AN: You've been blowing up my email with comments about this, so I finally gave in and decided to update a day earlier than I planned. I hope you enjoy it! There's secrets, manipulation, the perfect mix for this chapter. :)
*Chirstopher's POV*
That night after Savanna left with Josh and my blood had finished boiling with jealousy, I made a phone call. I found Savanna a new assistant; someone from Josh's past. This would be interesting and I knew it would raise some hell.
I could not wipe the smirk off of my face when I got to work. I knew Josh would be paying a visit to me the moment he ran into her. Shows him to play this game with me. I would always win. I've been conditioned myself to win. I'm not going to let an assistant beat me at this. I would get her.
I went to my office and began working, knowing that at any moment Josh would be coming in here. I smiled wider. I was so going to enjoy this.
*
*Savanna's POV*
Josh turned and smiled at my assistant, Marie. She had brown eyes, creamy white skin and her brown hair was pulled into a braid. She was really pretty. I had to admit I was a little jealous of her looks. She had just came back with a signature from someone on the editing team. From the ten minutes I had her, she seemed bubbly and I think she would make a good assistant.
"Hi," Josh said, politely. Marie smiled, her brown eyes looking him up and down, looking like she was undressing him with her eyes. I shifted in my seat, jealousy and possessiveness running through me.
"Hey Josh," she said. I felt my jaw drop.
"You know each other?" I asked, standing up. Marie glanced back at me, after a second thought almost, and nodded. Josh turned around, his face slightly red.
"Yeah, we worked together before I got a job here," he said, looking uncomfortable. He leaned in and pecked me on the lips.
"I'll come and grab you for lunch?" he asked, smiling. I nodded, uneasiness settling in my stomach.
"Bye," I said. He winked before walking out. I turned, trying not to notice the longing way she looked at him. I took a seat. Marie put the coffee and the signed paper on my desk. I smiled and asked her to go run a few copies for Mr. James and the rest of the people who would need this. I tried to be nice, despite the jealousy and irritation at her longing looks
*
*Josh's POV*
It took everything in me not to storm up to Mr. James' office and punch the living shit out of him. He knew who she was, I knew that for sure. That was the only reason she was HERE, working with Savanna. This was just to get back at me for her leaving with me and not him. I went down to PR, sort of bracing myself for Ashley's behavior. I wasn't looking forward to the looks or slight advances.
When I got to her office, she wasn't there. But there was a sticky note on her desk.
Have a meeting. Make a couple copies then type up the emails. I should be out soon.
XO
Ash
I rolled my eyes at her ending and got to work. I was done in an hour. She still wasn't out. I decided maybe it was time to pay Mr. Asswipe a visit. I walked to the elevator. I hit the button. The doors opened. Marie stepped out, holding a paper in her hand. My stomach hit the ground.
"Joshie," she whined. "Can we talk?"
I groaned, but grabbed her hand and dragged her to the copier room. No one needed to witness this if anything was said that wasn't meant to be heard. I didn't want this to get back to Savy. Hardly anyone went in there, and I betted it was still empty. I let her go in first before I followed and shut the door, locking it behind me. I turned around. Marie was right there, practically on top of me. I stepped back into the door, trapped. My heart pounding at her proximity.
She pressed her chest against me, her breasts were soft against my chest, her face inches away from mine. I swallowed and looked away, forcing myself to think of Savanna. Only Sav, my Savy.
"Joshie," Marie whined softly. "You didn't tell me you got a new girlfriend. She's very pretty." I blinked, detecting her envy in her words.
"I didn't think it was any of your business," I said, hating how my voice was hushed. I cleared my throat and glared at her, wanting her to leave and hating Mr. James for calling her here. "I left for a reason, Marie. I didn't want you and I still don't."
She frowned, trailing her hand down my chest, her fingertips barely touching the fabric of my shirt. I forced myself not to shiver at her touch, like I used to when she did this to me. I frowned, grabbing her hand before she could go any lower. She looked into my eyes, hers burning with passion.
"You know what I think, Joshie?" she asked, slowly leaning towards me. "I think you're lying," she murmured, before pressing her lips to mine. I froze. What the hell? She intertwined her fingers in my hair before I pushed her away. She stumbled back a bit before she regained her balance, a pained look on her face.
"No, Marie! I'm with Savanna, your boss!"
She huffed, looking annoyed. "No, technically, Mr. James is my boss. He hired me, not that bitch," She snapped, taking a step towards me, biting her lip, which repulsed me. I stepped sideways out of her reach. She set the paper on the table, her eyes burning into me.
"Watch how you speak about her," I growled. She reached out.
"I'm sorry Joshie baby," she purred. "Let me make it up to you. I hate it when we fight."
