Chapter 16

Theodore’s P.O.V

If there is anything that I’ve ever regretted, besides rushing to get married to a woman I didn’t quite know well, it is the fact that I kissed Maya.

And the worst part about it is I enjoyed it way too much.

Maya tasted so heavenly and so intoxicating that I had to battle the beast inside of me in order to refrain from taking her on that kitchen counter. It shocked me, to say the least, and even now as I sat down at my office desk going over my mail, I couldn’t seem to get the feel of her lips on mine out of my bloody mind.

I really shouldn’t have delved into something that has threatened my sanity like this. I had unwittingly allowed her to get under my skin and crawl her way into my crooked life, of which there really was no room for her in my mundane and generic lifestyle. I am what other people would say a ‘commitment-phobe’. I just wasn’t physically capable of it.

First of all, Maya is my employee and I’m her boss. We have no business get involved with each other, especially not when she will be leaving soon. I never planned for her to stay in my house for too long, maybe a couple of weeks but due to my selfishness and ulterior motives, I had long since prolonged it because her presence had become quite addictive. Goodness knows I’d tried to fight this and keep my raging hormones at bay but alas, I had failed to overcome them. And in so doing, I had blindly opened a Pandora’s box.

What the hell was I going to do now? I had all but risen early and gotten out of the house before the crack of dawn in order to avoid her. I couldn’t see her after our late night make-out session. It’s funny how any other day I would have pushed for more but I was just at an all-time low, the lowest I’d been in a while.

If it had been up to me, I wouldn’t have allowed Dana to have visitation rights. She had blatantly disregarded her motherhood and totally forgotten about our children so in my eyes, she didn’t deserve to see them at all. As an ultimate punishment, I’d hired the most ruthless lawyer I could find and had taken full custody of Brianna and Aiden, leaving her with virtually nothing.

Talking to Maya had brought be a sense of calm that I hadn’t had in quite a while. I’m sure she had pain of her own that she was dealing with which is why her words were so soothing. But like the jerk I am, I just had to give into temptation and kiss her. But she didn’t try to stop me and I know she enjoyed it just as much as I did.

I ran my hand over my face in frustration and clicked my mailbox shut. How am I going to get any work done if I’m this discombobulated? The universe must have been playing some sort of mean trick on me because just then, a notification of Yolanda wanting to face-time me popped up and I groaned audibly. If I ignored it, she’d just keep on dialling until I picked up so I just better get it over and done with.

I accepted the call and her gorgeous caked up face game into view. “Babe, how are you doing?” she chirped in her usual bubbly tone but immediately frowned when she noticed my poker face. “What’s wrong Theo? Don’t tell me it has something to do with Maya,” she accused. I hate the way that she knows me so well and catches on so quickly.

“What makes you say that?” I replied nonchalantly, trying desperately to mask the annoyance in my voice.

She rolled her eyes before flipping her hair over her bare shoulder. By the looks of it, I doubt she was even dressed. I kept my eyes solely fixed on her face and not anywhere else. She had done this before, calling me whilst she was naked but I had ended the call abruptly. I still had self-respect and a level of decency, thank you very much.

“Your mother and I chat every other day. She told me about your crush on Maya and whatever little moment you two had the other day. I’m always well informed about your moves, darling,” she trailed off in a sing song voice. “And before you ask, I am dressed. I am wearing a sleeveless low-cut dress so don’t worry too much,” she aired saucily and I laughed sarcastically.

I held the bridge of my nose. “Why do you bother to ask when you already know? And by the way, I don’t appreciate you keeping tabs on me. You are not my girlfriend,” I sliced thickly and she smiled icily at me.

“I’m very aware of that painful fact but I’ve made it clear that you and I are made for each other Theo. And whatever you think you feel for this little nobody clutz is just an illusion. Why don’t you just stop being so difficult and let me love you the way that I want to,” she whined in despondency, her eyes actually brimming with tears.

I sighed out loud. Here we go again. I think I ought to avoid these types of situations. Or maybe I should just cut her from my life altogether. But in spite of her shortcomings, Yolanda had been good to me. She had been there for me in some of my darkest moments and because of that, I was indebted to her somehow. She was somebody I knew I could confide in with some deep stuff and at times, her advice was quite helpful.

