“So was he supposed to disrupt his daily routine to cater to you, hand and foot, all morning even though you both aren’t in a defined relationship and all he suggested was you two get to know each other?”
“Well when you put it like that, I guess not,” Steph huffed.
“Don’t pout! You get those wrinkles between your eyebrows when you do,” Charlize warned her friend.
“I’m not pouting,” Steph feigned her whining voice.
“I think you’re reading way too much into this,” Charlize told her. “You guys are still working together. You’re still at the same firm, so maybe he wants to take the relationship side of things slow. I mean from what it sounds like, that amazing sex was more for stress relief than anything. Speaking of stress, what in the hell are you two doing fucking with Cass?!”
“Apparently, he used to deal with Amanda, but girl I shouldn’t have even told you that much. I got all kinds of nondisclosure agreements, attorney client privilege contracts, and gag orders on this book and the people involved. I haven’t seen Cass in so long. I was hoping he didn’t remember me. I don’t think he did.”
“I mean you were both in a place outside of how ya met, so he shouldn’t have recognized you without Bobby by your side. Be careful with him. You know how those stories go. You’ve done so good not coming back to this shit fest. Just stay where you’re at. Fuck that gorgeous black billionaire, and even if he’s an asshole; he probably doesn’t mean to be. Get your ass dressed so you can catch that bus,” Charlize chuckled.
Steph laughed a bit too as she got off the phone with her friend. Charlize had reminded her that the driver was still waiting for her outside. John told him to take her to work too. Steph rushed to get ready and back downstairs so she wouldn’t keep him waiting. By the time she had gotten to work, her mood was calm and she wasn’t as mad at John as she thought she was. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding on her part. It’s not like they were a legit couple anyway; they had just been fooling around. However, she resolved to get the clarity she needed.
Once she got into her office, Steph glanced at her computer screen to see another note from John. She rolled her eyes but wondered if anyone had been in her office to see him leave it:
Need you in my office by 10 this morning.
It was simple, impersonal, and reigniting Steph’s anger. She tore the paper into tiny pieces and let them fall into her trash can. She was turning beet red as Anna walked by with a sneering glare. Steph wanted to throw something at her but she settled on gathering her things and leaving before Anna decided to come back.
Steph made her way to John’s office a little earlier than ten in hopes of being able to talk to him to see where his head was at. However, Amanda was in the office when she got there.
“I’m sorry,” Steph apologized. “I can come back.”
“No, don’t be absurd!” Amanda screeched as she waved Steph inside. “You’re as much a part of this as Johnnie.”
John was sitting behind his desk looking as frustrated as Steph felt.
“She won’t take him out of the book!” he slammed his hand on the desk. It startled both of the women.
Amanda’s eyes shot daggers at him as she exclaimed, “I told you before, and I’ll tell you again, my truths are my truths! No one has the right to change them or force me to delete anything from this experience of life that I’m living. I will not be bullied!”
“This isn’t about you being bullied!” John yelled, “This is about a murderous psychopath you got involved with who doesn’t want you writing about him or his company! He’s well within his rights to ask that he be removed!”
“Okay, let’s all calm down,” Steph motioned for John to sit down. “Amanda, do you know the kind of man Cass is?”
“Of course, I do. He’s a bit of a bully in the industry, but the role he played in my life, during this time period that I wrote about, was essential to my development as the artist and woman I am today. I’m one of the few people to walk away from a deal with him without any serious repercussions. I know it’s because of our romantic encounters but neither of us are the settling down type. That’s why we were so close. We were kindred spirits and he showed me a side of him no one gets to see. I can’t bury that part of us. I refuse to bury that part of me. So he can huff and puff and blow as many houses down as he wants! I’m not changing shit!”
Steph exhaled deeply as she thought about what she was about to say, “Amanda, you may not know the kind of place I came from but it was a rough area. One of the roughest in the city. I used to be involved with a notorious drug dealer who had multiple business deals with Cass. Cass isn’t this soft teddy bear with you and bully with everybody else. He’s a stone cold killer and I’ve seen him put bodies in the trunk of his car. I’ve seen him stab and shoot people just because he didn’t like the way they looked at him. I used to travel in that circle of death and mayhem that surrounded him. Granted, he’s been out of that life for a while but that monster still lives and breathes inside of him. He’s giving us ample warning and time to make some changes, and I believe that, just like you said, it’s because of your relationship with him. Let the police do their job. Don’t give them any ammunition to go after him, because that will make him come after all of us. You didn’t mention John by name, so why can’t you come up with some clever nickname for Cass? Change the dates and times of events so people can’t read too much into it. You can keep your truth as your own, but put it in the fine print that names and places have been changed so technically you’re not lying to everybody. Some people will know who you’re referring to if they’re close to either of you, but the masses will be none the wiser.”
John was surprised by what he was hearing. He had gotten the answer he was afraid to hear. Thankfully enough, it wasn’t bad enough to warrant him backing away from her. He glanced to Amanda who was seriously contemplating everything that Steph just revealed to her.
Amanda’s eyes drooped to the floor as she conceded, “Fine. I’ll make those edits and have them sent over to his office. I’m sorry that you had to see that side of him and not the side that I grew to love.”
“I’m sorry too,” John found himself apologizing to Steph as well.
“It’s okay. That world is behind me and if this meeting is done, I’ll get back to my office now. You enjoy the rest of your day, Amanda,” Steph smiled as she hugged the artist and went to exit the office.
“Don’t go yet,” John shouted to Steph. “Addy, can you give us a minute?”
“I’ll do more than that,” Amanda winked as she departed the office and then the building.
John closed the door behind her and hugged Steph tightly. She wanted to push him away, but fell into his embrace instead. He was an unintentional asshole, but Steph made a mental note to clear the air with him later. As for right now, having him hug her in his office was enough of an apology for her.
John wasn’t sure why he felt the need to envelope Steph in his arms but she seemed to meld into him. He could sense something was bothering her, but for right now all they needed was each other in this silence.