Scream For me

I had a feeling and I chose to ignore it.

“What I’m saying, sweetie, is that as his late wife’s best friend, of all people I should have known better. I heard all the red flags from Mira and I still fell into his bed after she died. It’s embarrassing truly, to have to admit that I slept with my late best friend’s husband. Anyway, I would have been sick to my stomach had I not warned you. I do hope you understand this is coming from a good place.” She reaches her hand out and grabs mine, squeezing it before sliding off my desk and sashaying out of my room with a small toss of her hand in the air.

There has to be a misunderstanding here. Before I go into a full-blown panic, I take a few deep breaths and grab my things to head over to Weston’s and ask him to his face about this. I shut and lock my classroom door, taking the back stairs so that I don’t risk running into Natalie again. I slip out the back of the school, a sleek black Range Rover catching my gaze. Normally, I wouldn’t think twice about a luxury vehicle outside the school considering the type of school it is but rarely are they ever parked in the alley behind the school.

“Preston?” I say to myself as I squint to make sure it’s him. I watch as he leans into the driver’s window, the same long acrylic fingernails that were just tapping on my desk, wrapping around the back of his neck and pulling him in further. “What the hell?” I take the opportunity to run down the alley before they catch me watching them.

I’m not sure if Weston will be at home since he picked up Daisy or if he went back to the office, but I take a chance and head to his penthouse.

“Afternoon, miss. May I help you?”

“Hey, I’m here to see Weston Vaughn.”

“And is he expecting you?”

I shake my head. “I don’t want to go up. Just hoping you can let him know I’m in the lobby. My name is Daphne Flowers.” I realize I could call him myself and I may have to if the man behind the desk won’t alert him that I’m here, but I know that if I call, he’ll convince me to come upstairs.

He glances at his computer, typing something in. “Are you sure you don’t want me to just send you up? You’re on his approved access list.”

“I am? I-uh, no, no, thank you. I’ll just wait down here for him.”

“Okay.” He picks up the phone. “Hello, sir, there’s a Daphne Flowers down in the lobby to see you. Yes, yes, sir, I tried sending her up but she doesn’t want to go up; she’s asking that you come meet her down here. Yes, sir, okay, sir. Thank you.” He looks up at me after hanging up. “He’s on his way down.”

I can see a look of confusion on his face when he exits the elevator. He makes his way over to where I’m nervously perched on the edge of a bench in the lobby.

“Daphne.” He smiles as he approaches. “What are you doing? Why don’t you want to come up?”

“Is there someplace we can speak privately?” I try to keep my voice hushed so my words don’t echo through the massive marble lobby.

“Yes, upstairs.” He laughs, shaking his head. “Come on.” He helps me stand and ushers me toward the elevator but I stop.

“No, I would prefer to not speak in Daisy’s presence.” I plant my feet and the smile slowly fades from his lips. He recognizes the look on my face.

“What’s going on?”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Are you sleeping with Natalie?”

He lifts his brow. “No. Where is this coming from?”

“But you were-sleeping with her or you did? You two were a thing?”

He hangs his head, lifting his hand to slowly drag it through his hair as he lets out an exasperated sigh.

Oh God, she wasn’t lying.

“Yes. I did sleep with her a few times. It was in the past, a mistake that I regret but we were never a thing. Did she talk to you?”

“Why’d you lie to me about it then?” I don’t tell him that she did. I don’t want him telling her that I ran to him to tattle. I clench my jaw, trying to keep my tone even.

“I didn’t lie to you. You asked me if I was involved with her if we were together, and I said no because we weren’t and aren’t.”

I roll my eyes. “That’s total bullshit. It’s a lie of omission and you know it.” I jab my finger toward him.

“You need to lower your tone, young lady.” He steps toward me, backing me into the alcove of the elevators.

“Don’t patronize me. How would you feel if you found out from Preston that he’d fucked me?” I shocked even myself with my harsh words.

He grabs my hand, tugging me toward him. “Has he, Daphne? Has he touched you? Kissed you? Fucked you the way I have?” His eyes are dark and piercing, his words said through gritted teeth as he looks down at me.

“No,” I say softly. “But if he had, I wouldn’t have hidden it from you.”

He scans my face, his gaze softening a little as he releases my hand. He reaches up and cups my face. “She was a mistake and I’ve told her as much. I never should have slept with her. I was grieving and then lonely and then just a fucking asshole who needed escape instead of facing my feelings about Mira. That’s why I didn’t tell you about it. I was, I am ashamed and now that I have to work with her through this deal, I didn’t want you to be worried that I was still sleeping with her or that there were any feelings or desires there. I’m sorry, I should have told you.”

“So you two have been hooking up on and off over the last four years?” I struggle to believe that he has no feelings for her if that’s the case.

“No. It didn’t happen until the last year. I was struggling and she reached out to me because she was as well. It was around the anniversary of Mira’s passing. I mean it, Daphne. I’ve never had feelings for her and I haven’t been with her since I met you.”

“Thank you for apologizing.”

He rests his forehead against mine, letting out a slow breath. “The thought of Preston or any man touching you makes me want to tear them limb from limb, baby. You’re mine, you understand me?”

I don’t know what to say or feel. I’m terrified of what I’m feeling for this man, but I’m also terrified of being consumed by him. I wasn’t ready to fall again; I still don’t know if I’m ready. Sometimes I feel like I’m still running from losing my mom and Carson and my broken relationship with my father. I don’t know if I have enough to give someone else, let alone myself.

“I- I need some time and space.” I reach up and wrap my hands around his, pulling them from me.

“Meaning what, Daphne?”

“I just don’t know if I can do this right now. I’m not angry with you but I can’t just pretend like I’m not falling for you and your daughter, knowing neither of us is fully healed from our past. I don’t want to be just a distraction for you until the next best thing comes along. I just can’t right now.” I shake my head as I choke back tears. I know I’m running; I know I’m scared, and his expression tells me he knows it too.

“Look at me.” His voice is back to demanding. “You have one week, Daphne. Get out of your head and stop overthinking this. We both know this is more than a distraction. One week and I’m coming for you.”