Page 126 of Emerald Malice

“It is,” I say softly. “I’m sorry, but?—"

“So getting fucked on my desk by that psychopath is appropriate, but this isn’t?”

Byron advances on me, moving closer even as I back away. My heart is thundering in my chest and cold sweat is prickling at the base of my spine.

“Scared of me, now?” he taunts. “Am I being ‘inappropriate’?”

“You’re not yourself, Byron,” I squeak out.

“You don’t know me the way you think you do,” he hisses. “Just like I thought I knew you, walking around the office, all sweet and smiley, pretending to be a nice girl. You’re not a nice girl. Nice girls don’t do the kinds of things you’ve done to me.”

“I’m sorry if I ever led you on. Believe me, it was never my intention. I was under the impression we were colleagues and friends. End of story.” His eyes flash furiously as two veins in his temples pulse. “I’m leaving now.”

My back is to him when he speaks. “Got what you wanted from me and now, you’re just gonna walk away, huh?”

My instincts are screaming at me not to take the bait. But my sense of pride wins out over reason.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I ask, whirling around.

His smile is ugly. “The rumor mill has been churning since you fucked Kuznetsov in my office. Another employee would have gotten the sack for doing what you did. Who do you think shielded you from HR all these weeks? Who do you think kept the truth from reaching Mr. Ewes?”

My jaw drops. “That’s why you didn’t fire me? You were trying to manipulate me?”

“I was trying to protect you!” he roars. “Do you know what they’re calling you in the office? Do you know what they say about you? They’re calling you the office slut! Compared to you, Abby looks like the Virgin Mary.”

I’m expecting it and still, it hurts. “Well, everyone is entitled to their opinions.”

“I don’t know why I wasted my time on you,” he snarls as I rip open the door and step into the hall, praying it closes before the rest of his insult can reach me.

It doesn’t shut fast enough.

“You’re nothing but a two-bit whore who’s willing to sacrifice her pride for a man with a fat wallet.”

44

NATALIA

“Nat, are you sure you’re okay?” It’s the third time Leonty has asked.

I wasn’t fine the first time. I’d walked out of Mr. Ewes’s office thirty seconds earlier, still reeling from the aftermath of the meeting. My ears were still ringing. I felt numb to everything except the complete and utter mortification I felt, so I barely even heard Leonty; I just nodded and followed him to the car.

On the long drive across town, I replayed the conversation in my head again and again and grew progressively less fine. Byron told me what happened, Ms. Boone. And worse, there are security cameras all over the building. I expected more of you.

Now, I’m nauseous and on the verge of tears, but I give Leonty a tight-lipped smile. “I’m fine.”

I beeline for the pool house, Remi close at my heels. You can cry when you get to the pool house. You can cry when you get to the?—

“Natalia?”

I grind to a standstill. All at once, every bit of frustration and resentment coursing through me finds a target.

Andrey appears from around the corner. It looks like he’s been out all day. His skin has a sun-kissed glow and his hair is windswept to perfection. He’s beautiful.

But today, his good looks don’t affect me at all. They only serve as a reminder that the world dances to the tune of men like him, while saving the consequences for women like me.

“Not now, Andrey.”

“I just wanted to ask if you got my…” He trails off at the look on my face, his eyes narrowing shrewdly. “What’s wrong?”

---