Chapter 33
The weekend passed by quickly and before I knew it, another Monday was upon me. Work had piled up while I was away, and I spent most of the day just playing catch-up. While I worked steadily through the day, I thought back to what my life had been like just six weeks ago.
Back then, I’d never have let things pile up like this. I’d have stayed late every night and probably worked at least half the weekend to get through it. There were some days when I even spent time looking for more work.
Anything to keep me from seeing what was really in front of me. I’d thought the sad, lonely life I lived fulfilled me. Thought that nothing was more important than climbing the ladder in my company and being the best attorney I could be.
Now I knew there was so much more.
Instead of obsessively worrying about work, I worried about the people I cared for. Instead of working late every night at the office, I hurried home to video chat with my friends or my boyfriend. When I used to spend weekends getting ahead of my work for the next week, now I spent them out in Asheville with my pack.
I never knew there was a chance for me to have a life like this. Never dreamed in a million years I’d be a part of something so massive and yet so personal. The family I’d found was a hundred times better than the one I’d been born into and I knew exactly how lucky I was.
It was in Ben’s favor that I was counting my blessings when he showed up in my office that day.
“Montgomery, nice to see you hard at work for a change.”
Fuck off, Ben was my first thought, but I bit my tongue and forced a smile onto my face.
“Nice to see you bothering me instead of working yourself, Collins,” I said instead. It might not have been much better than my initial reaction, but at least there was no cussing involved.
He scowled at me and flicked a glance toward the ever-present Wyatt. His massive frame was sitting in the corner as usual, either scrolling through his phone or thumbing through whatever hot rod magazine he happened to have on him.
“I won’t beat around the bush, I need you to take on more of what was assigned to me.”
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Not gonna happen.”
“Montgomery, you don’t have a choice.”
I turned toward him and stood up. “Of course, I have a choice, just like you do. You’re choosing to give someone else your work instead of doing it yourself and I’m choosing to say no. See? Choices.”
His scowl deepened. “I didn’t want to have to do this, but you haven’t left me much choice.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “What is it that you think will make me do your work?”
He swung his arm to the side and pointed a finger directly at Wyatt. “I know he’s not a real intern.”
My stomach plummeted as I fought to stay calm. “How would you know that?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “I might have a friend in HR. There’s no record of you taking on an intern.”
I took a deep breath and scanned through my options.
They weren’t great.
I needed Wyatt here at work with me. Abraham wouldn’t hear of anything else, and I agreed with him. There was a serial killer after me and I didn’t believe I was truly safe anywhere.
I’d assumed passing Wyatt off as an intern was a great solution. I hadn’t thought that the weasel, Ben, would go nosing around in my business and find out he wasn’t legit.
“So, if you want your little boyfriend to be able to stick around, you should just do what I say and quit giving me trouble over it.”
I squeezed my hands into fists when they started shaking uncontrollably.
In, one.
Out, two.
In, three.
Out, four.
“Ben, this is bullshit.”
He shrugged again. “Sorry, Montgomery. I have a lot of work on my plate and you’re going to help me with it.”
I tipped my chin up. “And if I don’t?”
He glanced at Wyatt again. “Then I’ll go to Hildebrandt and make sure he knows you bring your boyfriend to work with you every day. And that instead of working, you’re messing around with him.”
My eyes flew to Wyatt and back to Ben. “He isn’t my boyfriend and we aren’t messing around. I spend ten hours a day, five days a week working my butt off at this place!”
He looked unconcerned. “Take the extra work from me or explain to Hildebrandt what he’s doing here. Those are your choices.”
My limbs were shaking harder now and when my vision flashed to crystal clear HD, I turned away before Ben could see them change again. He didn’t need any more ammo when it came to me.
I sighed and turned back, seeing I had little options in the matter. “Fine. Send me what you need done, but this is the last time, Ben. I’m not your personal assistant.”
He waved a hand as he walked toward the door. “You’ll have an email in your inbox within the hour,” he called as he made a hasty retreat.
As soon as the door was closed behind him, Wyatt stood and faced me. “You didn’t have to do that.”
I sighed again. “What choice did I have? He was going to out you.”
“I don’t care what they have to say about it. I’d be here with you no matter what.”
I slumped into my chair. “I don’t want to make waves. In fact, all I’ve done since I started at this company is try to make nice and do what I had to do to fall in line with the rest of them.”
“Sounds exhausting.”
“It is,” I admitted.
Always trying to please.
Letting their micro-aggressions roll off my back.
Smiling through their congratulations when I did a good job even though I could see they were still looking down on me because I’m a woman.
All of it was mentally and emotionally exhausting, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could do it for.
Part of me was disappointed in myself. The fact that I’d let someone like Ben Collins push me around really didn’t sit well with me.
Ever since my parents sent me away to boarding school when I was fourteen, I vowed to become a self-made woman. I promised myself that I’d work as hard as I needed to, so I’d never be beholden to anyone else ever again.
For almost two decades that’s what’s driven me.
I worked harder, stayed later, and took on more cases so I could be where I was today. I’d earned my spot as a senior associate and now I was letting someone like Ben push me around.
Not anymore.
I swore right then to never let it happen again. If Ben wanted to run and tattle on me to Hildebrandt, then I’d deal with those consequences when they came. I would never again roll over for someone like him.
So, when I was called into Mr. Hildebrandt’s office on Friday afternoon, I was resigned to the fact that even though I’d done what he’d asked, Ben had told on me, anyway.
Despite that, I walked into my boss’ office with my shoulders back and my head held high. I wouldn’t let Ben think he could intimidate me. If he wanted to get me in trouble, then I’d take my punishment, but, I wouldn’t submit to him.