“Yolanda, what exists between us is purely platonic. I have told you numerous times that we aren’t compatible. I can’t give you want you want, and you and I both know this. Anyways, I’ve got to go. I have a meeting in a few. Enjoy the rest of your day or night, depending on which nation you’re in right now,” I told her sincerely and then ended the video chat.

I expected that conversation to at least make me feel a little better but it only made me feel worse. I’d been leading Yolanda on for a while now and now I’m doing the same to Maya. I cannot let this happen; and I don’t think I’ll ever move on from Dana’s betrayal.

I better do something now or else I’ll end up hurting both me and Maya.

Maya’s P.O.V

Have you ever experienced cloud nine? If not, then you just haven’t lived.

I felt like I was floating when Mr. Duke kissed me. He did so slowly, gently and passionately…my mind was blown. I mean, I’d kissed a fair share of men in my life but none of them could hold a candle to what he could do with those soft, pillowy lips. I knew from the moment I’d laid eyes on them that they would be amazing at lip work and boy, was I right!

It went on for some time before we both pulled apart and needed some air. I was so nervous and giddy that I couldn’t maintain eye contact after it. But then things had gotten slightly awkward afterward so we just said good night to each other and went our separate ways. As soon as I got into my room, I squealed in delight and did a happy dance all around the room. Then I had picked up my phone to inform Lexi all about it; but unfortunately, she didn’t quite share my sentiment.

“He may be an amazing kisser but you do realise that nothing can happen between you two, right? He’s a player and I bet he’ll move on to his next conquest in no time,” she had told me ominously and I has brushed off her negativity.

I went to bed with a huge grin on my face and woke up after a night of amazing dreams about a happy ever after with Mr. Duke. But when I left my room and waited for him to come downstairs so I could serve him his breakfast, I was deflated when Meredith informed me, he had already left for work before the sun had risen. I felt an unfamiliar pang in my chest. Was he now avoiding me?

Meredith had tsked at my sullen expression. “Why the long face? Did you think that he’d wait for you to rise from your slumber and greet you with a flirtatious smile?” she snorted arrogantly and I narrowed my eyes at her. Her remark was totally unwarranted. “You’re dancing with the devil Knight, be careful,” she warned before making her disappearing act.

I decided to ward off any bad vibes and went about the day with the twins. The seemed to be in a good mood after seeing their mother and wouldn’t stop talking about how much fun they had had together. For the first time, we actually were getting along and even played a couple of board games together. And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m starting to like them just an insy winsy bit.

Ms Duke was preoccupied with her book club that stopped by every Monday and so she didn’t breathe down my neck. By the time evening came rolling around, my anticipation to see Mr. Duke was skyrocketing that even Matt and Ann were curious as to why I seemed so supercharged. I ignored them of course and ate my supper in peace, before helping the twins to bed.

I was seated in the kitchen when the front door creaked open and I heard footstep. I launched off of the stool and padded quickly over to the foyer, only to stop dead in my tracks when I came face to face with a site that had ice running through my veins.

It was indeed Mr. Duke but he wasn’t alone; an auburn-haired woman had her arms draped across his neck and they were kissing. Wildly, vividly and both were oblivious to their surroundings. It felt like somebody had thrown a bucket of cold water all over me and like a damn simpleton, I just stood there and watched him drag her all the way up the stairwell to his room.

Big, fat tears erupted from my eyelids and I cupped my mouth in anguish. The air had been drawn from my lungs and I was finding it hard to breathe. How could I have been so foolish as to believe that there was an ounce of a possibility that he felt something for me? I ran off to my bedroom and banged the door behind me before sinking to the floor.

Lexi had been right, Mr. Duke is a just a player and he had played me hard.

_________________________

Hey pips. How y'all doing? Was the week good? Looking forward to the weekend?

How was the chapter?

Poor Maya, she got her hopes up for nothing...and Theo is quite a jerk don't you think?

Watch out for some bit of drama and revenge in the coming chapters 😁

Vote, comment and share! Excuse any typos...

Til Monday!

~Deetronite ♥️