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Authors: C.C. Cartwright

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Chapter 10

Sophie

“Hey Sophie, you busy?” Christopher asks before he sits down in a chair in my office.

“Hi Christopher, have a seat,” I offer, I have a few minutes to spend catching up with him. We’ve become pretty good friends since I’ve been working at Hunter. He’s a good guy, not as much of a player as Marcus.

“What are you working on?”

“Earnings reports.”

“Those are so tedious, the bane of my existence. I got mine finished yesterday. So, how are things going with the Golden Boy?” Christopher asks.

“Marcus?”

“Who else would I refer to as the Golden Boy?” he laughs.

“Things are going as well as can be expected, even though I know better than to have very high expectations. Why do you ask?” I reply.

“I know it’s none of my business and Marcus would kill me for saying this, so please let’s keep it between us alright?” Christopher says peaking my curiosity.

“I promise, what is it?” I ask and I’m on pins and needles.

“He’s not right for you Sophie. I’ve known Marcus awhile now and I don’t want to see you get hurt,” he says flat out.

“What happened between Marcus and Jade?” Maybe Christopher can give me the dirt because I got nothing out of Marcus.

“Did you ask him yourself?”

“I did and he just shrugged me off and said she quit, end of story,” I say taking a sip of my coffee.

“There’s a little more to that story,” Christopher admits.

“I figured as much.”

“He ended their brief affair when he was through with her and she didn’t take it well.”

“Heartbroken?”

“You could say that, I almost felt sorry for her. Anyway, Hunter found another firm to make her an offer she couldn’t refuse so she left.”

“Really? How interesting…” I say pondering his words.

“Well anyway, I hope you don’t mind me being so frank in my opinions, but I just don’t see you and Marcus together for the long haul. You seem like a long haul kind of girl and you deserve better than a guy like Marcus has to offer. Hey, I know he has a lot to offer monetarily, but I’m talking about loyalty and faithfulness. I suggest you cut your losses now before you get in too deep,” Christopher boldly ventures to say. He’s a friend and I know he is just trying to warn me against what I already know in my heart.

“Thanks Christopher for coming out and telling me, you’re a good friend. I will be careful,” I try and reassure him as well as myself.

I’ll admit, seeing Marcus with Jade made me sick with jealousy. That’s when I realized I must be falling in love with him, if I don’t already love him. Then seeing Jade, she was living, breathing proof of the road kill Marcus leaves in his wake of ‘love them and leave them’. It brought my guard up again. I’m determined not to let him hurt me, I won’t be another Jade. I wasn’t supposed to let the firm’s biggest player anywhere near my heart. Why did I let ‘I love you’ slip past my lips? Why does he even bother telling me he loves me? We both know he doesn’t do love.

Chapter 11

Marcus

It is the strangest thing, when I thought Sophie might be pregnant with my child at first I was scared as hell. That’s a guy’s absolute worst nightmare. I was being stupid not using any protection, but everything with Sophie has been so different from day one. I can’t remember ever being so consumed by a girl, wanting it all with someone like I do with her. It’s so out of character for me, I can’t explain it. Then this whole pregnancy thing threw me for a loop big time. It actually had me thinking about becoming a father, and possibly having a wife. If I ever had a wife, I can visualize Sophie fulfilling that role perfectly. Damn, did I just even think that? I need to get ahold of myself. The pregnancy scare is behind us, thank God. At least Sophie’s happy about it, she’s so relieved to not be carrying my child. The woman has a heart of stone I tell you. Why do I have to go and fall for my evil twin, the female version of my evil twin? I’ll tell you why, because Karma’s a bitch. Jade has been calling me and alludes to us meeting up again. She is hoping to rekindle the flame that I put out a long time ago. If I didn’t have Sophie warming my bed at night, I might consider it.

Chapter 12

Sophie

I’m sitting in my office, still working on an earnings report that was due yesterday when my assistant opens my door to tell me John Devereaux is on the line. I haven’t seen him since he took me to the U2 Concert weeks ago.

“Hi John,” I say smiling into the phone.

“Hi Sophie, how’s it going?”

“I am swamped as usual. How about you, how is the life of the hottest trial attorney going?”

“Crazy busy, but can I take you to lunch?” he asks. I pause for a moment, do I have to answer to Marcus for a harmless lunch?

“Sure,” I say in agreement. I don’t have to get permission to have lunch with someone.

“How about tomorrow? I’ll meet you at Harry’s Bar at Noon,” John says.

“Perfect, see you then.” After we hang up I feel a little guilty. I don’t even want to tell Marcus, it’s just a friendly lunch.

The next day I arrive at Harry’s and John is already there and waiting for me. He greets me with a hug and a kiss, on the cheek that is. The Maître De escorts us to our booth towards the back of the restaurant.

