“Tori, do you see the file or not?” Jay spoke sharply into the phone.

I was set up at his desk, looking through his laptop for a file on a new group he was signing. Apparently, he forgot to print out the contracts legal had uploaded before he left for LA earlier that week. Now he was taking his frustrations out on me.

“Jayson Santiago. Do not snap at me just because you are having a bad day. If you would stop yelling for five seconds I could find what you need.”

God, men could be so stupid. I was learning I worked well under pressure, but not if it was at the point he was breathing down my neck.

I might have been out of line for speaking to him that way, but he wasn’t much better for talking down to me. I never understood why some bosses thought it was okay to act like that to their employees.

Case in point, the way Annabelle treated Daddy’s help. They were all people with feelings that occasionally screwed up. No one’s perfect. However, she rode them like they were complete idiots. It’s disgraceful I knew so many people raised to treat others that way. Thankfully, I was not one of them.

My mother was one of the most down to earth people you’d ever meet. She grew up in a middle-class home and never fully embraced the snooty lifestyle so many other women with money did. She taught me to respect people and to never take for granted the riches that were bestowed on us. For that reason alone, she never fully fit in with all the country club bitches, and neither did I.

“Don’t make me put you over my knee for insubordination,” Jay threatened. I wanted to laugh because I most likely would enjoy that.

“Whatever, Jay,” I mumbled. “There. Found it. See if you had shut your trap long enough, you would have already had the file. Emailing now.”

“Don’t forget to encrypt that shit.”

“Done. Now, when are you coming home? I have a few things that I need to go over with you and it would be easier if we did it in person.” I leaned back in his chair and propped my feet up on his desk. Very unprofessional—I know—but playing CEO made me feel important.

“Probably not until Monday. I have an appearance scheduled for Saturday night.”

At the mention of him attending the BET awards with Nessy and her group, my free hand clenched into a fist. I hated the fact that she was in the same city as Jay. I knew I had no hold over him, but the selfish side of me didn’t like the idea of sharing him either. I’d bet my paycheck she was warming his bed sheets while they were out there. What had become our almost nightly calls ended around eleven o’clock my time, which meant it was only nine o’clock for him. That left quite a few hours for extracurricular activities.

“I’ll pencil myself in on your schedule for Monday morning then.”

“That works. Listen baby, I’m not sure I can call you tonight. I got some things going on that need my attention.”

“Anything I can help with?” I asked. That damn curiosity was rearing its head again. I hated when he was vague. It made me have visions of him seeing to Nessy’s needs, which I did not like at all.

“No, but thank you for asking.”

“I’d do anything for you, Jay. All you have to do is ask.” I bit my lip and wondered if I was giving too much away. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out I still had feelings for him, but I didn’t want to be too blatant about it either. It could make things awkward between us and I didn’t want that.

“I know, baby. The feeling’s mutual. Which reminds me, I want you to set up a meeting with your cousin that hired the investigator for you. It’s been a while and I want an update on where that stands.”

“I told you the guy hasn’t turned up much. Just a lot of spending and infidelity. From what my dad’s lawyer said, he didn’t have a prenup so that rules out screwing her with that. But if you want to meet with Jeff, I’ll set it up for next week when you’re back.”

“Good. Your birthday’s next week too. What do you want to do?”

My mouth gaped for a second when I realized that he knew when my birthday was. Keesha knew because we were talking about going out and having some drinks. I had no idea that Jay knew too. I liked that he knew. It gave me the warm fuzzies that he cared enough to spend it with me.

“Keesha and I are going out to paint the town red,” I answered him. “Did you want to come?”

“If I go out, things tend to get a little too crazy. I don’t want to take the spotlight off of you. How about we do dinner and then we can either party at my place or you can have your girl’s night?”

I thought about that for a brief moment. Either way was a win-win. “That sounds good.”

“Alright, baby. I gotta run. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Bye, Jay.”

I hung up the phone and sighed. Looking at the clock, I realized it was nearing six o’clock. Jay’s last minute freak out over that contract took way longer than I would have liked.

I stood up and stretched. Thank God tomorrow was Friday because Jay being out of the office was tiring. Everyone always seemed to need something when he wasn’t available, and Keesha expected my help on whatever project she had going as well.

Now that the work day was done, it was time to pack up and head home.

