LOGINHe cleared his throat, and the room fell silent again. “After careful consideration,” he began, his voice steady and clear, “I’ve decided to make some changes in our leadership structure. Elizabeth Anderson is no longer with us as Head of Design. Her role will be filled immediately by someone who has proven herself through hard work, talent, and dedication in just a short period of time.”My heart skipped. I stared at the floor, afraid to look up. Was this really happening? Was it what my head was interpreting? “Maya Delaney,” Williams continued, his eyes finding mine across the room, “is our new Head of Design.”Gasps and murmurs rippled through the team. I stood frozen, my lips parted but no words came, my breath caught in my throat. Head of Design? Me? The words felt too big, too sudden. I had barely been here a few weeks, yet here I was, stepping into a position Elizabeth had fought so hard to keep.I had only wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t as useless as Gabriel made m
I walked briskly, bag suspended from my hand, heels clicking sharply against concrete as I headed for the lobby entrance, completely unaware of anything around me, my mind was heavy.The week after the UrbanAxis trip hadn’t been any easier, the UrbanAxis project had given Banks Holdings a new facelift. The week had been filled with new clients checking in, new files moving in and out of my desk. Tedious, that’s the word. So much that I had rescheduled my doctor’s appointment for today. Even when I left my desk this morning, I wasn’t expecting much; maybe just a high dose of vitamins, and a new lecture on how to manage stress.That’s basically what I expected to hear! Stress this, stress that. Not a whole new life sprouting within me.A life was growing inside me while I was enjoying the Sex-athon with Williams. Gosh! Maya! I called out to myself. What have you gotten yourself into? I walked still.There’s Mom at home, waiting to be cared for. Her dietary supplements, her medications
I sat before the doctor, my mouth tight, hands shaking so badly the paper in them fluttered like a trapped bird. I batted my eyelids rapidly, trying to clear the blur. My mouth fell open, but no sound came out. The doctor’s words kept echoing in my head, congratulating me like it was the best news in the world. I couldn’t say a single word. I couldn’t believe what the blood test result was screaming at me in black and white.The doctor leaned forward slightly, her voice gentle. “Ms. Delaney? Is everything alright?”I moved the paper away from my face, forcing a weak smile as I met her eyes. “No… No, Doctor,” I said softly but firmly. “I think this might not be correct. I know what I feel, and it’s definitely not pregnancy. I had my flow just the previous week, as a matter of fact.”She nodded slowly, relaxing back into her seat. “I understand how shocking this must be right now, Ms. Delaney.” She rocked her chair a little. “But trust me when I say we have the most competent staff he
The evening light filtered through the large windows of the hotel lounge, casting long shadows across the polished wooden floors. I had walked out of my room and down into the lounge, clasping my notepad tightly against my chest.I sat alone at a quiet corner table, nursing a cup of herbal tea, maybe it would do something good to my tongue and make it feel lively again. The TerraNova trip had been exhausting but productive. My designs came to life, and for the first time in a long while, I felt like I was building something that truly belonged to me. Footsteps approached. I didn’t need to look up to know who it was. The fragrance already announced who it was even before the thudding sounds of the footsteps.Evelyn stopped a few feet away, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. She looked smaller than usual… shoulders slightly hunched, eyes tired but determined. She waited until I finally lifted my gaze.“Maya,” she said softly, “can I sit?”I stared at her for a long moment, lif
The morning light filtered softly through the curtains, painting the room in warm gold. I tossed slowly on the bed… Williams’s bed. For the past few days since the rainy night, we had taken turns sleeping over at each other’s rooms. Shamelessly having our marathon of sex.. It was safe to say that being miles away from the chaos that stared us in the face in Manhattan was another sexual pull on its own.My body was heavy and satisfied in a way I hadn’t felt in years. Williams’ arm was draped across my waist, his chest pressed warm and solid against my back. His breath brushed the back of my neck, slow and steady. For a moment, I let myself stay there, wrapped in his scent and the memory of his hands on my skin, his voice whispering my name in the dark all night long.I turned in his arms, pulling my eyes open. Williams was already awake, propped up on one elbow, watching me. His head rested on his hand, elbow digging into the soft sheets. A small whimper escaped me as I became aware
With one easy pull, he tore out the shorts from me and flung it to only God-knows-where, my thighs lay bare, twitching from the cold breeze emanating from the door. Then he turned back to face me, pulling off the sweatshirt, like he was unraveling a delicate, sweet treasure. My sweatshirt and blouse came out at once, forming a heap on the floor. His eyes moved, from the red lacy bra tight around my full breasts, his eyes dimmed the moment they set on the darkened, poking nipples. “I love them dark and throbbing, Maya,” he grunted, planting a kiss on my lips over again, two fingers placed around a nipple, then he gave it a tight, sweet squeeze.“ugh-gh,” I cried, taking in the sweet pain I could not get enough of. For a moment, I let my mind forget every worry, everything the media had to say. My hands moved, fast as they pulled the lace around the waistband of his shorts. Williams threw his head back, like every move of my hand was magical, tiny goosebumps formed on his skin where
I stood by the poolside, watching the calm blue water sway a little, though my gaze was fixed on it, my mind wandered farther. I watched the ugly sight of already-clogging blood on my knuckle and sighed deeply. I knew the pain throbbing behind the skin was painful, but could that be compared to th
It was just the AC, breaking the heavy silence that sat between us. Eyes darting like spears, Beth Anderson sat at the center, her red lips pressed together in that manner that made her look like she would pounce on me at any moment. And Jeff? That boy-shaped inconvenience. If only he would sit hi
I watched her. She moved, heels clicking softly as she approached me. I gulped harder, getting my insides ready for whatever poison she was dishing out next. The gap between us now was small, just a foot apart. Her heavy cologne filled my nostrils, rumbling my stomach, I hated the smell. I twitche
There was something different about this morning. I turned slowly on my bed, facing the ceiling, and searched inside my chest for the familiar heavy knot that had lived there for weeks. It was gone, melted away like wax left too long in the sun. A small smile crept across my face before I could st







