Page 25 of Stolen Hearts
Poor Liam didn’t know what to do with himself when I’d sent my drink flying at the wall after reading the email that Pietro had forwarded. My blood was boiling at the numerous ways Alexander had violated me.
My boundaries.
My career.
The contract Connie had made me sign.
Of all the ways Alexander could force his way back into my life.
Andrew had all but forcibly taken my phone from me to prevent me from smashing it when I’d read Alexander’s response to my text.
Sk8er Boi
I thought you’d be happy to have your Brewed account back.
The sheer audacity.
Acting as if his stipulation was doing me a favor. Like it wasn’t for him. Like he wasn’t once again leaving me to deal with the mess his reckless and ill-thought-out actions had created.
The two Ambien Andrew gave me did nothing to help mesleep. I paced my apartment instead, deliberating how to deal with Paul and Connie.
Ignore them?
Embrace them?
Tolerate them?
No doubt they’re having similar thoughts about our imminent interaction. But the meeting is still an hour away, and right now, I’m intrigued by how this Tony situation is about to unfold.
Julie comes over to my desk and pulls me up and toward the kitchen. She grabs herself another coffee as two heavy-footed security guards stride past us toward the end of the office.
“There’s no way he stays right?” Julie asks.
Rumors have abounded all day about Tony’s dismissal. Tony’s shouting from the meeting room all but confirmed it. The commotion gets louder once the security guards reach the room. The strong pull to look out of the kitchen instantly backfires on me when Tony slams the door open. His eyes scan the office like an animal tracking its prey on the horizon.
“Guess not,” I say, snapping my head back into the kitchen.
“He did have a chance to come clean.” Julie steps past me to stick her head round the kitchen corner as Tony’s voice becomes louder.Get your hands off me!“But he denied it. Apparently, his face went whiter than a ghost’s when they played the video for him.”
Julie’s carefully curated sources had confirmed that six people talked to HR about a relationship between Tony and Sara, and that, along with security footage of Tony and Sara being inappropriate in the empty office, made their relationship undeniable.
“I can’t imagine she’ll stay around either.” Julie nods to who I assume she means is Sara. I step back and take another look. Sara’s head is down. Headphones on. Shoulders drawn.
“I wouldn’t trust her as far as I could throw her.” My words come too fast and too loud, causing other staff members to look at Julie and me. I return my attention to Julie and lower my voice. “There’s no way I want her involved in helping me on the Brewed campaign. She’ll just go running back to…”
“You did this. You did all of this!” Tony shouts at the kitchen entrance as he passes, foaming at the mouth. The two security guards stand to either side of him.
“If you can’t control yourself, sir, we’ll have to escort you off the premises right now and have your belongings sent to you.”
One of the security guards pushes Tony forward, but his gaze stays locked on my face, his head turning round like the girl inThe Exorcist.
I refuse to take my eyes off his and plaster a fuck-off smile across my face.
“Don’t engage.” Julie nudges me, nearly knocking her coffee all over her cream dress in the process.
I let go of the smile and return to my resting bitch face look.
“Guess that answers your question then,” I say.
