Page 11 of By His Rule

But despite the tears and snot I cover her in, Tate doesn’t once try to pull away. Instead, she’s the unwavering friend she’s always been and just holds me. She’s my rock. Has been since the moment I walked into our dorm room our freshman year at college.

I was terrified. I’d only ever known our little shithole of a town. Suddenly, I was on my own in the big wide world, and I had no idea what I was doing.

And then there she was. This angel wrapped in a college hoodie and a pair of sneakers more expensive than every pair I’d ever owned put together.

But she didn’t care that most of the clothes in my suitcase were barely rags or that my makeup was all grocery store crap, and my shampoo had all the sulfates and silicones despite my desire to embrace my natural curls.

It was all I could afford. Actually, it was more than I could afford, but I was determined to change that.

“I got fired,” I blurt, unable to keep it in any longer.

“What? Why?” she barks, anger on my behalf piercing through her voice.

“It doesn’t matter. I’m better off out of there, right?”

Her expression softens as I sit up. Unwilling to see it, I drop my face into my hands.

I hated my job.

She’s been trying to get me out of there since my second month when I confessed as much.

Honestly, I’ve no idea how I didn’t admit to how much I despised it on day two. But I didn’t want Tate to think I was failing before I even gave it a chance. And there was no way I was going home so soon.

Mom had expected me to drop out of college. Hell, there were times she came close to being right. Especially when the twins’ dad finally got fed up with her shit and left, leaving them at her mercy. But I refused to be a statistic. Another failed attempt to get out of the down-and-out town I was forced to grow up in.

“What happened, Lori?”

I suck in a shaky breath as I prepare to tell her the truth.

“Clive pulled me into his office and—” I hiccup again as I fight to get the words out.

“And?”

“Heaccusedmeofstealingandfiredmeonthespot,” I say so hysterically it comes out as one long word. “Can I get you a drink or anything?” I ask, hopping to my feet and out of her reach as quickly as I can move.

“Wait. He fired you for stealing?” Tate asks, with a deep frown marring her brow.

“So, no drink?” I ask, still hoping to deflect.

“Lorelei,” she snaps, getting fed up with my bullshit.

“I didn’t steal shit, Tate.”

The tone of my voice makes Tate’s eyes pop wide open. “I know that,” she states firmly. “That is not in question. I want to know why the fuck he would accuse you of that? You’re the best member on staff that asshole has had in years.”

I shrug, unable to come up with any kind of reasonable answer.

I’ve no idea why he thinks I was stealing. I haven’t so much as taken a fucking pen from that place.

“This is bullshit,” she spits, reaching for her purse on the floor and pulling out her cell.

“What are you doing?” I ask in a rush when she begins scrolling.

“This is unfair dismissal, Lori. That asshole isn’t going to get away with this. Our legal team will sue him for everything he’s?—”

“No,” I cry, snatching her cell clean out of her hands.

“Lori, we can’t let him get away with this.”

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