Page 33 of Until I Have You

Derek circles his glass, the thick, glossy liquid climbing up the sides.“You’re still on the hunt, then?”

I narrow my eyes.

He’s avoiding eye contact.I think he knows the answer to his question.

“I’m afraid so.”

“That’s a shame.You are brilliant.”Derek’s gaze meets mine for a moment.“If not a little willful.”

I’ve been so angry lately that it’s not hard to get the fire stoked.This moment is no different.

How dare he comment on my personality?I shouldn’t be surprised when it comes to him, after everything that’s happened, but I can’t help the rage inside me.

Still, I have to modulate it so I don’t turn into a fire-breathing dragon.

“You called me for help, is that it?You want me to put in a good word?”Derek asks, his eyebrow raising.

Of course that’s why I called you, jackass.

He knows exactly what he’s doing.He knows what power he has over me.The power he’s always had from the very beginning.Power I admired because of his intelligence and incredible work in the industry.

That doesn’t translate to being a good person, though.

I should know this, having been raised in the tax bracket my family’s a part of.

Unfortunately, I’m too trusting, I suppose.Too optimistic.

But these last few months have driven that out of me.

I’m tired, and I want to give up and know I can’t or else everyone will know I did.

So, I have to crawl back to Derek fucking Ridley.

“Could you?I seem to keep getting close and not quite snagging the roles I’m applying for.And your word is worth its weight in gold.”

Despite the man he is behind the scenes, he’s a top researcher.An expert in the field.A word from him is like the word of god.

“That’s kind of you, Abigail.”

“I mean it,” I say too eagerly.“Just a phone call here or there might–”

“Why haven’t you been putting me down as a reference if you’d like my word?”

I hold my breath for a few moments.There are a lot of ways I could answer that question.“You’re on my resume.”

“Yes, of course.Down at the bottom in the education section, right?”Derek eyes me.“Would it surprise you to know that despite not being an official reference for you, I’ve been receiving calls anyway?”

That’s what I was afraid of.

“As you said, my word is worth its weight in gold.”

I swallow.

Derek finishes off his drink and then sighs.

“I tried to teach you this lesson when you were in school, Abigail.”He places his arm on the back of my chair and leans in close.

I can smell is breath, soured from liquor and too sweet from cherries.It makes my stomach turn.

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