Wanting Ella ✔ (Blaq Hearts 1)

34. Salt On Open Wound

The worse part of it all was that she still had to go to work.

She could stay home, but then that would be admitting to Kaiden that he had hurt her or she was being unprofessional now that she had seen him naked.

So keeping the hurt away, she took a warm shower washing away every trace of Kaiden and what they had done last night off her skin. She washed off his kisses, his dirty words, off her skin with her shampoo and when she didn't feel like it was all completely gone, she decided to do a body scrub, she needed it.

She must have spent twenty minutes in the shower, and when she came out from the steam covered bathroom, her skin was feeling properly assaulted. She picked out an outfit absentmindedly, not caring that green was definitely not her color and it didn't go with the brown pants she'd chosen. It didn't matter, she wasn't trying to look sexy, she was being professional.

She looked at the mirror to observe herself as she packed her hair up but the sight that met her made her gasp. On her neck scattered perfectly, looking fresh and pink; hickeys. Kaiden had given her hickeys.

She groaned, maybe she hadn't scrubbed hard enough. With a sigh, she took off her towel and hopped in the shower again, making the water hotter, determined to really erase all traces of Kaiden from her skin, even if she had to bathe five times, she would.
...

The hickeys were there to stay, she realized that after she showered the third time. She was being stupid, they weren't stains that could wash off. So she went for the most sensible option: concealer.

A few dabs over the red splotches and her skin looked normal again.
She dressed quickly, brewed a cup of coffee and ran out of the apartment. It was thirty minutes past nine, meaning she was late. She didn't care, the least Kaiden could do was let her off this time.

"Ms. Hart."

She jumped letting out a small shocked squeal before turning around to find John standing right where she had left him, in front of the SUV.
Her eyes wide, she stared at him. His calm expression, hands folded in front of him, he reached for her purse. He didn't look like he had moved an inch since she left.

Slack jawed she could only watch as he took her purse and placed it in the backseat of the SUV.

She blinked. "Have you been waiting here, John?"

John nodded. "Yes ma'am."

She frowned. "Why?"

"Mr. Blaq asked me to," he opened the door again, patiently waiting for her to step in. "He said I should assist you with anything you may need."

"What about him? Won't he need you?"

John shook his head. "He's meeting a friend today, so he won't be making it to work. He insisted you take the day off."

She didn't know why but anger suddenly clogged in her throat. He insisted.

Well, she insisted not to. "That's fine, John but I have something to do in the office, so I'd like to head in."

John looked like he was going to protest but stopped and smiled gently. "Of course."

She got into the car her anger only growing by the second.
Did he think he affected her that much that she would need an entire day off to feel sorry for herself.

Well, she would prove him wrong. She would walk into that office with her head held high and she would do her job. That was the professional thing to do.
...

Kaiden hadn't shown up to work true to John's words and the office seemed... empty.

The development and engineering team had spent the whole day working and when it was time for lunch, Naz had come in to ask her if she wanted something. She had declined with a smile and the quiet man had smiled softly at her, then asked if she was okay.