The CEO's Entanglement

17 I Still Need

Loreli POV

I make my way toward the elevator seething. If that b**ch thinks this is over, she is very wrong. I always get what I want and I want Morris McNair. This may have started out as a favor, but its personal now. He will be mine. When the elevator dings, I step off and head to Melissa's office. I knock and push the door open.

"Lori, I didn't expect you to be back so soon. I figured you would try to get Morris alone after Elise left. You did see Elise, right," she says, a look of concern on her face. "I did, but we underestimated her. She didn't run away like the whiny pathetic b**ch you thought she would be. What's worse is, Morris came back before I could get out of there. He was pissed and pretty much told me not to come back to his floor."

"F**k, Loreli, I thought you said that Morris had been opening up more, and you were sure he was close to f**king you." "He was until his b**ch of a wife threw her little fit. I know he wants me, but he won't give her up for some reason. I mean look at her and look at me. Why the hell would he want someone who looks like she has popped out a baby. I'm sure she has stretch marks and jiggly bits."

"There has to be more to it than love. Men like him and his father only love one thing and that's money. If she was smart, she put a clause in their pre-nup about cheating, knowing who his father was. It's the only thing that makes sense. If he gets caught cheating, she must get more than he is willing to part with. Like father, like son," she says.

"Troy f**ked more than half the women that worked in this building, but his wife was too dumb to know what was happening because she buried her head in the sand. Hell they all laughed behind her back at every company party he ever held. She would stand there smiling like she didn't have a care in the world," she says.

"She sounds pathetic. Maybe Morris likes his women the same as his mother, but his wife surprised him. She doesn't seem to be as oblivious as his mother sounds." "I think you just need to show Morris how much better you are than his boring, useless wife. He'll slip up,they always do. I think we need to work late tonight," she says with a sinister glint in her eye.

Elise POV

I feel the love my husband has for me as he holds me close, but a part of me is too hurt to say I forgive him yet. The only other thought that keeps running through my mind is what the hell is that b**ch's end game. Even if she managed to get Morris to stray, did she really believe he would choose her? Not because she isn't beautiful on the outside, but I think he's seen enough to know she is damn right ugly on the inside.

Maybe she is one of those people that believe the wrapper is the only thing that truly matters. After a few more minutes of just enjoying my husband's arms around me, her message from this morning pops into my head. "Morris, where is your briefcase?" He pulls back, looking at me with confusion before he must remember why I'm asking. He releases me and rounds his desk. I expect him to open it himself, but instead he extends his hand, offering it to me.

When I unzip the leather bag I bought for him two Christmases ago, I fight the urge to gag. My eyes meet his and, despite the fact I know the pink lace panties mean nothing, I want to punch him. Punch him for letting this woman become apart of our lives. He steps closer, looking into the bag and a look of rage I've never seen mars his handsome face.

"Elise, I swear to you, I have never seen those panties before in my bag or on that b**ch." He takes the bag from my hands and drops the bag and all its contents into the garbage before he turns back to me. "Elise, please tell me you believe me" he says. "I do believe you Morris." He takes a step toward me relief evident on his, but I raise my hand to stop him. Hurt flashes in his eyes, but I need him to hear me.

"I do believe you, Morris, but I need you to tell me again that you didn't give this woman any indication that you were interested in her. She is a beautiful woman, and she wants you based on the bulls*t she is pulling. Are you positive you didn't feel anything for her, not even for a moment that would give her hope that you could reciprocate her feelings?"

He takes another step toward me. "Elise, I never for one second thought about moving toward her. I told you that I may have noticed she was attractive but no part of me wanted her. Not emotionally or physically did I ever want her. No part of me would jeopardize what we have for her. Her needing my help, stroked my ego like the id**t I am, but I never had any feelings for her. I told you everything, Elise. I swear to you. I made mistakes, but not for one moment did I lead her to believe I wanted her."

I believe him, but hearing him say that feeling needed by her stroked his ego guts me. I needed him to be there for me as my husband and he wasn't. "Elise, please say something." "I'm angry at you Morris." He goes to open his mouth, but I raise my hand to stop him from saying anything. "It hurts me that because I'm not some damsel in distress you feel like I don't need you. I needed you to spend time with me, but you were too busy at work. I may be an independent person, but that doesn't mean that I don't need my husband. When was the last time you took me out or showed me that I am your priority?"

Before he can answer, I keep going. "I'll tell you how long, months. Months that your focus was on work which I know is important, Morris. I'm not one of those women who need you to dote on me all the time, but I do need to feel like I'm important to my husband. Maybe if I felt that way, seeing you in the office with her wouldn't have hurt me so much. Maybe I wouldn't have doubted you had you not been all but absent from me and Emmy for the last few months."

I can see my words cut him deeply, but he needs to understand how we got here. I'm partly to blame too for him neglecting us. I accepted that he had this huge deal that needed his attention, but I should have demanded he make time for us. Demanded there be some balance in our lives.

It's a mistake I won't make again. "Elise, I am so sorry I put anything before you and Emmy. I promise you that I will do whatever it takes to prove to you that you and Emmy are my first priority." "I believe you're sorry, Morris. I also believe you never meant to hurt me, but you did. Having said that Emmy and I will be home tonight after you get home from work." A smile spreads across his face, but I'm not done.

"Until we get everything sorted, and I'm feeling better about where we are, I'll be sleeping in the guest bedroom. I want Emmy to have access to both of us and I want to work on forgiving you before I move back into our room. I know you said that her needing your help stroked your ego, but hearing you say that is more telling than you realize. It makes me feel like I'm not giving you something you need." "No" he says firmly.

"Morris" I start to say, but he cuts me off. "I listened to you, but now I want you to listen to me. I have always been a protector. My mother was hurt all the time by my sperm donor, and it became my job to make sure she was alright. I know it sounds stupid but it's the truth. When I saw that pr*ck scaring the sh*t out of Loreli it took me back to all those times my father degraded my mother and I wanted to protect her. It wasn't anything romantic. Having you as my wife has shown me what a marriage is supposed to look like," he says.

"I'm so happy you're coming home. I promise you that I will do everything in my power to show you that I'm grateful you didn't just drop my a** for being stupid. You are the love of my life and I can't lose you, Elise," he says. He leans forward and presses a soft kiss on my lips and I don't stop him. I take a step back, not trusting myself to not wrap my arms around his neck and deepen the kiss.

He walks over, grabbing the box that Daniel gave him. "This is the new phone and number. All of your contacts are programmed and Daniel has already sent them your updated number." "Thank you, Morris." "Also, could you do me a favor, my love? Could you order me a new briefcase in the same style that you got me last time." I nod, and he presses a kiss on my forehead before I leave his office.