CHAPTER 4: SUGAR BABY LEARNS TO WALK

~ DAVID HARGROVE  ~

            I watched Maria walk through the crowded club. “Come back, or I’ll replace you, Maria Bell. You aren’t the only sweet, little, nothing around here.” I shouted over the music. Damn it, this was wrong. I threw my glass in anger. Fuck, the predatory gold-diggers were circling the VIP section already trying to get my attention proving my point. I knew they couldn’t compare to my Maria, my Angel Bella.

            Maria’s like no other. Tonight, she irritated me. Contradicting me like that was a mistake. Taking phone calls. Leaving my side without my permission. Excessive drinking and the crying. What did she have to cry about? How dare she act out on my dime?

            “Jake, what’s your take?” I discovered with disgust; Maria had drained the champagne. I ordered another. When it arrived, it was different.

            “Maria? It’s not my place to comment David.” Jake didn’t look up from his phone. I frowned at him. He’d not used it all evening.

            “When’s that stopped you?” I asked. It’s true Jake could be honest. He knew me better than anyone. If anyone knew where I’d buried my skeletons, it’s him.

            “Fine. Maria isn’t as simple as you believe. You struck an emotional blow. She told you the truth. Maria won’t get in the middle of what you are doing. She’d choose street life over being a home wrecker. To be honest, I don’t blame her. No one would want to interfere while you acquire the companies. It’ll be messy.”

            His assessment leaves me sighing. Jake’s right. I hate it. I hate that she feels she’s involved when she’s not. “Something doesn’t feel right.”

            Why can’t I stop thinking about how strange Maria’s been acting? I’ve tried ignoring it. Tried drawing her out. I’ve even tried triggering her. Nothing’s worked. She said nothing. Then she drops this bombshell. She’s leaving me. Why? I’m just getting married. She won’t become embroiled in this. Her name’s stayed out of scandals, as has her face. What’s with her childish behavior? Is she jealous? Maria has no right to be jealous. My marriage and our arrangement are simple business deals.

            Deals I say when they’ll end. She wouldn’t dare do anything so foolish as to rebel. I’ll make her life impossible until she falls back into line.

            The marriage is a simple business arrangement, and it won’t affect what we have. What does she mean she’s okay being a kept girlfriend but not a kept mistress? What’s the difference? She must explain herself and what she knows about Sabrina.

            Maria has secrets. Secrets that aren’t welcome or acceptable. Was she once employed by the Belgrave family? Is it possible she’s deceiving me? Or spying? No, of course she wouldn’t lie to me. I’d know if she was a spy. What could she lie about?

            “I should find her. Learn what she knows. Then I’ll decide if I must replace her.” I said this, and Jake snorted. He knew better. I wouldn’t replace Maria. I’d have done that three months into our contract. Like the women before her. I’d kept her. That condo was hers. I’d every room built, decorated, and filled for her to live in. My Bella Bell. My Angel. That’s how I perceived her. I’ve never voiced that endearment.

            “David, she quit. She’s leaving. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s gone already.”

            “It’s tantrum nothing more. A necklace will settle that, and you know it. Or a weekend of shopping in Paris.” I waved off Jake’s head shake. It didn’t matter. I didn’t think it would come to that, and I couldn’t take her.

            “Go after her before she’s done packing what little she takes and vanishes. I doubt she’ll take everything like you believe.”  David didn’t mince words.  

            “Vanish? Where would she go?” I knew she had nowhere. Those friends of hers weren’t reliable. They weren’t rich. I doubted most could rent spaces large enough to host visitors for an evening, let alone an overnight stay. If I investigated them, I’m sure I’d find most were unmarried with roommates, living from paycheck to paycheck. They dragged Maria down. That’s punishment enough.

            “That’s my point. Where would she go? You don’t know.” Jake asked. He knew what he wanted to say. He’d wait until the time was right. When his words hit hardest. I couldn’t be jealous of some unknown person.

            “I’ve the tracker on her phone. It’s not a problem.” I said. With a shrug, I was drinking my champagne when Jake showed me the problem.

            “Yeah, about that. There’s a problem with your plan.” Jake said. He maintained the tracking application for the office phones. Maria’s included. He showed me his phone. “I received a notification about losing connection with a phone. It’s untraceable. Last known location is the condo.”

            “What? I received no notification.” I looked at my phone. Damn it. I cursed myself for forgetting to turn on vibrate mode. With the noise, I’d missed the notification. The last known location was the condo. That’s good. “She’s at the condo and throwing a rather nasty tantrum. She’s thrown the phone or some foolishness. I’ll stop by in a bit and discipline her for damaging my property. At this hour where will she find a moving company to take everything, I bought her?” I said. My mouth turned up in a smile as I believed I’d won.

            “If it makes her stay.” Jake said. It’s his turn to shrug. That’s when my triumph spiraled downward into a sinking feeling, and the champagne soured in my stomach. What if Jake’s correct? Maria wasn’t a woman who begged to go shopping. I often reminded her she should go shopping. No, she signed the contracts. What gold-digger needed reminding to spend his money? An honest sugar baby. Again, something didn’t feel right tonight.

            “You think I should go after her?” I asked. Between the hour, the alcohol, and all the questions I had. I’m in no mood for games like this.

            “David, you said you could replace her if you want. Do you or don’t you want her? Make up your mind. Just know this. The internet says Maria is correct about Sabrina’s relationship to Edgar Belgrave. It appears there’s some interesting scandal that’s been hushed up.”

            “You clean up here. Get a report to me about that. I’ll go see what Maria knows.”

            “Don’t be hard on her. Remember, she told you the truth. It’s you who didn’t believe.” Jake called out to my back. I was trying to walk across the dance floor toward the entrance. Two women tried to gain my attention by accosting me after I left the VIP section’s protection were pulled away by my bodyguards. Some women were too needy. I’d forgotten how annoying they were. I should have sent a guard with Maria when she answered her phone. He’d have reported who she spoken with.

            My bodyguards escorted me out of the club. It’s absurd, another reason I kept Maria with me. She didn’t pester me.

            In the car, several things became clear. Why didn’t Maria pester me with nonsense like others? She didn’t demand my time or affection. Maria didn’t demand I be present on her shopping trips. She accepted what I gave her with politeness. Hell, she’d never embarrassed me once in public. She didn’t use me for status. It couldn’t be the marriage. We’d spoken about it for months. She’d never mentioned leaving.