Page 66 of Catalyst

“Still struggling with your letter?” Ellie’s soft voice comes from our connecting door. Her long legs are covered in sheer black patterned tights, and the pleated skirt and button-down shirt add to the sexy schoolgirl look she’s got going on. Although, I doubt that was her goal. My brain seems to still think like a sixteen-year-old boy when it comes to her.

“Yes. Why I thought this would be easy escapes me,” I grumble.

Ellie smirks and walks deeper into my office. I turn in my chair and pull her onto my lap. I shouldn’t be cuddling with her in the middle of the workday, but fuck it. If being the boss doesn’t come with a few perks, what the hell am I sitting here for?

“What if you stop trying to write it as if you’re addressing the media and start writing it as if you are talking to someone else?” Ellie asks.

I frown. “Who would I address it to instead?”

“Me.” Ellie’s big blue eyes spear me with sincerity. “Tell me what truly happened between you and Sasha. Explain the escort thing and when you found out that’s the direction she decided to take her career in. Then tell me about all of those shelters you’ve already donated to.”

“How do you know I’ve already donated to them?”

Ellie looks at me as if I’m an idiot. “I read your emails. I saw the thank-you notes.”

“Ah.” I really am an idiot. We sit in silence as I turn over Ellie’s suggestion in my head. It’s not a bad idea. If I can’t put some feeling into a letter to Ellie, then what the hell am I doing even being in a relationship? “Okay, I think I can wrap my brain around that.”

“Good. Now, get to writing.” Ellie smacks a kiss on my cheek, making me laugh. She pops off my lap and walks back to her office, her hips swaying hypnotically.

I shake my head to focus back on my task, and my attention snags on a new email.

To: Adam Ellis, CEO, Sidelines Sporting Goods

From: Jeffery Calder, Private Investigator

Mr. Ellis,

I wanted to send an update on my progress with Ms. Lancaster’s background check and the subsequent threats to her safety.

I attempted to trace the messages and immediately hit a dead end. I have another avenue to explore, so I will continue my search, but there is a chance I won’t be able to find the sender.

As for Ms. Lancaster’s background, I am still compiling my notes. There are a few items that need further exploration before I send the completed file. I expect to have a full report in a matter of weeks.

Jeffery Calder

My curiosity is now piqued, and, unfortunately, I can’t ask Ellie if there’s anything else she wants to tell me about. I can guarantee she would be pissed if she found out I had her investigated. I’m tempted to tell him to just forget about the whole thing, but a small part of me still wants to know what he’s been looking into.

Is it about Ellie’s attack? Her family? Ellie could always have more skeletons in her closet, but I’m not sure I truly believe that’s the case. I trust her as much as I trust my family. If there is something bad in her background, I’m sure there’s a good reason she hasn’t told me about it.

I’ll just have to wait to find out.

With that thought, I delete everything I’ve written in my letter to the editor and start again. Something about typingMy Darling Ellieopens the floodgates, and I find myself writing everything about my relationship with Sasha and what it was like to find out she was only using me for my connections. I wasn’t brokenhearted necessarily, but it still burned to know that she cared only about what I could do for her. It was the relationship that forced me to be pickier about my companions. The only other relationship I attempted was with Giselle, and that one ended worse than with Sasha.

Then my letter goes into how a lot of women don’t willingly choose to become sex workers. A lot of them are forced into it, whether that’s by bribery, kidnapping, or some other means. No matter what, they still deserve the resources that we offer other at-risk individuals. I tell Ellie all about the charities I’ve researched extensively and how people can help if they’re inclined to do so.

The whole process is cathartic, and by the end, I have this immense feeling of relief. Being able to tell my side of the story gives me the sense of control I’ve been lacking from the very beginning, and I’m going to have to thank Ellie for her suggestion.

A smirk tugs at the corner of my mouth at the idea brewing in my head. She’s going to love it.

* * *

With the letter off my plate, I’m able to hyper-focus on the rest of my job. I got more done today than I have in the last couple of weeks, and I’m finally feeling like my old self again. I’m not sure I’ll actually send that letter to a news outlet, but now that it’s written, Matthew and I can edit out the parts that won’t actually be beneficial to swaying the media back to our side. At the very least, we’re in a better place to address the issues head-on.

I’m reading through a new contract when Matthew and Ellie come rushing into my office. They both look worried, and my hackles rise as I prepare for the worst.

“What?”

“Check your email,” Matthew says. Ellie swallows, her face a mixture of anger and worry.

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