Page 89 of Playing Flirty

I stared at him, trying to register what he was saying. A department head position was one position higher than the promotion I was aiming for.

“Don’t answer me now, but have a think about everything we’ve discussed.” The smile on his face was forced and twisted. “And make the right choice or I’ll make you and your boyfriend pay.”

The bile rose in my throat, and my eyes stung in panic. But I wouldn’t let him see it. So I turned around and left.

At 2:30 p.m., William texted.

William:On my way back. It went well.

It went well?

It went well!

I needed more information, but judging from his brief message, not to mention he was probably driving, I wouldn’t get it out of him now.

Rose:Thank you, x

Oops. I didn’t mean to send the x. For all I know, after our last encounter, we’d never “x” again. But it was too late to delete it now.

Shaun eventually returned from a meeting and dropped into his chair. Spinning to face me, he raised his brows. “What was that about with…?” He lifted his chin in the direction of Mr. Markham’s office.

I shook my head and changed the topic. “William should be home by now.” I gestured to his bag, which I’d already packed for him in my anxiousness to leave. “Can we go? I know it’s early.”

“Why do you look as though you’re about to vomit? Did William not say anything?” he asked as we walked.

“He said it went well,” I replied, a strange smile making its way onto my face.

“That’s amazing!” Shaun cheered and high-fived me before gushing on about Overpower and how he was sure it would win. There was something special about having a hype team.

When we reached his apartment, he asked, “What’s bothering you? Something happened with Markham, didn’t it?”

“Well…” I paused outside his apartment door. “They have a witness linking Markham’s face tomyBatman’s fist.”

Shaun’s eyes popped wide.

“There’s more.” I looked upward, blinking away the panicked tears that prickled. “They think it was Patrick with me, and Markham’s threatened Patrick and his dad’s entire business.”

“Whoa, slow down. You’re saying way too much, too quickly.” Shaun lifted his hands. “Okay, so what do they want? To press charges against William or… Patrick?”

“And then he said he’d drop the charges if I dropped my allegations.” I leaned my head against the wall and shut my eyes.

Shaun’s blue eyes widened. “No.”

“Yep,” I replied. “But that’s not all.”

Shaun’s face turned a light shade of green. He scratched one side of his head, his lips drawn down in an angry frown. “I’m literally sweating. Tell me.”

“Well, after laying all that on me, Mr. Markham offered me Matt’s job. He said I should—and once again, I quote—‘make the right choice or I’ll make you and your boyfriend pay.’”

Shaun’s eyes widened further. He was eyes mostly, with a side of face. His mouth dropped open, stuttering and stumbling before finding his words. “I knew this would blow up. Oh no. No chance you recorded any of that, right?”

I shook my head.

“What are you going to do?”

At that exact moment, it was as though the coin that had been spinning inside me for the last few months finally dropped, picking a side. “I’m going to resign,” I said with more clarity than I’d expected.

I glanced at Shaun, and his concern made my throat constrict and my eyes sting. He pulled me into his arms.

---