I was not in a party mood.
The hotel ballroom was set up with appetizers and several dry bars. People milled around, chatting and laughing. Big social events aren't my thing. They were once tolerable with drugs and alcohol, but I don't have that luxury any more.
"How long do I gotta stay?" I grumbled to Paul, swirling the ice around in my soda.
"It's a Shady Records party!" Paul sounded exasperated with me. "You're Shady! So 'til the fucking end!"
"Fine," I sighed, knowing these events were highlights for the staff.
Across the room, Royce came in laughing with someone. My mouth fell open when I saw it was Callie.
"What the fuck is she doing here?"
Paul followed my gaze and smiled. "I told Royce to invite her. She's done some great work with the foundation."
Callie wore a burgundy dress with a short flared skirt that showed off her legs when she moved. Somehow it seemed professional and sexy at the same time.
"I thought it was staff only," I grumbled, watching as she and Royce continued to joke with each other.
"And she works with the foundation," Paul studied me "Which you were in favour of. So what's the problem?"
"No problem," I said. "Just think it's fucked up to have a staff party when one of them is a traitorous rat trying to ruin me. Any progress on finding him by the way?"
"I'm working on it," Paul said. "And doesn't mean we should punish all the other employees in the meantime."
I didn't have a response to that and was spared having to answer.
"Yo, look who I brought to the party," Royce said, slinging an arm around Callie.
My mood was deteriorating by the second and seeing Royce hanging all over Callie wasn't helping.
"It's nice to see you again Callie," Paul said. "Glad you could come."
"Thanks for inviting me," she smiled.
"I assume you've met Marshall," Royce continued.
"Yup," Callie grinned while I managed a nod.
"Cool. Come on. There's a lot of people I want you to meet," Royce said, leading her away.
Over the next hour I circulated, talking to people and keeping an eye on Callie. I couldn't find a moment alone with her and it was pissing me off. When she ended up talking with Jared, I decided to interrupt.
Moving behind Callie, I slid a hand to the nape of her neck and glowered at Jared. "Hey man, mind if I have a word with Callie?" I asked. He nodded and hurried away.
"You throw a good party," Callie smiled up at me.
Turning on her, I glared. "What the hell are you doing here?"
She looked puzzled. "Royce and Paul invited me."
"Sluts don't come to work events or hang out with my friends."
"Don't. This isn't the right time to play like that," Callie frowned. Side-stepping me, she walked over to Jared and resumed their conversation.
As I watched, Callie spent the evening talking and laughing with my employees and friends. Everyone seemed to love her. It was particularly annoying the way Royce and Denaun hung off her all night.
Tired of being left out of their little group, I headed over. Callie was gesturing while saying something that had Royce and Naunie dissolving into laughter like fucking school girls.
"Ya giving out blow jobs? Is this the line?" I asked Callie, intruding on their cozy threesome. Royce and Denaun both turned to me, mouths open.
"Excuse me. I'm going to grab another drink," Callie said, walking away.
"What the hell was that?" Denaun asked.
"Nothing. She's just another ho," I said.
"Look, I know you're having a tough time with Nat. But don't take it out on Callie. She's anything but a ho," Royce said. "And an employee."
"That wasn't cool," Denaun agreed. "Ya better go apologize to her man."
"Whatever," I shrugged, then followed in the direction Callie had gone. She wasn't at the bar. I found her down a hall, near the washrooms.
"Looking for a quickie?" I asked, sliding an arm around her waist. She shoved me away and turned, shaking with anger.
"How dare you!" she hissed.
"What?" I asked, confused.
"It's one thing to pretend in private. Hot when you treat me like a slut during sex," she said, her voice low and furious. "But it doesn't go farther than the bedroom. It's not who I am in real life."
I laughed. "Who's pretending?"
She stared at me. "Are you serious? You really think I'm a slut?"
"You spread your legs for me quick enough. What else am I supposed to think?"
Callie shook her head. "Don't ever speak to me in public like that again."
She started to walk away as my own anger flared. I caught her arm and jerked her back.
"You don't tell me what to do bitch," I growled.
Callie moved forward, getting in my face. "You're the one who 'needs' this, remember? Right now, I'd be happy never seeing you again. So if you want this to continue, you will never disrespect me in public."
My hand tightened on her arm as we stood inches apart, glaring at each other.
