Page 181 of Toxic Salvation
“I still have questions.” I rise to my feet, anger building in my chest. “There’s something fishy going on here and I want to know what.”
“You’re reading too much into this, Vesper. I’m just giving you an option. It’s entirely up to you and your husband whether to take it or not.”
I freeze. “What does my husband have to do with this decision? This is my career we’re talking about. My job, my decision.”
“Of course,” Richard mutters, looking down at his desk again.
The pieces click into place. “This isn’t coming from you, is it? This is coming from Kovan!”
Richard’s flinch gives him away immediately.
“I’m right, aren’t I? Kovan called you and convinced you to suggest an extended maternity leave to me.”
Richard sighs heavily. “I didn’t want to do it. But your husband is a hard man to say no to.”
“Unbelievable!” I storm toward the door, fury building in my chest.
“Vesper, where are you going?”
“I’m going to give my husband a piece of my mind,” I snap, bolting out of Richard’s office without a backward glance.
Guess it’s not such a good day after all.
“Out!”
There are at least a dozen men standing around Kovan’s office at Krayev Headquarters. Some faces are familiar, most are not. I have no idea if they’re important business colleagues or low-levelvorsor something in between.
And right now, I don’t give a damn.
“Vesper?” Kovan rises to his feet, the picture of calm control, despite the fact that his eyebrows have shot up toward his hairline.
“Did you not hear me?” I snarl. “I need a moment alone with my husband. Which means I need all of you to get out. Now.”
There’s a brief pause. The men all turn to Kovan, waiting for his permission. He gives them a curt nod, and only then does everyone start shuffling toward the door.
Even that pisses me off.
“That was quite the entrance,” Kovan remarks once we’re alone. “Those jeans look incredible on you, by the way.”
“Flattery isn’t going to help you here.”
“I wasn’t trying to flatter you.” He rounds his desk. “I was just being honest.”
“Honest, huh? That’s interesting. I wasn’t aware that you were capable of honesty.”
He pauses. “How was your meeting with Richard this morning?”
“Screw you!”
He sighs like he expected no less. “I shouldn’t be surprised. Richard doesn’t strike me as the subtle type.”
“This is not his fault. Just like forcing me into early retirement was not his idea.”
“That was never my intention.”
“So what’s the deal, Kovan?” I cross my arms. “We’re married now, so I have to stay at home and be the demure littlehousewife? No working for me, because feminism doesn’t exist in your version of our lives?”
“You’re being dramatic.”
