“Take a seat, Aislynn,” Louise told me, her tone gentle. She sneaked a glare at my boss and cut out, “Before we begin, Richard has something he’d like to say to you.”
I sat stiffly down in a chair opposite, straight-backed, with my body taut, lacing my fingers together in my lap.
“I acted inappropriately,” he rasped, not quite meeting my eyes. “I also put you in an uncomfortable position, and for that I wholeheartedly apologize.” His voice wavered, and Louise’s mouth tightened in silent warning. “I understand if you want to file a complaint, and, umm, well, you’re of course within your rights to do so, but if it’s any consolation, I’m taking a step backfrom the company to spend some time with my family. Leah Sharpe will be taking over my clients and my position in the company.”
Leah Sharpe was another partner and a ballbuster. I liked her; she was fair, and although she expected a lot from us, she was also the first to offer support. I always wished I’d been assigned to her, but when I got my internship, she was already mentoring another architect, so I was stuck with Richard. At the time, I thought it was a coup; he was well known within the industry and had even founded the company. Little did I know he was a fucking perv.
Louise sat forward. “Richard will be removed from any projects you’re involved with and will be replaced with Leah. I’ve looked over your hours and can see you’ve done a lot of overtime that wasn’t officially recorded. By my calculations, you have approximately fifty hours left of your work placement, which means you have approximately a week and a half left if you work full-time hours. However, we’ll honor your contract and pay you until June; plus, we’ll add a bonus for all your hard work. Richard has contacts all over the country. He’ll be happy to offer a glowing reference and even speak to his contacts to help you find a position that’s right for you.”
My eyes narrowed. This was a lot. They were going to let me go early but pay me until the end of my contract regardless. It would mean I could graduate with no financial worries while I looked for a permanent job.
There had to be a catch.
“Are you trying to pay me off?” I asked.
“No,” she denied. “It’s not a payoff; it’s an apology. We’ll honor the offer whether you pursue a complaint or not. Richard understands his behavior was unacceptable, and he’s making moves to correct it. What happened yesterday won’t happenagain”—she lowered her tone and dipped her chin to look me dead in the eye— “to anyone.”
My boss shuffled uncomfortably in his seat.
“I’d like you to take the rest of the week off,” Louise suggested. “It will take a couple of days for Richard to complete the handover, and after what happened last night, I’d like you to get some space. Come in on Monday with a clear head. I’ll pencil you into a meeting at 9.30 with me and Leah in her office, and we can discuss your future plans.”
I nodded, standing and smoothing my jacket awkwardly. “Thank you.” I looked at Richard, who kept his gaze locked on the door behind me, his usual overconfidence nowhere to be seen. “I’ll see you Monday.” I turned and headed for the door and out to the lobby.
My steps faltered when I spotted Kerry leaning against a wall, waiting for me.
She looked past me into the conference room. “Are you okay?”
“Surprisingly, yes.” I tucked my hair behind my ear. “Louise from HR called me up. Leah’s taking over from Richard. He’s stepping back from the business.”
“Oh my God,” she breathed, her eyes rounding.
“I have two weeks left here. They’re signing off my banked hours and paying me until the end of my contract. I’m also getting a bonus.”
“Pay-off money,” she stated.
“That was my first thought, but I think Louise wants me away from Richard for my own safety. She told me that she’s happy for me to make a formal complaint and swears it won’t affect my offer.”
“To be fair, Louise has always been straightforward,” Kerry mused. “She plays things by the book, and I’m sure she’d have been pissed to find out what that asshole did to you.”Her eyebrows pulled together. “Howdidshe find out? I doubt Richard would have fessed up.”
I’d wondered the same thing myself and suspected Pagan had something to do with it. I could hardly tell Kerry that, though, so I just shrugged and murmured, “I have no idea.”
“You must have a guardian angel,” she commented.
I couldn’t stop my mouth from hitching because little did she know that my guardian angel was big, bald, ripped, and looked like he cleaned his teeth with a machete. Still, Pagan was the only one who’d gone out of his way to help me. He’d given me more help in one day than any of the so-called civilized, suited-up gentlemen from my office had done in weeks.
I’d written him off at the party. I didn’t like men who played games; it was immature and very beta, and beta men didn’t do it for me. Then he reappeared and laid everything out, all while showing me how ruthless he could be, and I liked it.
Pagan reminded me a lot of my da: more anti-hero than knight in shining armor. He ran so deep that I knew it would take me a lifetime to work him out, but if I were honest with myself, that was the attraction.
Most girls wanted easy and safe. They wanted good men who loved and cherished them and gave them a home and babies, but I’d always secretly craved for something more, something soul-changing, dangerous, even obsessive. I craved a love that would leave me breathless, ragged, and raw.
I wanted excitement and danger, the kind that left my head spinning and my emotions upside down. I’d risk being torn apart and shredded to the bone just to feel something real instead of my life being sanitized and safe. I yearned for a man who wouldn’t just hurt anyone who crossed me but would grind them to dust beneath his motorcycle boot while I watched.
I wanted a man who would grab me by the throat, drag me to a cliff edge, and then dare me to jump with him.
I wanted Pagan Sinclair.
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