Dirty Deeds (An Office Romance #2)(19)
“Oh don’t worry, Dude. You’ll understand soon enough. You're just in the beginning phases of love, but eventually Chloe will have weaseled her way so far under your skin you won’t be able to tell where your body starts or where hers ends.” Cameron was right, and while I had only known Chloe a short time I was certain I had no idea where she started, nor where I ended because when I looked at her all I saw was us.
Chapter Eight
No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get Ryan out of my head or heart. I was struggling and Sadie knew it the moment she looked at me. Why had I made the decision to come down to the homeless shelter and volunteer today? I had huge bags under my eyes, and the eye drops I used to get rid of all the red, puffiness weren’t cutting it.
“Ryan’s been Cam’s best friend since forever, Chloe. If anyone can see through the bullshit front that he puts up, it’ll be Cam.” Sadie tried to reassure me but I was over it, past the events that had taken place. Now I was just trying to move on from the pain and let go of the memories.
Still my body could feel his touch and every time I moved I could still feel his brand on my *. He owned me and I allowed him to do so. Now I had to deal with the shit that I had caused myself.
“I don’t want him anymore.” I lied, slopping a scoop of corn onto a woman’s tray in the food line. I already knew Sadie wasn’t going to believe that, but maybe if I said it out loud I might start believing it myself. “Liar. Liar.” Sadie shook her head at me in disapproval. “Chloe listen to me, Ryan is a playboy. A man whore at best, but every good man whore has a weakness for a single woman in their life. Their soul mate, and I’m one hundred percent sure that you’re his, Hun.” I gripped the scooper harder than necessary and corn went flying onto the floor. I bent down to clean it up. “Well he ruined that, She ruined that.” Hatred and utter disgust for the woman that I now knew as Scarlett, seethed through me.
“He loves you. He f*cked you in his bed. He’s never f*cked anyone in his bed. It mean’s something. For as long as I’ve known him and as much as Cam has told me he has never even allowed a woman that wasn’t family to step foot into his home.” Sadie is saying this with so much certainty and force that it’s hard for me not to believe it. Perhaps if I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes I could fully believe her, but I did. If he didn’t invite women into his house then how on earth could Scarlett have gotten in there?
“Just because he f*cked me in a place he hasn’t anyone else, doesn’t mean shit. I realized I was nothing but another notch in his belt the moment that bitch showed up.” I slammed down another scoop of corn on a passing tray and tried to smile through my pain. I needed to calm down and get myself under control. This wasn’t the place to have a melt down, these people had it so much worse than I did and they didn’t deserve my piss poor attitude.
“Scarlett is, should I say was, an investor for both Cameron and Ryan’s companies. She’s nothing now, Ryan doesn’t want her anymore today than he did yesterday, or even last month.” Sadie seemed so convinced but I wasn’t, the look of distaste in that evil woman’s eyes would forever be burned in my mind. The way she looked down at me like I was nothing made me sick to my stomach. “I thought he loved me Sadie.” I confessed heartbroken. I didn’t know what to do with all the pain. Sadie pulled me away from the serving line, nodding her head to a few other volunteers so they would take our places.
Once we they came over, she gripped my hand and led me towards the back of the building and away from the other people. When we were finally alone, her small hands grabbed me by the shoulders, forcing me to face her. I looked at her, really looked at her, for the first time in forever. She was glowing, and flawlessly beautiful without even a smidge of makeup on. She was too perfect to be my friend.
“Do not let that bitch think she gets the last say, go into Ryan’s office and show him who owns him, make him beg and plead and just when he’s ready to give up, take him by the balls and make him yours. Put Scarlett in her place, and show them all who’s boss.” Sadie spoke fiercely, with power, and understanding.
“You act like you’ve been through this before?” I questioned, not forgetting the speech that she just gave me. She snickered under her breath, “That’s because I have. Once upon a time I was in a similar situation and had I just taken things into my own hands I wouldn’t have had to deal with as much heartache as I did.” The far away look in her eyes told me she was reliving the past, and the mistakes she had made. It was then, as I looked at Sadie, that a question of my own formed in my mind. How had Scarlett determined the perfect time to show up at Ryan’s apartment? And how did she know that I would be there alone?
“I….” I shook my head, the answer finally coming to me. “What? What is it?” Sadie questioned as I took another step away from her and in the direction of the door. I knew what I needed to do now, yes, I was going to take Sadie’s advice and own my man. I was also going to reveal Caroline, the bitch of an Assistant he still has, for the cunt that she truly was.
“I know who told Scarlett that I was at the apartment alone.” Sadie smiled at me and maybe it was because she knew what I was about to do or maybe it was because she was proud of me. Who knows, but she didn’t try to stop me from leaving. I hustled out the front doors of the homeless shelter with an agenda. I was going to take back my man, but first I was going to inform Ryan about his scandalous Assistant.