Chapter Three
ADAM
I had another excruciatingly busy day and to make it even worse, I wasn’t going to have time to meet Alicia for dinner. I grabbed a rose off of my assistant’s desk and knocked on Alicia’s door around five.
“Come in!”
I pushed open the door and found her still at work behind her desk. She looked up at me and smiled. God, she’s gorgeous even with her hair falling out of the loose bun she had it tangled in and most of her make-up rubbed off from her hours of pouring over paperwork. I held out the rose to her and said, “I’m afraid I can’t make dinner tonight, baby. But can I have a rain check?”
She took the rose and smiled, “I suppose. It’s kind of been an exhausting day, anyways. I think a bubble bath and a cup of tea is just what the doctor ordered.” I waited for her to pack up her things and put the files on her desk in Carla’s basket so that she could take them back to records in the morning. Then, I walked her out to the parking garage.
It seemed like she was debating whether to tell me something important, but she stayed silent. I thought about asking her about it, but had so many things on my mind and a team still inside waiting for me, so I selfishly decided to wait and maybe she’d tell me at another time when I was not so overwhelmed.
When we reached her car, she pressed the unlock button on the fob in her hand and then I took her into my arms and gave her a long, deep kiss. When we came up for air, I held her back so I could look at her pretty, flushed face. It suddenly morphed into a look of disgust when she spotted something over my shoulder. I turned and saw Marjorie. I felt like losing my lunch. She had that permanent nasty smirk on her face.
“What the hell? Marjorie, what are you doing here?”
“I was meeting my lawyer for dinner, and I just thought I’d come by and let you know. I didn’t want you coming home to eat with me like you did last night and finding that I wasn’t home.”
The bitch was trying to cause trouble as usual. I turned back toward Alicia quickly. “She’s lying. I did not have dinner with her last night. I was here, working.”
Marjorie feigned a serious look and said, “Oh dear, was I not supposed to say anything in front of the little woman?”
I spun around on her and before she had time to back up, I was in her face. “Shut the hell up, Marjorie! Shut your nasty, lying mouth! I wish you were dead, you know that? If I thought you were worth it, I would kill you myself.”
Marjorie didn’t even flinch. She wasn’t afraid of me because although I talked a good game, we both knew I’d never follow through with the violence she made swell in my veins. She laughed instead and said, “Such passion. Love and hate are such closely related emotions, aren’t they? Do you remember what amazing sex we used to have after a roaring fight?”
Every muscle in my body tightened and for a fraction of a second, I thought I just might be able to do it. Maybe I could kill the bitch. I felt Alicia’s hand on my arm and heard her say,
“She’s not worth it, Adam.”
Marjorie still didn’t seem to realize she’d just almost pushed me too far. She smiled at both of us before turning and heading for the garage elevator. Just before the doors slid closed, she blew me a kiss. It turned my stomach and I felt Alicia’s hand tense against my arm. “I didn’t have dinner with her.”
Alicia put her hand up on my face and said, “I know.” I pressed my face into her palm and then slid it over to my lips and kissed it. “Enjoy your bath and quiet time.”
“I will. You don’t stay too late. You can come and sleep at my place tonight. You need to get some rest.”
I nodded. I probably wouldn’t just because I hated the idea of letting Marjorie have my place to herself. She made my blood boil. I kissed Alicia’s cheek and she slid into the car.
As I closed her door I heard myself say, “I really do wish she was dead.” I don’t think I meant to say that out loud. I know Alicia despises her, but me talking about her being dead couldn’t be sitting well with her. At this point I was too exhausted and too fed up to care what anyone thought. I was sick to death of my life being ruled by an evil, ungrateful bitch and I’d do just about anything at this point to just make her go away.
********
I stayed at the office until after ten. I was so tired by the time I got into my car that I was glad I wasn’t driving. I actually saw spots in front of my eyes. I said a little prayer that Marjorie would be out when I got home, but it went unanswered, as usual. I walked into the penthouse to find her on the couch in her lounging outfit, painting her toenails and drinking a glass of wine. She had a fire roaring in the fireplace and the surround sound playing smooth jazz. She makes me sick. I tossed my keys on the table in the foyer and turned toward my bedroom.
“You don’t want to have a glass of wine with me? You look like you could use a little unwinding.”
I looked at her with fire in my eyes and said, “I won’t be unwound until you are out of my life once and for all.”
She smiled. “Don’t count on that being any time soon.” Once again, rage hissed through my body. I took a step toward her, but caught myself and instead turned back toward the hallway and went to my room. I closed and locked the door behind me before ripping off my tie and jacket. I pulled my phone out of my pocket then and called Alicia. She was the only thing that could calm me down where Marjorie was concerned.
“Hi, baby. What are you doing?” I was practically whispering. I was feeling paranoid like Marjorie was listening at the door. I didn’t want her being any part of my conversation with Alicia.
“Hi, I’m taking a bath. I wish you were here.” My mind pictured that and I groaned and then it dawned on me that she was headed home to take a bath hours ago.
“What took you so long to get your bubble bath?”
“Why are you whispering?”
I sighed. “Marjorie’s in the other room. I don’t want her overhearing us – she doesn’t need any more ammunition to torture us with.”
I could hear the change in Alicia’s voice at the mention of Marjorie’s name, but she was supportive anyways as she said, “I’m sorry, baby. Maybe Monday it will be all over, huh?”
“God, I hope so. It has to be. Let’s not talk about her any more though, please. Tell me about your evening and why you’re getting your bath so late.”
“I went shopping. I realized I haven’t even decorated for Christmas yet or started my gift shopping. While I was out, I bumped into Jack Grant, my friend from the U.K.” I felt a tightening in my chest. I counted to ten in my head before saying,
“He seems to have a knack for bumping into you when you’re alone.”
“He was Christmas shopping, Adam. No evil intentions there, I assure you.”
I felt like a jealous ass. “I’m sorry, baby. Everything that’s been going on lately has given me the eerie feeling that there are evil intentions all around us.”
“I suppose I can’t blame you there,” she said. “We just can’t let all of this change the way we think about people. Everyone is not like Marjorie, or the Brigham’s, for that matter.”
“Thank God,” I said, wearily. “I think I should turn in for the night, so that we can deal with people such as Marjorie and the Brigham’s again bright and early tomorrow morning.”
“I love you, Adam,” she said. It’s funny how much better I feel hearing her say that in her cute little British accent. “Everything will be okay, soon.”
“I wish you knew how much I appreciate you.”
“I do know, love. I do believe it will be better soon. It has to get better, right?”
“I suppose it can’t get much worse.” It could, though. She could leave me. Now that this guy “Jack” was sneaking around, that could even be another nail in my coffin. Shit! I was getting way too paranoid. I needed to get some sleep. “I love you, too,” I told her before hanging up the call. I undressed down to my boxers and collapsed on my bed. It was only seconds before I slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.