Page 15 of Office Affairs

“I have some news.” Robert had stolen my thunder, but I wasn’t about to let another month pass without telling him.

“Oh?” Bailey eyed me up and down. “Are you pregnant again?”

Keith stiffened by my side. He was young, but he had a warrior’s heart, and he recognized the threat in Bailey’s voice.

“I have a job.” My heart stuttered in my chest. What was I going to say if Dad asked where?

I shouldn’t have worried. No sooner did Dad’s mouth open, hopefully to congratulate me, than Bailey drowned him out with a long squeal. “That’s wonderful. Isn’t that wonderful, Leon?” She held his arm with both hands, gripping it so tight her fake nails dented his skin. “We’ve been talking for months about turning the apartment into a studio for my painting. It’s the only place that gets the right lighting.”

What the actual fuck? My apartment gets zero lighting. There’s one bay window in the living room, and it faces north, where a long line of trees cut off any light that dares filter our way.

“What are you talking about?”

“You moving out, of course. Now that you have a job, you can find your own place to live.” Bailey’s vicious smile held an edge I’d never seen before. She dared me to challenge her on this.

I shot a look toward Dad. Surely he’d step in this time. Surely he didn’t mean to let Bailey kick me and Keith out on the street.

Dad scrolled on his phone, his attention riveted on whatever he saw there. His brows furrowed, and he tugged his arm free of Bailey’s grip.

Robert and his siblings watched the conversation with the kind of rapt attention vultures gave fallen prey. They were waiting for me to roll over and die so they could swoop in and feed off my carcass. The hell with them. “I’m not moving out.”

Bailey could try and force me to move out, but I’d be damned if I was going to let her get away with this. I wanted independence, but not like this. I couldn’t afford a decent place yet. I’d checked on a few, and the deposit alone was a whole paycheck, and that was before I paid for Keith’s school, food, and other necessities that Bailey had talked Dad into refusing to pay over the years.

I didn’t blame him. Keith was my son, and I wanted to be the one footing the bill for his care. Not like this, though.

“Dad?” My voice sounded small and insecure. I cleared my throat and tried again. “The apartment is a terrible choice for Bailey’s studio.” The woman didn’t even paint anything that could be called art. She slapped a brush on canvas and called it a masterpiece when it resembled something Keith had brought home from kindergarten. “It takes months to find a place for rent. Especially this time of year.”

“Oh, I’m sure it’ll be fine. You have that job to take care of everything.” Bailey was enjoying this. Pure glee twisted her mouth into a broad smile that almost looked genuine, only because she knew it caused me pain.

Dad stood and brushed a hand down his stomach. He hadn’t even picked up his fork. “I have to go back to the office.”

“Take Robert with you.” Bailey motioned for Robert to stand.

Tall to the point of lanky, with shaggy hair that flopped strangely across his forehead, Robert had neither the demeanor nor the business sense to ever be a CEO.

“No.” Dad held up one hand in a stop motion. “Stay here with your mother.”

Keith tugged on my sleeve. “I want to go home.” He shifted in his seat, his eyes downcast as he twisted his hands in his shirt.

Poor kid. I didn’t blame him. “Sure. Let’s go.” What was the point in staying when Dad was already halfway to the door? “Come on, we’ll catch up to Grandpa.” My chair screeched when I shoved it back. I was petty enough to delight in the way Bailey flinched.

Taking Keith’s hand, we walked behind Dad. I almost called out for him to wait up, but I knew I’d be disappointed—and Bailey would be delighted—when he ignored my plea.

Bailey caught up with us at the front door, her palm slamming it closed and holding it in place.

“What?” I could throw her aside, but it was easier to listen to her than to deal with the fallout of physically touching the venomous woman.

Her sneer reappeared, followed by a flash of glee when she laughed. “I wanted to make sure you knew that you’ve been removed from the bank accounts. Leon signed the papers this morning, and I dropped them off at the bank.” She reached out like she might pat my cheek, and I swatted her away. “It’s good you’re a working girl now. No more mooching off Daddy’s money.” Her lips puckered in an insincere pout. “You wanted your independence. Well, here it is.” She took a step back from the door.

Icy cold replaced the heat in my veins. I felt weighted down with the sudden burden of being responsible for every aspect of our lives. I refused to let Bailey see the effect her words had on me and lifted my chin. “One less string you can pull to try and unravel me.” I gripped the knob and yanked the door open. Weak sunlight washed over me. Keith tore free of the gloom and ran with the wild abandon I used to feel. The sight eased the ache in my heart. “You should go see your doctor. You have a new wrinkle.” I pointed at the center of her forehead. “I think they call that the bitch line. It’s incurable. Not even Botox can make that go away.”

She slapped a hand to her forehead with a gasp, and I left feeling victorious. It was petty as shit, and I laughed all the way home.

It wasn’t until I closed the door behind me that the reality of it all crashed into me. What was I going to do about a new place to stay? Fuck. Should I fight Bailey on this or leave it alone and move out?

9

RUSSELL

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