Dear Heart, You Screwed Me(21)

“Sperm donor?!” I nearly choke on my wine.

“Yeah, my mum used a sperm bank to have me and contacted the donor to let him know that his sample had been used. My mum is gay, her and her wife wanted a kid and hey presto, egg plus donor sperm equals me!” she beams as she clicks her fingers and points to her glass.

The waiter silently nods at her before scarpering away.

“Wow,” I blow my cheeks out.

“Yeah, it’s pretty cool I suppose.”

“How do you feel being a sperm donor baby?” I ask, hoping I am not overstepping the line.

“It doesn’t bother me. My mums were pretty honest from the get-go, my mums are my parents. Not my sperm donor.”

“That’s good that they were honest with you.”

“Why do you ask?” one of her perfectly shaped brows sat higher.

“I am thinking of doing it myself.” I admit, internally hoping the waiter hurries up with the wine.

“What turkey basting yourself?” she looked confused as she sat back in her chair studying me, a hint of a smile on her lips.

“For fuck’s sake,” I breath out, shaking my head.

“Joking…” she giggles, “but I’m curious, why?”

“Well, I wanted children with Elijah,” I swallowed the burning lump, “but that didn’t happen, and I can’t bear the thought of ever falling in love with someone else. I have always wanted children, it’s a big dream of mine. So, I thought that once I was settled with work and the dust has settled, I would do the parenting thing by myself.” A small smile creeps onto my lips, but it doesn’t get very far as I am reminded of the pain.

“Oh,” was all she managed, her eyes glued to me as she watched. “Well, that’s a very brave thing to do and I admire that.” Nodding gently, she reached for her glass and bought it to her lips. “What happened to Elijah?”

I had to tell her sometime, but deep down, I knew she knew. She just wanted the confirmation from me. I took a deep breath, swallowing the lump that was bobbing in my throat back down.

“He died.”





CHAPTER 10





The last couple of months had flown, summer was well and truly over here in New York. The sun still shone but the evenings were drawing darker, the air nipping that little cooler at your skin.

Work was going well. I was busy. I liked being kept busy, it stopped my mind wandering back to Elijah.

Adele on the other hand was like working with Satan. She was horrendous. Everything that was laid out in my job role was non-existent. I was literally her dogsbody, doing all the shit work she didn’t want to.

But I mustn’t complain. It’s a foot in the door, one step closer to being where I need to be. Plus, they paid for my apartment for the first year. Perks and all that. Then after I pass my probation and get my visa they will contribute half of my rent.

She had been even more like Satan today, maybe she hadn’t been fucked in a few days or she had her period.

No investors had been to see her, maybe she had upset them.

I snapped out of my thoughts when Adele walked past me, stopping at my desk and looking me up and down. I was dressed up as I was meeting Connie at the hotel ready for drinks and a concert. I couldn’t wait.

“Hi,” I smile at her, my fingers still tapping on my keyboard.

“Do you have the numbers I asked you for this morning?” her tone was clipped and bitter.

“Yup,” the smile still plastered across my face. I turned and grabbed the A3 spreadsheets and handed them to her. “I also sent two copies to your email; I always like to have a backup.”

“Thanks.” She sighed, turning and stomping into her office, slamming the door behind her.

I heard a ping on my email.

Julianne: wow, she’s even more a bitch today then she normally is.

I scoff a laugh before replying.

Me: I know, God knows what has happened. You’re safe down there… I feel like I am in the firing line.

Closing my email, I turn back to the task I was working on when I saw Adele’s office door swing open with force.

“These numbers are wrong, did you even check them?!” she snapped at me, throwing the spreadsheet on my desk.

“I’m sorry… but the numbers are right. Do you want to show me where you think they are wrong?” my brows furrowed as I asked her, my eyes scanning over the document. The numbers weren’t wrong.

The answers were there in black and white. This department was losing money like there was no tomorrow. It was a bottomless pit.

“This says we’re losing money,” she rolled her eyes.

“That’s because we are…” I winced as she snatched the spreadsheet out of my hands.

“How can I give this to Killian? He will pull the plug on the department and then we will all be out of a job by Christmas.”

“It’s the events… you’re putting on these grand events hoping to get big clientele through the door. You need to wine and dine them, show them why they are the special ones. Not invite them to a massive event with their competitors.” I muttered.

She stilled; I could see the cogs turning in her head.

“You want to represent the handsome and dark Harlen Laufer from Blood Lust, so what can you do to get him through the door?” It was me questioning her… not the other way round. “When I got Coby, I researched him for weeks, maybe even months. I found out everything about him, his likes, his dislikes, his hobbies, his coffee order… you name it, I knew it.” I sat a little taller. “You need to make them feel like they’re the only person you’re interested in, as if they were the only person in the world.” I smile at her, my eyes volleying back and forth from hers.