“Of course. I wouldn’t—”
He held up a hand. “Spare me, Miss Markham. Don’t make this any harder than it already is. We expect that you’re not having deep interpersonal relationships with the clients.”
My eyes absently scanned the top of his desk, searching for something that made sense. “How was Marshall so sure the texts were mine?”
Bill took a breath, considering that.
“Does he have proof of this?”
“He does not.”
We sat there, our gazes locked as I worked hard not to betray any emotion. All my fears were coming true, but I was barely in my body, levitating somewhere below the ceiling.
“I was going to fire you right now, but I know Marcie chose you for a reason. You’re a very talented attorney, and I’m sure you could find more holes in my concerns. Frankly, I’d invite it, because this is the last thing I want to be dealing with.”
I gave a short nod, not sure where he was going with his statement. I wasn’t sure he knew either.
His eyes were softer moving over me. “I’m sorry it’s come to this. We can’t lose clients like Marshall. It’s sloppy. We only like to keep people who are headed for a partner track, and unfortunately what you’ve done is a career-limiting move.”
“I haven’t done—”
He looked at me over the tops of his glasses frames, silencing me.
“I’m going to put you on a two-week administrative leave while we investigate this.”
I nodded. “I understand. Anything else?”
“Just watch your email for the administrative leave paperwork. And please do not attend to any other Athlore business while we’re investigating. It’ll only muddy the waters.”
* * *
I was supposed to go to Nick’s house after work. We were going to celebrate his upcoming birthday, since I couldn’t go to the team celebration. He’d bought me some cute lingerie to wear, some with thigh highs and a garter. And a riding crop. He said he was ready to try me being in charge.
I wasn’t in much of a mood to celebrate Nick. He had sabotaged my career. And I had been a willing accomplice.
True, it didn’t sound like him to haze somebody. But maybe I didn’t really know him like I thought I did. Hockey hazing rituals could be brutal, especially in the lower leagues. Nick had bypassed the lower leagues. Maybe he hadn’t gotten that brutish behavior out of his system, so he did it to Paxton.
I headed for the place that had always been my safe haven: Kitty’s. It wasn’t the same as when I used to go to her parents’ house, her mom waiting with hugs and her dad leaving a couple of beers where we could get to them on purpose. But it was our new adult reality, and my ride-or-die best friend would be there to pick up the broken, rotten parts of myself.
I texted her to let her know I was coming over and to apologize to Guy for stealing her in advance.
I was a numb shell of a human by the time I rang her doorbell. Kitty opened the door and hugged me on sight.
“I’m suspended at work,” I said. “I lost a big deal and they found out about me and Nick.”
Kitty listened as I explained the whole meeting: the hazingallegations, the texts. All the while, my phone blew up with messages from Nick.
“Why would Nick make this kid say gross things about you? Or anyone on the team for that matter. Everybody respects you. That just doesn’t sound right,” Kitty said. “You want me to ask Guy? I told him to disappear upstairs, but I can get him.”
“Does it even matter? They know about us, Kitty.”
“Without any proof. You said that yourself.”
“But it’s true. I’ve been doing what I’m not supposed to do.”
Kitty rested her head back on the couch. “You might think you have to follow every rule given to you, Annie, but I can promise you as a frequent offender, most rules are made to be broken.”
My phone rang, and I answered. May as well get it out of the way. “Hi, Nick.”
