Hour by hour, the memory of this morning faded away. The shame, the humiliation… the punched-in-the-gut feeling of losing my job. I could still see Lilith’s smug, homely grin, only now it made me laugh instead of cry. It made me anxious to get started on the path to destroying her, dismantling the empire I’d originally built for her client by client, piece by piece…
… and then rebuilding for myself.
The great thing about being terminated was that it released me from my non-compete clause. That part was in my contract, added by one of Rob’s lawyer friends years ago when I signed on to the firm. Most of my clients were signed on through the firm, but when their contracts were up they were fair game. They knew my face well; I’d become virtually the point of contact for everything on most accounts, and best of all they loved me for what I’d done for them. I could easily list a dozen I could pry away, as soon their obligations to the firm elapsed.
As for right now, I’d make do with what I could scrape up. A few accounts were operating on a piecemeal basis with no active contract, and I could steal those straightaway. I was on the verge of making new ones too, and I could now direct those people straight to my budding new firm.
By the time I arrived back at my apartment I was soaked to the bone. I wasn’t cold, though. I was flushed with heat and energy — filled with an unbridled enthusiasm I hadn’t felt in years.
I peeled off my work outfit, dropping the rain-soaked garments right in the middle of the living room floor. It was past sunset, and I hadn’t even eaten. I’d been too motivated. Too determined to finish everything I—
Knock knock.
I was still toweling off when I paused, halfway to the door. I couldn’t answer it like this! Still, I could at least see who it was, and—
Glancing through the peephole, my heart stopped. Then I screamed, scrabbled with the chain, and flung open the door.
“OH MY GODDDDDD!”
Brody and Corey stood in my doorway, each holding a small duffel bag. They wore tight shirts and even tighter jeans. Their faces had been solemn, but upon seeing me they cracked into huge smiles.
“You’re HERE!” I screamed, throwing myself into Brody’s arms only because he happened to be closest. “OH MY GOD YOU’RE ACTUALLY HEEEEERE!”
I kissed him hard, with enough force and passion to nearly knock him over. His strong arms went around me. His hands settled under my ass, to support my weight.
“You’re HERE you’re HERE you’re HERE you’re HERE!”
I planted a dozen or more kisses all over his face, his neck, his nose and chin. Then I climbed into Corey’s arms — somehow without touching the floor — and started kissing him too.
“How did you—” I choked. “Why did you, I mean…”
“We got your message,” said Brody, “and it didn’t sound good. So we packed a few things. Jumped on a flight.”
My heart soared. “You jumped on a—”
“Last minute deals dot com,” Corey chuckled. “Wasn’t bad, actually. We only have three days, but—”
I kissed him again, so hard we nearly fell back into the hallway. Our tongues found each other, and began dancing familiarly.
“Uh… maybe you should ask us inside?”
Brody’s words caused me to look, and there was Mrs. Dodge, standing across the hall, staring at us from her own doorway. I could only imagine what she thought.
“Probably a good idea,” I chuckled. Throwing Mrs. Dodge a knowing smirk, I shoved them through the door and slammed it closed.
Once inside, I started kissing them again, one after the other. They looked every bit as amazing as always. My hands roamed their bodies, my fingertips coming alive at the memory of every hard curve, each ridge of muscle…
“I can’t fucking believe you’re here…” I murmured into Corey’s mouth, while running my hand up Brody’s shirt. Already I was tingling all over.
“Yeah, well you had us worried!” said Brody. “That phone call… you were hysterical this morning. And you said you lost your job. And you said—”
He jumped as my hand slid over his chest, my fingers toying with one big nipple. I turned and began kissing him again, my eyes pregnant with heat and lust.
“I uh…” he stammered as my hands unbuttoned his jeans. “I guess you’re… feeling better?”
“Much better,” I whispered, sliding my hand inside.
I felt him uncoil immediately at my touch. My cold hand closing over his warm, swollen member provided a contrast that had him stiffening almost instantly.