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CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT: FLOWERS
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RAINE CHAPTER FIFTY NINE: GOSSIP
Kale Spencer and I sat alone at a table in the corner at a coffee shop. My stomach was doing flips and turns, and I was in no mood to enjoy lunch. I ordered water with a lemon wedge at a spot right across the street from Quality Advertising. It made no sense to travel further than that since I wasn’t eating and decided to only give myself thirty minutes for my break. “Do you want to explain what you meant back there?” Kale asked as he waited for his order. Upon exiting the elevator, I told him now wasn’t the time or place to talk about the damage he had just done. I walked ahead, thinking my attitude would be off putting and he’d wander on his own to find lunch. Obviously, that’s not what happened. He instead followed me to my destination, taking a seat with me as if I invited him. He didn’t take the hint. And if he did, he just chose to ignore it. I sat the flowers down on the table, staring at them in thought. No matter which way I looked at it, this was Shane’s fault. I wouldn
RAINE CHAPTER SIXTY: BREAK UP
The city is starting to calm, and I am sitting here in my office, my mind going over all the men who have seemed to attach themselves to me. It was a close call for me today. I’ve tried to keep my nose clean and stay out of trouble, but I obviously wasn’t trying hard enough. I had to be honest with myself. I liked the attention that both Kale and Shane gave me, but it wasn’t worth the life that I built. I needed to end it with both of them. I sat in my office chair, legs crossed, one beautiful rose to my nose and I stared out the window in thought. There was a knock at the door, and I could already guess who it was. “Raine,” his voice is soft, and apologetic. I said nothing, allowing him to step closer to me. “Raine, about today…” I spun around, staring Shane in his young face before shaking my head slightly. “I agreed to go along with this because I thought you could be discreet…” “I can,” he said, “I didn’t expect this to be such a fiasco.” “That is not true,” I answered, “Tha
RAINE CHAPTER SIXTY ONE: MISERY AT BREAKFAST
I'm not sure if I was the only one feeling this way, but sitting here with these three men was causing my armpits to sweat. Any of them could say something that could make this breakfast a nightmare. Shane and Kale sat across from each other, while Mr. Davis sat across from me. The rustic square table we sat at seemed too small for all four of us, and I wasn't just referring to our sizes, but our attitudes. There was something in the air, and it felt like war."This waitress sure is taking her time isn't she," I murmur underneath my breath. In my head the faster we got our food, the less talking and eye intimidation that would take place, and likely that we would only be here a mere thirty minutes."So, Mr. Harley," the old man was the first to speak up. "You've been with us a few weeks now, how is it going working with Ms. McClaren."
RAINE CHAPTER SIXTY TWO: UNDER THE WEATHER
He followed me home, like a lost puppy. He said nothing, but I kept catching him looking at me, stealing his glances. There was something soft in his eyes, as well as concern. When the cab pulled up to my house, I expected him to stay behind, but there he was. I unlocked the main door, turning around to face him. “You don’t have to stay,” I said to him. “The cab hasn’t pulled off yet, you can catch it.” “I don’t want to.” He stepped up to me, eyes looking down at me. Man, was I a sucker for tall men. I walked away, leaving the door wide open. He followed closely behind. I kicked off my heels and walked over to the couch, tossing my body against it, my face deep into the pillows. I groaned as my stomach twisted again.“Can I get you anything?” Shane asked. He hadn’t found a spot to get comfortable, choosing to stand off by the sliding door that led out to the backyard and pool. When I turned my head to look at him, I had to hold my gasp. The sun gleamed in through the clear glass, sh
RAINE CHAPTER SIXTY THREE: WHO SHE IS
SHANE’S POV She’s very clean. I can think of a few young women off the top of my head who looked as if they were very clean and organized people, but being faced with their rooms and or households you were quick to learn that wasn’t true. Raine always wore the right, tight clothes. The things that she knew fit with her body well, that would make her stand out, no matter where she was or who she was with. I noticed that she played with colors, her makeup always matching the same shades as her clothing.She was a heel girl. Though she wore them all the time, I could see the relief she got from the very short foot massage I gave her. She thrived off coffee, and being the smartest person in the room, or at least pretending to be. She was tough and didn’t scare easy. She was als very dedicated to her career. These are all things that any person could gather about her, if you just watched. But when it comes to me, I did more than just watch. I observed, deeply. If she wasn’t going to
RAINE CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR: FOR HER
POV KALEI wish I could say I was surprised to see Shane at Raine’s home. I wasn’t. His current job description was “Shadow” and he was very good at it. Most times I saw her, he was not far behind. What did surprise me was the fact that he answered all on his own.When Raine stepped outside of her gorgeous home, the irritated look on her face told me she had not given him permission to answer her buzzer.I half expected her to scare me away, or at least try to, but when I walked up to her, she stepped to the side, and I knew that was her way of inviting me in.Shane tried to act all smug. His grin gave it away. I wouldn’t let him get to me. After all, I wasn’t here for him, I was here for her.
