Janet

The ride home was very quiet. Normally Preston and I would chat it up, but I think he somehow knew that I needed to be alone with my thoughts. I watched rain streak down the window as Gil's word echoed in my ears. He always knew how to make me feel better but he gave me so much to think about.Questions began fill my head at the speed of light. We were almost home and I still had no idea what I was going to do.

Preston pulled into the driveway and a cab pulled in behind us. I just assumed it was Toni and lingered in the car for a moment longer even though Preston was standing there with my door open. I finally stepped out and to my surprise Dahlia had gotten of the cab instead.

She glanced at me but only for a second before returning her eyes back towards the pavement as she made her way towards the front door. Preston smiled at me, concern still lining his face.

"Thank you so much for today Preston. I can't tell you what it means to me."

"It's always a pleasure. Call if you need me, no matter how late Okay. I will come right back and get you." I could tell he was worried but I put on my best smile and turn to walk towards the house.

I slowly approached Dahlia from behind. Her perfume was intoxicating. My heart was racing. I actually felt a little dizzy. She was driving my senses crazy.

Dahlia

I could physically feel her gaze. Her warm breath brushed my shoulder and I did my best to focus. It felt like we'd stood in that moment forever until brushed past me, getting extremely close even though there was plenty of space for her to just easily walk around me with no contact at all. Going in to her purse, she grabbed her keys and unlocked the door.

As we walked into the house, I quickly realized that we were alone. Janet turned around to face me, I lowered my eyes and sat my clutch down and kneeled at her feet. I don't know who's breathing was louder, hers or mine but the air was getting thicker by the second. No matter how hard I wanted to glance up at her, I practiced self control and kept my eyes lowered.

"Stand up." She said. Her voice was stern as she spoke. I stood slowly to my feet but still avoided her eyes. "Look at me please." I shook my head. "Why?" She asked.

"The rules." I simply responded.

"The rules?" She scoffed, "Now you wanna be worried about rules Dahlia?"

My eye met hers immediately. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean."

"You know exactly what I mean. I saw you and Toni today." She said. My heart pounded out of my chest.

"Janet I'm so sor-"

"Who started it?" She asked.

"I don't want to lie to you." I said.

"Well don't. Was it you or Toni?" She asked. There so much hurt and betrayal in her eyes.

I hesitated for a moment. "I started it. But I didn't know about the agreement, until it was too late. If I would've known Janet I swear to you I wouldn't have touched her."

"She told you about our agreement?"

"Yes." I knew that I couldn't lie to her. I didn't want to lie to her. She turned away from me and I knew it was to hide her tears.

"You realize that this means the contract is void now."

She was right. It didn't matter whether I knew about the rule or not, Toni had still broken it.

"Permission to speak?" I asked.

"Dahlia, you no longer need my permission to speak. You can speak freely." She said taking a seat on the arm of loveseat. She gazed down at the couch, pushing her hair away from her face.

"I think I do, because I don't know if you want to hear what I'm about to say. I don't want to take that choice from you."

She nodded. "I understand. Now tell me, please."

Janet

Dahlia walked towards me. As she stood right in front of me I drew a shallow breath.

"Janet..." She said.

God my named rolled of her tongue with such ease. I did my best not to react, trying to keep it together as she continued.

"I have to be honest, I only agreed to this because I wanted the chance to be close you." She brushed a loose strand of hair that's i'd missed from my face bringing my eyes to meet hers. My skin burned underneath her finger tips. "I can't get you out of my head, ever since I snuck into your hotel room that very first night. The fact that I haven't had you the way I want, drives me insane Janet."

There it was again. My name. She leaned in closer to me, close enough for her lips to graze mine.

I stood up and moved away from her. "Dahlia I can't do this with you."

"Janet there is something here. I know you feel it too. You have to. Just like that day in the restaurant." She said. "Why deny ourselves this?"

"That's exactly why! Because I want you so bad. Just because we want something, doesn't make it right." We were quiet for a moment. "I think you should leave Dahlia."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to overstep my boundaries." I put my fingers to her lips.

"Please just go."

I walked her to the door, holding the contract in my hand.

"I sent Preston a text he's headed back to take you home."

She turned to face me. "Thank you... Janet can I just say-"

"Don't make this harder than it already is." She disregarded my words and stepped in closer to me and rested her forehead against mine. "Dahlia please." I said soft. "I need you to go."

"I feel you Janet. You can try to run from this as long as you want, but where you go... there you'll be." She reached for my hand, took the contract and kissed my palm. "I'll see you around beautiful."

Dahlia opened the door and Toni was standing on the other side. She took the contract and ripped it in half, gave the pieces to Toni and headed for the car. Toni watched as she walked away without saying a word.

There she was, I'd prepared myself for this moment all day and now that she was standing in front of me, all I wanted to do was cry. I wanted her to feel what I felt.

I brushed passed her, caught up to Dahlia and grabbed her by the wrist before she could get into the car.

"P.S." I said, standing close to her. "I'm not running. I just haven't exactly figured what it is I'm doing." She nodded and got into the car. I glanced at Preston. "Take her to my suite at the Hilton please and then come back for me. It will give me enough time to gather some of things and talk to Toni." I glanced back towards the house. Toni had gone into the house. "Thank you Preston." I said before heading towards the door.

Toni

Janet walked passed me like she didn't even see me. I was right behind her as she stormed into the bedroom and started to pack her things.

"Baby." I said. She ignored me and continued stuffing her into her bag.

"Ouch!" She hissed realizing she'd just broken a nail. Wiping a tear from her eyes, she turned her back to and walked into the bathroom to grab her favorite perfume. I approached her from behind. "Janet can we please at least talk about it."

"No Toni, I don't want to talk about anything with you. Just let me get my things and go." I followed her out of the restroom and to the front door, standing in front of it out of desperation with my hands up. "Please move." She said.

"Just let me try to fix this please." I begged.

She shook her head and scoffed. "You can't fix this Toni. Not this time." Throwing her bag down, she got in my face. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "You know I had the same opportunity as you. I wanted her so fucking bad I could taste it." I took a few steps back bumping into the wall behind me. She stepped in again. "But I thought about you. And how it would hurt you and it wasn't worth it to me."

"Baby I-" She cut me off immediately.

"I watched you, through the window Toni. You were so worried about us being alone together. I never once, not once thought I had to worry about you." She tried to push her way past me. "Please just let me go Toni!"

"Just let me explain."

"Why Toni? So you can tell me that you couldn't help it? Oh or that she has control over you... I am done playing these games. I completely regret that I even suggested this. I thought it would be fun and it just ruined everything. What is there to explain when it's all crystal clear?"

I couldn't say anything. The look on her face alone was enough to almost brought me to my knees. I wanted touch her, hold her and beg for her forgiveness, but the I knew now was not the time. I stepped aside and let her pass me. She opened the door and slammed it shut without even giving me a second glance. What had I done and how was I going to fix it?

I walked back towards my bedroom and laid down in the bed. I looked over at her pillow. Picking it up, I hugged it tight, smelling her hair and perfume. My tears flowed freely after that.

I didn't understand why I couldn't just say no to Dahlia anymore than she did. I risked everything I had for no reason at all. And I can't even explain why.