Page 38 of Implode

“No.”

“No?”

“No!”

“Why not?”

“There is no future. We will never get back together. Ever. Get out of my office. This stunt you pulled today is crazy—even for you. What were you thinking flying across the country? Did you honestly think I would come running back to you after you cheated on me? If you did, you are delusional.”

“Have you told your little sidepiece how you came about that knowledge?” she asks, making me growl deep within my throat. “Because it would serve her right to know the full extent of your stalking capabilities. Have you perfected them over the years, Nic? I doubt you are doing everything on the straight and narrow.” She looks down at her fake nails. “Not your style.”

“Shut up, Tara.”

“I’m just saying that you better hope I don’t share these valuable tidbits with your dear Claire. Or maybe she is that type of girl who likes to be watched and followed and managed.”

Tara is goading me. She wants me to feel indebted to her, and I refuse to relinquish any power over to her—even if just to give her an illusion of control. I’m done with her games. “Why are you really here?”

“Yeah, I totally don’t miss your dry personality, but your dick is a nice bonus. Anyhoo, I heard through the grapevine that you are working with your brother again. And I wanted to—”

“Milk me for more money?” I interrupt.

She shrugs. “Nice suggestion.”

Back when we were still engaged, Tara had full access to our joint bank account. I trusted her implicitly, never thinking she would ever betray me. When I found out the truth, I hired the best lawyer in town, but Tara had already been withdrawing money and putting it in her own secret personal account. Her scheme cost me thousands before my detective work led me to the truth.

“Get out.” I talk so slowly that surely she cannot misunderstand my words or derive an alternate meaning. “Never come back here.” While I want to tell her that I am jaded now about all other women, and that her infidelity caused me irreparable damage, I refuse to give her any satisfaction that she still affects me. Instead, I just let her walk out of my office the same way she arrived.

I fish my phone out of my suit pocket and call Brenna who should be at her desk waiting for her morning orders. “Make sure the blonde girl who just left my office dressed like a prom queen gets out of the building. And get Dan King up here now.”

I pace in front of my desk until the soft knocks draw my attention to the door.

“It’s Dan, sir.”

“Come in.” I grab the remote and flick on every television, pulling up the security footage replay of Tara entering the building. I point to the main screen. “Who authorized this? She is not even an employee and yet she was allowed access to my floor and my office. Unacceptable. Whoever gave her permission past the lobby checkpoint can go ahead and resign or get fired.”

Dan swallows hard and looks like he is about to shit his pants. He should be used to me by now and my I-don’t-sugar-coat-anything attitude. He doesn’t get paid the salary he does to make these types of rookie mistakes.

“I’m working on it, sir. She had to have access to a badge.”

I run a hand down the side of my face, as I switch over to the live feed showing Tara exiting through the lobby. I want to hit something—or someone. I close my eyes and tilt my head upward toward the ceiling. I feel a migraine starting.

My eyes open at the sound of another series of knocks at my door. What the hell is this—Grand Central Station?

“What!” I yell at the continuous knocking. “What is it?”

Graham peeks his head through the door. “Hey Dan, can you give us a minute?”

Dan nods and leaves, allowing Graham to enter.

“What’s up?” I ask, half expecting him to drop some form of truth-bomb on me.

“Let’s get out of here. I already am starting to get a headache,” he says, but I know he is lying by the lack of a tick to his jaw. He probably is just trying to get me to talk. “C’mon.”

“Fine,” I cave. “Where are we going?”

“The ring.”

“Why?”

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