Checkmate

44

   I was never one to cause a scene. Handling things in private was always my style and I wished this could've waited but it couldn't. The weekend was just too far away and every hour that went by just fueled my frustration. So I asked Sephora to take Sam to school for me this morning. I needed to beat the morning rush and still get on with the day once I would have confronted Colton.

What I didn't account for was the final roadblock standing in my way in the form of Kendal, Colton's assistant.

"I'm sorry ma'am but the rules apply to everyone. If you don't have a scheduled meeting, I can't allow you through. And as I said earlier, Mr. Luther doesn't want to be disturbed," the petite woman said sternly.

Her cute round face wasn't intimidating, to say the least, but she stood her ground, crossing her arms as she glared daggers at me.

I was losing it.

"Look," I huffed, digging through my purse, I pulled out my wallet and dropped my business card on her desk.

She looked at it and then picked it up with inspecting fingers.

"I was Mr. Pavelka's legal representative and a very close friend of Mr. Luther. This is urgent and you're standing in my way," I said, not meaning to sound so bitter, but I was.

"Ma'am, the rules..." she began but I cut her off. "For fuck's sake just give him a call," I shouted.

The young assistant shook her head, her long ponytail swaying with her head. "Ma'am, I told you he's b..."

Her rehearsed speech was interrupted when the intercom buzzed. "Let her in, Kendal," Colton said in a bored tone.

Shooting me a glare, Kendal ushered me down a short hallway leading to a door.

Stepping past her as she held it open, I gave her a pinched smile

Petty? Yes. I had no want to be the bigger person at the moment and that counted for Colton especially.

"Leave us," he said, getting up and walking to the front of his desk.

As the door closed behind me, he leaned against the table, his head cocked while he shoved his hands into his front pockets.

"Good morning, Kimberly. How may I help you?"

I groaned in annoyance, vexed by his self-righteous demeanor demeanor.

"Why did I have to find out from the mouth of gossiping mothers that someone else has been picking up Sam?"

He straightened his posture, his gaze perturbed for a moment before a smile broke on his face voiced with a mocking chuckle, "You're not seriously going to cause a scene because I sent Kenneth to get him, are you?"

I didn't say anything, standing my ground.

"Wow," he muttered, shaking his head. He pushed off the desk and went back to his seat. "You're really starting to run out of things to fight about, huh?" he said with a huff, getting comfortable in his leather chair.

Leaning back and everything.

   He looked at me as if my complaint was unreasonable, my concern laughable. I crossed my arms over my chest protectively, feeling the burn of his scrutiny. "Don't get cocky with me," I managed to say with more determination than I felt. " I wouldn't need to be here if you had the courtesy of telling me yourself. Instead, you had to make me look like an irresponsible mother who has no clue of her child's whereabouts."