“Montgomery, come in, we’re just waiting for Collins,” Mr. Hildebrandt said from behind his mahogany desk.
I took a careful seat in front of him and crossed my ankles. “What can I do for you, sir?”
“We’re going to wait for Collins to get here before I begin so I don’t need to repeat myself.”
I sat back in my chair and fought to not fiddle with my fingers in my lap. Despite the calm front I was exuding, inside, I was nervous as hell.
I know I’d said I didn’t care if Ben told Hildebrandt that Wyatt wasn’t a legitimate intern, but I wasn’t really ready to explain his presence in any other way. I’d been thinking about it since Monday, and I still hadn’t thought of a decent excuse for him coming to work with me every day.
The door creaked open and Ben poked his head inside. “You wanted to see me?”
Hildebrandt waved him in with his liver-spotted hand. “Come in, Collins. I want to speak with you and Montgomery, here.”
Ben strode inside with an arrogance I’d come to expect from him.
“Now that you’re both here, I want you to tell me how your joint case is coming.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but Ben cut me off.
“It’s going great. I’ve been hard at work on it all week.”
Hildebrandt nodded, his bald spot shining in the fluorescent lights. “And you, Montgomery, how are you getting on?”
I forced the smile I’d patented as a lawyer. “Everything’s great. I think we’re really getting somewhere.”
Where that was, I wasn’t sure. I’d barely spoken to Ben about the case and I had no idea if he had continued to work on it or was just sloughing off all his work on me.
Ben spoke up again. “Of course, I’ve worked with other associates that were a bit easier to deal with, but that’s what happens this time of month, right?”
A faint popping sound rang out through the room as my mouth fell open.
Or maybe I was the only one who could hear it.
Hildebrandt turned to me with mild disgust on his face. “Montgomery are you having… issues?”
My face was molten hot at this point. I swallowed harshly and shook my head. “No, sir. No issues here. I’m not sure what Collins is talking about, to be honest.”
“She’s just been a bit moodier is all. I figure she’ll be back to normal next week.”
My knees knocked together as I desperately clung to my humanity.
In, one.
Out, two.
In, three.
Out, four.
It wasn’t helping.
I was going to shift right in front of my boss and one of the slimiest men I’d ever met.
My teeth ground together while I tried to control myself.
“Collins, I’m sure you can manage to pick up the slack if Ms. Montgomery isn’t feeling like herself.”
Ben’s smile was benign, and I thought up three new ways to kill him.
“Of course, Mr. Hildebrandt. I’m doing all I can to help her.”
Hildebrandt nodded with a smile. “Good man. Is there anything else to report?”
We both shook our heads and Hildebrandt dismissed us. Lucky for Ben, he scuttled off down the hall before I could confront him.
Truthfully, it was probably best for the both of us. I’m not sure how I would have been able to control myself if I’d come face to face with him at that point.
Instead, I stomped back to my office and slammed the door closed behind me.
Wyatt raised a brow in my direction. “Something wrong?”
I paced across my office floor, willing my limbs to stop shaking. “That asshole Ben told my boss I haven’t been easy to work with because I’m on my period,” I spat out between gritted teeth.
“You’re not on your period.”
I stopped pacing. “I know I’m not!”
I hadn’t meant to yell at Wyatt, but I was nearing my breaking point and he was there. I turned around to pace again when something he’d said finally registered in my brain and I stopped short again. “How do you know I’m not on my period?”
“I’d be able to smell it.”
A million mortifying thoughts raced through my brain. “That’s disgusting.”
He shrugged. “That’s part of being a werewolf. Not much gets past us.”
I took his explanation and left the conversation there to die and prayed it’d be a quick death.
“Why’d he say that to your boss, anyway?”
I threw my hands in the air as I made another lap around my office. “I have no idea.” Then I thought harder. “Actually, I do. He’s had it out for me ever since I got this promotion. I don’t know if he’s jealous or if he thinks he’s more deserving, but he’s been trying to ruin my career and my reputation simultaneously.”
Wyatt sighed heavily and set down his magazine. “I’m sorry he’s trying to get you in trouble with your boss, but aren’t you on your way out, anyway?”
I sighed. “Yes, but I need the reference.”
Wyatt nodded seriously and stood. “I’m running to the bathroom. Are you gonna be okay here for a few minutes?”
I waved him away. “Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Go ahead.”
Honestly, I wanted to be alone at that moment, anyway. I didn’t like anyone seeing me lose my cool, not even Wyatt.
He left the room, and I continued my pacing until a knock on my door stopped me in my tracks again. I stormed over and whipped it open to find the object of my ire standing in the hallway looking innocuous.
I growled under my breath. “What the hell do you want?”
Ben, completely oblivious to the fact that he was walking into an extremely dangerous situation, pushed past me and stalked into my office.
His beady eyes scanned the room like they always did. His nose was tipped up and an expression of disinterest was painted across his face, but I knew better. He was cataloguing everything he saw, making sure if there was something out of place he’d be able to use it to his advantage at a later date.
But, I was through with his bullshit.
I left my office door open, so I wouldn’t be tempted to kill him while he was in here alone. The more witnesses, the more likely he’d leave here in one piece.
I had a feeling I knew why Ben was here and after the lies he’d told Hildebrandt just a little while ago, I was feeling even less gracious than usual. There was an ominous tightening in the pit of my stomach that told me this confrontation with Ben would be a culmination of the past couple months. All the hard feelings were coming to the surface, and we were finally going to have it out.
I couldn’t wait.