Page 90 of Dirty Play

“Rowan, what the hell are you talking about?” Christina exhales sharply. “Are you gonna say something?” she snaps at Roger, who simply shakes his head with a little smirk.

I toss the frame onto the table. It lands with a sharp clack.

“No, let me guess,” I interrupt. “You were given orders, and you,” I gesture to her, smirking, “jumped like a good little puppet.”

She opens her mouth, but Ares doesn’t let her speak.

“Alegra Harrison,” he says smoothly.

“Alegra,” I say, dragging her name out like it tastes like shit in my mouth. “The same Alegra who has been trying to get into my fucking pants since I stepped foot in this building. You knew about it, no? I told you about it the first time it happened. I was still green, fresh out of the AHL. So, you told me to keep quiet if I wanted to keep my spot.”

That’s when Roger’s face changes, his greying eyebrows dipping together in confusion as he looks over to Christina for an explanation.

“Is this true?” Roger asks, turning his chair to face Christina. She goes still. Dead fucking giveaway.

“You said it would end, that it’s just because I’m a new, interesting toy. Well, Christina, it didn’t.” I shake my head, crossing my arms over my chest. “While I was getting cornered, touched, and groped without my consent, you kept telling me that it was nothing serious. That it was innocent. And now, that same woman barks an order at you, and you flip on your back like you always fucking have. The same woman who can’t stand seeing another woman actually earn her fucking place here.”

The way Christina flinches tells me everything.

Ares exhales through his nose, slow and controlled.

“I’ll make this easy for you,” he says, taking a step forward. “Alegra Harrison is a fucking problem. And you let her be one.”

“Ares, this doesn’t concern you.” Christina stiffens.

“You should’ve vetted the source before you let a snake whisper in your ear,” Ares continues, like she didn’t even speak. “Because now, she’s hurt not only our brother but our PR rep. And we get to burn her to the fucking ground, you along with her.”

“And I’m gonna enjoy every second of it.” I step up beside him, crossing my arms.

“But that’s not the fun part, is it?” Ares tilts his head, watching them squirm. “No, the real fun part is what happens when the media gets a hold of this. When the photos get leaked, and yes, we have photos.” He nods toward us. “You think these guys make headlines? Wait till the world finds out that Alegra Harrison, wife of the fucking owner, has been spreading her legs for half the city while trying to sabotage one of the best PR reps we’ve had.”

Roger swears under his breath with a laugh. Christina’s face is fucking bloodless.

“Oh, and let’s not forget the juicy part—how she was actively sexually harassing the captain.” Ares’ smirk is razor-sharp. “And me, and poor Davidson over there, and Sam, and…do I need to keep going, Christina?”

“Please, this doesn’t have to…” Christina’s nails dig into the arms of her chair as she falters, taking a deep breath.

“Please?” I scoff. “Now you wanna beg?” I shake my head, taking a slow step toward her desk. “You know, I was gonna let this go. I was gonna get Livia’s job back, walk the fuck out of here, and forget about all the times Alegra came onto me and my team, and you told us to suck it up.” I lean forward, hands braced on the desk. “But now? Now I feel like watching something burn.”

I glance at Ares, who’s watching Christina with the cold, detached stare of a man who’s already won.

“Livia Moody will be reinstated immediately,” he says, voice like granite. “No moral clauses.”

“Done.” Christina exhales shakily.

“He’s not done,” I snap, knowing Ares has more to say.

“Of course not.” She squeezes her eyes shut.

“Alegra Harrison steps anywhere near one of our guys again, and we will leak everything.” His voice dips lower. Darker. Cruel. “And her husband will take the biggest, most humiliating L of his fucking life.”

Christina doesn’t say anything for a long moment. Then, finally, she lets out a shaky breath.

“We’ll handle it. We’ll call Livia tomorrow.”

“Today,” I correct her. “You’ll call her today.”

“Today,” Roger reassures me with a nod. Judging by the look on his face, he’s itching to have a conversation with Christina as soon as we leave.

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