“Oh, you can stay, especially if you plan on painting topless.”
“No chance,” Lawson says, bundling me to the bedroom door.
I resist, trying to dig in with my feet but I have no chance against Lawson’s strength.
“My paints, at least let me put away my materials, they’ll be ruined.”
“I’ll buy you new ones.” We’re halfway down the hall and nearing the top of the stairs.
“I don’t want you to buy me anything! I want to do this myself. To earn this.”
“Earn whatever you want, after you’re safe.”
“If Skye wants to stay, she stays,” Kelso says, standing in the frame of his bedroom door.
“Yes, I need to work.”
“How fucking naïve are you?” Lawson says through gritted teeth. He picks me up and carries me down the stairs. Stunned by the way he spoke to me — swore at me — I stop resisting.
“If you think I’m settling the lawsuit now, forget it. I’m sucking every last penny out of our company,” Kelso yells.
“You’ll be wasting your own time and money, idiot.” We reach the bottom of the stairs, Lawson rushes through the entrance, past my half-finished temple painting and toward the door.
“Enjoy that piece of ass,” Kelso calls from the landing at the top of the stairs.
“I already did, remember. The proof is on your bed,” Lawson yells as he slams the front door.
“Put me down,” I demand, my jaw clenched. He doesn’t.
“You’re not going back in there, Kelso’s all riled up, there’s no telling what he’ll do.”
Lawson carries me to his Maserati and finally puts me down. I’m still half naked, my panties in my hand, my bra tight around my lower ribcage.
I’m breathing hard and fast through clenched teeth. The last few minutes starts to sink in.
“Get in,” Lawson says, opening the passenger door.
“No. If I can’t work here, I’m working in my studio. But I will finish this job.”
“I’ll drive you home.”
“No,” I say shaking my head, my mouth twisted, “My car is here, I’ll need it.”
“I’ll have someone bring it to your house.”
“I am driving myself home.”
“Where are your keys?” My shoulders drop and my eyes close.
I sigh. “In his bedroom.”
“Exactly. Get in.”
Begrudgingly, I sit in the car and Lawson shuts the door. My nose wrinkles as I use my panties to wipe off the semen on my chest. As we pull out of the driveway, I manage to fix my bra and put my top back on.
“I don’t want you going back there,” Lawson says, shifting gears.
“It’s my biggest commission plus a gallery showing, I need it.”
“So I’ll fucking commission you to paint something for every wall in my house, plus a gallery show in every city you want.”
“That wouldn’t count! Don’t you see? I want to succeed because of my talent, not because I let some billionaire fuck me!”
“So you’ll find something else. Anything, just not with him.”
I’m so angry, I can’t even respond anymore. Instead I fume in silence. Kelso and Lawson’s argument keeps playing over in my head. Each time I replay the words, I feel more and more like a pawn in their pissing contest.
Which isn’t surprising, given they’re both billionaires. I knew from the start not to have anything to do with the rich. They’re people who’ve lost their humanity, they don’t care about people like me; not really.
We pull into Ava’s driveway. Without saying anything, I get out of the car and go into the house. I lock the door behind me, just in case Lawson plans to come in after me.
Ava is dozing in the living room, and I hurry down the hall before I wake her. I can’t face a conversation with her now. Not when I don’t have my own thoughts straight.
After I shower, I head to my studio and do the only thing I know for sure I can do — paint. When I focus on my work, I’m able to push the other issues to the back of my mind. Besides, Gordon said he’s had a man from New York asking for my work, I have to create something to sell him. I finally seem to be getting somewhere with my career, granted it’s not anywhere huge yet, but it’s still exciting.
Ava brings me a hot dog for dinner. While I eat it, I check my phone. One text from Lawson.
Don’t go to Kelso’s again.
How dare he continue to tell me what to do. I’m still furious he made me leave Kelso’s in the first place. And I’m more than furious about the way he and Kelso argued about me.
I don’t bother to reply. I lose interest in finishing my dinner, and throw myself back into my work.