“You look stunning as usual,” John compliments.

“Thank you, you look handsome as usual.” John is the epitome of tall dark and handsome. He’s broad shouldered and built, he played football at Stanford. His family owns Fosters Jewelers here in Beverly Hills. At first glance most girls would probably choose John over Marcus. Marcus has a trim sinewy build and is not quite as outwardly handsome in the traditional sense. But Marcus oozes this confident charm and is sharp witted. His sexy bedroom voice draws the women to him is my guess, that’s what happened with me. He also has plenty of game when it comes to seducing women. I speak from experience and know firsthand how easily he can get you to spread for him.

We settle in and order lunch. Once our lunch arrives, John seems a little tense.

“So, works been busy for you?” I ask.

“I’ve got this case I’m working 24/7 on, I have been practically sleeping at the office. I’m sorry I haven’t called you this week,” he says apologetically. I don’t really count on his calls, I know how busy he is and I know I have been working insane hours as well.

“No need to apologize, I have been working insane hours as well. What’s the saying, no rest for the wicked,” I laugh.

“Sophie, I want us to start making more time to see each other. I know we both work long hours, but I’m not going to wait around for much longer. I’m not quite sure what you’re doing and with whom, but it has to end. I’ve been cool and have never asked you what you’ve been up to. I know there has been someone else vying for your attention off and on for the past few months, but you’ve got to make a choice, will it be me or him. I love you and can see a future with you,” John tells me. I swallow hard at his declaration. He’s right, he’s never asked me, but he’s not stupid. He knows there’s been someone else. I look at my dear sweet John sitting across the table from me. He’s been nothing but good to me. Always such the well-polished, intelligent, incredibly loyal and classy gentleman who treats me like a princess. I would be a first class fool not to pursue more with him. I know that, he has so much to offer any girl. I can just imagine how many women in his office have had their eye on him. He really is the whole package. He’s perfect, with no character flaws, none that I can see anyway.

“I don’t know what to say John,” I softly reply.

“I’d like you to say you’ll make more time for me. You need to show me you’re committed to us and our future together.” When I’m with John, I can see my future with him would be safe and secure. I know in my heart that he would love me until the end of time. He would cherish me and take good care of me and our children. But at night, it’s Marcus I crave. His touch, his scent, his voice and his body covering mine, loving me oh so intimately. I’m twenty-six and I know now is the time and I need to make this critical life decision. John is pushing my hand and I can’t wait too much longer or else I’ll lose John for good.

“I understand John, I care about you. Let me think about it,” I murmur and we sit there in silence while we both finish our lunch. I honestly don’t know what I’m going to do, I have some serious thinking to do.

Harry’s Bar is downstairs in the breezeway across from Hunter Investments. As John and I are saying goodbye Christopher walks by with another money manager from Hunter. We make eye contact and he gives me a wave acknowledging that, yes, he just saw John kiss me and wrap me in a tight embrace. Great, I should have met John someplace further away from work. I sincerely hope Christopher doesn’t run and tell Marcus. I go and seek Christopher out in his office as soon as I return to our floor.

“Hey,” I say walking into his office and taking a seat.

“Hey Sophie, who was your lunch companion?” Christopher asks.

“John Devereaux.”

“Oh, isn’t he the guy you were dating before you and Marcus started…” Christopher remarks.

“Yes, that’s him. Please don’t mention that you saw us,” I admit.

“Why, would it be a big deal?” he questions.

“To Marcus it might be,” I say glancing down at my hands.

“What’s wrong Sophie?” Christopher knows me pretty well, but it may be dangerous confiding anything to him. He’s known Marcus longer than he has known me.

“Nothing really, just please don’t say anything to Marcus. He get’s jealous and I don’t want to deal with it right now,” I make my request again waiting for him to reassure me that he won’t, but the problem is, he never does.

Hours later, Marcus walks into my office and he’s clearly not happy.

“Who did you have lunch with today?” he asks, jaw clenched.

“Christopher told you?” I ask.

“Were you planning to tell me?” I look back at my computer screen. “Were you?” he huffs out again.

“Marcus, keep your voice down,” I say glancing out of my office and I can practically see Tamara’s ears perk up, just like a dogs.

“Answer me then,” he says lowering his urgent voice.

“What’s the big deal? It was just a friendly lunch. Get over it.” I say defending myself.

“Really, alright. How would you feel if I had a friendly lunch with Jade?”

“Do as you please Marcus.”

“Sophie, you’re impossible to love,” he says, rising from his chair and walking out of my office. He never asked where we would be enjoying each other’s bodies tonight…

~To Be Continued~

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LOVE Dies HARD 1 (Kindle Unlimited)

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In the meantime, check out other books by C.C. Cartwright

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My Mr. Sexy 2 – (Kindle Unlimited)

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