Chapter 38

Mia smiled nervously, her lips twitching. The false image she crafted beside Gabriel was falling apart without her permission. Her façade cracking like the dry earth in a desert. She wanted to stretch her mouth to rid herself of that tight sensation. She’d rather be anywhere but here, in fact she’d been innately sour for the entire evening. She’d rejected Harvey earlier today, giving him a stupid excuse while she was here with Gabriel, keeping up appearances.
There was not an iota of doubt in her mind that she would rather spend the time with Harvey. She hadn’t seen him since their first official date and while the pressure of her secrets were nagging at her, she wanted to enjoy him.

Mia inhaled deeply and nodded non-committedly to one of Gabriel’s associates. All the men at the table were the same. No matter what they said, they expected the women to agree. Mia roamed the room; lots of people were starting to file in.
She didn’t know what possessed her to look again, but this time she saw a familiar face staring back at her.

“Don’t tell me that’s the girl you’ve been seeing.” Ethan’s voice was steady but his senses were on high alert. Harvey’s fists were clenched at his sides and his jaw was slammed shut.

“Harvey?” Ethan repeated his name to draw Harvey out of his thoughts. The last thing they needed was a brawl in front of so many people.

“Is she his mistress too?” The words dripped out of Harvey’s mouth like acid, his tongue feeling loose and detached.

“Who’s Evans?” Ethan placed a sturdy hand on Harvey’s shoulder. He needed to have a grip on him just in case. He’d honestly never seen her before.

“Evans…” Harvey repeated the name in his head ten times and laughed. It was if a light switch flipped on. “Fuck me!” he muttered under his breath the server coming to meet them blushing at the profanity. “Give us a few minutes.” Ethan said to her and she scurried off.

“Talk to me, Harvey.” Ethan prompted him.

“She’s his wife.” He said almost to himself. The words his sister saying not two nights ago echoing in his head. He’d put his head on a block for her, how stupid! Ethan looked back at the table. He’d heard of Gabriel’s wife and he had nothing but pity for her, but this was the first time he was laying eyes on her.

“Mia fucking Evans.” Harvey said again, his eyes drawing her attention to him.

“They have a child together don’t they?” Ethan said more to himself. The situation boggling his mind. What were the odds?

“I am going over there.” Harvey’s blood was boiling. He took two steps forward, Ethan’s grip on him tightening. “That’s not a good idea.”
Harvey was fuming but he heeded his friend’s words. All he saw was smoke, his eyes never leaving her until their eyes made four. He couldn’t leave here without talking to her and any other day would be too late. Her face had gone paler than the moon. He pulled out his cell phone and shot her a message.

*Meet me in the back, now.* The message read. Mia’s heart thundered, the sound infiltrating her ears to the point that all other sounds drowned out. She rolled back on her chair and stood instantly, the pace of her movement and the screeching of the chair against the wooden finish drawing all eyes to her. “What are you doing, dear?” Gabriel grabbed her arm and she gazed down at him. His eyes glaring at her.

“Please excuse me,” she paused, glancing over to the space she’d just seen Harvey. It was empty. “I need to use the ladies’ room.” She said to the table. He leaned down and whispered in Gabriel’s ear. “I think my period came. I may have to run to a store to get pads.” She made up a lie.

“Hurry back.” He responded and she disappeared towards the back. She thanked the heavens that the same place Harvey wanted to meet was also the same area the washrooms were located.
She strolled down the empty corridor, looking for any sign of Harvey. She felt an iron grip encasing her arm and dragging her forward. She blinked, a scream stuck in her throat and subsiding as she recognised the back of her attacker’s head. It was Harvey. He didn’t say a word to her but she also didn’t know where he was carrying her. There was a door at the end of the corridor, he pushed it open to reveal a flight of stairs.

“Where are you taking me?” She finally found her voice. She could tell he was angry, his grip on her didn’t loosen a bit, her circulation was cutting off. He thought she was at home grading papers, it was obvious he was upset.

