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What if, after the whole event was over, I found them in bed while lying next to some other blonde girl?
If that happened, I wanted to be able to walk away without being the brokenhearted girl who gave up all her feelings to men she couldn't trust.
"Are you tired?" Riley asked. "You can stop for today. There aren't any important meetings."
I nodded. "Yes, please." The emotional part of my brain had been thoroughly fried, and I felt more nauseous than I'd ever been. I figured another bout of vomiting was nearly due.
"I'll call Tyrone up. He'll wait for you in the lobby."
"Are the both of you coming home?"
"We have some work to wrap up."
I turned on my heels and stalked to the metal door.
"And, Scarlet," Riley called. "Don't forget about what we said. We meant every last bit of it."
Without even giving them a glance, much less a reply, I pushed the door open and made haste to exit.
I needed to talk to Kristie, but what was I supposed to tell her?
Oh, the twins confessed their love to me, but I don't want to get together with them because they like, you know, gagged me and tied me up on a bed, causing me a massive panic attack—definitely not something to tell a friend.
I walked out of the washroom, the pounding in my head threatening to smash through my skull. I had just vomited into the toilet again. Maybe my period was arriving soon. Speaking of which, it was supposed to arrive four days ago.
Four days wasn't a huge biggie, right?
In the midst of my making a smoothie—because smoothies were my cure for every ailment—my cell phone rang. I hoped Kristie was calling. I needed some of her bubbly magic.
But it wasn't Kristie. I couldn't recognize the number appearing on my screen.
I tapped on the green button. "Scarlet speaking."
"I'm sure you've heard the news about your father?"
A woman was on the other end of the phone. Who else but my mother and the twins would know about my father losing his job? I hadn't had the time to tell anyone else, yet. Not even Kristie knew.
I turned off the noisy blender. "May I know who this is?"
"We met a few days ago. I didn't think you'd forget who I am so quickly, whore."
At the mention of that last word, a series of clicks occurred in my mind. The pieces added up with a domino effect. My dad's company wouldn't get rid of a skilled, contributing individual for something as shallow as his daughter's relationship. Somebody else must have played a part in it—a spiteful individual who bought her way through everything using money. I recognized the woman the minute she called me a whore.
"Hi, Mrs. Crawford," I said, my voice steely. The acid in my gut seemed to burn against my stomach walls. Anger seeped through me, but at the same time, helplessness. My dad was fired because of this bitch, and I couldn't do anything but complain to the twins. Even then, would the twins be able to stand up against their mother?
"I can give your dad his job back. I can have him promoted, even."
My shoulders stiffened. "Thank you for your offer—"
"If you leave the twins."
"—but I must decline."
"I thought you would. Stubborn, greedy people like you don't back down easily. I managed to find out where that friend of yours works. Kristie, is it? Studied in NYU with you for four years. Double major."
I let out a steady breath. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"I don't think she would like getting fired... or evicted. As you know, Crawford owns many properties. She happens to be staying in one of our apartments."
No. Not Kristie. I didn't want to pull her into this. She didn't deserve any of the trouble I caused. "Why the f**k are you doing all this? The twins are grown men. They can date whoever the hell they want."
"I don't like you," she quipped.
I paused, waiting for her to elaborate, but after a few awkward seconds, I realized her answer was simply that. "Really?" I replied disbelievingly.
I heard her sigh. "I don't like you, and I like getting my way. You're an eyesore, Scarlet, and me having my way would be to have your life completely ruined."
The taste of vomit in my mouth got stronger. This woman was utterly insane. "You have too much time on your hands. Leave me alone."
"I do, and watching you crumble is entertaining."
"You're not going to have any of that, bitch."
I pulled the phone from my ear and immediately hung up. I couldn't be bothered wasting my minutes with a total jerk like Mrs. Crawford. She didn't seem to be backing down, and I wasn't so crippled to the point where I would start begging her for forgiveness and mercy.
I had to warn Kristie, but what good would that do? I didn't want her out in the streets. Maybe I could ask the twins for a favor. They could give her a job, like they did with me. I scowled. I didn't want to ask the twins for any more favors. I just threatened to leave the company for God’s sake.
