Page 57 of Bound By My Father's Best Friend

Hector grabbed his collar. “I said, on your knees.”

When Hector released him, Eric went flying down to the floor and landed on his knees with a thud. He stared down at the ground and shook his head. “You’re not … you can’t do this to me. I’ll sue you for?—”

“I don’t care what you’ll try to sue me for,” Hector growled. “All it takes is one phone call, and I will ruin the rest of your pathetic life.”

Heat rushed through me, and I found this oddly … satisfying.

After opening and closing his mouth a handful of times, Eric finally sat back on his heels. He lifted his gaze to the windows, his expression looking as if he was going through all the possibilities about how this could end in his head.

“I’m not going to fucking say it again,” Hector snarled. “Beg.”

“I’m sorry,” Eric whispered. “I’m sorry for flunking you.”

“You beg her at her feet,” Hector said. “Crawl to her like a fucking dog.”

Eyes widening, I looked up at Hector, who showed absolutely no sign of backing down or stopping. He actually didn’t care if Eric sued him or not—and for what … I didn’t know. Hector was dead set on humiliating him more than he had with me.

To my surprise, Eric began crawling from the door to Hector’s desk on his hands and knees. His tie dangled to the ground, and his eyes were averted from my and Hector’s gaze at all times. And once he reached me, he sat back on his heels.

Head bowed.

“I’m sorry, Heather.”

“Louder,” Hector commanded.

“I’m sorry, Heather.”

“Louder.”

“I’m sorry, Heather!” Eric said. “I’m sorry for failing you. I should’ve never done it.”

After a few moments of silence, Eric looked up at Hector. “Is that good enough for you? Is that what you wanted to hear from me? That I failed her purposefully? That I apologize for what I did?”

Hector looked at me. “Sweetheart, does his apology make up for the past twelve months of your life that he’s wasted?”

Heart pounding inside my chest, I looked from Hector to Eric, then back to Hector. I opened my mouth, but no words would come out, no matter how hard I tried. I probably looked so stupid, sitting with my mouth open, but I was speechless that this was even happening.

“Does his apology make up for what he’s done to you?” Hector asked again.

My throat was dry, but I still swallowed. “No.”

“Do you hear that, Eric?” Hector crouched beside him. “You’re not begging loud enough.”

“Please,” Eric said louder, more desperately, his head bowed again and now shaking sporadically. “Please, forgive me, Heather. All I wanted was for you to stay after with me. If you had asked for extra credit, I would’ve … given you all of it.”

I sat up taller in my seat. “I did ask you for extra credit.”

But he … must’ve meant the non-moral kind. The corrupt kind.

Fury rose inside me, and I clenched my fists. The more and more I thought about it, maybe he really did want to sleep with me. Maybe him asking for an interview had been a last-minute decision when I called him out for his gross ways.

“That’s not enough,” I whispered, slowly standing. “This isn’t enough.”

Hector reached across his desk and handed me a marker. At first, I didn’t know what he wanted me to do with it, but my body seemed to know exactly whatIwanted to do with it. I knew exactly how to make this a little bit better.

“You’re going to resign,” I said, “so you don’t do this to anyone ever again.”

“B-but …”

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