Page 46 of Checkmate
Erica sighed as she stood, nodding with a saddened expression. He hated making her feel this way, but if this was the only way of putting a stop to her friendship with Marcus, he wasn’t above using emotional manipulation.
“You’re right,” she said. “That’s the end of the conversation.”
“Thank you. And look, I’m sorry it’s come to this. But it’s for the best.”
Erica laughed a low and cruel sound. “Oh, no. Alex, honey, you misunderstood me. The conversation is over. But I’ll still be working with Marcus.”
“But you just said—”
“No. You just said.” She laughed again, pulling another cigarette from her bag. “I believe my words were I wasn’t going to entertain you without a valid reason.
“You’ve failed to give me one and so I’ll continue to do what I want. If that makes you ‘unhappy’ and ‘uncomfortable’… well, that sounds like a you problem.”
“Erica—”
“I’ll say no more on the matter, Alex. Now, I’m going into the garden to smoke, and then I’m going to bed.”
She stepped towards him, kissing his cheek as she passed while he stood frozen in shock.
“Don’t worry, darling, you’ll get used to this new me. Goodnight.”
He remained in place as she disappeared, staring at the spot she had just left.
Did she refuse him? Disregard him? Did she choose another man over him?
It seemed unfathomable, yet somehow, he knew this was just the beginning.
Chapter 12
Sophie
“Oh, man. I wish I could have been there.”
Sophie lingered in the doorway of her bedroom as she heard Marcus talking to someone. She glanced at her phone to check the time and frowned.
Who was he talking to at seven-thirty in the morning?
She padded down the corridor and poked her head around the corner, only to find Marcus staring right at her.
“Well, we can talk about it later today, yeah? I’ll have to go. Sophie’s awake.”
She tucked her hair behind her ear, lingering in the corridor as he wrapped up his conversation.
Why did she feel so awkward in her own home?
“Okay, I’m looking forward to it,” Marcus said with a chuckle. Was he flirting? “I’ll see you later, Erica.”
Erica?
“You don’t mean my boss’s wife, Erica?”
“I do,” Marcus said, pocketing his phone. “I’m meeting her later for lunch.”
“What the fuck? Why?”
“Oh, we had a lot of fun last night—”
“Fun that got me in trouble,” she reminded him.
