Page 52 of Hard and Unprotected

Fuck me.

I stumbled back against the wall, phone pieces crunching under my thousand dollar Italian shoes. All the money in the world was mine. Endless possibility. Opportunity that others would give their right arms for. But the one thing I wanted wasn’t for sale.

13

Maggie

Two years later.

I should have locked the store up and gone home long ago now. It was dark outside and so late that walking from the bus stop with the stroller made me nervous. But the baby bunnies had just come in and I wanted my son Ryan to see them.

“They’re cuties, huh?”

Sitting on his blanket next to me on the floor, my little boy gurgled and grinned. He reached his hands towards the bunnies but I kept them just out of reach so he wouldn’t accidentally hurt them. One of the rabbits hopped into my lap, its nose wrinkling adorably.

I had to work during the day so this was precious quality time with Ryan. I don’t see him as much as I want because it’s hard to be a single parent with a full time job. There are so many responsibilities and difficult trade-offs.

But I do the best I can. And besides, day care wasn’t so bad. It wasn’t like the workers were mean or anything, but sometimes I just felt incredibly guilty leaving Ryan at that place. There were so many kids tumbling and crawling everywhere. How could my sweet boy get the attention he needed?

But unfortunately, it wasn’t a choice. I had to put food on the table. I had to put a roof over our heads. That was our fate in life. So Ryan went to day care, and I went to work at a local pet store nearby. Frankly, I was lucky to get this job because when they asked for references, I’d stumbled.

“Oh sorry,” was my mumble. “I don’t have any.”

The eagle-eyed woman looked me up and down.

“No references?” she asked sharply.

“No ma’am,” was my mumble. “Sorry about that again.”

But the woman sighed dramatically and then scribbled something.

“Well, you’re lucky we’re short on help,” she grunted. “We need someone so bad that I’m going to overlook this. Can you start tomorrow?”

Actually, I couldn’t. I was new to the town, a pregnant girl just starting to show. But I nodded, swallowing.

“Yes, ma’am. I’ll be here nine sharp tomorrow morning.”

And that was that. So here I am at Doggies R Us, working as a sales associate once more. But it’s a dead end job this time. There’s no way I can go to school while holding down a full time position and raising a child. So those dreams of being a veterinarian? On hold for now. Maybe even forever, frankly.

But it’s okay. Because the reason I’m doing this is for my baby. Ryan’s the light of my life, a little boy with dark hair and a cherubic expression. He looks just like a miniature version of his father, down to the dimple in his right cheek.

Oh god.

Evan.

I haven’t seen the billionaire in two years. What is he up to? What is he doing? Probably CEO of Lincoln Conglomerate by now, ruling it with an iron fist. I wouldn’t be surprised if Evan ousted his dad, taking one hundred percent control as soon as possible.

He’s an asshole, full stop.

Once I was no longer needed, the diamond was off the table. I got glass, not the real thing.

So why do I miss him?

Why do I miss someone who’s ruthless and cold, using me like a puppet?

But it didn’t matter. That was old history now. It was time to move on. So here I was with my son, playing with the bunnies and trying hard not to think about the past. I’m definitely not thinking about the man who spurted heavenly jizz between my thighs, making me scream with ecstasy.

I’m not thinking about the man who could make me laugh at the drop of a hat.