Page 127 of Delinquent Daddy (Banks/Kincaid Family 2)

Ellie blinked. "W-what?" she managed to say after a pregnant pause.

Pressing a hand to her chest, she slowly took a step back and sank gingerly into the chair before her shaky legs gave out from under her. As she stared at the top of her boss's balding head, she watched the greasy skin there turn a bright, embarrassed red.

"You're fired," he said, lifting his face and wincing when he saw her expression.

She blinked. "But...why?"

She could barely breathe, barely think. None of this made sense. What in the world was going on?

Winston's gaze slid away. "I..." he tried to start and then fell silent. Finally, he cleared his throat, straightened his shoulders stiffly as if seeking some courage there and looked up. "You know how important my clients are to me, Ellie."

She nodded, not even realizing she was still pressing the flat of her palm against her ribcage. "Of course," she managed.

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"Well..." he said. Then his gaze flitted guiltily away. "It's a top priority here at Young and Mercer to keep every client happy, and when Ted Barnaby called me Saturday morning—"

"Ted Barnaby!" Ellie repeated in alarm as she surged to her feet.

"Threatening to cancel his account with us if I didn't let you go—" Winston tried to continue.

"He...he what!" Her mouth fell open. "He can't do that."

She stared hard at Winston until sweat beaded on the shiny top of his head and began to drip down. He squirmed under her intense gaze and dropped his eyes.

"His advertising firm is our biggest client, Ellie," he tried to explain. "And you know our policy. The client is the most important—"

"So, you're just going to fire me because I wouldn't sleep with him?" she blurted out, her face heating with indignation.

"Now, I don't know anything about that," Winston started, lifting a hand to stop her from saying more. "And frankly, I don't want to know. What you do after hours and with whom is none of my business."

"Except that's exactly why you're firing me," Ellie countered, setting her hands on her hips.

"Now, don't look at it that way, Ellie. I—"

"Then how should I look at it, Winston?"

He flushed. "It's perfectly fine that you rejected him. Ted just...well, he said he's not comfortable having a working relationship with you anymore. It has nothing to with...with..." He motioned blindly with his hands.

Ellie lifted her brows and waited for him to say it aloud.

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"Damn it, Ellie," he blustered in helpless frustration. "My hands are tied here. I don't want to let you go. You're the best assistant I've ever had."

"Then don't let me go," Ellie said. "Tell Barnaby to go to hell and find himself different legal representation."

Winston gaped at her, his mouth dropping in mute shock.

"Give him over to Mercer," she said.

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