Page 76 of Unfinished
I’m about to go in search of one of our team leads, when my phone rings. Circling around my desk, I pick it up. It’s one of the guards from the front desk calling to let me know someone is here to see me.
After telling him I’ll be there in just a minute, I hang up.
Then drop to my seat and put my head between my knees.
I feel like I’m going to pass out. There aren’t many people who would be here to see me—especially people who don’t have permission to simply enter the building like Mariah or Deidra. So whoever’s here is probably not someone I want to see.
But I can do this. I am more than what happened to me, and I am capable of doing hard things.
I keep repeating the mantra my therapist taught me as I stride out of my office, pausing to look at the manin black stationed outside. Deciding taking him along doesn’t make me any less brave, I ask him to accompany me to the front desk.
It’s shocking how much better I feel with someone capable of things I probably can’t even imagine beside me. And I even manage to get all the way to the front of the building without stopping to throw up a single time.
I scan the area as soon as we step in, but don’t see anyone familiar. Swallowing hard, I walk to the front, choosing to stand behind the desk because it makes me feel better to have a barrier around me. The security guard greets me before motioning to a man a few feet away.
I look the guy over, wracking my brain for any sort of familiarity, but I’ve never seen him before in my life.
His tone is polite and professional as he greets me with a small smile. “Are you Brooke Carrington?”
I don’t smile back, because unease is creeping down my spine. Something is off about this. “Have we met?”
I’m surrounded by armed men. Not just the guy from Alaskan Security standing next to me, but also the trio of security guards behind the desk. I am as safe as I can probably be, but the desire to turn and run is starting to become unbearable.
“No.” He holds out an envelope. “I’m here to serve you.”
Serve me. Serve me what?
I take the envelope, barely noticing as he waves goodbye and leaves because I’m busy opening the flap and pulling out the stack of papers inside.
Matt’s name at the top has my throat closing up, making it hard to breathe as I skim over words marking him as a plaintiff.
And me as a defendant.
The man from Alaskan Security turns away, voice low as he murmurs something I can’t make out. I’m not sure I wouldhear any better if he shouted right at me, because my ears are ringing as I read more and more.
Matt is suing me for the cost of our wedding and reception. He wants me to pay him a million dollars, plus damages.
And interest.
I don’t have a million dollars. I barely have a thousand dollars, and that’s only because I’m driving Tobias’s car and living in Tobias’s house. Where in the world does Matt think I’m going to come up with this kind of?—
The realization settles around me, cold and heavy.
He doesn’t. He knows I don’t have this kind of money. He’s punishing me. Has found yet another way to make me suffer.
I guess it’s better than him following through with his threat to kill me. Yay for that.
“What the fuck is going on?”
The sharpness in Tobias’s voice has me spinning around, but not from reactionary fear or as a trauma response. It’s because I feel alone, and I’m scared, and I don’t know what I’m going to do. And I need him.
“Matt is suing me.” I barely get the words out because I’m starting to shake. The papers are bouncing around when Tobias gently takes them from my hands, gripping them tight as one arm wraps around me, pulling me to his chest.
I bury my face in his shirt. He smells like the shop. It’s not anything I would have ever expected to like, but I do. It’s familiar and safe and makes me feel like everything is going to be okay. I take a deep breath, closing my eyes as the scent of oil and whatever else he’s worked with soothes me.
“This motherfucker.” Tobias turns to the man from Alaskan Security. “When did she get this?”
“Wasn’t even two minutes ago. I called it in the second it happened so someone could come get you.”
