Christmas Pet by Jamie Knight

Chapter Twenty-One - James

I sat in my home office and looked out at the silent city. Everyone was at home celebrating with their families and loved ones. My sister Sylvie had checked into a facility for depression in Arizona, and my parents were on a cruise—separately. And once again, I was knee-deep in work. Daniel had gone to the media and had posted a picture of him and Sophia on his Instagram account announcing their pregnancy. My phone hadn’t stopped all day. I’d had to prepare a statement for Erin, and I was now working with her PR team.

I hadn’t had a chance to catch my breath or think about the question I would ask Pearl tomorrow. I glanced at the gifts I’d gotten her. We hadn’t planned on getting together today, but I was desperate and needed to see her.

I had texted and called, but she hadn’t replied or picked up her phone. She was most likely too busy with her family. She had invited me to spend Christmas with her, and her mom and whoever else showed up, but it sounded like hard work being around so much festive cheer.

I would be happy when the holiday season was over and when the bright lights and baubles were packed away for another twelve months.

I opened up the box containing the gift I’d had designed for Pearl. The diamond-encrusted collar would look divine around her neck.

The next time I saw her, I would present it to her. She needed to know our relationship meant more than I ever imagined. I didn’t want the New Year to be the end of things. I wanted the New Year to be the beginning of forever. Who would’ve thought that someone as jaded about love as I was had fallen hook, line, and sinker?

A smaller box sat beside the box containing the collar. The engagement ring would announce to the world she was mine. The collar was something we would use in private.

Grant and the Davies brothers might not look favorably on me marrying an associate, but I didn’t care. If they didn’t like it, tough. There wasn’t a better divorce attorney in the country than me. If they wanted to keep me happy, they would stay quiet, or they could buy me out. Something they wouldn’t do.

I drummed my fingers against the desktop. Screw it. I needed to see her. Since Pearl had invited me over, perhaps she would be happy to see me when I showed up on her doorstep unannounced.

I pushed away from my desk and grabbed the ugly sweater I’d picked up yesterday on the way home. When in Rome…

I grabbed her gifts and left my apartment. A Christmas day proposal was cliché and cheesy, but I wouldn’t be able to stop myself when I saw her.

I hit my knuckles against the door and waited. The street had even more decorations and lights than before.

The door flung open, and Pearl’s mom stood there. She didn’t seem happy to see me. In fact, she appeared livid. Almost like she wanted me to drop dead.

“Merry Christmas, Sandra. I hope you don’t mind me stopping by like this.”

“I do mind.” Her reply surprised me, and I stepped backward.

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t act dumb. Get lost. Do not darken my doorstep ever again.” She slammed the door shut. For a few seconds, I stood there, shocked to my toes. What the actual fuck?

I knocked again. She opened the door a crack. “I’m sorry if I’ve offended you or have done something wrong. Can I talk to Pearl?”

“No, you can’t.” She stepped outside, closed the door behind her, and jabbed a finger against my chest. “Who the hell do you think you are? You think you can treat my daughter the way you have? You think you can waltz over here and act like nothing happened. The gift you gave her was thoughtless and cruel. She told me you’re one of those Dom men. And that there are punishment and rewards. I take it the gifts you sent her were a punishment. I’ve watched Fifty Shades of Grey. Christian was an asshole, but he wasn’t sadistic, and he would never have done anything like that to Anastasia. You’re sick. I hope you rot in hell.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Mrs. Holmes. I’m at a loss. I’ve no clue what you’re accusing me of or what you’re talking about.”

That was when she exploded. “Don’t. I might be 55 and 120 pounds, but I can still kick your ass.”

“Can I please talk to Pearl? There has to be some kind of explanation for whatever I supposedly did.”

“My daughter isn’t here. Not only did you ruin her Christmas, but you ruined mine. Today is the one day that’s always been ours. Today is supposed to be the happiest day of the year for us. It’s the day I finally got rid of her father. It’s the day she and I finally became a family. Understand this, I will kill for my daughter. Go away. I have a house full of people to entertain.” She waggled her finger in my face. “I have friends who can make sure you disappear without a trace. It will be as if you never existed.”

Dejected and confused, I left the doorstep and got into my car. What had just happened? I was stunned, flummoxed, and at a loss for words.

I rang Pearl, but again it went to voicemail. I sent her a desperate text.

Please. We need to talk. You need to tell me what happened. Tell me why your mom wants to kill me.

Radio silence followed.

If she wasn’t at her mom’s, where was she? Since I hadn’t met any of her friends yet, I was unsure who to ask.

I drove to her apartment building. After I’d bribed the doorman to let me inside, I hammered against her front door, but there was no answer. A curly-haired brunette who resembled a fairy peaked her head out of a door across the hall. “Are you trying to wake the dead?”

“I’m trying to find Pearl. Do you know where she is?”

“Her mother’s. It’s where she is every Christmas.”

“She’s not,” my voice cracked. “I was just there.”

“Who are you?” the pixie asked.

“Pearl’s boyfriend, James.”

Her eyebrows almost shot off her head, they raised so fast. “No fucking way? I’m Bella. Pearl is my BFF. We drink together and watch reality shows. I thought you looked familiar. But wearing that ugly sweater, I wasn’t sure.”

I ran my fingers through my hair. “Do you have any idea where she could be? I have to find her.”

“If she’s not at her mother’s, I don’t know where she is.”

“She hasn’t called or texted you?”

“I’m working nights this week at the hospital. She would know I was sleeping and wouldn’t have done either.”

“I need to find her. I’m desperate.”

“I guess I can check her Snapchat to see if she has her snap map on. I’ll grab my phone. Hold on.” She disappeared, and a few seconds later, she reappeared. Her fingers danced across the screen. “What the what? What’s she doing at the Delaware Water Gap? Why would she be there on Christmas Day?”

Relief washed over me. “She’s on her way to the trailer.” I picked Bella up and spun her around. “Thank you. I owe you big time.”

“You can pay me back in celebrity gossip.”