Crash (A Billionaire Contract Romance)

Threats From A Queen B

Wiping the tears away from my face, I try to shove it all back down all the terrible comments and names, all the voices of people telling me I can’t, I won’t, how useless I am, they are screaming in my mind.

Trying to silence them is like trying to block out the music at a rock concert. Not going to happen.

I keep my head down, my feet moving, only throwing a quick hello back to Eddie as he greets me. He’s the property manager for a lot of rentals around here, so he isn’t here always, but often enough to have a conversation here and there. I don’t glance in his direction not wanting him to ask any questions. Using the elevator ride up to hold me together for a little longer. Still battling the voices.

I’m almost to my door when I register Lauren standing there. What. The. f**k? Can this day get any worse?

“Took you long enough to show up.” Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard bringing an instant cringe.

“What are you doing here?” All my emotions are shifting, sick of feeling hurt and on defense, seeing Lauren brings anger boiling over, overwhelming everything else.

How dare she come to my home? What does she think she’s going to do to me? I’ve been called everything she can call me, already today. I’ve been beaten and broken. She can unleash whatever she wishes and I’ll for damn sure reciprocate.

Standing up taller, hoping my tear tracks aren’t obvious to her, I push my shoulders back looking her straight in the eyes. My hands settle on my hips, not making a move for my door, she wants to do this she can do it right here. Let anyone walk down the hall and see exactly who Senator Amatranio's daughter really is.

“Go on open it.” She points towards my door, fully expecting me to follow her orders. I just keep my eyebrows raised looking at her, waiting for her to realize that the world doesn’t always do what she wants. I’m sure that’s whys she’s here in the first place, upset like everyone else that a poor waitress snagged a hot Billionaire.

Specifically, her hot billionaire.

After a minute of her waiting, she swings her gaze back to mine, hers filled with hate and vengeance.

“Who do you think you are?”

“I was wondering the same about you. Your daddy might have power over other people, but he can’t help you with me. Have the audacity to show up here? What do you possibly think it’ll accomplish?”

“You’re going to return that engagement ring!” She almost screeches like I imagine a pterodactyl would have, pointing towards what she deems an offensive object.

I just bring my hand up, dropping my eyes to my ring, pretending to inspect it. “I don’t know why I would do that, no diamonds missing, no knicks in the gold. It’s still as perfect as when he gave it to me. It’s right where it belongs.

“Now if that’s all, you can find your way to the exit. If not, I’m sure I can call Eddie to come to escort you off the property?

“Maybe give the police a call for harassment? I’m sure Daddy could get you out of it, but not without a little headache right?” Her face is turning redder by the second, she seriously looks like a tea kettle, that’s been on the stove for slightly too long. Steam rising, pressure building, whistling louder and louder. She’s ready to blow and I’m her only target.

“I don’t know where you came from? Or how you wormed your way into Mason’s life but you better remove yourself immediately, before I forcefully remove you. He is mine. He’s has been mine since I was born. You don’t just get to show up out of nowhere and take him from me. I will be the only Mrs. Maverick, you understand me?”

“Lauren, if this is you being threatening and intimidating you are failing in epic proportions. There is nothing you can do to me to make me walk away from Mason. I love him and he loves me.” I use as much fire and passion as I can to make her see what she needs to. Make her believe that I will not be threatened or taken advantage of.

What Mason and I have agreed upon, is our business. A business deal through and through and I need to satisfy half of it by making it believable and unbreakable. Having to go through everything at work only encourages me more, I’m not dealing with today for no reason. No there’s an end to all this, where I have everything, I want and need.

“If Mason has been yours since you were born you would have had his ring on your finger years ago. I mean it only took him a few weeks for him to know I was the love of his life. Whatever you think you have with Mason is yours and Mason’s issue, you deal with it with him. Now, one more time, should I call Eddie, or will you be showing yourself out?” I pull out my phone from my back pocket, not really having Eddie's number but she doesn’t know that.

“Mason will come back to me you’ll see, and when he leaves you in the dust I’ll be there to burry you a little deeper. Enjoy it while it lasts.” Her words say one thing but her actions speak to her insecurity and her true beliefs. She wouldn’t have shown up her to threaten me if she thought she stood a chance.

It felt good to get some of the nasty emotions out, like a balloon that was filled a little too tight. My skin no longer feels as itchy and stretched too tight. My chest doesn’t feel as heavy and dark. And the voice in my head seems to have shut up for now.

I’m glad to see her go, but even more thrilled to realize she helped me and if she knew it would I could only imagine she’d explode into a billion pieces of furry.