CHAPTER 30

MELANIE’S POV:

“All these items have been paid for,” the cashier said for the third time, with the same smile on her face, like something was amusing her. I looked down at her perfectly pinned nametag that boldly read Sally. I was confused, who would pay for my stuff? I turned to Stephen, who I highly doubted would be the culprit, because he had sent me money earlier, and even though he claimed he was paying me for accompanying him, I knew it was far from that, but there was no reason why it couldn’t be him.

“It’s not me, I swear,” Stephen put both his hands in the air. I looked him straight in the eyes; he couldn’t hold eye contact when he was lying. So, I looked at his girlfriend, asking her the question with my eyes. She was the one person who wanted to get on my good side. She had to be the one.

Emilia had the same confused look I had on my face on hers, but I wanted to hear her say the words.

“It’s not me either,” Emilia shook her head. It was neither of them, so I turned back to Sally.

“Who paid for all these things, Sally? Is it one of those potbellied men?” I asked her, pointing at a group of men in the store looking through the women’s section. Sally shook her head with a smile.

“Mr. Reeves Giovanni did.” She smiled dreamily while the excitement on my face died down. Reeves paid for my shit? Why? What was he trying to prove?

“Do me a favor darling, calculate everything and tell me how much it costs,” I forced a smile. I needed all the things I picked, so I couldn’t return them just because the man paid for them.

“Melanie…” Stephen grabbed my hands. I shook my body, so his hands fell off. I didn’t want him using that daddy voice to talk me out of anything.

“Here,” a confused Sally handed me the bill of three grand. I gave her a tight-lipped smile and let her pack the things in different bags for me. When she was done, I turned to Stephen and Emilia, thanked them for bringing me out to shop with them, and went on my way.

I got into my car, tapping repeatedly on the steering wheel as I made up my mind on what to do. I let out a deep breath as I seriously second guessed doing what I was about to do. It was the first time I had such a thought, and it scared me that the plan was coming from me. I shook my head to clear my thoughts as I started my car and drove to the bank. I took out three grand from my account and drove straight to Reeves’ company. If he wanted to insult me, then he could’ve just done so when he saw me at the store, instead of doing this. When I got to the company, I looked back at the bags of cash I had taken out of my account; just the thought of it alone was eating away at me, yelling at me to stop and think better, if this was what I wanted.

“It’s not, but it’s something I must do,” I nodded to myself and got out of my car with the heavy bags on each hand, as I struggled to carry them in. Luckily for me, though, a tall lean guy, dressed in a grey suit came to my aid and carried the bags for me. When we got to the floor Reeves’ office was situated at, I let him go. Reeves’ secretary, River, looked at me like he was expecting me, but when he looked at the bags that I held; he couldn’t hide his confusion. He helped me with the bags into Reeves’ office though.

“I don’t know what was going through your head when you did that at the store, but here’s your cash. I’ve gone out of your hair, so you should stay out of mine,” I said in one go.

The man sat on his ‘throne’ with easy eyes on me, he didn’t say anything, he just watched.

I turned to go, while thanking God that Reeves didn’t try to stop me from leaving. It was already hard enough for me to give him my money like that, but it was something I knew I had to do.

I couldn’t stay home; the place seemed strange to me, because everywhere I looked, I saw Reeves, whether he was there or not. Why did the man have to show his face like that? Staying home and soliloquizing wasn’t working out for me anymore, so I dug through the things I bought, and pulled out an emerald dress that I bought; it was short with black fish net as the sleeves, it had a beautiful open-back that was sure to make my back look ten times more attractive than it already is. I rushed in to take a quick shower, started off on my makeup, and when I finally wore the dress, the soft material on my skin added to my confidence.

I grabbed a black purse, shoving my phone, credit card and car keys into it and went on my way to a bar, a bar I was sure to get a new rich man to fund my baby girl lifestyle, and just like I had expected, though it was a work night, the Gents’ bar was packed with a lot of men, drinking and smoking to their hearts content. Yes, I belonged here, it was the only place I was sure no thoughts of Reeves would find its way into my head.

