AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And what would that be?” she asked with a genuine smile.
I glanced off into the distance, remembering the beach and the waves. “How do you feel about the beach?”
“I can’t think of anything I love more.” She turned back to her desk, walking away, calling over shoulder. “I’ll see you at the gala.”
Continuing on to the elevator, I tried to call Rose, but she sent me to voicemail. This was becoming a habit of hers over the past few months. I knew she was embroiled in her job, but it was getting to the point of just being ridiculous. She wasn’t paid, and as far as I knew, she wasn’t getting anything out of this.
I could tolerate her working late to a certain extent, but until I found a way out of this deal, she was still expected to hold up her end of the bargain. And if she wasn’t going to do what was needed, I would go to her office and drag her out kicking and screaming.
When we arrived at her office building, I got out and stormed toward the entrance. Luckily, it wasn’t locked yet. I had no clue which floor she was on, and I could barely remember the name of the business. After spending way too much time looking at the directory, it occurred to me that I should have asked long ago where she worked, but I was too angry right now to think about the mistakes I’d made.
Getting into the elevator, I did my best to rein in my temper before I saw her. When the doors opened on her floor, I was surprised to see that the office was pretty much dead. Pulling out my phone, I tried calling her again, just in case she’d already left and I missed her. But she still sent me to voicemail.
Walking around the office, I looked for anyone that might still be here. A light at the end of the hall caught my attention and I strode toward it, determined to find my wife. I didn’t bother knocking on the door that stood wide open.
“Do you happen to know where Rose Langston is?”
A middle-aged man glanced up from his desk looking rumpled and in for a long night, if the takeout and napkins on his desk said anything. He stood, wiping off his hands. “Yes, she’s in her office.”
“Why?”
His lips lifted at the corner. “Because that’s where she works.”
“It’s after business hours.”
“Mr. Langston,” the man said, not hiding the fact that he knew exactly who I was, “Rose is one of my hardest working employees—”
“Unpaid,” I clarified.
“Not for long. Her internship is almost over.”
“And then what do you plan to do?”
He sighed heavily. “Mr. Langston, if you have a problem with your wife’s employment, I suggest you take it up with her.”
“I’m her husband, and I’m looking out for her best interests.”
“And you think I’m not?”
I smirked at him. “What’s this really about? You hired a woman with no qualifications to do a job that she should never have had. And for what? To get her contacts?”
“James!” Rose gasped from behind me. “What are you doing?”
I turned to her, not at all ashamed of my reaction. “Picking you up. We have a function we have to be at tonight.”
“I’m still working,” she snapped.
“Rose, you should leave for the day,” her boss answered.
“I’m still working on a few things, Mark.”
Mark? I turned to the fucker and glared at him. “It’s Mrs. Langston to you.”
“That’s enough,” Rose said, her voice leaving no room for argument. But that only fueled my anger. I was her husband, and she would not disrespect me in front of anyone. I stared at her pointedly until she gave in. “I’ll grab my things and we’ll leave.”
I turned back to the boss with a smirk. “I think I won that round.”
“Is that what you think happened?” he asked, turning his attention back to his desk. He didn’t bother to say anything more as I walked out of his office. I stood in the hall and waited for Rose to reappear, which she did a few minutes later. But Mark’s words rang in my ears as she stormed toward me.
Is that what you think happened?
I turned and headed for the elevator, hating myself just a little more. I was failing her and I knew it. My anger was always getting the best of me, to the point that I lost control and said things I hated. I had to find a way out of this before I pushed my wife away for good.
