Page 24 of Bound By Words

“If?” I questioned, my hands clenching the armrests on my chair. “He’s trying to ruin my career and just gets to keep going without repercussions? He said that I kept my job by working from my knees.”

“Kelly,” Helen placed her hand on my forearm, and I looked at her. “He’ll likely be put on leave as well. But we need to get all the paperwork filled out.”

Maybe Deacon had been onto something with all the cameras inside and outside his office. Trent’s advances at work had always happened in my office or the break room when we were alone. I’d dealt with his shit, but now I felt I had no real evidence of his behavior toward me. It was my word against his. And he’d been the first one to fire shots. This was a nightmare.

“Tom has assured me that you can handle most of his projects remotely,” Deacon said. “We’ll make sure you have the necessary files available while you’re gone, and I’ll check on the clients that you aren’t assigned.”

Nodding, I could still feel my blood pressure rising. This was bullshit, but I couldn’t do a damn thing about it. That asshole was so egotistical that he had sabotaged my entire career to avoid having to report to me for a few weeks. Other than fending off his inappropriate behavior, I hadn’t done anything to him.

“Let’s head down to my office and fill out the necessary paperwork for your complaint, and then security should be able to escort you out from your office to your car in the garage when we’re done.”

Great, I’d fill out the paperwork with Helen to save my job, and then security would escort me out because that didn’t give everyone the impression that I’d done something wrong.

The next hour was done in a haze, me recounting as much of what Trent had said to me as possible to Helen and any other incidents I could recall, with dates and the things he’d said. I should have documented it better, but I just thought he was a jerk, not that he’d try to get me fired. I was too trusting. My gut feelings about him had been right all along.

By the time I was sitting in my car in the underground parking structure, I was shaking. My laptop bag was crammed full of paperwork in my passenger seat. Security had locked my office door and asked for my copy of the key, riding the elevator with me to the underground garage and helping me load my belongings into my car. At least I drove to the office today. I couldn’t even imagine taking the train home with the two large file boxes in my trunk.

I don’t know how long I sat there, but when my phone started buzzing in the cup holder, I was startled, quickly wiping my cheeks before picking it up.

“Hello?”

“Hey.” My sister-in-law’s cheerful voice carried through the line, and I hated that I cringed when I realized it was her. I could have looked at the caller ID and declined the call, but my brain wasn’t firing on all cylinders. Or any cylinders. I was just numb. And fucking screwed. “Just wanted to check in with you before we left for the city. I know we said you could come visit when we got back, but we might spend a little longer in the city than anticipated.”

“Alright.” There, that sounded normal. Maybe she wouldn’t be able to tell that I was crying. Or that my life had essentially turned into an epic dumpster fire in the past three hours. I had difficulty believing what my life had turned into in the last three hours.

What the hell would I do with myself for the next eight weeks?

What if I lost my job?

What if I couldn’t find a new one?

Fuck. I was panicking.

“Are you alright? Your breathing sounds weird. Are you at the gym?”

“I’m…” I choked, bringing my fist to my mouth and biting down on my knuckle momentarily as I tried to pull myself together.

“Kelly? Do I need to get Evan? You’re freaking me out.”

“No!” I shouted, my voice echoing in the confined space in my car. “No. No, I’m fine. I’m not hurt. I’m just…” I paused, not even knowing what emotion I was feeling right now.

“Are you sure? I know we’re supposed to fly out tomorrow afternoon, but we have travel insurance if you need us to postpone the trip. We’ve waited this long for a honeymoon. A few more days won’t make a difference.”

The tears I’d been trying to hold back escaped my eyes at the concern in her voice, trailing down my cheeks as a sob escaped my lips. “I think I need help.”

NATHAN

Boston

Absently scratching the matted, slightly sweaty hair on the back of my neck, I placed my hard hat on the desk in my portable office, pulling my personal phone from my pocket as it buzzed against my thigh. I typically didn’t check it during the day, but it’d been buzzing for the last ten minutes with text notifications.

Half a dozen were from my mother and sister, but I wasn’t replying. They’d expect a call if I responded, which wasn’t happening. One from another rigger asked if I’d be free for a demonstration class, but I’d been shying away from those lately. I wasn’t in the right headspace to be teaching right now. Sometimes, you needed to step away from the scene between partners to get perspective on what you wanted.

It was the last one that made me pause.

G: My office. Two hours.

Typically, a text from Grace would have sent my pulse racing, the anticipation of release amping me up for our next scene together. However, I’d had difficulty mustering any excitement about our interactions in the past few months. She’d tolerated my avoidance as long as I saw her every few weeks, but I knew she was growing impatient with me. Blowing off her check-ins and attempts to gauge my well-being violated our play agreement, but I had zero desire to share my growing frustrations with life with her. I knew she could be a good, impartial friend if I let her, but I didn’t want to open that bond in our play further. I felt our arrangement for one-off rope play would be ending soon. I just hated to be the one to initiate it.

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