I went over the counter immediately to get a drink, or make someone get me a drink, since I was all the men were looking at. I smiled seductively and found a stool. I counted to 5 when some men rushed towards me, taking up the stools beside me, and asking what I’d like to drink and what not. I smiled seductively, enjoying all the attention I was getting. I had missed this, dressing up and letting men fawn over me, enough to give me anything I asked for.

I ordered my drink and paid for it though; ignoring all the offers I got from the men. It was a mind trick I was playing, one that would make the men think highly of me and want to have me even more because they thought I was hard to get, and they fell for it. I was really enjoying myself; I really was, until I inhaled a scent that was very familiar, too familiar, Reeves, again.

“I’ve been waiting for you darling,” Reeves whispered behind me, loud enough for the men to hear and know that I wasn’t as free as I claimed to be. I didn’t miss the hot air that pooled through my body as Reeves spoke, and if I had any hair on my skin, I was very sure that they’d be standing at attention from the contact. As if his hot air was not enough, Reeves placed a lingering kiss on my neck from behind me. What was his goal this time, to kill me? Because it was working.

The men scattered, just like how Reeves hoped they would, hell, even the bartender went missing. So, I turned to the man with a smile on my face, grabbed his hands and led him outside, away from prying eyes and ears.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I asked him. Surprised that I could see this man three times in one day, when I didn’t even ask to see him. He looked good—no, sexy. He had a tight shirt on, and a pair of black jeans that just fit.

“Melanie” he started.

“No, because I don’t think I get it anymore. What do you want from me now, huh? Can’t you see I’m working?” I asked him. Maybe I wasn’t angry that he drove those men away, I was angry that he was there in the first place.

“You don’t have to do this, Melanie. I sat there looking at all those men practically eye fucking you, as if that wasn’t enough, you entertained them,” Reeves voice was soft and sweet, like vanilla flavored ice cream. What?

“I’m sorry to burst your bubble, but I have to do this, this is how I’ve always been, and nothing’s going to change that,” I let him know. I wasn’t going to stop doing what I loved doing, what I am good at doing, just because he wanted me to stop.

“Then fucking spend my money. I have more than enough, and you know it. Just stop giving those men access to you!” Reeves yelled. That shut me up. I couldn’t say anything; more like my vocal cord didn’t know how to function anymore.

“This is hard for me, okay? I tried to convince myself that you only cared about my money and not me, ever; but I couldn’t stop thinking about the way you moaned my name in the dark, or how you smiled sweetly at me, or how you laughed whole heartedly when I tried to make you laugh. I refuse to believe that was all your plan and you never cared for me even once,” Reeves grabbed my shoulders as he talked. He released me and turned his back to me, running his fingers through his long locks.

“I just refuse to believe it; but you’re here now, and I need you to tell me yourself, was it all just a way to get to my bank account or there are times you could actually see yourself with me?” Reeves turned to me to ask. What was he doing? Why was he doing this? Why was he trying to make me lose my mind?

“What is it going to change?” I asked him, shaking my head.

“Why don’t you answer the question first?” he retorted.

“The reason I go from men to men, is because I don’t want to make myself vulnerable to stupid emotions and start feeling guilty about collecting money from the men or anything, and I’ve come so far, so far that I’ve trained myself to stay away from any man that is a potential threat to my heart that I’ve guarded for so long,” I explained.

“Baby, I’m not trying to change you at all, it’s the last thing I want to do,” Reeves held my face in his hands. The way he said ‘baby’ with teary eyes, was like kryptonite to my heart, I didn’t think it was possible, but I was melting into his soft gaze.

“If you say I’m a potential threat to your guarded heart, then I’m going to take it as you like me, but you’re in denial,” wait, what? The conversation was going too fast that I could barely make out anything that was happening, so much that Reeves had to wipe my eyes with his fingers before I realized that I was crying, and for what? I don’t know.

“You’re coming home with me, and I’m not taking no for an answer,” Reeves ordered, and then held my hand in his possessively as he led me to the parking lot where his car was packed.