Page 92 of Dear Grumpy Boss

Weston

Leavingtheofficeatfive was outrageous, especially after being out of town for half a week. Yet, here I was, striding across the lobby, hoping I was fast enough to catch up with Elise.

When I caught her, I had no idea what I was going to do with her.

Dinner, maybe.

White Russians and zombie flicks.

Christ, was I jealous of the time she’d spent with her own brother?

It was entirely irrational, but I was. I wanted that time for myself.

Stalking out of the building, I looked left, then right. I’d found Elise, all right, but she wasn’t alone. Some tall, bearded fuck had his mouth on her.

Possessiveness roared inside me. Bitter disappointment clouded my vision. She’d moved back to her lumberjack the minute she got home.

It was her right. She wasn’t mine. So why the fuck did betrayal stab at my chest?

I found myself backing up, preparing to turn around and go inside where I belonged when Elise ripped herself away from the man who’d been holding her.

My vision cleared. This wasn’t Thomas, and Elise didn’t look happy.

He grabbed at her, catching her by the elbow. “Stop it, Patrick. This wasn’t talking, nor was it welcome. You can’t just kiss me. That’s over.”

Patrick.

I was on them before I acknowledged I was going to move. My arm banded around Elise’s middle, easily pulling her from the other man’s grasp.

“You heard her,” I snapped. “You need to leave.”

At the sound of my voice, Elise melted against me, sliding around to my side.

Her ex’s eyes narrowed on where we were holding each other. I scoffed, raising my chin.

“That’s right. She’s mine now. You screwed up, didn’t treasure her, and I got the reward.” I gently moved Elise behind me and stepped into him.

He puffed out his chest like he was a big man, but Iknewhe was small. Tiny, even. I didn’t mean his physical size. I was referring to his mind, his confidence, the essence of him. That was minuscule.

It had been apparent to me the first time I met him, when Elise had let her light dim so this idiot could shine. She had deferred to him, and when she’d caught herself laughing too hard or stating an opinion, she would dart her eyes to him and clamp her mouth shut.

“What is this?” Patrick snarled at me before softening to look at her. “Elise, what is this? Don’t tell me you’re with someone else. Don’t tell me that.”

“I’ve moved on,” she replied quietly.

He thumped his chest. “Yeah, well, I should have a say in that. How have you moved on when we never broke up? I’ve been hunting you down to beg you to come back to me and you’ve been fucking someone else?”

I had to laugh. “I think Elise ghosting you was a loud and clear message that you’re broken up. It isn’t her fault you’re too dense to understand.”

“This has nothing to do with you, man. Elise and I were having a conversation before you showed up.”

“What you aren’t seeing is everything to do with Elise involves me. She’s mine. And what I walked up on didn’t look like conversation. It looked like you were forcingmygirl into a kiss.” I pointed to the corner of the building. “If you need playback, the security cameras captured the assault in real time.”

“Weston—” Elise started.

“What are you talking about?” Patrick sputtered, cutting her off. “I kissed her because I missed her. I would never hurt her.” He tried to peer around me to get to her, but I was a brick wall keeping him away.

“Just go, Patrick,” she said sadly. “We’re finished.”

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