Conflict of Interest

29: Amends

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"How's your head?" Her hands were tucked into her pockets, her eyes scanning the floor

I shrugged, "Fantastic."

She sighed "I understand that you're probably mad at me but I came here to hopefully make amends."

"Amends?" I questioned glaring at her "Maybe you should've tried making amends before locking me in here with no explanation for days!"

She was frozen for only a second, seeming unfazed by my outburst she shrugged "I know I just didn't want to face you because of well, everything that came to light, but I want to explain."

"Then explain."

She came over and sat as far from me as she could at the end of the bed, both of us sitting in silence for a moment before she spoke "She was telling the truth about why you were brought on as an intern and I'm sorry that I didn't tell you. There were other interns that applied and a few were selected but were out sourced to our smaller offices. I knew you were friends with Aurora or Sam or whatever you want to call her and I knew she was using you as a pawn so I wanted her to think I took the bait. I purposely worked closely with you so she would know I was onto her because I knew she was in too deep to quit and honestly it became like a power trip or something. I've been making so many bad decisions lately and I'm sorry for that. It's just that the whole Sam thing is really personal for me. I started piecing it together about a month ago and I can't explain fully here but let's just say that Sam was involved with a terrible thing that happened to some people who were very close to me." She paused looking up at me with tears forming in her eyes "She was the first connection I had found after years of searching and I honestly let myself become someone I'm not in the process of trying to get to her. I can't even begin to apologize enough for what I've put you through and the lies I've told you. Harper I'm truly so sorry. You really did earn to be an intern though, once we started doing the interviews and I heard your ideas, and I know it sounds cliche, but once I met you and got to know you everything changed for me."

She held my gaze, the intensity of her stare nearly burned through me as I took a deep breathe "You're always saying that it's hard for you to trust people but honestly how am I supposed to trust you after all this?"

"I'm just asking you to let me try and earn it back, I know it won't be easy." She replied biting her lip

I sighed holding my head in my hands "Honestly I just don't even know what to say to you right now. I just have so many questions and yet I don't want to know the answer to any of them."

"I'll answer anything you want to know that I can speak on here." She replied shifting slightly on the bed

I looked her dead in the eyes "Why didn't you tell me the truth before we talked to her? You had to know she would say at least something."

"I don't know, I guess my pride got in the way if I'm being honest."

"Why didn't you just tell me?" I asked searching her eyes for an answer as she looked away seemingly ashamed

"I wanted to, I really did, I just didn't want it to ruin what we had going on between us."

I let out a shallow breathe "So what? So it wouldn't ruin your chances of sleeping with me and adding another notch to your belt."

She fell quiet for a moment "Harper it's not like that at all."

"Then how is it exactly?"

She looked up at me "Harper I genuinely care about you in a romantic way. I care more about you than I've ever cared about anyone like that."

"Sure," I shrugged and then let out a dry laugh "you really think you're slick don't you."

"No I don't think that at all I'm being serious."

I rolled my eyes standing up and wrapping my arms around myself as I paced the floor "I want to leave."

"I can't let you do that Harper." She stated

"Then get out." I replied turning to face the wall

She let out a sigh and stood up walking over and placing her hand on my shoulder "Harper please believe me when I say that I never meant for all of this to happen."

"Stop saying bullshit lines from movies and be straight with me about the fact that it meant nothing to you other than a good fuck." I half yelled as I stood up and threw her hand off me "Stop fucking lying to me and just leave."

She seemed taken a back for a moment before whispering "Harper that's just simply not true it meant so much more to me than I can even explain."

Throwing all logic to the side I kissed her hard. She tripped back slightly, her back hitting the wall. I let my hands wander on her body while hers tangled in my hair pulling me in closer. As realization of what I was doing hit me I pushed her back and stepped away. Both of our breathing was heavy as we stared between one another, sharing the same lustfully confused look.

"Not that I'm complaining but what was that about?" She questioned

I shrugged "Nothing I just lost it for a second."

"Harper I'm sorry."

"I know."

"What can I do right now to start healing the wound I've caused?"

I looked up at her and just shrugged once more "I don't know honestly. I just feel like it's gonna take awhile and a lot of honesty to work this out if that's really what you want."

"I do." She replied nervously smiling at me "I'd like to start by telling you the truth about something else."

"Which is?"

"Well that night we fell asleep on the couch, you remember that?" I nodded and she continued "I was still awake when you fell asleep but I didn't want you to leave so I just cuddled up to you and let myself drift off."

God it's hard to stay mad when she tells me a something like that.

"I'll admit that that story is very cute and definitely makes you seem like a real softy but you know it's gonna take a lot more than that right?" I questioned crossing my arms over my chest

She nodded "Of course I do."

I waited a moment before replying "So where has the infamous Ms. West been the past few days while I was left to rot away here?"

"Call me Parker," she stated pausing a second as we shared a knowing look "and I was away on business."

"Are you sure you're okay with me calling you that?" I questioned feeling my heart flutter at the idea of being the only one aloud to use her real name

Get a grip Harper she's clearly just trying to make up for literally fucking you over, well, then again this is literally the self proclaimed thing she cares most about.

"Yes I'm sure." She nodded

"Thank you," I paused hesitant to actually say it for a moment "Parker."

She smiled slightly "I actually like it when you say it for some reason."

I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks and cursed myself for letting her have such an effect on me so easily.

Deciding to flip the tables I gave her a smirk "How do you think you would feel if I screamed it?"

Her face was now as red as could be as she mumbled back "I think I'd like that."

"Too bad you lost sex privileges when you lied to me literally since knowing me." I shrugged causing her to nervously shuffle her feet "I'm mostly joking but you will be waiting awhile on that one."

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