RAINE CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE: THREES COMPANY
RAINE’S POVSo, maybe I felt worse than I let on. Though my stomach seemed to be settled, there was an annoying pain in my head, and my legs ached as if I had been speed walking all day. Not only that, but I found myself suffering from these unwanted hot flashes. When I awoke, I thought I’d feel refreshed, but that wasn’t the case at all. My body felt heavy and sweaty. The two men that I seemed to be caught in between were also unexpectedly at my side.Yes, they said that they would stay, but I honestly figured it would be too much for one or both of them, and they would leave. I guess I wasn’t so lucky.I didn’t eat much, just a few spoonfuls to bring my taste buds back to life. It was hard to stay focused on my meal with Kale standing over me. If this was his idea of keeping a watchful eye on me, it was really unsettling. I go to put the lid back on the clear round container, just before clearing my throat to speak. “How was the rest of your brunch with Mr. Davis? I’m sorry to hav
RAINE CHAPTER SIXTY SIX: AN UNDERSTANDING
RAINE POV I don’t know how this happened? The television shines bright as the rest of the house sits in darkness. I am bundled up under the comforter from my bed, sitting right in between Kale and Shane. There is some dramatic movie playing. SOmething with lots of action, something I didn’t care to know the name of. Shane had suggested it. He already had the movie set and ready to go before I could say anything. I sat down, and Kale followed behind me. There are no words to say what has come over me.I continue to blame it on whatever sickness I was experiencing at this moment, but it was a lie. It was true that I wanted some comfort, I just wasn’t sure from who. I even thought, if I chose someone to stay, and someone to go, how would that change everything? How could I explain that? Did it mean that I liked one more than the other? My eyes drifted over to Kale, who was posted up on the arm of the chair, eyes looking a little droopy. He was either as tired as hell, or just as dist
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RAINE CHAPTER NINETY FIVE: PARIS
Years ago, I stood at this window, staring down at the world below me. I had chosen a career path, and planned to follow it through until the very end. That path has not changed, but how I get there will. Quality Advertising and Mr. Davis gave me my start, but they were just a step. They were not my end. Looking down at the world now, I take a deep breath and feel an excitement that I haven’t felt in a long time. I hear a knock on the office door. I turn to see Jose standing there with Jordan as his side. “Well, this isn’t a duo I’ve seen before,” I said with a smile. Jose approaches me first. “I wanted to get in my goodbye and tell you the good news before you left,” he said, eyes going around, taking notice in the emptiness. “Good news?” The young man nods. “Well, with you resigning and Jordan moving up, there are some supervisor spots needing to be filled. I am being given one of of those spots.” I grinned. Jose’s work experience wasn’t much, but he was a quick learner.
RAINE CHAPTER NINETY FOUR: CHECKMATE
Tonight. Tonight everything changes. Red is the color I choose to wear to embrace everything that will be coming my way. Something simple, yet classy. Long, and elegant. My beauty will never be hindered. “You look like someone who's getting ready to set a whole building on fire,” Alisha grins, refusing to miss my looks to kill. “And leave no casualties,” I said with a grin. The plan has been drawn up, it has been executed, and we were ready to witness the fallout. I would be arriving at the event solo, but I wouldn’t be leaving alone. Here we go Raine, time to give them all hell.The work week was slow and boring. It was the most interesting thing to talk about besides the ending of upcoming projects and the dinner in which a winner would officially be announced. Saturday night has arrived. I walk through the doubled doors of an upscale restaurant downtown. The dinner experience here was said to be spectacular. Not just when it came to the food or the service, but the fact th
RAINE CHAPTER NINETY THREE: A DISH BEST SERVED COLD
I am sore. Sore all over. But it was worth it. I wake up, my body entangled with theirs in Kale’s bed big enough to house all three of us comfortably. They sleep heavily, allowing me to take in their fresh morning looks. I definitely had a type. The pink lips, the olive skin, the curly and waving dark hair. Both of them are sculpted differently but attractive all the same. I sigh in content. Lately, they had been taking care of me, now it was my turn to do so for them. I am not the type to cook breakfast. It’s not that I can’t, it was just something I didn’t even need to do to myself. I always kept to this fast routine, but today nothing was claiming attention. I would make something as great as Shane’s omelets, but I could handle bacon and eggs. I searched through Kale’s fridge, seeing nothing but leftover take out and frozen dinners. I could just order food from the kitchen, as he does. That was the plus of having a large condo in a shared space. The way the extremely rich live
RAINE CHAPTER NINETY TWO: ADDICTED