* * *

“Hey, Kim!” I greeted my neighbor as I neared our apartments. She was sitting at the table in the courtyard with a drink in front of her, smoking a cigarette. I had learned that she only smoked when she was stressed out and when she was drinking. Being a good friend, I plopped down in the chair across from her and set my purse down. It seemed like she could use a listening ear.

“Hey,” she grumbled. “Before you ask, I cannot stand my boss. I work at a department store for Christ’s sake. It isn’t like I’m waiting on the damn queen. So when a customer is overtly rude, I’m going to be rude back. I can take a lot, Tori. But this bitch had it coming to her. I swear to you she was just asking for it.”

“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.” I reached out and grabbed her hand. The way she led into her woes so quickly just proved that she did indeed need someone to listen.

“Yeah, me too. Bob the Dick said I have one more offense and then I’m fired.”

“Shit. What are you going to do?”

“I have no clue.” She shook her head and downed her drink. Her gaze fixed on something off in the distance and she looked lost in thought.

“I have an idea. Let’s forget the shit days we had and go get some dinner. My treat.” I gave her a wide smile and hoped that some girl time would help alleviate her stress.

Kim looked hesitant, but eventually I was able to coax her into going.

We both changed out of our work clothes and arrived at the dive she recommended. I tried to throw out any preconceived notions I had of the place based on the atmosphere and settled into a booth opposite her.

A super-hot waiter took our drink orders and left us with menus. Watching his ass as he walked away, I was definitely glad I decided not to nix this place just because of the location.

Once we ordered our meals, I took a healthy sip of my Jack and Coke. My arms and legs immediately began to feel pliable and loose. Just what the doctor ordered. Too bad I was driving and could only have one.

“How’s the new job going?” Kim asked in between sips of her drink.

“It’s really good. Challenging, but good. I never imagined I’d be good at having a job like this. I feel like I’m accomplishing something.”

“That’s really good, sweetie. After all the shit you’ve been through, you deserve to find some success. I just wish I could find some. My parents preached the benefits of going to college, but all I wanted to do was rebel and tell them to shove it. Looking back on it, I should have pulled my head out of my ass and done what I was told.”

“There’s still time you know. There’s no law in place saying you have to go to college right after high school. Many people go back later on in life and it works out well because they know who they are and where their passions lie.”

“I don’t know,” she hedged.

“Just think about it.”

Kim nodded and continued sipping her drink. “So, tell me about Mr. Sexy-Rap-God,” she unceremoniously attempted to get the dirt on Jay’s and my relationship.

“We’re just friends.” I took a sip of my drink and reached for the basket of bread the waiter left for us. I hadn’t eaten since lunch and needed something to sop up the alcohol.

“Right. I’ve seen the two of you together and I’ve overheard some of your conversations. Oh, and let’s not forget the fact that I heard moaning and screaming coming from your apartment a while back when he was over.”

I stared at her horrified. She had to be referring to the night he brought dinner over. I had no idea she heard anything and I told her as much.

“That’s right, honey. I just happened to be arriving home one night around the same time that you, my friend, were having quite an orgasm. Word to the wise, those windows suck. So tell me. What’s he like?” She leaned on the table looking as if I was about to impart the wisdom of the Dalai Lama.

“Crap,” I mumbled. Even when you thought you were in the privacy of your own home, you weren’t.

“See, I have you trapped. You have no choice but to spill the beans. So spill the damn beans, Tori. I need juicy details that will make me forget the fact that I work for a man who checks out my tits, smells like farts, has no friends, and is threatening to fire me.”

I practically spit my drink out at her description of Bob the Dick. I choked for a few moments before regaining control. Thank heavens I worked for a man as sexy and smooth as Jay and not ‘The Dick’.

“Fine, I’ll tell you this and only this. I wouldn’t be surprised if they made dildos from a mold of his cock. That was how beautiful it was.”

Kim’s jaw dropped, and she eyed me for several minutes without blinking. I snapped my fingers in front of her face to free her from the haze that she was in.

“I knew it,” she sputtered. “Fuck. I knew it. I knew watching him on television for all those years he had to be a man that had it going on. Shit, I’m never going to be able to have an intelligent conversation with him. I’m going to be picturing dildos and wondering how good it would feel. You’ve ruined me!”

“You?” I cried out. “What about me? I know firsthand how it feels and let me tell you that’s all I can think about some days. I’ve had to bite my tongue to keep from asking him to bend me over his desk and fuck me blind.”

Kim fanned herself with her hand and signaled for the waiter.

