Page 14 of Even if You Fall

Everything about her froze for the longest second of my life, once again making my stomach drop and confirming she was forcing the mask I was seeing, before she released a shaky laugh and rolled her eyes. “Because I won’t be here long. Right?”

I needed to walk away; leave her without a response because I’d already made my point. But for some asinine reason, I hesitated—wavered as I considered going back around the desk, even if just to try making up for hurting her before I remembered what this was. Who she was.

A threat.

“Right,” I agreed before heading to the main part of the office.

“Told you,” Gray muttered around a donut as I sank into the chair behind my desk, then used the donut to point toward the front of the office. “She’s cute.”

He had, just minutes after I’d followed Briggs to tell him why he couldn’t let Chloe work here. I’d barely let myself consider Gray’s words then, and I wouldn’t now.

Beautiful or not, intriguing or not, Chloe was hiding something. She was the current threat on my family.

I had to get rid of her.

Iwas expecting a massiveI told you solecture when I finally arrived home that night, but Lainey wasn’t there.

Then again, it was probably for the best considering the smeared makeup and puffy eyes from my sob session on the drive home would’ve been a massive indicator that I hadn’t had the best first day. And I didn’t need Lainey running to Asher, telling him I couldn’t handle the people at his company.

I could. I just needed to be more prepared for them. And tomorrow, I would be.

It was just that nothing could’ve prepared me for today.

Ada leaving me without a clue as to what I was supposed to do or how. Beau Evans paging my desk phone sporadically throughout the day, only to irritably sigh each time and say, “Never mind, you’re not Ada,” before clicking off. Adam Thatcher glaring at me each time I’d had to pass through the main office and asking,“You haven’t quit yet, Bubbles?”Then his mumbled,“Don’t bother coming back tomorrow,”as he’d left for the day. And Hudson Gray hitting on me no less than a dozen times—not that it had truly bothered me past the point of getting old by the end of the day. But even if I hadn’t been surehe used his smooth pickup lines and charming flirtation on every woman he came across, it wouldn’t have mattered because I’d been tormented by a pair of angry, amber eyes before another message had come through from the same unknown contact as yesterday.

We need to talk.

That’s all it had said, but it’d stolen every part of my focus for the last couple hours of my workday. Not that I’d responded, but still...it was Owen, reaching out again after I’d successfully gotten over him.

The last thing I needed now, or ever, was Owen Vance trying to talk to me because I already knew how easily I could fall for his lies. But on a day like today, when I was already so emotional and vulnerable? I was sure I couldn’t handle that unnaturally powerful magnetism he used to draw people in.

My phone chimed once I’d slipped into an oversized shirt and leggings, the sound making my steps falter on my way to the bathroom so I could remove what was left of my makeup and wash my face.

But as I slowly lifted my phone, a heaving breath rushed from my lungs when I saw who the message was from.

Unlocking my phone, I quickly read through the texts and tapped out a response.

Lainey Pearson

I’ll be at Asher’s until later, but I’m dying to know how today went!

It went! I think I’m getting the hang of it and those terribly gorgeous men.

I’d just entered the bathroom when her next messages came through.

Lainey Pearson

Ha! I’ll be sure to keep that last bit from Asher, but I’m so glad.

Aunt Ada knows how to frustrate, overstep, and push buttons, but it somehow always seems to work out.

“Right,” I mumbled to myself as I thought over the day. Considering I still only knew how to answer the phone and enter messages into their messaging system, I wasn’t sure anything wasworking outyet.

Still, I forced that happiness I so easily donned into my words as I replied.

She sure is something! Love her! Pretty sure I want to be her when I grow up.

Have fun with your man and that adorable little girl. See you later!

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