Possessive

Chapter 13 (Pic of Hadassah)

"Why are you at my apartment door, H?" I asked.

She opened her mouth to speak but then closed it as she looked at the ground. "I need a place to stay for a couple days."

"Why?"

Hadassah looked me square in the eyes and instantly, I knew the reason why she came to me.

"Papa won't let you in the house, would he?" I asked, sympathy leaking into my voice.

Hadassah scowled and turned her head away from me. "Don't look at me like that. Mom gave me the same look but you know how she is. She backs his every move."

"She's his wife," I said. "Besides, Mama has backed you every single time you played the fool. Tía Aubrey's funeral was the last straw."

My sister huffed and looked at me defiantly. "Look, drop it, okay Heaven? I don't need to be reminded of all the mistakes I've made. Are you going to let me in or not?"

Silently, I stared at Hadassah. I knew she was finally broken. All her mistakes and actions had finally caught up to her. I hated when she would play the fool but she was my sister and I loved her.

I stepped back and gestured with my head. "Come on."

It has been one week since Hadassah showed up at my apartment. My sister was a genius but she was in desperate need of a job. With a lot of reluctance on my part, I managed to get her a job. As Landon's assistant. The man was always saying that he needed someone to help him out especially when he was at court so I figured why not kill two birds with one stone.

It has also been one week since the kiss. Tristan and I managed to maintain a professional relationship but it put a lot of strain on me. I wanted him more than anything and to have him be so indifferent to me was like a bullet to the chest.

What hurt even more was when I saw Alexis Vanderpool sauntering in and out of his office for the past couple of days. She would be in there for hours on end and it took all I had not to barge in there and demand she find some other man to play with. When she would leave, she would pass my desk and either smirk or wink at me while Tristan stood at the door of his office with a blank expression on his face.

My life was a complete and utter mess. I was in need of some desperate therapy.

"Devareaux Corporation. Tristan Devareaux's office," I said as I answered the phone.

"Hey, Heaven!"

Instantly, I recognised the voice. "Bryson! How's your first week on the job?"

He chuckled. "It's been good. I meant to call you earlier this week but it's been really hectic over here with the new transition."

"I'm sure you'll be fine. What can I help you with?" I asked, genuinely curious as to why he was calling me.

"I was wondering if you wanted to give me the pleasure of accompanying me to lunch this afternoon," he said as he chuckled nervously.

He wanted to have lunch with me? "Oh! Um, I get off in hour. Where do you want to meet?"

"I heard the Seychelle Restaurant is pretty cool."

My heart hammered in my chest. "Not there! Anywhere but there. Um, how about the Genesis? That's a good restaurant on the corner of 5th and Main."

"Okay. See you soon," he said before he hung up.

I put down the phone and breathed through my mouth. Wow, I have a lunch date. Maybe it's for the best. Though I didn't like Bryson that way, maybe he could get Tristan off my mind.

My intercom buzzed. "Heaven! I need you in my office."

Before I knew, I was standing in Tristan's office with a twin to his expressionless mask, internally wondering why he needed me.

He threw two folders full of papers on his desk and sat down in front of his computer. "I need two copies of each paper in these folders on my desk by four this afternoon. I have an important meeting and I need you to attend to take notes. I suggest you get to copying."

"I have to be somewhere for my lunch hour," I said.

Tristan stopped typing on his computer and looked at me, his cold eyes staring directly into mine. "And where do you have to be?"

I clasped my hands in front of me. "I don't see how that is any of your business, Mr. Devareaux."

Tristan slammed his hands on his desk and stood up, marching over to me until he was right in front of me. His caveman behaviour scared me a little but it also turned me on.

"Don't play with me, Heaven! Where are you going?" he growled.

My heart was happily jumping in my chest. His close proximity clouded my mind. I could smell his Perry Ellis perfume. "Bryson asked to meet me for lunch. Are you happy? Do I need your permission to go out too?"

Tristan's hazel eye softened when he saw the anger in my face. He reached up to stroke my cheek and my traitorous body leaned in for his warmth.

"I'm not the bad guy here, Heaven," he whispered in my ear.

I stared at him in his eyes. "You're acting like it."

Tristan sighed and stepped away from me, taking his warmth with him. "Enjoy your lunch."

I grabbed the two folders and made my exit from his office where the tension was thicker than jelly. I had to get out of this office.

"Hey, Heaven! Over here!"

I followed Bryson's voice towards the back of the restaurant. I pulled out my chair and sat down. "Hi, I'm so sorry I'm late. I was doing something for Tristan."

Bryson laughed. "You're always so busy."

"I know and I'm just an assistant. Anyway, let's order."

"Oh!" Bryson exclaimed. "I ordered for you. I figured you'd get here kind of late so I ordered your favorite. Steak and chips and a fruit punch slurpee."

I smiled at him. The meal wasn't my absolute favorite but it was close. "You remembered." There was no way I was going to bring down Bryson's ego like that.

He shot me a small smile. "There are a lot of things I remember about you, Heaven."

The meal was amazing. Bryson lived up to his expectations. He successfully took my mind off of Tristan Devareaux. He made me laugh at the jokes he cracked and he ultimately calmed my frayed nerves but after explaining it to him, Bryson knew that I would never like him like that. Guess Tristan was right....as usual. He was little sad but he said it was better to be in my life as a friend than not at all as nobody.

Just as we were about to leave the Genesis, a voice rang through the restaurant. "Heaven!"

I turned to see Yasmine run towards me, a smile on her face. I got up and hugged her. "Yas! What are you doing here?"

"Some people from school were having lunch here. We were just about to leave," she said.

She turned her head and immediately her jaw dropped. She was staring at Bryson like he was the last meal on earth. I looked at Bryson to see him openly gaping at Yasmine as well. I felt a smirk on my face. Cue the sexual tension and the awkwardness of being a third wheel.

"Bryson, this is Tristan's little sister Yasmine. Yas, this Bryson Lanning."

Bryson got up and held out his hand. "Hi."

Yasmine, who was so star struck, unconsciously held out her hand and shook Bryson's. "Hi.

"Why don't you two sit down and get to know each other? I have to get back to work. Bye! Be safe!" I yelled as I made my way to the restaurant's door.

Love was in the air. I could be Cupid's Assistant!