CHAPTER TEN
Renee got out of the cab and stumbled the few steps to her apartment block. She sighed heavily as she let herself into her apartment and leaned against the door. If she lost her job, she wouldn’t be able to afford the rent any more. It was a real pity. She really liked living in this nice, spacious apartment. It was by far the nicest apartment she had ever rented.
Renee took a quick, scalding shower and made herself a big cup of tea to calm herself down. Then she sat down in front of her laptop and cracked her knuckles.
Time to update her resume and look for a new job.
She typed non-stop, refusing to come up for air or let her thoughts wander. She shook her head hard to get Zack out of her mind. She had to stop thinking about him!
Zack had probably forgotten the whole thing by now. It was just sex, and it meant nothing to him.
He had fucked her and gotten what he wanted. Well, to be fair, they had both gotten what they wanted. The sexual tension between them had been building up since day one.
Renee winced and bit her lip hard.
Stop thinking about him!
It was done and it was over.
She would just hand in her resignation first thing on Monday morning.
She couldn’t predict how Zack would react. Would he be upset or relieved?
Did she want him to be upset?
“Stop it,” she snapped at herself.
Renee gritted her teeth and continued typing with a vengeance. She didn’t know how long she had been typing. She was supposed to be hammering out her resignation letter but when she took a good look at the screen, she saw that she had typed a whole lot of gibberish.
Nothing made sense.
The phone rang, and she saw that it was her sister.
“Kim,” she snarled, snatching up her phone. She was going to give her a piece of her mind! Kim and her hare-brained schemes.
“So...did you do it?” her sister chirped into her ear.
Renee’s anger evaporated at the sister’s cheerful, excited voice. It wasn’t Kim’s fault. And she could never stay mad at her sister. Her sister meant well. Renee realized that for the first time in a long, long while, she felt alive and young again. She had done something reckless, stupid and crazy, and it felt...great.
“Oh, Kim, you’re crazy, you know that?” Renee passed a hand over her eyes. “Yeah. I did it.”
Kim whooped and cheered. “I knew you would! That’s the fearless, gutsy Renee I know. So, what happened? Tell me everything!”
Renee found her face heating up. She took a big gulp of her cold tea and stammered, “Well...”
Her sister gasped. “No! Renee, you didn’t!”
Renee opened and shut her mouth, unable to get the words out. But Kim heard every unspoken word. Her sister squealed and shrieked, “Renee! Oh my God! In the office? Really? Wow, Renee! All right! You go, girl!”
“Oh Kim,” Renee said, half laughing even as tears sprang to her eyes. “You’re out of your mind.”
“Am I?” Kim teased. “Or are you?”
Renee was saved from answering by the jarring chime of the doorbell. “I’ve got to go. Someone’s at the door,” she said, jumping out of her chair.
“Who? Are you expecting someone?”
“I ordered pizza,” Renee lied. “I’ll talk to you later, okay?”
“Fine, I’ll let you go,” Kim grumbled. “But I want details. Every single, juicy, naughty little detail. Don’t leave anything out!” Her sister gave her a loud smooch and hung up.
Renee put her hand on the doorknob and froze when she heard Zack’s voice.
Shit! What was he doing here?
“Renee!”
She took a deep breath. A part of her had hoped that Zack would come after her, but now that he was here, she wasn’t sure she wanted to see him.
“Renee!” He began to pound on the door. “Come on! I need to see you. We need to talk. I’m not leaving until you open the door. Renee!”
Renee knew he was serious. The man was bloody stubborn, dogged and persistent. When Zack wanted something, he was unswerving and single-minded in his pursuit.
There was no way to avoid him.
Better to get it over with then.
Bracing herself, Renee opened the door.