“Oh, yeah, sorry. I remember.”
“She just stood up in f–front of everyone and accused me of sleeping with Elijah to keep my job!” I cover my mouth with my hand. “It was awful,” I gasp against my fingers. “Everyone was staring at me like I was some kind of slut and I couldn’t think of anything to say.”
“Oh, honey! I’m so sorry! What a fucking raging bitch. Who the fuck does that?”
“I thought she was my friend,” I whisper hoarsely. “She’d been asking me to get info on Elijah after she saw us on our date together, and that had been something I was trying to do but like, it just never happened. Other stuff kept getting in the way, y’know?”
“Calliope, you don’t need to explain yourself to me. I have your back no matter what your choices are. Y’know, so long as they don’t endanger you or anyone else I care about.” She laughs humorlessly. “Shit. Do you want me to come and get you?”
I should say no. I should go back out there with my head held high and give both Victoria and Elijah a piece of my mind about what they’ve been doing, but the thought of showing my face to anyone makes my blood run cold and I shiver.
“Yes, please,” I whisper.
“Okay. I’ll get Harrison to cover the shop and I’ll be there, okay? Hang tight for me, hon.” She makes a kissing noise and the call ends, leaving me to the smothering silence of Elijah’s office one more.
This has to be a sign. It’s time to do something else with my life or move on from this. Pack up my things, put me and Nick inthe car, and just drive until I’ve left all of this bullshit behind. The minutes tick by sluggishly and I’m growing so anxious about what’s going to happen that I can’t sit still. I end up back on my feet, pacing back and forth in front of the window with my tears finally at bay.
I can cry when I’m home.
Fuck. What am I going to do?
My job is over. There’s no doubt about that. Regardless of whether I’m fired or not, I can’t work here anymore. I need to move on. And quickly, because if Elijah decides to take me to court over Nick, then I need to show them I have a stable job and income to care for him. How did it come to this? It wasn’t too long ago that I was fantasizing about a life with him, that we could become this sweet little family like I’d always dreamed. I’d have someone in my corner, Nick would have someone for the father-son races, and we’d get matching ugly sweaters at Christmas like a real family.
How could I not see this coming?
Kicking myself does little more than bring my mood down which then tanks when an email pops up on my phone reminding me that Valentine’s Day is in three days. My mood completely sours and I delete the email immediately.
It’s only February and I need this year over already.
After forty minutes of kicking around Elijah’s office, Stacey texts me and tells me she’s down in the lobby.
Fuck this, I’m out of here.
Striding toward the door, I gather all the strength I have left and take a deep breath, ready to rush out and face whoever I need toface in order to make it to the elevator and out of this wretched building. As I reach the door, it suddenly swings open and Elijah walks in with a slight jump of surprise to see me so close.
“I’m leaving,” I snap before he can speak. “And you can’t stop me. I’m leaving.”
“Calliope—”
“No!” I point at him as my heart thunders in my chest. “You don’t get to say anything. This is all fucked up because of you. Everything is fucked up because of you and I’m not going to stand here and listen to you berate me or accuse me or whatever it is you’re going to say.”
“Calliope… what are you talking about?” He closes the door behind him and walks a few steps toward me, which forces me to take a few steps back.
“I know, okay? I knew the second you ran out of my house like I lit a fire under your ass. I should have known from the start how this was going to end, but I’m not going to let you intimidate me, alright? I’m going to fight and you’re going to regret the day you crossed me or—or fired me or whatever, you hear me? You’re going to regret it!”
Elijah’s face remains stunned as he stares at me with his lips slightly parted. “Fired you? Calliope, what are you—I’mpromotingyou, not firing you.”
38
ELIJAH
This is all my fault, but there isn’t time to explain, not if everything is going to work out smoothly. Calliope stares at me with an open mouth and I can see the shock clashing with the confusion in her eyes. Trying to regain a handle on the mess created by Victoria has flipped everything on its head and I now can’t even tell whether my plan is going to work.
But I’ll find a way. I have too much riding on this, and more importantly, too much riding on Calliope.
“I–I don’t understand,” she says, her brows knitting together. “Promoting me? Are you kidding me? You think you can just throw that word at me and it will make everything okay? You fled my house yesterday after I finally told you the truth and now I?—”
“Calliope!” I surge forward and lightly grasp her shoulders, silencing her. “I know this doesn’t make sense. I know it’s confusing and crazy and I would explain if I had time, but I don’t. I don’t have time so I’m asking you—no, I’m begging you,if any of the time we spent together these past two months means anything to you, then please,pleasetrust me.”
