tomorrow.” Stella got out of bed and covered herself with the bed sheet.
“Wait. What are you talking about?”
“You’re an ass.”
“What? Stella...I think you are pretty. I desire you. What more do you want?”
She stared at him through the haze of fresh tears. “I want to be the most beautiful woman in your eyes. That's what every woman wants.”
Campbell said nothing and lay back onto the bed. After retrieving her clothes, Stella left the condo and headed into the bright Manhattan night.
Chapter 8
Campbell swallowed the bourbon. He didn’t like bourbon, but he hated sobriety more with Krissie standing four feet from him. She was dressed in a slinky, silky black dress. Her raven tresses were cascading in soft curls down her back and around her face. She looked impossibly pretty and feline like. She was leaning on the arm of Devin Roberts and playing the role of ‘billionaire’s girlfriend’ well. Krissie hadn’t acknowledged him yet, though Devin had waved at Campbell. Devin had invited a select few of Razor Edge management to his Manhattan townhouse for cocktails. Campbell had accepted eagerly. The chance to meet directly with Devin was critical to his future with Razor Edge Financial. It was just unfortunate that Krissie was draping herself over his arm like a charm bracelet.
Campbell headed to the fully equipped, marble bar and spotted Belvedere vodka on the counter. Campbell poured vodka into his glass and squeezed a lemon wedge into the clear liquid. He downed the drink and breathed deeply. He stared at the tall bottle and thought of Stella. Campbell had moped after she abruptly left on Saturday. It was a new experience for him - moping. Dejected moods were unusual for him. He didn’t dwell on failures or sadness. He moved on.
I just move on , thought Campbell. He wondered why he was still thinking about Stella and bristling every time he saw Krissie paw at Devin’s back.
“I must be getting old,” Campbell said softly to the vodka bottle. He poured another drink and swallowed.
“Ah, Campbell. Pleased you came.”
Campbell turned around. It was Devin. “I wouldn’t miss it.” Devin straightened his back and set down his glass.
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you.” Devin smoothed his bright blue silk Hermes tie.
“I’m available now.”
“Let’s go to the library.”
Campbell followed Devin down a long hall and into a room lined with mahogany bookshelves crowded with antique looking books. The room looked unused and picture ready.
“Campbell. I wanted to speak with you. I should have done so sooner.”
“You wanted to discuss my career with Razor Edge.”
"What? I do appreciate your work. I hear you are a good trader. But actually I wanted to talk about Krissie.”
Campbell slid his hands into his pockets. “Krissie?”
“I understand you two were an item. I just wanted to let you know I wasn’t aware of that until...well, we became an item. Hopefully, no hard feelings. No plans on hiring a hitman?”
Campbell took his hands out of his pocket and adjusted his watch. He was fuming but didn’t want to betray his feelings to Devin. “No hitman, Devin. Krissie and I weren’t really an item. It was purely physical. No hard feelings. Enjoy her. I would keep track of your credit cards, though.”
Devin stared at Campbell like a man studying an enemy. “Well, good.”
“Devin?”
“Yes?”
“I wasn’t invited here to this soiree because of my trading record was I?”
Devin pursed his lips. “No. I appreciate your work. You are good at what you do. But you aren’t part of the upper echelon. Not yet.” Devin smiled. “Maybe someday, Campbell. Shall we go back to the party? You’re welcome to stay, of course.”
“Devin.”
Devin turned from the door he was about to open. He had an impatient and unpleasant look on his face. “Yes?”
“I quit.”
“Think carefully about that Campbell. You have the potential to climb high in this organization.
“Wait. What are you talking about?”
“You’re an ass.”
“What? Stella...I think you are pretty. I desire you. What more do you want?”
She stared at him through the haze of fresh tears. “I want to be the most beautiful woman in your eyes. That's what every woman wants.”
Campbell said nothing and lay back onto the bed. After retrieving her clothes, Stella left the condo and headed into the bright Manhattan night.
Chapter 8
Campbell swallowed the bourbon. He didn’t like bourbon, but he hated sobriety more with Krissie standing four feet from him. She was dressed in a slinky, silky black dress. Her raven tresses were cascading in soft curls down her back and around her face. She looked impossibly pretty and feline like. She was leaning on the arm of Devin Roberts and playing the role of ‘billionaire’s girlfriend’ well. Krissie hadn’t acknowledged him yet, though Devin had waved at Campbell. Devin had invited a select few of Razor Edge management to his Manhattan townhouse for cocktails. Campbell had accepted eagerly. The chance to meet directly with Devin was critical to his future with Razor Edge Financial. It was just unfortunate that Krissie was draping herself over his arm like a charm bracelet.
Campbell headed to the fully equipped, marble bar and spotted Belvedere vodka on the counter. Campbell poured vodka into his glass and squeezed a lemon wedge into the clear liquid. He downed the drink and breathed deeply. He stared at the tall bottle and thought of Stella. Campbell had moped after she abruptly left on Saturday. It was a new experience for him - moping. Dejected moods were unusual for him. He didn’t dwell on failures or sadness. He moved on.
I just move on , thought Campbell. He wondered why he was still thinking about Stella and bristling every time he saw Krissie paw at Devin’s back.
“I must be getting old,” Campbell said softly to the vodka bottle. He poured another drink and swallowed.
“Ah, Campbell. Pleased you came.”
Campbell turned around. It was Devin. “I wouldn’t miss it.” Devin straightened his back and set down his glass.
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you.” Devin smoothed his bright blue silk Hermes tie.
“I’m available now.”
“Let’s go to the library.”
Campbell followed Devin down a long hall and into a room lined with mahogany bookshelves crowded with antique looking books. The room looked unused and picture ready.
“Campbell. I wanted to speak with you. I should have done so sooner.”
“You wanted to discuss my career with Razor Edge.”
"What? I do appreciate your work. I hear you are a good trader. But actually I wanted to talk about Krissie.”
Campbell slid his hands into his pockets. “Krissie?”
“I understand you two were an item. I just wanted to let you know I wasn’t aware of that until...well, we became an item. Hopefully, no hard feelings. No plans on hiring a hitman?”
Campbell took his hands out of his pocket and adjusted his watch. He was fuming but didn’t want to betray his feelings to Devin. “No hitman, Devin. Krissie and I weren’t really an item. It was purely physical. No hard feelings. Enjoy her. I would keep track of your credit cards, though.”
Devin stared at Campbell like a man studying an enemy. “Well, good.”
“Devin?”
“Yes?”
“I wasn’t invited here to this soiree because of my trading record was I?”
Devin pursed his lips. “No. I appreciate your work. You are good at what you do. But you aren’t part of the upper echelon. Not yet.” Devin smiled. “Maybe someday, Campbell. Shall we go back to the party? You’re welcome to stay, of course.”
“Devin.”
Devin turned from the door he was about to open. He had an impatient and unpleasant look on his face. “Yes?”
“I quit.”
“Think carefully about that Campbell. You have the potential to climb high in this organization.
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