“Nothing,” I muttered, glancing at my former lover.
Madison’s mouth was pursed and she crossed her arms over her chest defensively. I wished we could move past the shittiness of how we had started. I wanted to be civil with her. I hated the workplace awkwardness. But Madison didn’t seem to be in any hurry to rectify things. She actually seemed to enjoy the discomfort her scorned-woman routine elicited.
“No one smiles like that over nothing,” she continued.
Why was she asking?
What was it to her?
“I’m seeing someone, all right?” I spat out. Madison’s expression didn’t change.
“I didn’t think you dated. Isn’t that what you told me a dozen times?” she snapped.
I sighed. I didn’t want to have this conversation. Not at work. Not ever.
“Yeah, well, I guess I needed to find the right woman,” I replied nastily.
There was a flicker in Madison’s eyes that looked like hurt and I regretted my words. I didn’t want to make her feel bad, but the bitch routine was getting old really fast.
Still, I shouldn’t have reacted like that.
Madison straightened her shoulders and stuck out her chin. “This came in the mail for you and was mixed up with my stuff.” Her words were clipped and hard. She dropped a thin brown envelope on my desk.
I could try apologizing for the hundredth time. But I knew it would get me nowhere.
“Thanks,” I said to Madison’s retreating back.
Chaz strolled by, coffee cup in hand, obnoxious smirk on his face. “You sure know how to make enemies, don’t you, Kohler?”
One of these days I’d punch Chaz Edwards. Punch him hard. So that he didn’t wake up for a very long time.
“Keep on walking, Edwards,” Perry piped up, appearing by my side.
Chaz laughed. “So you have Agent Dumb-ass fighting your battles now?”
Perry’s face flushed in humiliation. I got to my feet, towering over Chaz’s much smaller frame. He recoiled slightly, which was extremely satisfying.
“I think you need to worry about your own life more than mine. If I had a wife seen out with several different men who weren’t me, I’d be less inclined to comment on the relationships of others,” I sneered.
Chaz drew himself upright, clenching his fists. “You need to keep your false information to yourself, Kohler,” he growled.
Chaz’s wife’s indiscretions were common knowledge around the office. It just wasn’t something anyone spoke about within his earshot. I would have felt bad for him if he hadn’t been such an asshole.
“Back off, Chaz. We’ve all got work to do,” Perry said, coming to stand between us. I wasn’t sure what Perry thought he could do if Chaz and I decided to go at it. We’d break him like a twig.
Chaz glared at me, his hatred palpable. “It’s only a matter of time until you’re out of here. You’re not the great agent you think you are. You’re a two-bit fake.”
I should have been angry at Chaz’s insults, but I refused to let him bother me. His opinion didn’t matter.
I was a good agent. A great agent. He knew it. I knew it.
Everyone fucking knew it.
Even saddled with the worst cases, I was a hell of a lot better than Chaz Edwards.
Thus the reason for his venom.
“Walk away, Edwards. While you can,” I warned.
