It's almost two a.m. here 😂 which means my time to post. Point out my errors if you guys encounter any.

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(Eros' POV)

          "Set up a meeting with Lorenzo and Rome tomorrow morning in my office before the wedding," Ms. Estle barks at me again. "And also get me in touch with Alissa Castillo's manager. That girl was supposed to be here today."

          Other than work related tasks, she hasn't spared me a glance after she summoned Lola and Jack to her office yesterday to presumably talk about their relationship which ended up with Lola leaving in tears and Jack following her out like a puppy. Considering they're both at work today, I guess no one got fired. But I've been her punching bag ever since I got out of my bed this morning. Orders after orders flooded me all day and I'm about ready to doze off, but that'll happen as soon as I get home in a couple minutes if the traffic has mercy on us.

"Okay," I respond as we continue striding down the long hallway when the elevator opens to reveal a familiar man.

"Damien Rowry." Ms. Estle acknowledges the man as Jack and I stand behind her. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

          "You know exactly what," he fumes and steps forward before Jack blocks the raging man with his stature.

"Jackson," she taps his arm, urging him to step aside. "Let's have a chat in my office, shall we?"

          She leads the way with us all hot on her tail. After everyone enters the office, Jack shuts the door and I stand back next to him while Damien and the boss lady take a seat on the couch.

          "What do you want, Rowry?" Ms. Estle sighs, crossing her left leg over her other one. Reluctant to speaking, he turns his gaze to us in question. "They won't breathe a word, so go on."

"I know you sent my wife those pictures," he rages through his teeth, his hands balling up into fists immediately.

"What pictures are you talking about?" She leans back into her seat, the fake innocence in her voice quite evident along with the smug smirk on her luscious lips. "I'm completely clueless."

A menacing laugh leaves his mouth. "You act innocent, but you're not. You're a fucking bitch."

"Tell me something I don't know," she returns his disgust with a wide smile, flipping her hair back. I chuckle at her immaturity that I'm absolutely adoring right now. Jack on the other hand tightens his arms across his chest.

"I don't get how you became one of the biggest names in the fashion and magazine industry in just three years." His gray eyes narrow as a scoff surpasses his lips. "How many men did you fuck to get here?"

I don't know how she can chuckle at that degrading assumption when I just want to punch his face in for disrespecting her, but Jackson holds me back.

"How many men do you think I slept with?" She arches her brow. "Ten? Twenty? Or maybe I slept with a couple hundred."

"You're a real slut, aren't you?" Damien sneers while Ms. Estle smiles wider.

"You need to watch your mouth," I spit through my gritted teeth and glare at him. "I'll break your fucking jaw." The nerve this motherfucker has is quite baffling.

          "Oh," the imbecile laughs, looking at her. "Your boy toy is getting mad. I bet you fucked him too." He glances at me for a second before turning back to her. "When am I going to get a chance to smash?"

          "Sorry, I don't mess with little dicks," she shrugs, causing Damien to knit his brows in anger before he leaps forward.

          I jump forward to grab him, but Jack rushes and swiftly pulls out a gun, pinning it to the back of Damien's head. "Move another muscle and I'll lodge a bullet in your motherfucking head," Jack seethes in anger.

          Damien's hands rise in surrender as he settles back fearfully while Ms. Estle mounts from her seat to walk to her desk. She opens her laptop and rummages through it for a couple minutes before smiling to herself and bringing the device with her back to the couch.

          Turning the screen towards him, she motions to the picture displayed. "Are you talking about this picture?" She asks, hitting the button to the next one. "Or this one? Or the other millions that I have?" She spits, slamming the laptop shut and placing it on the table in front of them.

          Jack steps back and tucks the gun in his holster while Ms. Estle violently grabs Damien's hair, yanking his head back. "Only your wife got the pictures of your illicit affairs. Imagine how much of a blast New York Times will have with them," she smirks mockingly, clutching his jaw with her other hand. "You can't even begin to imagine the pictures I have of you." He winces under her intimidating stature and painful hold. "Something along the lines of your wife's niece and you."

