BOMBSHELL (13 page)

“Sounds good,” I could hear her smile.

“Okay, can you be ready in an hour?”

“Yep, see you then.”

“See you.”

I texted
Joshua
,

Ros and I are doing spa day
together. Thanks for the
push.

Joshua
:

             
That’s my mama!

Samantha
:

             
*smiley face*

SAMANTHA:

Spa Day was great and really therapeutic. I caught Roslyn up on everything and I mean everything, because she wanted every juicy detail. I apologized for overreacting and not returning her calls. I told her that I had been talking to my new neighbor who was cute and easy to talk to. She warned me away from him because she said she didn’t want anything to jeopardize the most eligible bachelor, now that he was getting a divorce. This reminded me that I needed to ask him about that. She was mad at him for that whole wife at dinner bomb.

I got my hair cut and layered so it was right below my shoulders, instead of the middle of my back. The funny thing is, I thought about what Joshua wanted when making a decision about my hair. I was so gone for him. He was in my head, I was making decisions based on what he liked. Roslyn said that is what happens when you fall in love. I told her that I wasn’t in love and it was too soon to say that, I barely knew the man. She said I had a gleam in my eyes, pep in my step, a glow in my complexion and a wiggle in my hips. She said that man had me whipped. We laughed and laughed.

After the deep tissue massage, I decided to take the stairs to my apartment as a form of exercise. I hadn’t been doing much of anything lately, so I slowly climbed the stairs. I heard raised voices in the hall and they sounded familiar. I got closer to the door for the stairs and peeked in the window. It was Trevor and Joshua.

Oh shit.

“Stay away from my fucking woman.” That was Joshua.

“I can’t guarantee that. She seeks me out and if you didn’t know, she asks me for advice about you.”

“I know what you are doing! Stay the fuck away!” he growled.

“Or what? You going to get rid of me like you get rid of your business competition?”

“Yes, without hesitation.”

“Tell her to stay away from me and see how that goes.”

“You’re trying to groom her for yourself. You’re a Dom, get your own sub. She’s mine. You don’t do that shit at TEX and you fucking know it.”

“We aren’t at TEX and you fucking know it. She doesn’t even know about that place does she, why haven’t you told her? Why are you hiding that you’re a master there? Should I tell her for you?”

All I heard was a body hitting the wall. It must have been Trevor’s, because I heard Joshua growl, “You fucking tell her anything and I will end you. Do you fucking hear me, END!”

What the fuck?

I opened the door, so it creaked and looked at both of them. Joshua immediately dropped Trevor and they both looked at me to gauge if I heard anything. I turned away from both of them, made my way to my apartment, went in and locked the door behind me. A few seconds later, I heard a knock. I yelled for them to go away.

“Can we talk?” Joshua said.

“Go away,” I replied.

Then I texted him.

Please leave, I had a good day
and I want it to stay that way

Joshua:

              Fine, but tomorrow we talk

I heard footsteps walk away, then there was another knock on my door. I yelled for them to go away again. This time, it was Trevor who said, “Babe, can we talk?”

“No, I don’t want to talk, I just want to be left alone right now.”

“Fine, but we need to talk soon.”

I heard his footsteps walk away and then his door closed.

I went to my computer and looked up TEX. It was a private but exclusive BDSM (Bondage and Discipline, Sadism and Masochism) club. There were only a couple of posts about it, but it didn’t have a location or anything, just what it was. This was too much for one night. I just got finished raving to Roslyn about him and he’s keeping stuff from me. Then my so-called ‘friend’ is trying to groom me for his liking. It just doesn’t get any better than this. I need a reality show. 

Sleep did not come the way I would have liked. Every hour I was up with anxiety. I took a sleeping pill around 3AM, because I needed to be well-rested for Monday. If I didn’t sleep well Saturday evening, that would impact my Sunday, which would also affect my Monday. The sleeping pill did the trick and I woke up around 11AM on Sunday. There was a text from Roslyn, Elliot and three calls from Joshua. Roslyn was thanking me for inviting her to spa day, Elliot was checking on me since my breakdown a couple of days ago and Joshua didn’t leave any messages, just called and expected me to answer.

Something told me he’d be here at some point today. This would be something I’d usually talk to Trevor about, but seeing as he did have ulterior motives, I decided to cut that man loose. We’d be neighbors, say hi and bye, but that was about it. No more sharing ice cream, going to each other’s apartment, nothing like that. He’d deceived me. He knew Joshua and acted like he didn’t. He tried to blackmail Joshua and then tried to say I sought him out, like I was interested in him like that or like he had some control over me. I didn’t like that shit, but I’ll deal with him later. Who I needed to deal with was the man I would be working with on Monday.

I called Joshua and he answered on the second ring.

“Babe?”

“Hey Joshua, its Samantha.”

“Babe, I know it’s you. Everything alright?”

“Yeah, so I just wanted to clarify some things with you.”

“Okay, I’m on my way.”

“No need, we can do this over the phone.”

“No, I want to do this face-to-face,” he growled.

“No, I’d rather do this over the phone. So…”

“I’m coming over.”

I sighed, “Joshua, I said no. If you come over, I won’t let you in…so do this now or don’t do it at all.”

Silence met me. He didn’t say anything.

“Hello?”

“I’m here,” it sounded like he said through his teeth.

“So, as I was saying, here are my questions and I want straight answers.”

I heard a door close.

“Hello.”

“I’m here,” he answered again.

I knew he was on his way over here.

“Joshua, I swear to God, if you come over here, I will not let you in. I don’t give a fuck if you are the master of the free world, you will not keep ignoring my wishes. I have a big day tomorrow despite what you may think and I need time to prepare for all of that and sort this shit out with you.”

“What is there to sort out with me?” he asked.

