22. Mila

"What the hell is going on with you two?" I press as I close Damien's office door behind me. The tension in the air is thick, resonating as a thick cloud above us, a chill rolling through me as Kass halts abruptly.

Spinning on her heel, fingers pressed to her temples, she lets her eyes fall shut briefly, ignoring my question. I fume, clenching my jaw before unclenching and addressing her with a shaky, impatient tone. "What is going on, Kass?"

Mass's eyes shot open and she let her arms drop back to her sides. "Mila, I - I, if I can just warn you about one damn thing, it's to stay away from him." She pointed her hand to Damien's office and huffed before leaving me with a tongue full of questions. I call after her but she doesn't turn around.

Deciding it's better to bite the bullet and confront Damien, I take a step, and cease as I hear Damien's malicious tone seeping from behind the door.

Maybe it's better to leave him alone for a moment. He did say he needed a phone. Of course, it was after he smashed his cell to holy hell, and I still have yet to know why. Better to show up with something, than empty handed though.

I head to my desk, scooping my purse up from the floor beside my desk chair, and wrap the strap around me.

It's probably good to gain some distance anyways. Damien's been nothing but intense, and I find myself  having trouble thinking while I'm around him. The sex is... nice. I mean, who am I kidding, it's phenomenal, fucking enlightening, but how long can we go on in this weird arrangement? Him getting overwhelmed and instructing me to the playroom. Not that I mind.

Outside is just as nice as it was a few moments ago. The sun lights up the cloudless sky, illuminating the busy street filled with cars, and people all moving through their own version of life. I fiddle with my purse as I walk while trying to choose which store to go to. The closest store that should hold a phone is target.

My steps falter as I remember he didn't exactly tell me which phone to buy and didn't give me money for anything, and according to what's left in my wallet, he's only getting something cheaper than two hundred. I reel my mind to remember what kind of phone he had.

I think it was an Iphone, but what kind?

I gasp when I shoulder someone, mumbling an apology to the woman I ran into, I shift my gaze back in front of me and continue onward, Kass's warning replaying in my head.

It was too little too late to warn me to stay away. Then again, she hadn't always suspected the nature of our relationship. Even I feel I'm in too deep. I feel too... the words fall from my thoughts when I round the corner, and see the Target sign in the distance.

"Excuse me, miss?" I hear a voice call. I scan my eyes along those passing me, twist to glance behind me, and freeze when my eyes land on the same woman I ran into a few moments ago. The same woman I saw Damien fuck at the Gentleman's club. With a pale complexion, and eyes rimmed by dark circles, she rests her hand on my shoulder and offers me my phone. "You dropped this."

"I-I know you. I saw you," I say, and watch as her impatient hand shakes my phone in her grasp to get me to grab it. Reluctantly, I snatch the phone from her. "You were with Damien."

She nods slowly as if I'm a child, eyes wide and brows low. After a beat, she pulls her thin lips into a vast, humorless smile, and chuckles.

"Where are my manners," she responds while offering me her hand to shake. I fleet my eyes from her face to her hand and grasp it quickly. "I'm Tatiana Holmes. Damien's ex-submissive."

The jealousy the roars inside of me winds me. I'm caught off guard as my chest clenches tight, and I find myself frowning. I move to take back my hand but she holds on for a moment longer. Quirking a brow, I drag my eyes from her face to our hands and back up to her face, hoping she gets the damn hint to let go.

I yank my hand out of her grasp, rolling my knuckles for circulation. "Are you alright?" I question, finally taking a moment to drag my eyes down her body. Her clothes are disheveled, eyes bloodshot. She steps back, stumbling a tad, before righting herself.

"So, you're the girl, huh?"

"The girl?" My confusion is evident as she waves her up at me, and sniffles.

"The one he wants."

Talk about vague. I clear my throat, glancing at someone passing by, wishing I could spin and follow them and forget this entire fucking conversation. "Look, Tatiana, I don't know what's going on, but if you need to talk to someone talk to Damien."

She shakes her head sharply. "He doesn't want to talk. Not about us. I tried. I tried to make him see at dinner." She swipes at a tear running down her cheek. "I offered him my body, and he didn't want me."

What the fuck.

Her body.

"When?" I grit out. I don't shield my anger to cushion her fragile mental state. I can't. Not when it feels like she's plunged a knife into my gut. I wrap my arms around myself.

