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Chapter 2- Piece of Me.


Alex walked into the office, he was fifteen minutes later than usual and he sighed, placing his cup down at his desk before shrugging off his coat and checking the messages that his secretary, Emily, had taken down for him.

There were five messages in total. One from his mother reminding him of their weekly Saturday night dinner, one from the bank informing him a recent withdrawal he had made, two were work related and the fifth was from Taylor.

“Alex.” He sighed as he slung his jacket onto the coat stand and took a seat at his desk, turning on his computer. “Alex?”

“Yes Em?” He asked as Emily poked her head through the door with a weary smile, indicating something was up.

“Good you’re back. Sorry to bother you,” she answered and cast her eyes to the phone, “But you have a call. Line One. It’s Taylor.”

“Thank you Em,” Alex smiled at her and she nodded in sympathy before disappearing behind the door and shutting it quietly behind her. Alex shook his head, and reached for his drink, taking a large sip before picking up the phone and bracing himself.

“Taylor.” His voice was monotone, he saw no reason to sound happy to hear from her, because frankly he wasn’t.

“Alex,” her voice drawled in his ears. Her rich southern accent, which she only used around him, came into play. “How have you been?”

“What do you want Taylor?’ he asked, getting straight to the point, he didn’t want to have small talk with her. He didn’t need it.

“I really missed you last night,” she replied with a sigh, “Where’d you go? One minute you were there and the next you weren’t.”

“I had work the next day,” he told her, and tapped in his password on the computer, “Besides you didn’t look as if you wanted me there.”

“Of course I wanted you there!” She said, he couldn’t tell if she was just saying this to make him feel better or not but it had happened too many times before. “Just like I want you here now.”

“Taylor,” he sighed and sat back up, rubbing his forehead, “I’m working. You know I can’t leave work.”

“Well then what about tonight then?” she asked, she was obviously pleading with him. He sighed and thought about it for a moment.

“I don’t know Taylor…” he began but she cut him off, berating him.

“Please?” she begged, and Taylor never begged. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, “I’ll make it worth your while. How about I cook you dinner?”

“Fine,” Alex said giving in, because it was rare that Taylor would ever cook for anyone, especially him and he hadn’t had a good meal in days. “I’ll be there right after work.”

“Great!” she practically squealed into his ear and hung up before they could make any more plans. Alex sighed and replaced the phone, rubbing the back of his neck and turning his attention to the computer screen.

He didn’t know why he kept doing this, going back to her after she really didn’t give him the respect he deserved. Every time it happened he would go back and it would end up the same way, they’d be fighting and he’d threaten to leave. Then she’d do this, woo him back with promises of food. But really there wasn’t any food involved, usually there was just sex. And he knew it.

“Alex?” Alex glanced up from the screen and saw his friend poking his head through the door. “Can I come in?”

“Hey D,” he replied and nodded, motioning for his friend to come in. “How’s it going?”

“Don’t you mean how did the meeting go?” Howie asked, there was a bit of a twinkle in his eye as he said this and stepped into the office.

“Shit the meeting,” Alex muttered, shaking his head remembering the meeting he had forgotten. “I totally forgot.”

“That’s ok,” Howie smiled and sat down opposite Alex, “Just don’t let it happen again.”

“I won’t,” Alex promised and reached for his drink, “How did it go anyways, if it did go that is.”

Howie shrugged and leaned back in his chair, “It went. We got the contract.”

“We did?” Alex’s eyes went wide, they had been waiting on this contract for months now, he was surprised they even got it with all the competition out there. “How in hell did we do that?”

“Well, Percy’s not as shitty as everyone thinks,” Howie smiled even more and ran a hand through his short curly hair, “He managed to pull a presentation together at the last minute when you didn’t show. Managed to scrape us the deal, but they really want to see your work, so you got a presentation with them early next week.”

“Ok, just leave the info with Emily and I’ll make sure I’m prepared ok?” Alex asked and Howie nodded, mentally taking down what Alex had just said before leaning forward.

“You better be,” Howie stated and smiled at his friend, “What’s up with you anyways? Lately you’ve been off. Everything ok with you and Taylor?” Alex groaned at the mention of her name and shook his head, Howie knew him all too well.

“Not really,” he grumbled and placed the cup back down, “She wants me to come over tonight.” Howie laughed and shook his head at his friend.

“And let me guess you said yes?” Howie asked and when Alex refused to respond, just sink his head into his hands, Howie laughed harder, “Dude she has you by the balls. Why don’t you just say no?”