"No, Mar, you just need to go," I said, looking away, not noticing that I used the old nickname I'd giver her while I still worked with her. She laughed. I felt her touch my back. I stiffened, wanting to step out of her reach.
"You love me Joshie," she said. "Deep down, you know I'm right and you always will." I heard her open the door and close it.
I took a deep, shuddering breathe and closed my eyes. I am going to kill him. He's going to get what's coming to him and I'd be damned if I wasn't the one to give it to him.
*
*Savanna's POV*
I sent Marie to get Ashley to sign off on what was going on with one of the books. I was going through yet another submission when my phone went off, interrupting the silence that I used to keep going. I answered it, my eyes glued to the screen.
"Savanna Blackwell, EIC," I said, automatically.
"Miss Blackwell," an English voice came over the other end of the line. I shivered, wanting to hang up and stay on the line at the same time. I had no idea where this was going to go. Our conversations never went as planned.
"Yes, Mr. James," I sighed, leaning back in my chair and sighing. He chuckled on the phone.
"Long morning?" he asked, like he actually cared.
"Not really, just a lot of work," I replied, wanting to end the call and get back to it. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your phone call?" I asked, sarcastically. He sighed this time, sounding like he was irritated with me.
"I just wanted to see if you were ok with your new assistant. I know you made it clear that you didn't want one," he said, quickly. He sounded like he actually cared what I thought. That thought made me smile a little bit before I forced it off. Not going there.
"She is fine. She is actually really helpful and now I'm able to focus on just working. Thank you Mr. James," I said, twirling the phone cord.
"That is great," he said. I could tell he was smiling. "Please make sure you have another submission report either sent or delievered to me by the end of the day."
I said ok and we hung up. I glanced up as the elevator opened and Marie stepped out. She didn't have the paper. She must have left it with Josh. She smiled at me as she walked back to me. She opened the door and stepped in.
"Ashley wasn't in her office. I gave the paper to Josh," she said, sitting down in front of me. I nodded, noticing her lipstick was smudged. I didn't mention that to her.
"When I'm done with this, you'll have to take it up to Mr. James," I said, motioning to the computer. She nodded. "I'll print it out and give it to you." She nodded again and was silent as I went back to work.
I finished at 11:55. Just in time for lunch with Josh. I hit print and told Marie that I had just printed it. She smiled and went off to get it, like the dutiful assistant she was. She was pretty good at her job; granted I haven't made her do much, but still. I grabbed my purse and walked to the elevator. I hit the down button. The doors opened immediately and Josh was standing there. He smiled.
"Hey, I was just coming to get you," he said happily. I smiled and stepped in. He took my hand and we had the elevator to myself. I sighed, debating on whether or not to ask him on what was in the back of my mind all morning. I finally gave up and decided to ask him.
"How come you didn't tell me about Marie?" I asked, not looking at him. He sighed and he squeezed my hand.
"I didn't think she was important enough to mention right away. I was going to tell you after we had been together longer," he said, looking down at me. "I'll tell you what happened at lunch?" I noddded, knowing I wasn't going to let him not tell me.
(An hour later)
Josh and I were walking back to the building. He had his arm around my shoulders and I was perfectly fine with that. He had explained himself during lunch and I could see he was telling the truth. He told me that he and Marie had a thing where he worked. She got a little possessive and started stalking him so he left and got a job here. He didn't expect her to follow him, so that is why he didn't tell me.
"Savanna," he said, as we got in the elevator. "Nothing is going on between us anymore. I like you way more than I ever liked her and I'm not stupid enough to let you go just yet." I smiled and nodded. He kissed the top of my head.
I kissed him goodbye when we got to his floor and I went to mine. Marie was waiting for me when I stepped out. I smiled, trying to be polite when all I just wanted to do was tell her that he was mine and I wasn't sharing.
"Mr. James said he was pleased with the work you gave him and there was only one more that he wanted you to go through during this week. He said he wants thorough and honest report and on his desk by Friday," she informed me as we walked back. I nodded. I stopped at the door.
"Thank you, and that'll be all for today," I said, dismissing her. I could barely stand her in my sights now that I knew who she was and what happened between her and my Josh. She nodded and walked away. I shut my door and sat at my desk. This submission was printed and in a big stack on my desk. I sighed, pulling up Word to get started.
The submission was about a little boy. He and his sister were put in the foster care system at 10 years old. The rest of the story was about how he protected his sister from bullies at school and from being beaten by his foster father. As he got older, the story focused more on him and his girlfriend. He and the girl had dated from freshman year well into college. He was deeply in love and on their 8th year anniversary, he planned to propose. He went back to their apartment early and started to set up when he heard something in their bedroom. He went to see what it was. It was his sister and his girlfriend in bed. He was devastated. His girlfriend said that she figured out she was a lesbian a long time ago and never wanted to tell him because she did love him, just not the way he loved her, and his sister was too embarressed to say anything to her older brother and just disspeared one day. Her body was found in her apartment. She had hung herself for dissapointing one of the people that had always had her back and she knew she couldn't take that back. He carried that guilt with him and he never let anyone in again after that. The story ended with him at her funeral, vowing not to let anyone in or take what he wanted out from under him again.
