my “good afternoon” with a roll of his eyes and a middle finger. Even Buddy couldn’t look me in the eye. Buddy. The nicest human being in the world thought I was Satan. He’d picked up his brown bag lunch the second I pulled out a chair at his table. “Have a nice day,” he whispered as he left.
It was time things were back to normal. Normal was familiar. Comfortable.
I was single again.
My home was my own again.
And I could go back to business as usual.
I stabbed my chicken with a violent jab of the fork and grimly ate my lunch alone.
Christian James, the cocky son of a bitch, strutted into my office like a rooster. Or a peacock. Whichever fowl was more annoying.
He tossed a dark brown garment bag over the back of my visitor’s chair.
“The only reason I’m giving this to you is because it’ll make you feel like shit,” he announced.
“I doubt there’s anything you could do that would make me feel anything,” I said, ignoring him and returning to the stupid fucking article that I couldn’t focus on writing because everything in the world was wrong.
“Big man hiding behind his desk. I guess you’re braver when you’re yelling accusations at a woman half your size,” he snapped.
“Be very careful, James,” I enunciated coldly, forgetting about the document on my monitor.
His laugh was cold, mirthless. “You never deserved her.”
“I’d like to remind you that Label and the Russo family have been one of your most generous backers. That backing can easily be taken away.”
If I’d expected him to back down and apologize, I was mistaken.
“Fuck you, man. That’s your problem. You think everyone is out to use you, to get something out of you. Did it ever occur to you that Ally loved you?”
Loved.
Loved.
Loved.
My heart echoed the word sluggishly.
“Some people are incapable of love.” I was a blasé motherfucker.
“Yeah, and I’m looking at one of them. I can’t believe she cared about you. You really had her fooled, you know? You’re a fucking emotionless iceberg.”
“And you’re the guy who fucked my girlfriend. Congratulations to you both.”
“Stand the fuck up.”
I put my reading glasses back on and went back to looking at my monitor. “Get out of my office, James. I have real work to do.”
“Stand up and make me.”
I had a good thirty pounds on the man. But he was ten years younger. I wasn’t certain he couldn’t beat me to a pulp.
“It was a trade, by the way. I made her what’s in the bag, and she did a little promotion for me. There was no sex, and you’re the dumbest motherfucker on the planet if you believe that she’d do that to you. I don’t know if you’re deflecting your own sins or what—”
“I never so much as looked at another woman,” I growled, yanking off my glasses. This idiot needed to leave my office. Immediately.
“Oh, does it piss you off when someone accuses you of something you didn’t do?”
“Fuck off, James. I’m losing my patience.”
“You’ve lost your damn mind. She’s a great girl, and I’m going to do everything I can to convince her to run in the other direction when you realize what a huge mistake you made and try to crawl back.”
“In the meantime, you can talk her into your own bed,” I said flippantly.
“Okay. My turn!” Faith, Ally’s friend, stormed into my office. She wore hot pink leather leggings and some kind of wooly, white crop sweater. Her hair was pulled up on top of her head in one sleek ponytail.
“I’ve got this, babe,” Christian said, instantly softening.
Faith paused to cup the man’s face in her hand. “I don’t want you to break your gorgeous, talented hands on this steaming piece of shit’s face.”
“Can I help you?” I asked dryly.
She glared at me and casually strolled around my desk. I turned my chair to meet her but refused to stand.
She gave me a terrifying smile and cracked me right across the face with her open palm. Ally didn’t bitch-slap, but Faith did it like it was an Olympic sport and she was a gold medalist.
My ear rang like a school bell.
“You hurt my friend, and I want to murder you for it. I want to reach into your chest, rip your pathetic excuse of a heart out, and drop-kick it across the Hudson, you stupid son of a bitch. I don’t care what baggage you come with. That’s no excuse for treating one of the nicest, most beautiful souls in the