Page 190 of The Sidekick

“No.”

The word pops out of my mouth in an angry rush. When I realize what I said, I panic and shout, “Red!”

Trevor immediately backs away from me. I can feel his towering presence fade as my breath saws in and out of my mouth. I can feel sweat pouring down my face as panic consumes me.

I said no. I argued.

“Well, there goes that,” Max says lightly, sitting in the chair next to me with a hesitant smile. “The one time you tell him no, and it’s when I wanted an answer. That seems about right, doesn’t it?”

I can’t answer as I shake in the chair.

“Red is your safe word?” Max asks and leans towards me, his hands loosely clasped between his knees.

I nod stiffly. I’m trying to focus on three things that can help bring me out of this. My computer is on Trevor’s desk, waiting for me. Max’s cologne is fantastic, and I want to know what it is. Trevor has gone so quiet that I wonder if he left the room.

“T-Trevor?” My voice comes out shaky with tension.

“Yeah?” He sounds upset still, but the dark tone is gone. More than anything, he sounds sad.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what, babygirl?”

“I-I want to have rules first.”

Max turns to Trevor with a pointed glare.

“You’re right. Until we have something in place, this won’t happen again.”

“Thank you,” I breathe out, and my shoulders slump as the tension deserts me.

“Here,” Max hands me my phone. Did he go through my purse? “Call Asher and let him know you stood up to Trevor. He’s going to be ecstatic.”

He’s right. Asher will be proud of me. Then again, he might be mad at Trevor for starting this in the first place.

“Not yet,” I stare at the phone in confusion. This has become even more complicated than it was before.

Max looks back at Trevor and nods towards the chair across from me.

Trevor takes a breath and sits across from me heavily.

“I’m sorry,” he says firmly as he stares at my hands clutching the phone.

“All right. I’m leaving you two to it,” Max announces with a grin and quickly slips out.

Trevor stares at the closed door with a scowl.

I clear my throat and try to relax back in my chair. My laptop sits open already, so I power it on. A glance at my feet shows me where Max dropped my purse. I grab the pad of paper and pen before I can lose my nerve.

Trevor returns to the paperwork in front of him as if nothing happened.

I stew in my thoughts, trying to come up with something to say.

How did he do this for so long? How did he know what to say? This is more stressful than a conversation. I have a blank page staring me in the face with no idea how to start. No wonder some of his letters were so short.

I give up.

“Hi.”

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