of me, at the side of my desk. I don’t turn my body toward her, instead, I just shift my gaze over to meet hers.

Thankfully, she doesn’t reach for me or touch me, but her breathing becomes pants and I know that she’s trying to be sexy, it doesn’t work for me though. I start to ask her what the fuck she’s doing when she bends over slightly.

“I just want you to know that I’m here. No matter what happens when you leave this office. I am here and if you need to just de-stress. I’ll happily help you with that, Laurent.”

Clearing my throat, I’m not sure what to even say. My body is frozen as she watches me, but I can’t let her think that anything is going to happen between us.

I open my mouth, ready to explain that nothing is going to happen, that I love Bethie. I love my son and my life with them. I’m just about to say all of that when my office door opens. Turning my head, I look over to see Melody standing in the doorway, a curved smile on her lips.

Fuck.