“Because,” Alex began and really thought about it. Howie had a point, why didn’t he just say no? “Because I need… I mean I haven’t been with a woman in a long time and well Taylor is… Taylor is…”

“Taylor is a woman,” Howie finished for him and shook his head standing up, “Dude, she may be a woman but she’s also a bitch. Jesus Alex, do yourself a favor ok? Next time she asks you over tell her one word. NO. It not that hard, come on now say it with me…”

Alex laughed as his friend flapped his hands around trying to get him to repeat the word no and shook his head, “You’re crazy.”

“I’m not crazy,” Howie grinned and headed for the door. He reached it and turned to Alex, “Taylor’s crazy. I’ll see you at lunch ok?”

“Ok,” Alex nodded and smiled as Howie nodded back and headed out the door, closing the door behind him. His friend had a point, Taylor was crazy.


As soon as he left, and she was sure of it, Britney turned back around and handed the next customer their drink before letting out a long breath and wiping her hands on her apron.

“Thank God,” she muttered to herself, she wasn’t sure if she could hold her composure around him for much longer; he seemed to know a lot more about her than she did.

“What happened?” Emmy’s voice wiped through her ear, causing her to turn her head sharply and face her friend.

“Nothing,” Britney lied, she had been doing it a lot lately and had it perfected so much so that a lot of people couldn’t tell she was lying. But Emmy was a different case.

“Yeah right,” Emmy whispered back and poured out the last drink, “I know you too well to know you’re lying.” Britney sighed and shook her head, taking the drink from Emmy’s grasp and placing it on the bar.

“One London fog!” she called and turned her attention back to her friend, “Fine Zeke wants to reschedule the wedding. One London fog!”

“What?” Emmy asked, she had stopped what she was doing and placed her hands on her hips, looking at Britney. “What do you mean he wants to reschedule?”

“He said something came up at work that he couldn’t change,” Britney shrugged and leaned forward to grab the order slip from Emmy’s fingers.

“Something came up?” Emmy repeated and shook her head in disbelief finally getting out of her shocked state, “Does he not realize how much work it’s going to be to reschedule?”

“I’m sure he does he’s just…” Britney began, wondering why she was defending him and began making the order.

“It’s just that he’s an obnoxious prick who doesn’t think about anyone but himself,” Emmy concluded with a huff, she had never really gotten along with Zeke and Britney had never known why.

“He’s not that bad,” Britney answered, faking a small laugh.

“Oh no he is,” Emmy argued her point and looked at Britney, “He keeps on doing this Brit. Making you do everything just to keep this relationship afloat. Tell me again why you’re marrying him?”

“Because, even though you may not like him, he’s a good guy,” Britney replied and ran a hand through her hair, before pulling it into a ponytail and concentrating on the drink she was making, “He’s promised to take care of me.”

“Yeah with his money,” Emmy snorted and shook her head again. “But that’s not all that matters Brit.”

“I know it isn’t,” Britney began and cast a glance at Emmy, “But come on Emmy I’m twenty six years old I can’t wait my whole life for…”

“For love?” Emmy interrupted and reached under the counter for more milk and handing it to Britney, “Yes you can Brit. You should. I mean look at me ok? I’m twenty eight and unmarried. But do you see me in a hurry to get married? No, because I’m not about to jump on the marriage band wagon for some guy who flashes money in my face with promises of taking care of me. We can take care of ourselves we’re not babies; we need people who love us not people who take care of us. There’s a difference.”

“Maybe for you there is,” Britney argued and poured the drink into a foam cup before lifting it up, “But for me it’s not. Zeke cares for me and he loves me too, he just has a hard time showing it. One large chai latté with skimmed milk!”

Emmy rolled her eyes and allowed Britney to place the drink on the bar before responding.

“Of course he does,” Emmy replied sarcastically
and pulled over another cup to begin the next order. Britney rolled her eyes and Emmy sighed, “Alright, I’ll stop. So you want me to help?”

“Would you?” Britney asked hopefully and Emmy nodded, “I would really appreciate it.”

“Sure,” Emmy shrugged and reached over to get the milk, “Just tell me who I need to call.”


Alex knew the moment he entered Taylor’s home that there was no going back. He also knew she wasn’t planning on making him dinner either. It was an instinct he had managed to pick up, for the past three years it had steadily grown into something more like a talent.

“Taylor?” he called, and heard his voice echo through the house as he slipped off his shoes and jacket. There was no response. “Taylor? I’m here. Look, sorry I’m late there was just…” His voice trailed off as he entered the kitchen, his eyes widening at the sight before him.

“Alex,” Taylor drawled with her thick Southern accent from the table where she sat in a short, black, silk robe. She sat on the edge of the table, her gazelle like legs elegantly crossed over one another, showing too much skin, and her jet black hair swept up into a messy bun.