“I am the only one who has the right to ask questions.” He growled. The bass in his voice echoing as they ascended the stairs onto another dimly lit corridor, each side housing multiple doors with numbers attached to them. Clarity striking her; there was a hotel on top of the restaurant.
He stopped in front of a door, pushed the key in and shoved the door open. Mia jumped at the sound, not getting enough time to react as he pushed her into the room and closed the door behind them.
He stared at her in silence. His eyes roaming every inch of her body. A room never felt so small before. “I can explain.” She said softly.

“You had countless opportunities to explain, Mrs. Evans.” He was stone cold, taking a turn about the room. “ And yet you seemed to forget to mention that you were married.” She turned around to face him, the stunned expression on her face making him angrier. She’d played him for a fool.

“I was planning to tell you.” She took a step towards him. He put a hand up to stop her.

“When?” He shouted and she fell silent. Harvey inhaled, his voice coming out softer but the threat in them were clear, “ When I introduced you to my family?” he gazed at her, her eyes wide but she said nothing.

“Huh?” he prompted her, walking closer. “When I introduced you to my friends?” She was silent still. “Huh?” he prompted again. He was in front of her now, inches apart.

“Answer me, Mia.” His breath scalded her face and he gave her a slight shake about the shoulders.

“I didn’t tell you because I thought we were just having sex, no commitments.” She responded.

“And when we decided to be exclusive, wasn’t that a good time to mention you had a whole husband and child?” his voice was deathly low and this scared Mia more than him shouting.

“I was planning to tell you when we met again.” She defended.

“Liar, Liar.” Harvey sang in her head. How was he to believe anything she said? She was married to Gabriel Evans for fucks sake. That man was the worst of the worst, he could only imagine what sort of women would want a man like that.

“Excuse me?” Mia’s temper was being drawn out now. She had no bad intentions towards Harvey and he was making it seem as if she’d purposely lied to him.

“Did you get bored in your socialite life that you thought, hmm, making fucking another man would be a nice past time?” He goaded her and she scoffed, pushing him away and walking around the room. They were circling each other now, two predators ready for a fight.

“Me?” Mia laughed. “I told you we knew nothing about each other and yet you insisted on being exclusive.” She’d thrown at him.

“I can’t fucking read your mind, Mia!” He yelled. “How was I supposed to know marriages and children formed part of that omission?”

“I just wanted casual, Harvey.” She lowered her voice. “I was fine accepting that was all I could have with you and you fucking complicated it.” She dropped onto the bed and rubbed her hands over her face.

“No, Mia.” He shook his head. “You complicated it when you kept that information from me.” He paused.

“You brought me into a love triangle, for fuck’s sake” He walked closer to her, kneeling down in front of her and locking into her eyes. “How is this fair to me, Mia?” he questioned but she stood and walked away. She couldn’t look at him.

“I wanted to see you with the possibility of having a future with you and now I learn I never had a chance!” he was on his feet again.

“I can’t do this now, Harvey.” She gazed at him.

“What do you mean?” he raked his fingers through his hair.

“I have to get back, I’ve been gone for too long.” She said, her eyes begging him.
Harvey scoffed, a small laugh jumping out of his chest. “You are leaving, right now?”

“I have no choice, Gabriel—” She began, wanting to remind him that a table of people saw her left.

“Do not say his name.” Harvey interrupted her. He had no idea that a man’s name would have ever irritated him this much.

“I have to go.” She said again.

“I need a conclusion before you leave, Mia” He was firm, challenging her. “You accused me of having multiple partners and here you are fucking me and that twat of a man.” His head never hurt so much.

“I am not having sex with Gabriel. We have no such relationship.” She yelled at him.

“Fucking lies over and over.” Harvey spun in a circle. Mia clenched her jaw. “You wanted a conclusion, Harvey?” she questioned, his eyes looking at her now. “This had no future. We had fun and it was amazing…”

“Get out.” Harvey could hear no more. He’d been played for a fool. He bared his teeth and when she made no noise or attempt to move he growled at her once more,

“Get the fuck out.” He said and she turned on her heels and left.