Page 26 of An Enchanted Spring

“Threatening my publicist, are you?” Aidan asked.

Mr. Price stuttered, his eyes becoming slits. “You stole her?”

Emma opened her mouth to explain that you can’t steal someone who’s been fired, but Aidan beat her to it.

“Stole her? Like she’s some sort of commodity? Shame on you, Price. No, I saw a talented young woman who’d been set up to fail at your company. And I’ve asked her to join mine. That’s not stealing. That’s making your poor business decision my best one.”

Price snickered. “She’ll screw you over too, MacWilliam. You just watch.”

“I’d suggest you watch your language, as there are ladies present,” Aidan replied coolly.

“None I can see.”

Emma’s mouth dropped open, and she gave him a scathing glance. “I pity your clients. They have no idea what they’re really getting from Price Publicity,” she said in a voice just loud enough to be heard by everyone in the immediate vicinity.

Barely containing his rage, Price glared at her. “You will never work in PR again, Perkins.”

“She already does,” Aidan snapped, his patience clearly gone. “Leave her alone, or I’ll make you wish you’d never met her.”

“I already do,” Price spat, then turned on his heel and stomped off.

And Emma knew, with sudden, complete clarity, that it was over. Even when she said it to Aidan, she believed thatshe’d be able to rebuild her career with another firm, in another city. But Price Publicity had far-reaching hands. If Mr. Price didn’t want her in PR, he would smear her all the way to China. She would have to find a whole new career.

The enormity of it slammed into her. She’d have to start over.

Again.

“Emma, turn around,” Aidan commanded. “Good. Don’t say a word to that bastard. He’s not worth your time.”

But he’s worth my career. It’s all I have.

As if he were reading her thoughts, Aidan said softly, “You’re not alone in this, Emma. I’ve got you.”

Emma shook her head hard and slid out from the row. She needed to get some air—and control of herself.

Aidan watchedEmma go and knew she had hit her breaking point. He tried to follow her, but people were flooding the aisle as they headed to the dinner that was set up in another room. Her shoulders were rigid, her bearing stiff, and she disappeared from view.

And she was unprotected.His heart beat faster; perhaps Emma wasn’t thinking of the man who was intent on harming her, buthecertainly was. And if MacDermott somehow figured out she was here, she was a sitting duck.

He almost slammed into Cian in the foyer of the auction house. “Where is she?”

“I thought she was with you.”

“She left,” Aidan replied grimly. “We’ve got to find her.”

“I’m right here,” Emma said softly from behind him. He spun around, taking swift note of her appearance. She looked unharmed but upset.

Aidan resisted the ridiculous urge to pull her into his arms, digging his fingernails into his palms. “Price is an arse.”

“Ass or not, he is a powerful man. He promised me I would never work in PR again, and I realized I would have to start all over again. And he’s right.”

Aidan shook his head in disgust. “After tonight, you’ll have more than enough money to start over, doing whatever you want.”

“I really do enjoy my career, Aidan.”

He frowned. “I see. I’ll make some calls, see what I can do for damage control—”

She held up her hand. “Aidan, please. I know damage control better than most people, and this situation is unsalvageable.”

---