“Woof, that’s a nasty little bitch you got there.” Randy laughs like he’s made the world’s funniest joke.
I force myself to laugh pleasantly.Do it for Pepper.
When I went into Salinger’s office yesterday, I had almost,almost,been desperate enough to ask him for help hiring a lawyer. He had seemed like he didn’t completely hate Pepper after the charity evening was over. But now? After that display?
The man is unhinged, violent, dangerous, and probably a bigger threat than Jaxon.
Jaxon is an obnoxious, spoiled boy. Salinger is an apex man-killing predator. Now I’m stuck between the two of them. Trapped.
“Has Pepper bitten anyone before on record?” The lawyer is even greasier in person—and older. His photo on the website must have been at least fifteen years out of date. Unfortunately, he was the only lawyer I found who I could afford, and I didn’t have time to do more research.
Pepper, sitting on my lap, licks my fingers.
“Of course not.” I am seriously about to cry.
“Now, I know you’re worked up.” His fingers, swollen around his class ring, comb through the glass dish of peanuts next to his elbow. “This is typical when relationships end. Men don’t like it when you disrespect them. Jaxon probably just wants an apology.” He cracks a peanut with his teeth. His wet tongue licks the salt on the shell, then he throwsit in an empty coffee mug overflowing with old shells. “It’s unfortunate that you two couldn’t have ended things on better terms.”
“We were not in a relationship. We met at a singles mixer then went out to a bar three days later,” I repeat, trying not to sound hysterical. “Jaxon got mad that I wouldn’t, um… go home with him and has proceeded to make my life a living hell for the past four months.”
“I bet you probably wish you’d just slept with him.” If he is trying to give me a kindly fatherly smile, he is failing miserably.
The tears are threatening again.
“Kidding, kidding,” Randy says hastily.
Is he, though?
“Look.” The lawyer picks up my folder and taps it on the table. “Let me make some calls, see what I can do. We can straighten this whole thing out. Don’t you worry about a thing, little miss. You and your dog are in good hands.”
“Thank you.” My voice sounds dull to my ears.
Feeling like I’m pushing through cotton candy, I trudge back out through the shabby office onto the street.
“It will be okay,” I promise Pepper, or maybe myself. “I just gave the lawyer three thousand dollars. He has to help me—there is no other option.”
Even the thought of going back to the Rainier Equity office doesn’t offer as much comfort as it normally does. I still don’t feel safe.
I am being crushed under the weight of the stalker issue. All I want to do is curl up in bed with my ancient MacBook overheating and warming my chest as I watch one of my comfort movies. Instead, I am stuck in this chilly, lifeless office, heating up Salinger’s lunch.
Despite the fact that my boss has decided he hates me more than anyone else on the planet, he still, of course, eats the food I make. If he knew I cooked his favorite meal, he would probably just detonate and take out half the block with him.
Salinger doesn’t acknowledge me when I creep into his office with the tray. In fact, he purposefully turns his back to me, the phone still pressed against his ear as he snaps at someone in German.
Once I finally deal with the stalker, I promise myself that I will find a new job, far away from Salinger Svensson.
But what if the stalker is never dealt with?
The utensils clang against the glass of water as I juggle the tray while trying to clear off Salinger’s desk.
Salinger turns, his cold gray eyes regarding me.
He doesn’t help.
I’m suddenly not sure I can survive another month—year? Decade?—with this man, trapped between his temper and Jaxon’s threats of violence.
The lawyer will take care of it. He took my money, three thousand whole dollars. He’s going to help.
I’m loading the dishes in the office dishwasher that afternoon when the text messages start.
