“Topaz is the best reason I’ve ever had to get better,” Alex decided, tapping his fingers against the secluded table he occupied for lunch. “Can you help me?” he asked.
“I’d certainly like to try, man.”
“I wouldn’t even allow myself to fall asleep next to her, Beck. I was afraid I’d—”
“Let’s not dwell on that right now,” the doctor advised. “I don’t want you upsetting yourself unnecessarily. What we need to do right now is schedule these office appointments.”
Alex listened to Beck as his gaze scanned the dining room that was gradually filling for the lunch rush. He did a double take, his hand tightening around his cell phone, when he saw Topaz enter the dining room on the arm of another man. “How soon can I get back on the pills?” he asked, interrupting his doctor in midsentence.
“After our first session. Give me a second while I check my calendar.”
Alex waited, leaning back against his chair to watch Topaz walk across the dining room. Immediately, his thoughts went back to the breakup and the events that had led to it. Memories of them together had tortured his mind for days. He’d dreamed of having her that way for so long, and that night surpassed all his fantasies. He knew she was confused and felt hurt and used. Unfortunately, it would be far more cruel to remain in her life as he dealt with so many dangerous ghosts.
“What the hell?” he muttered, seeing a group of men stand when Topaz and her “date” approached their table.
Topaz arrived on the arm of Stacy Merchants, who’d been selected to represent Top E Towing and Mechanical during talks regarding the buyouts. Head held high, she strolled into the dining room looking stunning in a chic white-on-black suit. The fitted, single-button jacket accentuated her prominent bustline and minute waist. The skirt stopped midthigh and flattered the breathtaking length of her legs.
“What the hell—”
“Don’t even try it, Stanley,” she ordered, her index finger slicing the air. “Y’all are not gettin’ rid of me this time. I’m through being treated like some fragile thing that can’t get her hands dirty like the rest of you.”
Stan braced his hands on the table. “This is about a little more than gettin’ hands dirty, Topaz.”
Topaz returned the man’s glare. “Don’t talk to me like I’m a child.”
“Damn it, Topaz, we don’t have time for this!” Horace snapped, stepping closer. “We’re expecting to meet with someone from Lockhurst Properties in a minute.”
“That’s right, Paz,” Stan said, confirming his partner’s statement. “We just want to feel the guy out and we don’t need you flyin’ off the deep end and tippin’ our hand.”
“Tipping your hand?” Topaz spat, her eyes firing amber darts at every man around the table. “I’m the one who found out what Lockhurst was up to and told you deadbeats about it. You fools are tryin’ to play junior detectives and cut me out of the loop when I’m the one getting you all the goods.”
“Topaz—”
“Why don’t you ask your lunch partner if he knows anything about Weston Enterprises?”
“Who?”
Topaz fixed Stan with a smug smile. “That’s who Lockhurst is working for,” she announced, smoothing one hand across her neat chignon as she took a place at the table.
Before anything more could be said, a short, stout Caucasian man arrived at the table.
“Good afternoon, gentlemen—and lady. I’m Beaumont Harris, Lockhurst Properties,” he announced, smiling as the group turned to greet him.
Topaz was silent, observing the order of the meeting as introductions were made. Things progressed quite nicely, until Beaumont Harris announced that his people were prepared to up their asking price. Topaz watched her colleagues’ jaws drop when they heard the new figure. Even those most adamant about not selling appeared to be floored by the more lucrative proposal. Their reactions zapped what little self-restraint she had left.
“I don’t believe I’m seeing this,” she said, speaking softly but with a slow tone that harbored fierce determination. “Are you people gonna let yourselves be suckered by these crooks after they forced everyone else we know out of business? And you,” she said, turning to pin Beaumont Harris with her angry glare, “you think because you’ve added a few more zeros to your offer, it makes you a reputable businessman instead of an unethical son of a bitch?”
“All right, Topaz, that’s enough!” Stan Webster said as he stood.
“After what these jackasses did? That’s not nearly enough!”
“Get her out of here!” Horace ordered. He, Stan, and Stacy rounded the table to circle around Topaz.
She began to struggle the instant Horace and Stan caught her forearms. “Get your damn hands off me!” she ordered, unmindful of the attention she drew.
The three men hustled her from the dining room and didn’t stop until they’d ushered her none too gently up the stairs that led to the washroom corridor.
“I said let ... go!” Topaz demanded, wrenching herself free of her captors.
“Hell, girl, do you want these people to win!” Horace bellowed.
Topaz smoothed back the hair that had fallen loose of her chignon. “Don’t give me that! The minute that runt voiced that new offer you jackasses responded like a bunch of pigs droolin’ over a trough of slop!”
“Topaz, you stupid little—” Stan stopped himself, taking a few deep breaths before he continued. “This is the way we’ve all agreed to handle it and you bouncin’ up in here with your ass on your shoulders is the last thing we needed!”
Topaz raised her chin defiantly. “You will not stand there and try to make me feel guilty for comin’ here! Not when it’s you and your little amateur detectives in there making a pure mess of this whole thing!”
The situation went from bad to worse. Even Stacy Merchants, who was basically acting as a figurehead, joined in the melee of raised voices as he defended his boss. The shouting match vibrated throughout the entire upper level of the establishment.
“What the hell is this!”
The unexpected roar drowned the volume of the other four yellers. Everyone quieted and turned to see Alex Rice standing at the end of the hall. Topaz provided no response, but Horace and Stan were quick with their explanations. Alex barely made any indication that he heard the two men. His eyes followed Topaz while she kept her distance. It was a jolt to his system when their gazes finally locked. Alex knew the anger he saw in her eyes had more to do with him than with anything going on at that restaurant. Topaz didn’t break eye contact. Instead, she strolled toward the end of the hall.
“You know, Alex, your only stake in this entire mess is a story. So why don’t you just stay the hell out of our business?” she advised, regarding him with a look of extreme distaste before fixing Horace and Stan with the same expression. “I’m sure one of these fools will be happy to give you an exclusive when this is all over.”
Horace, Stan, and Stacy watched in stunned surprise when Topaz stormed off.