“Wow.” Was all he could manage to reply, and forced his feet forward, cursing himself mentally as he did so. He knew his reaction was wrong, he was letting her get the best of him again, but somehow his body had a mind of his own. “You look… you look good.”

She smirked and slowly slid off the table, as she did so allowing her robe to rise a bit further up her legs so you could see exactly what was underneath, and walked towards him, her black heels clinking on the hard wood floor.

“So do you,” she replied, and as she reached him her arms fell loosely around his neck.

Alex found himself smiling and for a moment closed his eyes as their bodies touched, causing all sense of reason to fly out the window as he took in the sweet scent of her pomegranate perfume. He found his arms entangling themselves around her and pulling her even closer as her lips brushed his earlobe. Alex found himself groaning when she traced the tattoo at the nape his neck with her fingertips, which she knew was a soft spot for him, and his knees began to get weak. Her lips finally made their way to his and her right leg raised itself ever so lightly so that it was just hooked around his waist.

His lips pressed themselves harder onto hers; causing her to moan eagerly and he felt her finger nails digging into his neck. He winced in pain, and pulled apart looking at her.

“Sorry,” she murmured with a smile and went in for another kiss which he eagerly accepted.

The whole time, at the back of his mind, as they moved closer and closer to the bedroom removing all remnants of clothing, Alex knew what he was doing was wrong. It was wrong for him and he knew he should stop it now before things got out of control, but as her skin touched his all those rational thoughts were no longer in control of his mind.


The first thing Britney saw when she returned home that evening was the dress. The prefect black dress laying on the kitchen table, still in the small silver box it was wrapped into. The next thing she saw was Zeke, dressed in a dark blue suit, his blonde hair brushed back like it usually was, standing next to it.

“Brit baby,” he smiled at her as she entered the kitchen and placed her bag down on the table next to the silver box.

“Zeke,” she replied looking at the box and running her fingertips over the bow that held it together. “What’s this?”

“A present,” he answered, and reached behind him for two glasses of wine, handing her one. “Are you not going to ask me how my day went?”

She sighed and took the glass from him reluctantly, “Are you going to ask me about mine?”

“Fine,” he sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his wine before continuing, “How was your day?”

“Well after that stunt you pulled…” she began placing her glass down but he cut her off, placing down his own glass and stepping in front of her.

“I got a promotion today!” he stated, clearly uninterested about what she had to say and bursting at the seams with excitement over something he had seen coming a few months ago.

“You did?” she asked and looked up at him, “That’s great Zeke but we still need…”

“I was going to tell you at dinner tonight but I just couldn’t wait!” he exclaimed and wrapped her in his arms and kissed her on the lips. “Aren’t you excited?” He had noticed her unexcitement as she pulled away from him slowly.

“Of course I’m excited for you Zeke but we really need to talk…” she tried again but he managed to cut her off.

“Brit baby,” he grinned and grabbed both her hands, “Do you know what this means? It means we can move the wedding to winter just like we planned!”

“To winter?” she asked and looked at him as if he’d grown a second head. Was he crazy? “Winter is the coldest time of year here Zeke. People are not going to want to come down for winter.”

“Oh they’ll come baby,” Zeke replied, sounding way too confident for his own good, “They’ll come because they love us.”

“No,” she shook her head and glared at him, “No they won’t Zeke. My parents don’t have the money to change their tickets just because you think it’s a good idea to get married when it’s freezing. I won’t allow them to do that.”

“Fine then they don’t come to the wedding,” he shrugged as if it were no big deal and took a step back from her. She glared at him in shock at the suggestion. “What?”

“They have to come!” she protested and shook her head, “Zeke they’re the only family I’ve got.”

“I know that baby,” Zeke stated and rolled his eyes, but she doubted he really did. “But sometimes you have to make sacrifices in life.”

“Having my parents not being at my wedding is not a sacrifice Zeke,” she snapped, stamping her foot on the floor. “It’s just you doing what you have to, to get your way, as usual.”

“What do you mean my way?” he asked and glanced at her with a snobbish look “I’m doing this for you.”

“For me?” she asked, her voice was rising now. She had never really been so angry with him. “This is not for me. This is for you. If it were for me you would know how much having my parents there means to me, which is why we chose a summer wedding in the first place.”

“Alright,” he sighed in defeat, clearly getting bored with the conversation and wanting her to be happy with him again. He reached over and grabbed the silver box that had been lying on the table the whole time and handed it to her. “We won’t change the date. Now go get ready or we’ll be late.”

He smiled at her, a dazzling smile and she just looked at him in shock, wondering how he could so easily forget the subject at the drop of a hat.

“Fine,” she sighed, giving up and taking the box from him, picking up her bag as she did so. “I’ll be ready in half an hour.”