By the time I was finished reading it, not only was I a sobbing hot mess, but it was 10 o'clock. I typed the report and printed it out with blury eyes. I had to keep stopping to blink away threatening tears. That was so sad and heartbreaking. They way the person had wrote it led me to think that he had lived through that. I was heartbroken for him. That was horrible. It was almost like what happened with me a couple years ago with E-....I shook my head. No, I can't go there, not here at work, not while I was a mess about the submission already. I gathered the submission, the report and my purse and headed to Mr. James' office to drop it off before I went home. It was late and I planned on just leaving it on his desk. I doubted he would be here at ten o'clock at night.
When the doors opened and the lights in his office were stil on, i knew it wasn't going to be as simple as I hoped it would be. Did this guy ever go home on time? I wiped a few more tears away and walked to his office. He was looking out at the Houston skyline. In his reflection, I could see his eyes were sad and he looked defeated, his shoulders were slumped, instead of broad and proud, his jaw wasn't clenched and full of pride, his head was hung, instead of up and strong. My heart went out for him. It was that stupid submission. I hoped we published it, thought. It was amazing. I cleared my throat. He turned, looking startled but quickly changed his expression into one of boredom, but his eyes were guarded. He slipped back into his old self easily, head held high, jaw clenched, shoulders broad. I held up the submission and report meekly. His eyes were wide.
"You finished already?" he asked, taking it from me. I nodded, feeling two more tears fall. He took them from me, before his hand caressed my face.
"Are you ok?" he asked. "Did Josh hurt you?"
I shook my head.
"No, it was just the story. It was so sad. I related to it very well," I said, looking down. His hand moved to my chin and he forced me to look up into his green grey eyes. I bit my lip, wanting to cry again. The memories from earlier in my love life coming to the surface.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry," he said, softly. My jaw dropped. He wrote this? He wrote tis master peice that was bringing me to tears this very moment?!
"You wrote this?" I gasped, the man in the story not connecting to the one that stood before me countless times before. He nodded and turned around to set the submission on his desk. He faced me, his green grey eyes watching me carefully.
"I did."
He watched me as I wiped my face and composed myself. I wouldn't let him see me cry anymore.
"It was very beautiful," I said, before choking up. The freaking memories coming up again, the ones that took a year to muffle and keep hidden. I buried my face in my hands.
I felt his arms wrap around me, squeezing me tightly, and I rested my head on his firm, soft, warm chest. He hummed a little as I wrapped my arms around him, the tears still falling, weting his shirt. After a while, he pulled back.
"All of this just can't be from what I wrote," he observed. I nodded. "I'm not going to press you." I nodded. "But let me take you home. I don't want you walking out there in this state." I didn't object so he grabbed his jacket, slung it over my shoulders and guided me to the elevator, his hand on the small of my back.
We were silent on the ride down and while we walked to his car. He opened the door for me and I got in. I was about to tell how to get to my apartment, but he said he already knew. I was too wrapped up in memory lane to ask how. He pulled to a stop. I looked up. We were here. I looked at him. His green grey eyes shown in the moonlight, making them seem milky grey instead. I wiped a few tears away.
"Savanna," he said when I reached for the door handle. His warm breath was on my shoulder. I turned.
"We got off on the wrong foot," he said, his eyes full of sorrow, for whom I didn't know. "If you ever need someone to talk to about anything, any time, I'm here." Then he kissed me on the forehead. "I mean it, Sav," he murmured his lips pressed against my head. I nodded and got out, nearly tripping on the curb. My vision was still blurry. I walked inside, feeling his gaze on me while I did so.
I was hiccuping now as I reached for my keys. Sam opened the door, her face angry and her mouth open. She looked ready to tear me apart (probably for getting a ride home from yet a different guy) until she saw my face. She pulled me into a hug.
"Sweetie," she cooed, holding me close. I completely lost it. The dam that was holding back most of the tears broke as she rubbed my back. I let my mind go back to him.....
(FLASHBACK!)
"I love you, Savs (sa-av-s)," he murmured, rubbing my arm, his brown eyes on mine. They were full of lust. I smiled. He leaned into kiss me, softly. I felt his lips touch mine and it just started everything.