“We need shots, stat. Surprise me,” she ordered him once he arrived.

“I’m driving,” I reminded her.

“I don’t care. We’ll take a cab if we need to. Your ass needs a shot probably worse than mine does thanks to Jay’s cock.”

I snickered and nodded in agreement. Going cold turkey from the world’s most gorgeous appendage certainly warranted having a shot.

Three shots later and I was not in the frame of mind to do much other than regale Kim with every little detail about my sexual encounters with Jay. We giggled like school girls and had everyone around looking at us like we were crazy.

“You seriously did it in front of people? I never would have pictured you as being an exhibitionist.”

“I know,” I sighed. “It was just so necessary. There was no way we could have waited to get somewhere private. We literally just went at it. It was hardcore.”

“Tell me about it again,” Kim said wistfully. Her eyes were a little glazed over from all the alcohol we had been consuming.

Growing up I never had a friend to share stories about sex with. We might say general things like I had sex with Tom or I gave Rocco a blow job, but that was about it. I really enjoyed this side of my friendship with Kim. I liked confiding in her and having her either understand or make me laugh. It was a great way to take my mind off the fact that Jay was fifteen hundred miles away with a woman who thought she had a claim to him and wanted to be the next Mrs. Jayson Santiago. Fucking tramp.

“Okay. So, we were eating tacos one minute and the next he was pinning me down on the lounger.”

“He was eating your taco, you mean!” We both busted out laughing.

“No, that was the next morning.”

“Oh yes. Keep going,” she encouraged, leaning forward like she needed to be closer in order to enjoy the story.

I gave her a blow by blow of the way his hands and his mouth ran over my skin and the way he turned me on more than any man ever had just by covering me with his body. I told her how roughly he pulled my skirt up to my waist and how we fumbled to get his pants opened. I finished with, “And he didn’t waste any time in fucking me. He slid my panties to the side and then went at me hard.” I downed another shot in hopes of alleviating the heat radiating through my body. “God, Kim. I need to stop thinking about this.”

“You’re right. I think we need to go home,” she announced. I blinked in confusion. Just five minutes ago she said she wanted us to stay all night and do shots until the morning. Not that I could have since I had to work tomorrow, but the sentiment was nice.

“Why? I thought we were having fun.”

She leaned in and whispered conspiratorially. “I need my vibrator, that’s why. I haven’t been this horny in a long time. I need to get off.”

“Mmmm… That isn’t a bad idea actually. I’ve named my vibrator Jay so that when I have my O I can call out his name and it isn’t weird. That isn’t weird right?” I smothered my giggle with my hand.

Kim shook her head. “No, not at all. I think I’m going to name mine Jay too. Although I have a feeling I’ll need a bigger model if I’m going to do that.”

“Oh my God! You probably will. Did I tell you how beautiful it was? Like I could lick it for hours and never tire of it.”

“Okay, that’s enough. We need to go!”

We stood and held onto each other as we weaved toward the bar.

“Hey bartender!” Kim shouted louder than was necessary. “Can you call us a cab?”

He nodded and picked up the phone.

Kim turned back to me and gave me a big hug. “Thank you, Tori. I’ve had so much fun tonight!”

I wasn’t sure if it was me or not, but it seemed like the longer we stood there the more it sounded like she was slurring. Had we had that much to drink? I couldn’t remember.

“Me too! Do you think the cab is here? Oh, it’s like Jersey Shore! Cabs are here!” I cried out in my best Pauly D impersonation.

We both doubled over laughing as all the other patrons attempted to ignore us.

“I always wanted to do that! Come on, let’s wait outside!” I grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the exit.

Kim and I held hands the whole way outside. I propped myself up against the building, suddenly exhausted and really feeling the alcohol I had consumed. The cab pulled up and we practically crawled inside. Once the driver finally got our address out of us, we were on our way.

“Oh! Oh! Turn it up, Mr. Driver,” Kim said when One Direction’s “Your Beautiful” came on the radio. We both started singing at the top of our lungs.

Sooner than I would have thought, we pulled into the parking lot of our complex. I had a feeling he drove faster than he should have in an attempt to get rid of us.

We continued to sing as we walked arm and arm to our doors.

I stopped abruptly when I realized my apartment door was opened slightly. I hadn’t left it like that. I held my finger over my mouth to silence Kim and then crept up to the doorway. Peering inside I saw that all my stuff was tossed.

Shit. I had been robbed.