Free Mine by Mary Calmes Page B

drunk, drugged him up, and passed him around. One of his exes used to get off on watching him get gangbanged, and Landry had let it happen, not caring, just wanting to be loved. His self-esteem where his business was concerned was built up now, strong, fortified, but personally, he still craved constant validation.
    “Well, you look amazing, and those are hot.” I smiled at him, getting up. “But I’m beat and starving, and since you’re not ready to go, I’m thinking pot roast isn’t happening, right?”
    “Nope.”
    “Okay, so I’m gonna head out and you come home when you’re done, okay? I’m just gonna grab a sandwich at Antonia’s and—”
    “Fine, I don’t need the play by play.”
    “Okay,” I said, leaning sideways, smiling at the girls. “I’ll see you guys.”
    I opened the door more slowly than I normally did, giving him ample time to stop me, giving him his out, making it easy for him to ask to speak to me outside without losing face in front of his staff. I knew his pride was important to him, mine not as much. But he didn’t stop me, didn’t call out, instead letting me leave. At the curb, I flagged down a cab and was gone seconds later.
    My phone rang and I let it go to voicemail, which was childish, when I saw it was him. I was tired, though, and a little hurt that he had considered me so very little. When I saw a new number, I picked up.
    “Hello?”
    “Uhm, Trev?”
    “Chantal,” I replied with a smile while the driver took a left where I had told him.
    “Landry’s kind of upset.”
    “Well then Landry shouldn’t be such a prick after the day I had.”
    “Okay.”
    I let out a deep, weary sigh. “I’m sorry. Is he there?”
    “No, he just left, and he said he was going out to get laid.”
    I grunted.
    “You’re not—”
    “He told you to call me.”
    “Yes, he did.”
    I shook my head. It was so like him, this drama. “It’s fine, don’t worry about it, okay? He’ll be in tomorrow morning. Don’t forget to set the alarm.”
    “Sure, but… can I ask you something?”
    “G’head.”
    “I only deal with his shit at the most seven hours a day. You deal with it every day all the time… how do you do it?”
    The man was more high maintenance than she knew, but that was between him and me. Those were secrets never to be shared. “The business is a big deal for him, that’s why he’s intense when he’s there. He just wants everything to be perfect, that’s all.”
    “That’s what you’re going with?”
    “What do you mean?” I played dumb.
    “Okay, Trevan, you’re a really good guy. You don’t even dish the dirt when you totally could. It’s impressive. I hope I find one just like you.”
    “Awww, thanks, Chan,” I teased her.
    “Goodbye.” She chuckled and hung up.
    The cab driver let me out at the corner across the street from Antonia’s Italian Bistro, a place I loved. I darted across the street in the now-driving rain, and when I walked in with a jingle of bells, I was greeted warmly, as I was every time I stopped to get food.
    “Food or sandwiches?” Mrs. Mancini called out to me from behind the deli counter.
    “Sandwiches.”
    “Two or one, Trev?”
    “Two,” I answered her, smiling big. “And his cannoli, two cream sodas, and my tiramisu, okay?”
    “’Course.” She beamed at me before turning and yelling the order back as I paid her daughter, Angela.
    My phone rang as I waited, and I saw my friend Tommy’s number. “Hey.” I smiled into my phone, yawning at the same time.
    “Hey, where the fuck are you?”
    “Why?”
    “Well, Landry just walked in here, and I don’t know what the fuck he’s wearing, but he’s, like, eight feet tall, and he’s sittin’ at the bar lettin’ some dickwad buy him a drink.”
    I snorted out a laugh, because how transparent could the man get? If he wanted to get a drink and get laid and cheat on me, why go to where he knew my friend Tommy tended bar and not any of the other places closer to