Chapter Eighty-Two
The days sped by and before Milana knew it, it was Friday night and she stood in her room with the amazing green dress. She turned as she heard a knock on her door. “Come in.”
Kelley stopped as he looked at her. The dress was really amazing. Milana could see it in his eyes and she smiled shyly at him. “You look great.”
“Thank you, so do you.” She wasn’t lying. Kelley in a tuxedo was almost a sin. It was just a pity that he had such a shitty personality. He was too confident, domineering and silent at times. Milana thought he was just an asshole.
The fundraiser was elegant, a no-expenses spared kind of event and Milana suddenly felt nervous and inadequate as they walked through the doors and cameras flashed. “Who’s your date, Mr Alexander?”
Kelley ignored the reporters and kept walking, Milana’s arm tucked into his. Mason and Lee appeared at his side and Connor fell into step behind them. Kelley smiled at greetings and shook hands with so many people that Milana felt exhausted.
“Kelley, nice of you to show your face at a fundraiser. I’ve been starting to think that you’ve been hiding, licking your wounds.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you.”
“Who’s the lovely girl on your arm? Is she at least legal?”
Milana’s hand stiffened on Kelley’s arm at those words and she felt a shudder go through her. “I’d like to introduce my wife, Milana Romano Alexander. This is Charles.”
“Wife?”
“Oh, that’s right, I didn’t invite you to my wedding last week.”
Charles’s face was flushed with anger and he bristled as he looked at Kelley but then he regained his composure and smiled. “Such a tiny thing … might want to lock her up in a tower for safekeeping.”
Kelley’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Charles’s retreating form. “Motherfucker.”
“I’ll keep an eye on him.” Connor disappeared into the crowd before Kelley could reply and Milana wondered if she had understood that right. Kelley’s father had just threatened her life.
The night sped by without incident and by the time they left Milana was beyond exhausted. She had no idea how Kelley did it. He worked all day long, most nights were spent in his study and then he also somehow found the time to socialize.
Another week went by and Milana had found a job. It wasn’t glamorous or even good money but it kept her busy and out of that house. Every morning she slid a note under Kelley’s study door and left for work. Black was tasked with following her and most days she forgot he was even there.
Her routine was boring almost. She woke up at five am, ate a slice of toast and let Black drive her to the corner diner where she worked from six am to four pm, every day of the week. On weekends high schoolers worked at the diner and Milana appreciated the time off.
She’d been working at the diner for four months and she’d barely seen Kelley. Most nights he ate dinner in his study and sometimes days went by without a glimpse of him. It was half past three and Milana couldn’t wait to clock out and go home.
“Hi, what can I get you?”
The man at her table was definitely in the wrong neighborhood. He wore designer jeans and a designer shirt and she was sure his shoes cost more than she made in a month. He had a dazzling smile, was handsome in a preppy kind of way and he focused all of that on her. “Well, aren’t you a pretty little thing?”
Milana smiled awkwardly and looked pointedly at the menu. “The meatloaf’s on special.”
“I’ll have a coffee for now, maybe your number for dessert.”
Milana laughed uncomfortably as he full-on smiled at her. She walked back to the counter for the coffee pot and felt a tingle go down her spine. It set her senses on fire and she suddenly felt creeped out. She delivered the coffee and the man put his hand on her ass.
“Please, don’t do that.” Her voice was soft but the man didn’t move his hand.
“I’ll take your number now. I’ll show you the time of your life.”
“No, thank you.”
Milana turned and walked away, feeling his eyes on her the entire time. She hid out in the back room until it was four and then she clocked out. She changed out of her uniform and hurried outside. The man wasn’t in the diner anymore and she hurried across the street to where Black sat in the SUV.
“Want me to eliminate that bastard?”
Milana looked up shocked to her core. “What?”
“I’m kidding, Lana, but I will kick his ass if he touches you again.”
“He gave me the creeps.” Another shiver ran through her and Black started driving away from the diner.
“Just a heads up, Kelley was here.”
“Thanks.”
Milana sat in the backseat and chewed on her thumbnail. Did Kelley witness the man touching her? Why had he been there? Was he checking up on her? Did he think she was lying about going to work? So many things ran through her mind and before she knew it Black was slowing down in front of the house.
Milana took a deep breath and walked into the house. It was quiet like always and she headed up the stairs to her bedroom. She opened the door and jumped a little. Kelley sat on the sofa with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Hi.”
“Did you have fun?”
“Black said you were there …”
“It was your last day at that diner. If I knew that was where you were working I would have said no.”
Milana was high-strung, and the moment she said the words she wished she hadn’t. “You don’t own me, Kelley! If I want to work at that diner then I’ll work at that diner!”
“So men can grope you? Is that where you meet him every day? How long have you been seeing him behind my back?” Kelley was yelling at her and she visibly shrank away from him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I saw you, Milana, you and fucking Hanson Chadney! I should’ve known, you’re just like them.”
Kelley slammed the door on his way out and Milana stood in her room and wrapped her arms around herself. She sank to the carpet and cried. She just couldn’t win with him. She had no idea who Hanson Chadney was or what she’d done wrong this time.
