Chasing the Flame

CHAPTER TEN

KIMBERLY

If kisses were water, I'll give you the sea.
If leaves were hugs, I'll give you a tree.
If love was time, I'll give you an Eternity.

POV

My head was spinning so fast, it felt like my mind was about to shatter under the weight of all the headlines:

"Ethan Salvaire's New Mystery Lover"

"Ethan Salvaire Dumps Alexandra Renee for a Crazy New Flame"

"Mysterious Woman Disrupts Fundraising Event"

Each headline was filled with more fabricated lies than the last, and the sheer absurdity of it all pissed me off to no end. None of them even knew what had actually happened; they were just publishing nonsense like a bunch of clueless idiots.

I shouldn't have accepted his offer in the first place—what the hell was I thinking?

And that woman, Alexandra... she really got under my skin. I'm known for being calm, but when people bring up my past, it's like a storm of anger surges through me, spreading like fire up my spine.

Damn! I was officially busted. Everything I had tried so hard to hide was about to be dragged into the spotlight. And then there was David... he'd definitely find me now. That was one of my greatest fears.

Darn it!

Suddenly, my phone rang, jolting me out of my thoughts. Isabelle.

Could she have seen the news? I hadn't even told her about working with Ethan yet. I was screwed.

"Hey, Isabe...lle," I stammered, sounding like an absolute idiot.

"Kimmy, hope you haven't forgotten about my party?" she practically yelled into the phone.

"Pa-party? What party?" I tried to rack my brain.

"The cocktail party, Kimmy!" she said, her voice filled with disbelief.

"Oh, right, the cocktail party." I slapped my forehead. How had I completely forgotten?

"Don't tell me it slipped your mind, Kimmy!" she screamed, clearly not impressed.

"Of course not! I wouldn't forget something like that!" I laughed, though it sounded hysterical even to my own ears.

"You wouldn't dare!" I could almost feel the murderous glare coming through the phone.

"I want you in a bandage dress tonight, Kimmy. Got it?"

"I... don't even have one yet."

"For real? I'll send my driver over with an outfit for you."

Before I could protest, she hung up, leaving me no choice. A few minutes later, my phone rang again.

Ugh. Popular day, apparently. But this time, Ethan Salvaire's name popped up on the screen.

Did he want to fire me? Why was he calling now?

I hesitated before picking up, my hands trembling slightly.

"Miss Stafford, I need you at my apartment. Now."

Oh... so I wasn't fired. Yet. But on a Saturday? Really? He couldn't just call me up whenever he wanted—I had a life too!

But then again, he was paying me a lot, so I didn't really have a choice.

"Sir, I'm a little busy right now... Could we maybe move this to Monday?"

"No! You either come now or you're fired," he barked at me.

"Fi-fired?" I stammered. "I'll be there soon, sir."