"The other night," she says, forcing her words out through a hiccup. "He left. To be with you I'm sure."

"God, I can't fucking listen to this." I spin, and begin on my journey back to target. I don't realize I'm stomping until I catch the alarmed expressions of those passing me. I'm thankful that Tatiana doesn't grab my arm because I'm irate.

He never mentioned his ex had thrown herself at him. Never.

***
"Mila?"

I look up from the phones I'm pondering, and smile as I set my eyes on Connor. He waves at me, towering over me a good six inches, with his horns locks flopped on top of his head. We used to work together at the hotel.

"Connor, hey. How have you been?" I greet, coming in for a hug. He squeezes me, and releases.

"Pretty good. How's life treating ya? We miss you at the hotel," he comments, raising a muscular arm to rub the back of his neck. I glance away, momentarily crippled by the rush of emotion threatening to escape my lips. I mean, where do I even begin?

I settle on an appropriate mediocre response. "I'm fine. Life's good over at the law office. I miss you guys too." He seems to accept my reply, nodding as the air around us is stained with the awkwardness that is this conversation. Once upon a time, we hooked up.

Just when I'm about to retreat with a pathetic excuse, Connor surprises me with a light hearted chuckle. "Yeah, I don't know if I miss your witty remarks, or the fact you make the best artichoke dip I've ever had."

I grin. "Glad to know those are my memorable skills." I laugh, shaking my head as he holds up his hands and smirks.

"Oh don't get me wrong, you have plenty of memorable skills. I remember one quite clearly." He bites his bottom lip and I swat his arm playfully, watching as he moves his hand over the top of mine on his arm. We stand, staring deeply at each other until I clear my throat and step back.

"Look, uh, if you're not to busy I'd love to catch up again maybe over a drink or dinner or something."

The normalcy that surrounds him is refreshing. Not that Damien's opposes to fucking all vanilla, but clearly, in all areas of his life there's complication.

Like yours is squeaky clean right?

I sigh. Connor frowns, his eyes darting beside my head and to the ground before he brings them back up.

"Hey, if you're not free, I get it-"

"No, it's not that I'm not. Sorry." I run a hand over my hair. "It's just been one of those days." I roll my eyes and attempt to shake off my apprehension. A drink with Connor isn't the end of the world. "I uh, I've sort of been seeing someone though." I admit. Not that I know exactly where I stand with Damien.

"Oh, well hey, it can always be a conversation among work friends."

Yeah, until you shave your coochie.... I snicker. I nod, with not much intention of following through. I wave my cell. "Well you know where to find me."

He nods. "Yeah, I'll shoot you a text later."

"Good seeing ya, Connor." He turns and saunters down an aisle. A few seconds later I get a text.

*Hey, it's Connor.

I ignore it and slip my phone into my pocket.

*****

Back at the office Damien's nowhere to be found. I survey the halls, seeking out Kass, thankful when I find her in the back room messing with the printer.

She bangs her fist against the side of it and groans, before spinning around and jumping startled when she sees me lurking behind her.

With a hand placed on her chest, she takes a deep breath and blinks slowly. "Mila, you scared me."

I give her an apologetic smile and hold up the target bag. "I bought Damien a new cell. Have you seen him?"

Kass rubs at her eyes, before she remembers she's wearing eyeshadow, and curses. She rubs her fingers together, attempting to get the makeup off her before she sighs.

"I think he went to Tatiana's."

I clench my jaw, shoulders tensing as fire ripples through my belly. "Tatiana? As in ex Tatiana?"

"Oh yeah she definitely fucked him," Kass grumbles, before she drags a hand through her hair, lets her arm fall back down to her side with a loud smack and shrugs. "Same fucking bitch -"

"He is un-fucking-believable." I spin on my heel, storming down the hallway.

"Mila wait!"

I ignore Kass's attempts to calm me as I push through the front door and hurry down the steps. So he needed to wait a few days to respond to her offer to fuck him? Clearly. I'm so fucking stupid. I feel tears in my eyes before I can stop them. I wipe angrily at them, sniffling and swallowing as my throat feels dry and aches.

I whip out my phone, intending to text him something vicious. Anything. My fingers hover over the screen, vision clouded with tears. I groan and exit off his contact before circling back to the message Connor sent me.

Before I can condemn myself, I reply.

*Hey, so when were you free?