          His gray eyes widen in dread. "I d-don't know what you're talking about," his voice muffles against her tight grasp.

"Let me brush up your memory then," she laughs devilishly. "You raping your wife's sixteen year old niece named Mallory. Does that ring a bell?"

Releasing his jaw, she leaves the man to fret while running the tip of her nail down his face. "You thought you could threaten me in my damn office and I'll let you slide?" She scoffs, stroking the rings of his trachea before her nails dive into the thin flesh around them. "That girl is fourteen years younger than you, you disgusting bastard. And considering she hasn't spoken a word regarding it, you threatened her, didn't you?"

          Something churns in my stomach as I watch the disgusting man whimper. A part of me wants Ms. Estle to end him right there. No, not a part. My entire body yearns to see him dead.

          "Did you enjoy raping her? Not once, not twice, but on multiple occasions." Her nails dig deeper, emitting gurgling noises from his mouth. His eyes bulge out of his sockets that are attached to his crimson face. But for some reason, he doesn't struggle against her hold which is surprising.

"Ms. Estle, I think that's enough," Jack warns, but she shuns his voice by doing just the opposite. "You're going to kill him."

"Did you like hearing her cries? Did you bloody enjoy sticking your dick in her?" Her voice bellows as she begins choking him with both her hands tightening around his throat.

          My heart races watching her kill that man slowly. I know she wouldn't mind taking a swing at anyone, but killing? The worst part is that I want to join her and end the man myself... Jesus! What the hell is going on?

          "Athena, let him go," Jack commands firmly, stepping forward, but keeping a safe distance. Damien's eyes begin drooping from the constricting hold. "Athena!" Jack lurches forward and pulls her off him.

          "Let me go!" She screams, struggling in his arms as he drags her away to a corner in attempts to calm her down. "I'm going to kill him."

          "You can't kill him," he retorts, still holding her struggling body tightly. "Athena, listen to me. Killing him in the heat of the moment won't solve anything. You have aces under your sleeve to ruin him."

          She wrestles in the imprisonment of his arms for a while, her eyes shoving daggers into Damien's chest who coughs violently, scuffling to regain the lost oxygen. "Leave me and throw him out right now."

"Better," Jack breathes and lets her go before fixing his suit. He grabs Damien by his collar and hauls his ass out the door. I shut it behind them before turning my gaze to the woman whose hands shake viciously as her chest heaves in rage.

          "You okay?" She ignores my question and immediately rushes to her desk, pulling on each drawer, rummaging for God knows what. "Are you okay?" I ask again, walking towards her trembling body.

          Pulling out a small orange medicine bottle, she fumbles with the white cap unable to get it off. Sweat beads start forming on her forehead as her breathing gets shallower. "Let me help you with that," I offer and step forward, but she trudges back against the wall, vigorously tussling with the bottle.

          All of a sudden, her beautiful eyes stress up with fogs of salty tears that I can't bear to look at. "Jesus!" I snatch the bottle from her and pop it open to give her a pill from it.

          After she shoves the medicine down her throat, she chugs on water, most of it escaping down her chin. I frown at her sudden state as she slams the glass down and throws her heels off frustratedly. Before I can get closer and offer my assistance, she saunters over to the glass wall and stares out at the hustling city below. Her entire frame quakes under the scrutinizing dim lights of the city that never sleeps and the sun that sets in the far west.

Stopping right behind her, I whisper against her hair, my hands itching to hold the hurting woman. "Are you okay?"

"Please hold me," she cries and falls, but before she could crumble and break, I grab her quickly and sink to the floor with her.

Her body shudders against mine. Pulling her between my legs, my hand rakes through her caramel hair softly. "You're okay, peaches," I mumble next to her ear, her chest still heaving. "Just breathe for me, baby. You're okay."

