Chapter 9 9

I rattled the knob once, twice. Nothing. This damn crazy doors they build these days.

The damn door wouldn't budge. Locked from the inside.

"Get out of my house!!" Rose's panicked voice pierced through, and my body reacted before my brain did. One solid kick and the wood splintered open.

The crash made both of them whip their heads toward me.

"When a woman tells you no, you fucking leave," I growled, stalking toward him like a predator closing in. "But instead, you crawl into her house like the coward you are."

He squared his shoulders as if puffing his chest would scare me. Cute.

"What's it to you?" he snapped, trying for boldness.

"You're harassing my staff," I said, voice low and deadly, "and that makes it my business."

His eyes narrowed. "Do you stick your nose in all your employees' problems?" "What the fuck are you even doing in your staff's house?"

"If their problem is a man like you, yeah," I shot back. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect them."

He turned to Rose with a mocking sneer. "So this is it? You've been spreading your legs for him?"

My jaw tightened.

Dangerous ground.

"I should've known," he spat, venom dripping. "Trading up to play whore tell me, sweetheart, does he fuck you better than I do?"

Rose's voice wavered, but she stood firm. "Get out, Derick, or I swear I'll call the police."

"So you two can screw in peace?" His voice rose, cracking with bitterness. "I thought you were innocent turns out you were just waiting for the perfect opportunity to fuck a rich bastar..."

I didn't let him finish. My fist connected with his face mid word, snapping his head back.

"I told you..." another punch "...not to..." another "...call her..." and one last for good measure "...a whore."

By the time I was done, he was gasping, half dazed. Rose's horrified voice broke through. "Mr. Ricci, it's okay...just... just get him out."

Grabbing his collar, I dragged the bastard across the floor and shoved him out onto the porch like the trash he was. I would've slammed the door, but well... I'd already murdered it.

When I turned back, Rose was curled on the couch, face buried in her hands.

"We need to move," she groaned. "He knows everything about this place. That pisses me off."

"We?" I arched a brow.

"I live with my best friend."

Right on cue, a voice rang out. "What the hell happened here?" A girl rushed in, eyes wide.

"Rose, are you okay?" she asked, running straight to her.

"Derick," Rose whispered, her voice breaking as she collapsed into her friend's arms.

I froze at the sight of her shaking like that, a pang tearing through me. I wanted to rip him apart all over again just for making her cry.

"I don't get it...I don't know what went wrong," she choked, clinging to her friend. "I loved him, but he didn't want me. Now he's back, and I can't... I don't want a psychopath like that in my life."

I turned away, jaw clenched, and called a carpenter. No way was I leaving her with a broken door. Fifteen minutes later, it was fixed impressive considering I'd probably drag him out of bed at midnight.

When I finally came back in, Rose was lying on the couch, looking drained. I crouched beside her, catching her eye.

"Hey."

She forced a smile... small, crooked, but it hit me like a sucker punch. "Thanks... though you didn't exactly have to go full action hero on my door."

I chuckled. "You're welcome. But I did warn you I have dramatic tendencies."

Her lips twitched at that. "It's late. You should get going." She walked me to the door, and before I could say anything, she leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against my cheek.

"Good night," she whispered, then shut the door.

Rose's POV

It was a good thing Mr. Ricci was here. God knows what Derick might've done otherwise. But shame curdled in my stomach.

The audacity of Derick to be following me around after he said I'm uptight then straight up cheated on me

How had I ever called that man my boyfriend? How had I cried when he left me? How had I even considered sleeping on the same bed with him after being intimate together?

What a fool I'd been.

Tears burned as I thought of the man who used to hold my hand, make love to me tenderly, my once safe space and my heartthrob and now crept through shadows like a monster.

"Rose." Cara's voice was soft, motherly, like always. I scrubbed at my face, too late. She'd seen. Of course she'd seen.

"Rose, you're letting him win again. He dumped you, not the other way around. He doesn't deserve a second of your pain." She hugged me tight, her arms like armor around me.

"I'll be fine," I whispered. "But... What if I'm the reason? What if I did something to make him..."

"Shhh Don't you dare." Cara pulled back, eyes blazing. "This isn't on you. It never was. Don't even think about blaming yourself."

Despite the tears, a laugh bubbled up at her fierce expression. Like she'd slap me herself if I dared try to take any blame.

" Let's have ice cream together, that makes everything better"

The next morning, I woke up lighter. Maybe not whole, but steadier. I dressed in my black pencil skirt and blue button up, heels clicking on the floor as I rushed through breakfast which was bacon, eggs and coffee.

Amazing.

By the time I arrived at the office, I was already rehearsing excuses in case Mr. Ricci was in one of his infamous moods. I knocked on his door, no answer. Strange. He'd always say something about coming in even if he didn't want to.

I pushed it open-

Time froze.

Just kidding, actually I froze and everything I was holding slipped from my hands.