Page 122 of Be Your Anything
I’ve always known Ellison could be fucking crazy, but I never considered the possibility that she might be legitimatelycrazy. It almost makes me sad for her.
I lift the phone and place it in front of her on her side of my desk, my face a carefully controlled mask, one that stays neutral as long as I can force it to.
Because I know there’s only one option on how to deal with this. With her. And Ellison is going tohateit.
At that thought, I smile.
I have to say, there is a definite level of satisfaction I can’t help but allow myself to feel when Ellison’s face loses some of the triumph she feels entitled to, when that perfectly arched eyebrow drops back to normal and her smirk is wiped clean, even though she manages to maintain her own smile.
“I don’t know what you could possibly be smiling about,” Ellison says.
Of course she doesn’t.
“I guess I’m just a little amused,” I reply. “And trying to understand what it is you’re attempting to do right now.”
She scoffs, likeI’mthe idiot. “That video? You have no idea the damage I can cause to your life with that.”
“And you’re trying to…what?” I ask, unable to hide the small giggle that breaks free. “Blackmail me with it?”
Ellison crosses her arms. “The fact that you’re not taking this seriously just shows you haveno cluehow bad I can make this for you, for everyone you know.”
I clear my throat and stand from my desk, walking to the door and closing it softly before returning to my seat.
“I wondered if you’d really want all your coworkers to know what a littleslutyou are,” she says, her face devilish.
I lick my lips and cross my legs, folding my hands in my lap and settling back in the horrible chair I like to pretend Ellison bought for me, waiting for her to finish before I let her know my thoughts.
“I’ve gotta say, you really are Ditzy Day if you think you can continue having an affair with Lucas without it causing massive problems for your family.Thatkind of cheating scandal is even more outrageous than what happened between your dad and the mayor’s daughter.” Her eyes flash as she tries to dig her knife in deeper. “Only a complete fucking airhead would make a mistake this big, and I can’t even believe my luck that I was the one to witness it firsthand.”
A long enough pause goes by that I assume she’s finished.
“So…what is it you want, exactly?”
I mean, she doesn’t need money. She doesn’t need power or influence, and I can’t imagine she would go this far just to get her place back on the team managing the fundraiser dinner.
I already know that on this chess board, I will put her queen in check no matter where she moves, but I’m just trying to figure out what her game plan is because I cannot, for the life of me, see any move she can make.
“What do Iwant?” she asks, laughing. “I don’t want anything. Well, no, that’s not true. What I want is for you to quit your job, for starters. Then we can see what else might be on the table moving forward.”
I nod. “Ah. So you’re hoping I’ll quit and you can take my position.”
“Which I should have been offered in the first place,” she says, jabbing a finger in my direction.
Lifting a shoulder, I shrug slightly. “Possibly. But you know more than anyone that life doesn’t work that way.”
Her eyes narrow.
“I mean, your fiancé’s position at the hospital was a promotion he received after the Houston family made a substantial donation to the pediatric unit. Right?”
She leans forward. “Leonard isunmatchedas a pediatric surgeon. Hedeservedthat promotion.”
I nod, my voice taking on a sweet quality that matches the tone Ellison used when she arrived a few minutes ago. “Oh, I’m sure he did.”
I can see her clenching her jaw.
“I don’t think you’re taking this seriously,” she says, her voice taking on a gritty quality, and I can tell her patience is wearing thin.
Unsurprising since patience was never her strong suit.