“Whoa,” Shane reveals a snickering laughter, catching me by the arm just as I tripped in my heels. One hand clings to his arm to help keep my balance, while the other holds onto the loose fabric that also played a part in my almost accident. “I think you had a good time tonight,” he says, readjusting himself against me. I lean my body up against him, ear finding his chest and heart beat. We stood at the doorway of the building, waiting for the Limo to pull up, so we could make our way home.“It wasn’t the worst,” I said softly. I could hear the slurring in my words, and I knew I had passed the line of tipsy. “Where is Kale?” Shane looks back over his shoulder. “He’s making sure everyone is getting home safely.” Of course he is. He’s such a good guy. “I hit the jackpot with that one, didn’t I?” “Don’t go playing favorites Raine,” Shane stares into my eyes. I smile. “You’re not so bad either,” I joke. “I don’t know why either of you want to put up with my shit.” He grins. “Yeah, y
RAINE CHAPTER NINETY ONE: PREMIERE
“I would have gone crazy on that snake bitch,” Alisha growled, holding her wine glass up to Shane, allowing him to refill her glass. It’s not like me to have wine this early in the day, but after catching Andre and Alisha up on the drama that had unfolded in the last few weeks, it was needed. I sighed, my legs up to my chest. I rest my arms on top of my knees, staring off into space. “Trust me, I really wanted to,” I murmured. “I’m all for a little thrill in my sex life, but in the printing room, where there were cameras… Scandalous!” She continues. “I know that,” I said back. “And I was under the impression that it would be taken care of,” My eyes went to Kale, who was sitting beside me. “Otherwise it probably wouldn’t have happened.” “Hey, I bought the tape off the guards the next morning, and even had them delete the copies!” He tried to defend himself. “Well, regardless, the act in itself was still careless,” Andre says.“Again, we already know that.” I grind my teeth togethe
RAINE CHAPTER NINETY: BOYFRIENDS
RAINE’S POVI’m not sure if Kale’s openness with Karen was a good idea. He may have just added a lot more fuel to the fire, however, I couldn’t hide the fact that I wish I would have seen the look on her face. Kale says she looked stunned. She thought she was going to hurt me by telling of the apparent rumors circulating the office floors.What she didn’t understand was how she now revealed that there was another person helping her in her quest to destroy me. Jordan Cummings. Of course I already had my suspicions, but unless Karen had eyes to see through walls, or binoculars to spy from another balcony, she was not able to see the kiss I shared with Shane. If there truly was a rumor, Jordan was the one to tell what he had seen. And as Karen would put it, it was her duty to pass along the information to Kale.Two against one, this wasn’t a fair fight, but if she was expecting to see me shaking in my heels, she had another thing coming. I already had my moment of weakness.I heard
RAINE CHAPTER EIGHTY NINE: THREATS
“It’s been a crazy and hectic few months, hasn’t it?” Mr. Davis says, standing in front of his wide windows, eyes not even on us. “I’ve seen you two work hard, but I’ve also seen a few flops.” He doesn’t have to look in my direction for me to know that he was referring to me. I refuse to take my eyes off of him. I refuse to have cower like I did previously. There was a long silence. Was he waiting for one of us to say something, or was this pause just for dramatic effect? “It has been decided that we will announce who will be moving up in the company next week.” “It sounds like you already know who will be promoted,” Jordan says out loud. Mr. Davis slowly turns to face us. His eyes travel from my face to Jordan’s before he shows a slight smile. “Of course.” Jordan grins wide like he knows something that I don’t. “However, you know we do ceremonies for things like this. So a small company dinner will be held the following weekend. It will be made up of board members and supervisors
RAINE CHAPTER EIGHTY EIGHT: GOSSIP
I was warned before we stepped foot off the elevator that I was going to be facing a lot of stares and whispers. It’s not like I didn’t expect that, after all most of these people got to witness my ass on the big screen. They should consider themselves lucky. More than half of the people in here wanted to see what I had to offer, dying to switch places with Kale. Kale stated that many people seemed to stay clear of him, but it was because of the power that he had. He told me to remember my power, and that was exactly what I planned on doing. Never let them see you sweat. Never let them see you cry. Never let them know that you care, and always remain unpredictable. Rules to live by if you want to be top dog. The way the entire floor went silent as soon as I made my appearance… it was enough to send a chill up my spine. If you were looking close enough, you probably would’ve seen me gulp. I wear a cyan colored dress. It hugs me the same as any other piece of clothing I wear, di
RAINE CHAPTER EIGHTY SEVEN: HER TRUTH
The entire situation wasn’t hypothetical. When I gave my answer, we all knew that it was a serious response to a serious question. I said yes. I belonged to them now, and though I wasn’t sure how this would work, I decided to give it a try. Raine McClaren has changed. Months ago I wanted to be nameless, known only for that one night of crazy hot sex, and now, my bed was being shared with two men that were mine. To say I belonged to them wasn’t even crazier. My best friends noticed the change before I did. It took me a while to admit that my way of thinking was different. I liked someone. I liked two someone’s. That is a big deal for me. I am on uncharted waters. We lay in bed, limbs wrapped around each other in the most comfortable position. Darkness surrounds us, as we were trying to get our rest. I had spent the last week indoors, occupying my time with mindless tasks. Shane would still head off to the office, still paired up with jose. Kale also remained at Mr. Davis’s side