“You, TEX, Trevor, me, us,” I breathed. “All of that needs to be sorted.”

“What about Trevor?”

“Out of all that I mentioned, you’re worried about Trevor?” I sighed, “God!”

“Look, why were you at my complex talking to Trevor, when you’ve never been there before, even to see me? How do you know Trevor? What is TEX? How come you didn’t tell me you’re a master there? Why was it a big secret? How come you didn’t want Trevor to tell me? What did you mean by you would end him? Why do you insist on keeping things from me?” I breathed.       

He sighed, “Damn, babe.” He breathed again, “This is a face-to-face conversation. I do not want to talk about this shit over the goddamn phone.”

“Well, I suggest you try.”

“I went to talk to Trevor because he had your ear and I want to know everyone that you consider a friend. That’s not just because I’m overprotective of you, but you’d be surprised the people that try to be friends with people in my inner circle, just to have a stab at me. When I confronted Trevor, he said ‘I’ve been wondering when you would find me.’ Like he was expecting me or knew me well enough to know I investigate everyone who may pose a threat.”

A knock came on the door. I knew it was him. I just fucking knew it.

“Joshua, that’s you isn’t it?”

“Babe, your phone could be tapped and the shit I’m about to reveal is not for a phone conversation.”

He had a damn point.

Shit.

“Listen, when I say you need to go, you got to go. Okay?”

“Okay.”

I went to open the door and he was standing there, looking as delicious as ever with his hair slicked back, green sweater, leather jacket, jeans and shoes. This is why I didn’t want him here, he looked damn good. Unlike him, I was in pajama pants and a top with a scarf on my head, which I refused to take off. Hopefully, that would deter any hanky panky. I opened the door for him to come in and led him straight to the dining room table, where we could have our talk in a sterile and non-romantic setting. No beds, couch or anywhere he could lay me down. He followed me and sat across the table from me.

“Proceed,” I prompted him.

“Fine, I don’t know Trevor, but he knows me from TEX. That is a club for members of the BDSM lifestyle. It’s an exclusive club and only for people who can,” he lifted his index finger up and said, “one, afford to maintain the membership and,” he raised his middle finger up and said, “two, can be trusted enough to keep our business private. They thrive on that tidbit, privacy.”

“And you are a member and a master? What’s does a master do?”

“Yes, I’m a master in many different ways that I’d rather not get into, but I also do demonstrations for the club, which is how Trevor knows of me.”

“What kind of demonstrations?” I asked, half wanting to know and half not.

“Mostly suspensions and spankings.”

I lowered my head. I couldn’t help but reprimand myself, what the fuck had I stepped into? Would he want to suspend me? He put his hands on the table to reach for mine, but I drew them back. He kept his hands on the table with his palms up.

“Go on.” I prompted again, “Why keep this from me?”

He let out an exacerbated sigh, “Because I didn’t want you to react like this. I didn’t know how you felt about it, plus I haven’t been at the club in over two years.”

“You didn’t know how I’d feel about you being a master and in essence, I’d need to be a submissive or slave? Do you know me? I don’t submit and I’m no one’s damn slave.”

“Babe, I …..”

“You are full of secrets and lies of omission. I can’t trust you. I’m already confused about our whole situation, but you seem to know exactly how things will play out. I don’t know much about you, but you seem to know a lot about me, my friends, and business. This is how you live your life? Half-truths and innuendos? What else aren’t you telling me? I’m sure there is a butt load.”

He lowered his eyes to the table. Then he stood up and came around the table towards me. I stayed seated and facing the table, because I didn’t want to have this conversation like that. He would touch me and it’d be over.

“I’m a complicated man, Samantha. I make no apologies about that. You seem to find and pick things about us that you don’t like and make them into huge deals, which makes me think you don’t want for there to be an ‘us’ in the first place. You’ve fought me tooth and nail about this from the beginning. Maybe you are right. We should just be business partners.”

I winced at his words. That was a slap in the face, if I’ve ever had one. I guess this was his verbal payback for my physical slap. I stayed staring at the wall in front of me.

He continued, “Anything I’ve ever done or not said was to protect you, because I wasn’t sure how much you could handle and if I could trust you the way my heart insisted that I should. The jokes on me, I guess. You have Trevor to guide you through the ropes, why do you need me?”

“What in the actual fuck are you talking about? Have you lost your goddamn mind?” I jumped out of the chair and whirled on him.

He backed up and I exhaled loudly. I was done.

“You know what, you’re absolutely right. Business Partners it is,” I said as I walked past him towards my bedroom. “It’s was fun while it lasted.”

I gathered my clothes that he bought me and put them in a bag. I came from my room and he was still standing where I left him. I gave him the bag, then grabbed a note and wrote a quick thank-you to Larry.

“What is this?” he asked and held up the bag.

“Come on, time to go.” I had the note in my hand.

He followed me to the door and said, “Calm down Samantha.”

“Oh Joshua, I’m very calm. You have a nice evening and I will see you first thing tomorrow morning according to our schedule. Please give this to Larry.” I opened the door and waved for him to leave.

“Samantha, let’s pause for a second – okay? Let’s just take…”

I cut him off, “No, Joshua. You are right. I mean, it’s hurting me right now, but you are right. This is just too much to handle for both of us. It’ll be better if we could just focus on the business side of this relationship. Make you some more money and get this mobile icon off the ground, right? Let’s not do this and bring unnecessary hardship.” I looked at him in the face, “You said you would leave if I asked, now I’m asking.”

He looked down at me with a pain of regret, then it was gone. He nodded, took my note and walked out without looking back. I closed the door, laid out my clothes for tomorrow, ate a light dinner, took a sleeping pill and cried myself to sleep. This is why I shouldn’t have mixed business with pleasure, because I’d have to see this man for the next three months.