He tossed back the rest of his whiskey and stood up. When he swayed on his feet she reached to help him but he held himself perfectly still until vertigo passed. He squeezed his eyes shut with a hand in his head. Sophia watched him, her worry momentarily replaced with concern.“Did you sleep at all?”He didn’t look at her. Instead, he picked up the half-empty whiskey bottle and started to leave.“Do you always drink this heavily?”He grunted a reply and went to the kitchen. Sophia plopped down on the ottoman. She was exhausted. Exhausted by everything but most of all she was tired of his dark, brooding mood. Last night, only a question had caused a shift in his mood and for whatever reason and now he drank himself to a near stupor.He came out of the kitchen, his footsteps muted by the carpet and his socks. When she looked up he was staring at her with an indescribable look in his eyes but it vanished as soon as their eyes met.Sophia sighed wistfully and stood up. “I need to go home.
“Mother is a bit formal don’t you think? You might as well call me by my name.”Ms. Hart looked from one woman to the other. One was tall and elegantly adorned with pieces of jewelry while the other was short, dressed in a wrinkled sweater and holding her precious puppy. The difference was clear but the resemblance was striking.“We should go in, darling, we don’t want to talk outside, do we?”Against her better judgment, Sophia nodded at Ms. Hart to let her know she was fine then went to her door, slipped her key in and opened the door. The door bejeweled woman swept past her into the apartment. Sophia reassured Ms. Hart again that all was fine before entering the apartment and coming to a stop at the sight of her mother’s turned-down mouth as she surveyed the tiny space in distaste.“So this is where you’ve been hiding? Amber, darling you can do so much better than you know?”“I am not hiding, you left and you have no right to criticize my apartment.”Her mother turned to face her.
Matt, dressed in a dark blue suit devoid of the jacket finally settled down to get some work done. He had called Ricky that morning after Sophia left to tell Cheryl he had an assignment for her later that evening. If anyone could uncover the mystery that was Sophia Blanc, it was Cheryl. Nothing escaped her sharp catlike eyes. He could ask Sophia about her life but knowing how defensive she was about everything, there was no doubt that she would guard up and raise her walls again. Besides, they were merely one a friends with benefits relationship, why should her life concern him? But it did. It bothered him in a way nothing ever did and he didn’t dare to know why. Suddenly a commotion drew him out of his thoughts. “I am sure he’s expecting me, Lawrence darling,” came a muffled voice. “Mr. Wolffe gave orders that he doesn’t want to be disturbed now,” came Lawrence’s voice. There was only one person Lawrence butted heads with and that was Cheryl. Might as well deal with her now rathe
Sophia dropped the glass on the table and went to the switch to turn on the light. He looked worse than he did in the dark. There were circles under his eyes and the hand clinging tight to his glass of whiskey was bruised on the knuckles. His eyes were downcast and glazed over.“You should leave Sophia,” he repeated in a gruff voice. “I shouldn’t have asked you to stay.”When she didn’t move he tilted his head back to look at her. Her heart fell. Matt Wolffe was a sad man and behind the wall of arrogance was a dam of emotions ready to break free. His eyes were bleak. She came round the table until she was standing before him again. His eyes followed her moves but there was no interest in them, just a grim stare.“What happened, Matt?”The look in his eyes was one of hopeless longing, his eyes begged for her to stay, to hold him but his lips remained pressed together. Right now only shreds of his pride remained and he wanted nothing more than to toss them in the wind and leap into the
Matt’s phone buzzed.He jerked out of a deep doze and glanced around momentarily confused. As his eyes adjusted to the dark he suddenly realized he had fallen asleep with his chest on the sleeping table. After Sophia left he had gone back to the kitchen, got another bottle of whiskey and drank from it until it was half empty. Now with his brain scrambled he struggled to gather his wits about him.His phone buzzed again and this time he located it in his back pocket. The bright light of the screen made sharp pangs of pain shot through his eyes to his sleepy brain. The ID blurred but he picked the call anyway.“Who is this?” he asked gruffly.“Uh, Matty Boy this is Cheryl. Ricky said you had a job for me.”What time was it? And why was she calling so late in the night? The view through the kitchen window was a black skyline with the lights of the city illuminating it like stars.His head hurt so much that he just wanted to go right back to sleep. His mouth felt dry and the alcohol on hi
“Sir?”Matt groaned wishing Lawrence would disappear from his door. He knew what he had to say. Another business meeting, another investment, her was up to his neck with those and he was ready to give up or go crazy. It’s been three days since Sophia left and he still couldn’t stop himself from calling. More than once he caught himself reaching for his phone to call her and every time he stopped himself. If she wanted him as much as he did her she would have called. Penelope had sent an apology gift for “Being too rash with the truth.” That was her twisted way of apologizing. What happened to Penelope those years his father sent him off to business school? She used to be the nicest and sweetest person he knew besides his mother now she…bitter.“Mr. Wolffe?” this time Lawrence’s voice was tentative.Deciding it was better to face whatever was awaiting him he rose from the couch and reached for his jacket. His head ached like never before, he wasn’t getting enough sleep, not even in the
“I honestly don’t understand you,” Stella remarked as she threw a plate now devoid of the meal in it inside Sophia’s sink. “You have a rich dude ready to throw some money up for ya, he went ahead of you to get your job back and he invites you over to stay the night but you leave because you feel he is holding back from you?” She spun halfway to give Sophia who was wiping the counter a crazy look. “You are out of your mind, Sophia.”“I don’t expect you to understand. He is haunted. He looks like he carries around some baggage and doesn’t know what to do with it. I just want to help him and let him know he can trust me.”“What do you care?! You both agreed on keeping feelings out of this.” She turned around and clutched the edges of the sink. Her eyes narrowed on Sophia. “You care for him a lot more than you admit.”Sophia opened her mouth to deny it but Stella continued.“I have never seen you like this. You barely come to the club anymore, you don’t call or respond to texts all you do
Friday afternoon Sophia stopped at the gates of St. Peter’s hospital. She paid the cab driver and straightened the simple long-sleeved black gown she wore before entering the building. Everything was the same as always in the busy reception. She received a few surprised greetings. Everyone knew she declined Tager’s offer to return to work. She waved back and returned greetings before making her way to the top floor where she was supposed to meet with this Liza Gianne. She had just put out her hand to open the door when it was thrown open. Stella walked out with Tager in tow. “I couldn’t have closed your job if I wanted to. I would have easily found a replacement though,” Tager was saying. He paused when he locked eyes with her. Stella grinned and slapped Sophia’s arm playfully. “Just in time, Soph.” “Blanc,” Tager murmured with a nod. She did the same. “Tager.” “I will see you around Stella,” he said and walked away. Sophia watched him wondering what caused the sudden change in