Page 44 of Devour

“Him. Gone.” Nicholas calmly demands.

“Excuse me? What is wrong? Mr. Bradly is wonderful and our top –”

“Gone,” Nicholas repeats, still eerily calm.

Miss Bowman crosses her arms. “Care to tell me why you’re kicking out one of my best team members?”

“He’s a kiss ass. I’ve lost respect for him. I want him out of this room. Now, you can ask him to leave, or I can force him out.”

That sounds eerily similar to my mystery texter. He also had an issue with Kane. I lean over and whisper to Nicholas, “This has been an honest misunderstanding. We need Mr. Bradly on the team. You need him.”

“Do you need him?” The question is asked with a cool and casual tone, but I don’t miss the darkness swirling in his eyes.

This is a test. If I say yes, it could end with someone dead. If I say no, it could still end with someone dead. Best case scenario is I tell him no and have to deal with an angry co-worker. I look across from me. Or…I have an angry boss and this is the last project I ever get to do.

“It doesn’t matter if I need him. You do.”

Nicholas shakes his finger at me. “This way nobody is angry with you, eh? Tell me, Mr. Bradly, if I had asked you the same question, would you have had the gall to challenge me and say Miss Goodman was needed. Not that you need her, but that I need her for the project.”

He is purposefully sounding sarcastic. I want to tell Kane that it’s a trap. Kane extends his hand toward Nicholas. “You’re the boss. This is your project. I respect your decision for whomever you want on this project.”

“Good answer. Then respectfully get the fuck out.” He turns to Miss Bowman. “Do you always waste this much time? How do you get anything done or make money?”

“Please go, Mr. Bradly.” She doesn’t face him. I want to speak up again, but I’m afraid I’ll just make it worse.

The rest of meeting goes without a hitch. It finally resembles what I always imagined my time in this room would be like if I got a seat. When the meeting comes to an end, I jump out of my seat as fast as humanly possible. I thank everyone and run. As I get in my car, my phone dings.

UNKNOWN: Wait.

ME: Go fuck yourself.

UNKNOWN: I thought you wanted me to come out? Wait.

ME: This is over. I’m blocking your number. Stop screwing with my life.

UNKNOWN: True. This part of the game is over.

ME: Game? Okay. If you don’t stop this madness, I’m about to level up to mega bitch mode. Fully powered.

UNKNOWN: You forgot one thing.

ME: ?

UNKNOWN: I always win.

Bullshit. I block the number.Take that asshole.Let’s see him win that little game. My phone dings with another new unknown number.

UNKNOWN: Nice try.

Monday, I’m getting a new number and going to the police.

What…A strong hand shaking my upper thigh stirs me awake. Considering I went to bed alone with my house completely locked, nobody should be touching me right now. I jerk up right and scoot away from the shadowy figure sitting on the edge of my bed.

“Whoa! Sssshhh,” the deep voice says in the darkness.

A hysterical laugh escapes me. “Is that supposed to comfort me?”

“Calm down, Little Bit.”

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