Her voice had flowed a little easier by the time she left his office, and she knew she'd be singing again the next day. But she couldn't deny that what Dave had told her repeatedly over the last eight months had bothered her. She knew her throat problem was getting worse, but she didn't know what to do about it without losing her mind.
She wasn't expecting to be summoned to the penthouse suite to see Raphael when she returned from her appointment!
Kat frowned. 'I told him you were going to see a doctor, but he's been calling down every five minutes for the last half hour to see if you'd returned.'
She swallowed forcefully. 'Did he express his desires?'
'Your resignation, most likely,' Jane said cattily as she stood a short distance away from the reception desk. 'I hear you made a mess of things last night,' she sneered.
'However, if you—'
'Don't worry, Kat.' Sophia quietly comforted the other girl—she couldn't speak in any other way at the moment! 'Jane might be right,' she grumbled.
'What did the doctor say?' her friend inquired, casting a calming glance at Jane.
'Just a little laryngitis,' she said dismissively. 'Why don't you go see Mr Mcklerin?'
Jane made a hasty entry. 'He is your boss!' 'Why don't you just go about your business?'
Kat yelled angrily.
'Unless, of course, you believe your previous association gives you special treatment with him,' Jane continued sarcastically, unfazed by the snub.
'Not everyone gets to where they are by sleeping!' Kat scoffed, turning away to deal with a visitor, leaving Jane flushed with rage.
'You really shouldn't, you know,' Sophia said ruefully to Kat.
'She acts as if she's better than the rest of us,' Kat grumbled. 'I've just had enough of it,' she admitted, smiling.
'Yes, well—' Kat said with a wry smile. 'I shouldn't be concerned. Jane usually comes back even angrier than before.'
Sophia's parting shot was, 'Could she be?' Kat chuckled as she stepped into the lift on her way up to see Raphael.
Her own sense of humour faded as the doors closed behind her. Is Raphael going to ask for her contract to be terminated? Perhaps it would be better for everyone if he did, though it would leave her with an unplanned summer. The six months Dave Hadley suggested she take off... But Rod could easily find her other bookings; she just couldn't function without working for that long.
Raphael walked in almost immediately, dressed in tailored black trousers and the palest green shirt she'd ever seen, making her own tight cords and silk blouse appear somewhat casual.
'Come in,' he said tersely. 'What did the doctor say about your voice?' he demanded before she had even stepped inside the doorway.
'Laryngitis,' she replied, repeating what she had said to Kat minutes before.
'Is it for real?'
'If you want to cancel my contract—'
'I said, are you serious?' he rasped.
She shook her head. 'Not usually,' says the author.
His pupils constricted into green slits. 'Have you had this before?'
She gave a nod. 'I believe it's quite common among singers and actors. This is a lovely suite.' She liked the rooms because they were comfortable and elegant, and this penthouse suite was more luxurious than most.
'It's a very nice hotel,' she said casually.
'I'm so glad you like it.' His sarcasm was barely contained. 'Are you going to be able to work tomorrow?. he inquired flatly.
'Yeah...'
'You don't seem too certain.' He frowned darkly, picking up on her hesitation in her voice.
'I'm certain,' she said firmly, straightening her back. 'I wasn't sure if you were.'
'Your contract is signed with my management, not with me personally,' he said, biting his lower lip.
Raphael implied that if it had been up to him, she would have been shown the door by now! 'Surely you have the right to veto their decisions,' she reasoned.
'Would you like me to?'
Her face flushed. 'No.'
He gave a dismissive nod. 'As far as I know, Matt has no grievances.' 'In fact, he seemed a little too enthusiastic in his praise of you,' he said slowly. 'Is there something going on between you two?' he demanded. She sighed impatiently, much less tolerant of his accusations than she had been of Jane's jealousy. 'How about you ask him that?'
'I did ask.'
'You—did?' she exclaimed. 'What did he say?' she asked, frowning.
'There wasn't,' he stated coldly. 'There isn't,' she exclaimed.
'But he'd like for there to be,' Raphael challenged.
'I'm not particularly interested in Matt's desires. 'You haven't changed, Raphael, have you?' she mocked.
'I'm still willing to believe the worst about myself.'
His lips twisted. 'As I recall, you showed me your worst side,' he said angrily. 'A mercenary, scheming little bitch who will do anything to get what she wants, even sleep with a man!' His eyes glowed with rage.
She froze at the accusation. 'If you're done, I think I'll go to my room—'
'I'm not done yet, Sophia!' His voice slashed into her icy skin. 'I'm not done with you yet!' He swung her around, his gaze contemptuously sweeping over her before viciously claiming her mouth in a punishing kiss. She didn't fight him as he poured his disgust for her into that kiss, knowing that he had waited five years to show her exactly what he thought of her, that those intervening years, his reconciliation with Lora, the birth of his daughter Sarah, had done nothing to alleviate the burning anger he felt for what he believed was her use of him, resorting to blackmail to extort money from his father.
He was struggling to breathe when he finally pushed her away from him. 'Now I'm done,' he grumbled dismissively, contempt in his glittering blue eyes.
Sophia was as well. She was exhausted by the ferocity of his rage as she quietly let herself out of the suite, Raphael's back turned rigidly towards her. There had been little real passion, no tenderness in the kiss, and yet Sophia knew she would suffer Raphael's contempt again just to be held by him, kissed by him. It was as if a protective wall had been breached around her emotions, all the love she had felt for him five years ago pouring out, leaving her vulnerable in his presence once more. But she couldn't have Raphael, or any man for that matter.