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Sally was a ball of excitement the entire ride, including in the elevator as we headed up.

The elevator doors slid open and she skipped towards his office, still holding my hand. I opened his door, and her eyes widened as she turned in a circle, looking around.

“Woah.” She breathed, and Antonio’s head snapped up, eyes hard. “Antonio!” Sally beamed, charging for his desk and he smiled, pushing his chair back.

“What are you doing in my office?” he asked as she sprinted around his desk, leaping into his arms.

“I missed you.” She smiled and he lifted her onto his lap. “And Nirah said I was leaving,” she sighed, and he shifted his eyes to me.

We shared the same look of guilt until my eyes locked with his, and the treacherous memories of last night came flooding back. I cleared my throat. “I’ll wait in the car with Kiryl.” I stepped back.

“No!” Sally stopped me. “Sit please.” She pointed to the empty chair in front of them and I knew this was a fight I’d lose. I gave in, sitting down and doing everything I could to avert his gaze. “Antonio,” Sally finally said. “Are you going to miss me?”

“I don’t know…” he trailed off and her gasp filled the room. “I’ll have to think about it.”

“Think about it?” She crossed her arms over her chest and he smiled.

“Of course I’m going to miss you.” He tickled her side and her belly laugh filled the room as she fought against him.

“No no stop.” She breathed heavily, a wide smile stretching from ear to ear. “Let’s go get ice cream.”

“I can’t. I’m working.” He shook his head and annoyance fell across her face.

“But this is boring.” She shot back. “Just ask your boss really nicely. And say pretty please.”

“I am the boss.” He corrected her and her eyes widened.

“Cool.” She grinned. “When I’m big, I wanna be just like you!”

“Oh yeah?”

She nodded rapidly. “I wanna have a big office like this and be a boss. And then I’ll tell people what to do and get a lot of money!”

“It’s not easy being a boss…” Antonio trailed off. “Are you sure you’re up for the challenge?”

“Yes!” She smiled. “I can do anything, right Nirah?” She leaned toward me and I nodded.

“Of course you can.” I leaned forward too. “And to be honest…” I signaled for her to come closer and she did. “I think you’d be a way better boss than Antonio,” I whispered.

She gasped, then giggled, then nodded. “You’re right,” she whispered back. “Can I be the boss?” She turned to ask Antonio and he nodded.

“You’re already in the chair.”

“Yes!” She yanked her clenched fist down in excitement. “First order of business.” She interlaced her fingers on the desk, then smirked back at Antonio. “Let’s get ice cream.”

CHAPTER 32

Antonio

As soon as we stepped out of the elevator, Nirah came up with a bullshit excuse of there being an emergency at home, so she wouldn’t be able to have ice cream with us.

The little bedbug was distraught but getting ice cream had put her in such a good mood that she wasn’t upset for too long.

Nirah hadn’t been able to look at me since they’d gotten here. I knew she was still upset about last night.

I had every intention of talking to her afterwards, even hovering outside her bedroom door, but I just couldn’t. I couldn’t do it.

The hurt she was feeling was nothing compared to the agony she put me through for four years. I’d been a tortured soul after she left.