Later that night, I was laying on his chest, drawing circles on his shirt with my finger. He was drifting off to sleep, his golden curls glowing from the moonlight streaming through the window, his eye lids drooping as he fought to stay awake. His arm was wrapped around me, holding me to him, our legs tangled around each other.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Mmmm, oh, yeah," a female voice. Slipping through the door, that was the first thing I heard. I held my breath as I walked towards my bedroom, the one that I shared with my fiance. The lights were off, but there was a creaking of a bed coming from inside the room. I reached out, my engagement ring shining from the porch light. I pushed open the door.
"Anna?" Sam's voice and face brought me back to now, the present, the one where my heart was hurting like hell and I was ready to go to my bed and not come out for days, like before. She shook me a bit, hier fingers digging into my shoulders. It hurt, but I was able to focus on that pain, instead of the one that made my heart squeeze within my chest. My gaze focused on her. "What happened?"
"Work...submission....made me think of......Evan...." I whispered his name like one would say something bad about someone a few feet away from them.
Sam's face twisted into anger, but she softened it quickly and ushered me into my room. She tucked me in and left. My door was open and I heard her calling someone.
"Josh, you need to get over here. Savanna needs you right now." Pause. "What do you mean you can't? She needs you." Pause. "The hell with it then. Don't come near her, if you don't intend to stay when it gets hard. I don't care that its so soon." Pause. "Sorry is not going to cut it, damn it." Pause. "I don't care if you're busy. If you really cared, you would say ok and haul your ass over here, damn the fact you haven't been together long." Pause. "Go to hell." I heard her slam the phone down.
"Mr. James, is it?" Pause. Breathing was even harder now. Never mind that i could barely do that in the beginning. "I am calling to tell you that Savanna will not be coming in tomorrow. " Short pause. "What's wrong? She read a submission that was very much like what happened to her, I'm guessing, and now she's relapsed to how she was before she got over it." Pause. "What do you mean you're coming back?" Pause. "I'm not sure that's a good idea." Pause. "It was your submission? Then by all means get your ass over here and help her!" I heard her slam the phone down. No,no no no no.
He was coming here. He was going to see me like this. I snuggled under the blankets and rolled on my side. Well, he can feel guilty, but if he thinks i'm going to tell him what happened, that's another thing.
I heard three knocks on my door a short while later.
*
*Josh's POV*
Marie followed me back to my apartment. I just stepped in when I heard a knock. I opened the door and she stepped in before I could register that it was her and close the door.
"Joshie," she pouted. "Why did you tell her about us?" She turned to look at me and I became painfully aware of what she was wearing; short skirt and a low cut tank top. Lord help me. Sav, Sav, Sav. She tugged her shirt down a bit, exposing a bit more of her round, perky breasts. I swallowed.
"I-I thought she deserved to know," I said, looking anywhere but her. She frowned and stepped up to me. She wrapped her arms around my neck. I didn't move. I didn't know what to do, but my body reacted the way I wish it didn't. She kissed my jaw and I looked up. No, no, Savy! I tried to push her away.
"No, I can't," I said, huskily. I cleared my throat. Damn my body.
"Yes, you can," she growled, before grabbing my face and crashing her lips to mine roughly.
I got lost in the kiss, losing myself in her, her scent, her tongue, her lips. She wrapped her arms around my neck, pressing her body harder into me. I was already hard and she rubbed herself against me, suggestively. I moaned into her mouth.
Ring, ring, ring!
My phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket and answered it.
"Hello?" I asked, gruffly.
"Josh, you need to get over here. Savanna needs you right now." It was Sam. How'd she get my number? Marie unbuttoned my shirt, trailing kisses on her way down.
"I can't come," I said, trying not to feel the pang of guilt that washed over me. Marie slipped her tank top off, exposing her bra. I bit my lips to keep from moaning. God, i forgot how hot she was.
What do you mean you can't? She needs you." Sam snapped. I sighed, wanting to hang up and give in.
"I just can't ok? I'm a little busy," I said, as Marie undid my pants and took off her skirt.
"The hell with it then. Don't come near her, if you don't intend to stay when it gets hard. I don't care that its so soon," she retorted.
"I'm sorry. I want to come, but I'm busy," I said, my breathing coming faster. I prayed that Sam didn't hear it and figure out what was going on.
"Sorry is not going to cut it, damn it." she growled. She paused and took a deep breath. "I don't care if you're busy. If you really cared, you would say ok and haul your ass over here, damn the fact you haven't been together long."
"It's just too serious, too fast," I said, as Marie slid against my boner. I bit my lip, suppressing a moan. God, this woman.
"Go to hell," she snapped before she hung up. I let my phone fall and scatter to the floor.
"About time, baby," Marie purred at me as she guided me to my room.I nodded, groaning as she pulled me close to her and rubbed her ass against me. She flung me down on the bed, smiling. I'm so sorry Savanna. I really am.