          Tears tumble down her cheeks when I turn her around to face me. Her lips quiver as her distressed orbs painfully gaze into mine. "Men like him..." An agonized cry from her throat halts her sentence. Frowning further, my thumbs brush away the tears that shouldn't be on her beautiful face, the tears that have no business to cause her such sorrow.

          "I know, peaches." I caress her cheeks lightly and force her eyes back to mine. "He can't hurt you. No one can. I won't let them."

          A sob rips through her mouth as her head helplessly falls into my chest. "Just hold me," she begs, her voice hardly above a whisper. "Please."

          Even if she didn't ask, I would have done it anyway. It's crazy and completely amusing how willing I am to hold her forever because my heart can't bear to see this strong woman in such pain. I don't why, but I just... can't.

Lifting her body in my arms, I situate us on the couch. Her arms wrap around my torso as her head nuzzles further into my neck, soaking my suit in streams of tears. After a few minutes of absolute silence and warmth passing through us, her ragged breathing goes back to normal and her body stops shuddering.

"Thank you," she mutters against my chest before pulling away and looking up at me with those reddened hazel eyes of hers and a meek smile on those beautiful lips that she softly presses against mine whilst stroking my jaw lovingly. "I really appreciate this."

Pulling her further into me, I peck her lips and brush our noses together. "You can trust me to always be here to hold you."

She smiles, laying her head against my lips. "What is up with peaches anyways?"

Chuckling, I smooch her head. "It's my nickname for you because you smell so good. If you smelled like tuna, I'd have to call you a bad pussy."

"Jesus!" She punches my chest and laughs, that sound so melodic and soothing to my ears. I'm grateful that I could get it out of her. Now I just have to maintain that and make sure that laugh never ceases. "Idiot!"

***

I brush my hair to the side with my fingers and stare at my morning appearance in the mirror. After we got home from work last night, Ms. Estle immediately went into her room and shut herself in. I let her be and didn't bother her. She needed time and I gave her that, so here I am brushing my teeth nonchalantly. The only thing I have to do today is go to Ruiz's wedding.

          Splashing my face with water, I wake myself up. Tossing and turning, thinking about her all night didn't get me much sleep. Her cries. Her reddened eyes. All too tormenting. The smugness in her along with her bossiness is what I absolutely adore. And the fact that she trusted me yesterday and asked me to hold her really swelled my heart with... I don't even know. But it feels incredible to know that I can make her smile and feel a bit better with whatever she's dealing with.

          I stretch and stumble out of my room, following the mouthwatering aroma of coffee and pancakes. Mandy sure does work magic in the kitchen. "Morning, sweetheart!" I greet the old woman with a soft peck on her cheek on the way to my cup of coffee.

          "Yo, don't kiss my homegirl, bitch!" Rome chides at me and I can't help but laugh.

          Taking a swig of my fresh coffee, I turn around and face him as he shoves another fork full of pancake into his already stuffed mouth. "You have a meeting with the boss, and you're still sitting in your diaper, dick!"

          "Language you two!" Mandy scolds like a mother, throwing a glare at me and silently asking me to take a seat. "This isn't the trucker's lounge."

"Whatever you want," I wink, forcing a chuckle out of her.

My eyes shoot over to the hallway my room is located in to watch Ms. Estle saunter out with her phone stuck to her ear. Her hair is combed in a high ponytail and her cheeks flushed from the workout she just did in the gym. A tracksuit jacket covers her upper body while tight leggings covers her long legs and voluptuous ass that just makes you drool. But her eyes are full of weary and unwanted stress as she trudges over to the other hallway towards her room with the burden of the world slouching her strong shoulders.

"She's gone now. You can stop drooling," Mandy taps my shoulder and chuckles to herself. "Roman, put your dishes in the sink and go get ready. Athena won't like it if you're late."

          Rome looks at me, a smirk plastered on his face. "She's more motherly than mom had ever been," his mouth quirks further up as he turns back to her. "Momth, where have thou beenth?"

