“Shhh,” he hissed. “It’s already bad enough—”
“Bad enough? That’s not what you said when you were fucking me over your desk a few nights ago,” I said hotly.
Beck’s eyes flicked from me to the office floor, where his employees were gaping at our argument.
“Oh my god! I can’t believe you. I can’t believe I trusted you. I can’t believe I was so stupid to think that you were actually calling me in here to apologize like a freaking human being.”
“Tess,” he said. “You had to know this was coming.”
“Yes,” I said, holding up a finger. “Yes, I did, and I asked you if you were firing me. I asked youpoint-blank, and you lied to me, Beck. You lied to me like you lied about the painting. What the hell am I going to do? I could have found another job if you had given me a heads-up! But no, you lied because you wanted to keep sleeping with me.”
His shoulders were tense. “I was just concerned you would turn on me and I would lose my sisters.”
I gave him an incredulous look. “Your sisters?”
“You know I’d do anything for them.”
“Yeah,” I said, “and so would I. Who the fuck do you think I am? You know, that’s the most insulting part of this whole thing. That you somehow believe that I’m like you, that I’m just going to screw over innocent people for my own gain. I would never do anything to hurt those girls because I know what it feels like to be screwed over, especially when you’re a powerless child. I believed you also thought that way, but apparently, you learned the wrong lesson in your disgusting cult upbringing. You learned that the only way to survive is to fuck people over.”
“I’m not screwing you over,” Beck hissed through his teeth. “You’re not going to live on the streets. You can continue to live with me.”
“Live with you?” I spat at him. “As if I ever want to spend another minute in your presence.”
I pulled his credit card out of my pocket and threw it at him.
“You just want me around so you can keep screwing me. Well guess what? I’m not like the women you’re used to in the cult that just roll over for some horrible man because she needs him to take care of her. I’ve survived on my own just fine, and I will continue to do so. I don’t need you. You are the worst boss ever, and I hate you, and I know you don’t care because I’m apparently nothing to you, but guess what, I hate you, and I will hate you every day for forever.”
I stalked out of his office; the whole floor had stopped work and were blatantly staring.
I turned and marched back into the office.
Beck gave me a slightly hopeful look, but then I said, “And you know what else? I hate pickles. I’ve always hated pickles. I always will. I hate the pickles that you made, and I especially hate the one between your legs!”
I slammed the door, and it bounced hard and banged me in the chest.
“Ouch.”
Boob smarting, I grabbed my purse off my desk. The strap got caught on the chair and it tipped over with a crash to the floor.
“Oh my god,” several people murmured.
“What are you looking at?” I yelled at them. “Get back to work!”
Maeve jumped up and followed me as I stormed to the elevator.
“I never should have dated,” I muttered as I mashed the down button. “Never should have gotten involved.”
The elevator finally arrived, and my friend shoved me in.
“We’re going to find new jobs,” she assured me, massaging my shoulders. “Better jobs. Higher paying jobs. We’ll rent a new apartment. This is the change that we need in our lives. It’s a wake-up call.”
“But what am I going to do until then?” I said, my throat closing up. “I have nothing.”
“You have cake and friends and wine,” Maeve said soothingly as we stepped off the elevator and headed over to Holly’s café. “And really, what more do you need?”
“Why do people keep treating me this way?” I groaned, slumping at one of the small café tables. “Is it me?”
“Of course not,” Maeve said, gesturing wildly for Holly.
