His Stand In (16 page)

*****

Egypt woke with a start. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness. She stretched. Something pressed against her leg. The outline of a body formed.

“
What the hell are you doing here?” She gave Christian the hardest shove she could muster and pushed him away from her.

He caught himself before falling all the way off the couch.

“
You didn’t come home so I was worried. Tasha finally told me you were here. Let’s just say her information didn’t come cheap.”

“
Hump. You were worried. You weren’t too worried when you were screwing that bitch in New York.” She sat upright on the couch. She’d deal with Tasha for being a snitch later.

“
We’ve been through this. I thought we were okay.” He reached out to her leg, and she moved it away.

“
Through this? Are you insane? How are we okay if you’re going out of town and spending time with another woman…your ex!” This man had lost his mind if he thought this was okay.

“
Dammit, Egypt. I’m not messing around on you. You have to believe me.” His green gaze darkened in sadness.

“
Believe you or the pictures? The proof was all on the web. We are headed for divorce.” She stood and put distance in between them.

“
You don’t know what you’re saying. I love you and will never do anything to hurt you. That wasn’t a photo of me. Don’t you find it strange that it was with only a blurry portion of my so called face showing?” The dim light from the cable box cast a low glow on him. His green eyes simmered. Her heart told her to believe him, but her brain said she’d be a fool.

“
So you’re trying to get me to believe she had someone pretend to be you?”

He shrugged. “I wouldn’t put anything by her. Natasha is territorial. You have something she wants, which is why she came to the office and has left me these ridiculous messages.” He pulled out his phone and thrust it at her. “Just listen.”

The speaker phone clicked on and a woman’s voice blared. “Christian, I don’t understand why you’re doing this to me, to us. What does this woman have that I don’t?” Next message. “Christian I’m not going to give up.” Next message. “You’ll regret dumping me…”

He turned the phone off. “You have to believe me. I love you.” He held out his arms for her to come to him.

“
I used to believe that. Please go. I need time to think.” The messages made her head swim. She’d jumped to conclusions, or did she? Maybe he paid someone to leave those. Her heart told her that she was reaching.

He slowly rose off the couch. “I’ll give you some space, but I didn’t do anything and you will not ever say you’ll divorce me again.”

His lips grazed her check. She resisted the urge to pull him closer, annoyed her body wanted to react to him. Christian was a liar and a cheater. He left Egypt standing there and stormed out the front door.

She collapsed on the couch in tears and finished off a fitful night of rest. Morning came, and she groaned as Tasha messed around in her kitchen. Her apartment was so tiny Egypt could hear and see almost everything she did.

A fresh pot of coffee finally drew her from the couch.

“
What are you going to do?” She handed her a cup.

“
I’m going to go home and wash my ass and then go to work. Too many woman let their lives stop because of a man. I won’t be one of them.”

Tasha rolled her eyes. “I mean about your husband. You guys need to talk.”

“
We did. I don’t believe him.”

“
He’s the love of your life.” Tasha said with a grin.

“
So?” She dumped two scoops of sugar in her mug and stirred. “Since when do you believe in love?”

“
Since he gave up five thousand dollars without batting an eye just to find out where you were. No man does that unless he loves you or you’re a witness to a crime. I don’t take him for the committing a crime type.”

“
Thank you Bootleg Doctor Phil. No one said I didn’t love him.” She stared into the brown hot substance before taking a sip. It tasted nothing like the coffee her housekeeper made.

“
Then act like it and find out the truth first. If you don’t believe him, I don’t know. Talk to the Natasha woman or something?” Tasha pulled on her suit jacket in preparation for her day as a paralegal. If Egypt wasn’t so upset she’d congratulate her on the small changes she’d made with her life—outside of just adding five stacks to her bank account.

Egypt narrowed her eyes at Tasha. “As if she’d tell the truth or worse, what if she told me way more than I wanted to hear.” She gasped at the notion and her mind raced towards darkness. What if Christian had Natasha the same way he’d had her? Did he lick her inner thighs until she begged for mercy? What if she’d allowed him to do something they’d never done—anal? He’d never asked for it but still. What if she were a woman who begged for it? What if he liked it?

Tasha snapped a finger. “Egypt? Okay, let’s say he did cheat. Are you just going to let some hussy come and take your husband?”

She hadn’t thought of it that way. Was she willing to give up everything and let another woman step in and take over her life? Natasha radiated in the essence of gold digging. Hell no that woman would not get her husband. Not without a fight.

Egypt finished her coffee, and headed out. Her body reeked of liquor. She required a shower and good tooth brushing well before stepping in the office.

The garage door creaked open, and she held her breath. She let it out when she realized his truck didn’t sit on the right side. In all her boldness about putting up a fight, she still hadn’t prepared herself for facing him just yet. Christian would not get off easy. Hell could freeze over, and she still wouldn’t let him have sex with her again.

Now that the gig was up, she doubted he’d continue to sneak around with her. From now on, he was on a short leash and had lots of making up to do.

