Heartbreak Me by T.L. Smith Page 0,35

you shitting me?” she screams, followed by happy tears. Tina is usually my plus one to this event, and she looks forward to it every year, so I couldn’t tell her no. Besides, for all I know, Atlas could pull out, having other plans.

Highly unlikely, my inner voice says to me.

“For you, happy early birthday.”

“You can’t afford this. So tell me… who got it for you?” She hugs the dress to herself. “And why on earth aren’t you keeping it?”

“Atlas bought it, but he’s already bought me a few, and I don’t want that one. I will be wearing the company’s brand tonight.”

“You do too much for that company, and they give you fuck all in return,” she mutters while shaking her head. “Why you stay on is beyond me.”

“It’s my career. It’s what I’m good at.”

“Yeah, yeah, you keep telling yourself that. Plenty of brands would hire you in a heartbeat, Thea, especially with all that experience.” She walks off, dress in hand, to my room.

I grabbed the dress from work today that I planned to wear, and when I see it next to the Chanel dress it doesn’t compare, not in the slightest, but it will have to do.

“Makeup and hair are on their way,” I tell her, checking my cell.

“How is Cruella De Vil? Made you fire anyone else lately?” Tina asks while opening a bottle of wine, sitting on the edge of my bed, and drinking straight from the bottle.

“No, but…” I bite my lip.

“But what?”

“I feel it’s coming. I don’t know why, but I just have that feeling.”

“Fuck her. Don’t do it.”

I take the bottle from her hands, taking a long sip. “If it were only that easy.”

“It is. You tell her conflict of interest, and if she wants to fire anyone, she can do it.”

“She will threaten my job,” I tell her.

“Please. You are used to being threatened. Lucy is a chump, making you do what she wants with a little threat. And you always fall down her damn rabbit hole so easily.”

“Yep.” I agree. If Tina only knew what I was doing, or right now not doing, for Lucy, she would flip her shit. She was the one who pushed me to give up on her last time. Cut ties completely because Lucy doesn’t care about anyone but Lucy. And that’s a sad fact.

“Atlas said he was coming tonight.”

Tina pauses, taking the drink from me. “Do we like him?” She takes a huge drink. “Or… Lucy?” she says with an eyeball, knowing he’s in my life because of Lucy but not the reasons why.

“We don’t like him.”

Tina nods. “Okay, we can deal with that.”

Yeah, we can.

If he doesn’t kiss me again, that is.

Chapter Seventeen

Atlas

Theadora is out the front when I pull up, and her friend, Tina, is with her. I didn’t expect that, but I cannot tell her friend to go home, even if I want to.

“Nice dress,” I say, stepping out. It’s not the one I sent over. No. Her damn friend has that one on.

“Oh, this simple thing,” she says, smacking her red lips together. The dress Theadora’s wearing is short and red and looks amazing on her body, especially painted on over those hips. She doesn’t have unshapely hips like most girls, she has perfectly round and curvaceous ones, with a tiny waist. And that dress? It showcases everything she has to offer.

“Aren’t you going to tell me nice dress?” Her friend raises an eyebrow, then waves her hand at me. “I know. You don’t have to tell me I look like a million bucks, because I feel it,” she says with a cocky smile.

Looking back at Theadora, she’s sporting a wide grin at what her friend just said. When she turns to face me it’s gone, and it is replaced with the Theadora I have come to know.

“Thea never brings dates. What’s so special about you?”

I open the limousine door, then her friend slides in.

“You’ll have to ask Theadora that question.” I watch as her friend, Tina, looks up to Theadora and winks before she slides over. When I hold the door open for Theadora, she stops and leans in to me. “She doesn’t know anything.”

“I know,” I reply with a smile.

Theadora’s eyes flick to my smile, and she shakes her head. “Don’t smile, your face may crack.” Then she ducks her head to get in, but I stop her before she can.

“Lucy asked about you,” I tell her. Theadora’s smile drops, and I wonder if I like that