Page 50 of The Bonus

“What?” I fume.

“What are you going to offer her? I happen to like Grace and I’m not finding her if you are just going to screw her around. She’s left town and changed her number for a reason.”

The sky turns red.

“What I do with Grace Porter is none of your fucking business.” I sneer. “You’re fired.” I hang up the phone.

An hour and six scotches later, I collect my briefcase and make my way downstairs. I walk out the front door to see Mark standing beside my car.

Infuriating.

I walk over. “What are you doing here, I fired you.”

He rolls his eyes as he opens my door. “Like the other fifty times you’ve fired me.”

I get into the back seat and he slams the door behind me.

Fucker.

We drive through the traffic as I glare out the window. “Did you find her?”

“I’m not looking for her.” He casually turns the corner.

“Why not?” I snap.

“Because last time I saw Grace Porter was when you had me stake out her house as her moving truck came, and she was crying and miserable.” His eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror. “I thought she was your friend.”

“She is.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

“What kind of man looks for a woman if he already knows that when he finds her, he won’t give her what she needs?”

My eyes hold his.

“I know you’re a selfish prick, but you need to think about this because it’s not just any old girl, it’s Grace Porter.”

My heart sinks.

“You already told me you are to marry an Italian woman. Has that changed, has it?” His eyes flick up to meet mine in the rearview mirror again.

“Just drive the car,” I yell. “You piss me off. You’re fucking fired. For real this time.”

We drive in silence for a while as adrenaline surges through my system. “You think you know everything about me, well, I’ve got news for you. You know nothing. Zero.”

“I know a lot more about you than anyone else, that’s for sure.”

I roll my eyes. “Will you just shut the fuck up? I don’t pay for your opinion.”

“You want my opinion?”

“No.”

“Yeah, well, you’re going to get it anyway,” he snaps. “Ever since the Christmas Party and that night you spent with Grace.”

“I never spent a night with Grace.”

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