She went inside the house and warmed up the shower while giving herself the once over in the mirror. Her brown skin and brown eyes had many of men giving her the second glance. She kept her body in shape, which was a plus. Christian better pray she never had the urge to step out on him. She’d have no problem pulling an attractive man.

Egypt shook the thought from her mind. She didn’t want another man. Christian had her heart. He just needed to put in work in order to keep it that way.

The water warmed her skin as she stepped in. It beat away her woes. She scrubbed away the funk and stepped out. Her assistant hadn’t called yet, but she would. Any time she came late, it normally was on her calendar. Today she didn’t have a reason.

Egypt dressed and made the short commute to her office. Arriving after ten made the drive all the more bearable due to the lessened traffic.

“
Morning, Lisa.” Not in the mood for idle chit chatter, she continued to her desk.

“
Mrs. Bradley.”

“
We’ll talk later,” she said over her shoulder.

“
There something…”

She ignored her and opened the door to her office. Piercing hazel eyes gazed up at her. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Natasha stood and walked toward her with a smile plastered to her face. “Egypt. Hi. I decided to come in early for my appointment.”

This was her office. How dare she? Egypt maintained her composure, not wanting her to see she’d gotten the best of her. “How did you get on my schedule you two bit man stealing whore?”

“
Excuse me?” Her eyes widened. The appearance gave off the oh-no-she-didn’t look. Well, you man-stealing heifer, yes, she did. “You’re the one who did the stealing. Christian was mine first.”

“
And you left him. He’s my husband and not yours.”

“
I didn’t come here for this.” The woman’s boldness slipped away. “I came to tell you I give up and you no longer have to worry about me.”

“
Oh honey I’m not worried.”

Natasha cocked her head to the side in doubt.

“
From now on, if you dare come close to Christian, I will carve those light bright eyes right out your pretty little skull.”

“
I already said you don’t have to worry. But, I can see you’re clearly upset.” She picked up her purse and stood.

Egypt’s frame blocked the doorway. “Upset? Hardly. I’m mad as hell. Christian is my husband whom I built a life with. I will not let him go for the likes of you.”

“
I’m not going to take much more of your insults. If you’ll excuse me.” She brushed by Egypt and covered the distance from her office to the front door in no time.

Egypt closed her door and slumped down in one of her oversized chairs, burying her face in her hands. Her body shook. She willed herself to calm down before she truly lost it. Where did those words come from? She came off like a sadistic lunatic. No matter. Egypt saw it in her eyes. She knew better than to cross her again.

Not for one second did Egypt buy her coming to say she wouldn’t pursue Christian any more. After all the trouble she went through. No, the woman only wanted her to drop her guard. Well, she found out first hand it wasn’t happening.

A slight tapping sounded at her door.

“
Yes.”

Lisa poked her head in. “Are you okay? That woman ran out of here as if she’s seen a ghost.”

“
Everything’s fine.”

The sideways glance she gave said she didn’t believe Egypt. “Okay.” She backed out the office.

She counted down from ten and got to work. Hours passed, and she buried herself in work. Christian called several times, and she ignored him. If they spoke, she’d break down and she needed to concentrate. The only thing she was worried about was is if he decided to come over to her office. Thankfully, he didn’t and gave her space like he promised.

Six o’clock came around, and she finally called it a day. Lisa had ventured off an hour earlier. Egypt logged off the computer and went to play in traffic. The ride home would help clear her mind, or at least lesson her thoughts on committing murder.

*****

Christian paced the room. He’d just hung up the phone with Natasha and as promised, due to his threat of pressing stalking charges and having the man she paid to be him expose her to the world, she talked to Egypt. What he didn’t expect was for Egypt to threaten the woman as well.

Carving out the woman’s eyes. Wow. Christian couldn’t imagine her small hands doing anything more than driving his body insane with her touch. Her words did prove his point though. She loved him and he loved her. In a few hours he’d know if they’d be able to weather the storm. No matter what he wasn’t going anywhere but the rest was up to her.

Chapter Nineteen

Fridays in Atlanta were hectic. At six thirty-five, she’d barely moved four miles. She’d had enough of the celebrity gossip and turned off her radio. Who cares what Kanye and Kim K. were up to? She had her own drama.

How in the world could she pretend everything would be okay between Christian and her? Two months of marriage had boiled down to this. Her marriage didn’t fare any better than anyone else’s. He was a good man and she knew it. But cheating. The tears fell again.

She dabbed her eyes. In all her effort to put on the most expensive and complimenting outfit she owned, it couldn’t hide her pain.

The phone rang, interrupting her pity party.

“
Yes, Tasha.”

“
Where are you?”

“
In traffic. Where else?” It came out more curt than it should have. To her credit, she was stressed out and darn near sitting in a parking lot on I85 didn’t help.

“
You need to get to the downtown hotel ASAP!”

“
What’s going on?” She didn’t feel like playing the guessing game.

“
Christian and that Natasha chick are here. I’m sitting outside and saw it with my own two eyes.”

All the air in her car sucked out. Egypt couldn’t breathe. Her fingers fumbled across the panel in desperation until the window rolled down. “What?”