"I'll say and do what I want. And if you deny me, I'll fucking destroy you," I snarled.
"You do and you'll never fucking see me again."
"Think you're special?" I smirked. "Plenty of sluts out there begging for this dick."
Callie yanked her arm away from me and stalked down the hallway. I stood staring after her, trying to keep my temper under control.
The rest of the night Callie avoided me, while being friendly towards everyone else. With Natalie's betrayal still so fresh, I couldn't stop the suspicions that began swirling in my mind.
"Okay Marshall, you can take off. Thanks for sticking it out this long," Paul said, clapping me on the shoulder.
"Yeah, no problem," I said, glancing over to where Callie stood talking to Jared again.
Paul ambled off to say good night to people as I wondered what to do now. Did I hang around until Callie left? Insist she leave with me now? What if she'd already made arrangements to go home with someone else? My jaw clenched at that last thought.
What did I care? Callie would do what all sluts do – fuck whoever gave them the time of day. I got my stuff from coat check and left.
On the drive home I turned up the music, trying to blast thoughts from my mind. But I couldn't stop thinking about Callie being with my friends. She'd worked with Royce for months. Maybe they'd started sleeping together? As far as I knew he was no longer stepping out on his wife, but who knows? Or maybe she'd invite Denaun back to her place? She'd fucked me after two minutes, while they'd spent hours talking and laughing tonight. Or maybe she was fucking both Royce and Naunie?
Gripping the steering wheel, I took the next exit. Parking outside Callie's house, I waited. I knew I shouldn't be here. The smart thing to do was head home. But I had to know.
My heart sank when I saw Denaun's car pull up. While I watched, Callie got out, waved and headed inside. Alone. Had she already fucked him? A quickie right after the party?
Before I realized it, I was out of my SUV and crossing the street. I banged on the door and waited. Callie opened it, then looked surprised to see me. Who the fuck was she expecting?
Pushing inside, I turned to face her. "How many of my friends are you fucking? Royce? Porter? Who else?"
Her mouth fell open.
"I need to know," I said. "How many?"
"Get out," Callie said, opening the door again.
I slammed it shut and pinned her against it, getting right in her face. "How. Many."
"I'm not a whore!" Callie screamed, shoving me away.
"Right. Ya jumped on my dick quick enough," I shouted.
"And you've made me regret that ever since," she yelled.
"How many guys are you fucking?" I shouted again.
All the fight seemed to drain out of Callie. She stared at me, seeming almost sad.
"The only person I've had sex with in the last three years is you," she said finally, then walked into the front room and sat on the couch.
No. That couldn't be true. The bitch was lying.
I followed and sat beside her. "How? Why?" I asked, trying to make sense of this.
"I got out of a bad relationship, didn't feel like dating," she shrugged. "I worked longer hours at the firm and ... time just went by."
"And then?"
"And then you stormed out of a motel room," she smiled. "I'd moved to Detroit to start at a new firm and was staying there while I looked for a place."
"So you thought let's fuck Eminem," I said bitterly.
"It had nothing to do with you being Eminem," she sighed.
"What then?"
"I doubt you'd understand," she said, shaking her head.
"Try me," I said, wanting to know.
"All my life I've been the good girl. Excellent grades, impressive job, respectable boyfriends, boring sex," Callie said as a small smile played on her lips. "Then one day an incredibly sexy man had me by the throat demanding to fuck. I hadn't had sex in years and my panties were soaked I was so turned on. I wanted to have sex with you, so I did."
I licked my lips as her words replayed in my mind - only me. She'd hopped into bed with a man she didn't know like a slut. But since then, she'd only been with me. She was my slut. I reached for her.
"Are you serious?" Callie said as she slapped my hand away. "You disrespected me in public, accused me of sleeping with your friends and now you wanna fuck? Get out."
She stood and crossed her arms over her chest.
"We have an arrangement! You know what happens if you deny me," I threatened, standing to face her.
"Fine. Destroy me. According to you, I'm just a slut and there's plenty more sluts out there. Go find one of them. Set up a new arrangement," Callie said.
"No," I shook my head. "I want this one."
"Why?" she demanded.
I opened my mouth to answer but couldn't think of a response. Fucking bitch. I didn't need this. I had enough problems. Turning, I stomped out.