          "Momth shall place a slapth on your faceth if thou shall every speakth like that again," I laugh walking over to his side of the island and slap the back of his head. "Go get ready now."

          "Diggy Azalea, go to my room," he orders the pup who listens like a good boy and wobbles into the hallway. What the fuck? He slowly rises from his seat when I sit down next to him. Before I know it, he smacks my face and bolts towards his room. "Fucking puta!"

"Can we talk?" Mandy places a plate of hot pancakes on the island while taking a seat opposite me, stopping me from pursuing that little shit.

"Don't break up with me," I pout like a child, burying my laugh deep. "I won't ever look at another woman. I promise."

"May lord bless you with some maturity," she snickers, shaking her head.

"Oh, I'm very mature if you know what I mean," I wink, slicing into my pancake.

"Be serious."

"Okay," I laugh and stuff a chunk of the morning deliciousness into my mouth.

She sighs and begins. "Did Athena eat yesterday?"

          "I don't know. Why?"

          "And her dinner is still in the fridge like the day before." She lets out a deep breath through her nostrils and shuts her eyes momentarily. "So she hasn't eaten in two days. That happens when she's stressed." I lay down my knife and fork, and stop eating. "And that happens a lot."

          "What can I do to help?"

          "I honestly don't know," she swallows. "She has gone days without eating before and I don't think she realizes it. She's energizes herself on excessive coffee and goes on with her day. She'd brush me off sometimes when I'd confront her about it, so I'd call Jackson to help her. They are friends, you see."

          "I figured," I smile. It was quite obvious after how he calmed her down yesterday in her office and how he called her by her name. But the only thing I don't understand is why he calls her Ms. Estle when others are around and keeps up the act of a good bodyguard. Another one of the mysteries.

          "He tries to talk to her, but she shuts him out too, so he turns to the last resort and calls in the big guys."

          "Big guys?"

          "Yeah," she smiles. "They're like brothers to her and they're the only men she ever listens to."

"And they are?" I query.

"I'm not at liberty to say, but they are very powerful men and also the only ones she completely trusts." She hums, her eyes drifting into a distance. "There are times when I get here in the morning and find her soaked in sweat and crying in her sleep. I've found her like that more than I can count. I don't know the reasoning behind it, but I do know that she has had a rough past."

I frown, pulling my lips into a thin line. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because I believe she likes you and you can help her," she flashes her perfect teeth and continues. "I've seen the way she looks at you sometimes and the way you look at her is very... Anything I say won't describe it." We both laugh as I shake my head at her comment. "You challenge her a lot and seeing that you're sitting here in one piece tells me that she more than likes you."

"I'm just too likable," I shrug, chuckling.

She glances over to Ms. Estle's hallway before looking back at me. "She's like a daughter to me. I know she doesn't open up easily," she swallows once again, staring into her fidgeting hands. "If you plan to pursue her, then I suggest you be patient with her, she needs time. Be gentle because I know she's been hurt before. And also always tell her the truth. She's wary of lies."

"I know," I smile meekly and brush over her hands. "I don't plan on hurting her, Mandy. Trust me."

"I'm so sorry," Jordania interrupts and stops dead in her tracks. "I-I..."

"You're very late, Jordania," Mandy rises from her seat and goes over to the young maid who blushes when I smirk at her. "Give it to me. I'll take Athena's wrath for you."

"Allow me." I saunter over to them and take the beautiful outfit that neatly hangs from the hanger.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Mandy warns, warily. "But if you wish to die then by all means."

"I won't die so soon. We still have to make sweet love."

Jordania starts coughing violently, forcing me to laugh out loud. "Oh lord!" Mandy nudges my chest hard. "Go hang it in her closet and walk out quickly. Go on now."

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Yay or nay?

This chapter went over 5000 words and in order to not make it too long, I separated it into two chapters. I'll post the other one when I wake up in the morning, so hang on.

What do you guys think will happen in the closet?

Much love ❤
~Reet