by Alex Wolf
She starts to pass me, then stops, turns, and smirks. “Someone had a good weekend.”
How the hell does she do that?
I must’ve been cheesing like a fool at my desk. Yes, Tate, it was in fact the best weekend I’ve had in a long time. I still can’t believe I had unprotected sex with Deacon Collins. He’s the first man I’ve ever let do that. I’m on birth control and he pulled out, but pregnancy isn’t something I want to worry about anytime soon.
It was so damn intense, bare, skin to skin. I’m pretty sure I could have sex with him twenty-four seven the rest of my life and die happy. I’d probably live to be a hundred. Sometimes I feel like sex is all I think about now that I’m with him.
I’m with him.
Shit, Tate’s still standing there.
“It was kind of perfect. How was yours?”
“Crazy. I spent both days with a wedding planner and centerpieces.” She rolls her eyes.
I kind of feel sorry for the wedding planners. I wouldn’t expect Tate to be a bridezilla because she’s nuts about her wedding being perfect, I’d expect her to be one because she’s nuts about everything in her life being perfect.
“Well, you only do it once.” Hopefully.
“If I’d known it would eat so much time, I might’ve suggested we elope instead.” She takes a deep breath and it’s rare for her to look flustered. “It’s all to spend the rest of my life with Decker. That’s the only thing that keeps me from shoving a candelabra up someone’s ass.” She gets this faraway look in her eyes, though, when she mentions Decker. I want that for me.
Could I have that with Deacon? Do I already have that look with Deacon?
The answer in my mind is a resounding yes. I don’t even have to think about it.
“You’ve got it bad,” Tate mumbles.
I laugh and the phone rings.
I hold up a finger to Tate and answer. “Decker Collins’ office. How may I help you?”
“I need your boss now.”
“He’s in a meeting. Can I give him a message?”
“Someone at your office fucked up my contract. I only received one percent of the payment. I can’t purchase any materials for the job.” The angry voice booms on the line and I realize it’s one of the Beckley brothers.
“I’ll look into it right away, Mr. Beckley. If you could just give me the specifics for Mr. Collins.”
I take down the information, and Tate peeks at my notes, clearly taking an interest in what’s going on.
I hold up a finger at her as the man screams a few more expletives before slamming the phone down. I feel awful for him but yelling at me won’t fix his problem. Decker’s going to blow his top when he hears. It won’t be pretty around the office.
I cradle the phone and pull the Beckley contract up on my computer. I scan through the pages, looking for the section on payment terms.
Uh oh.
“Erm, Tate…this contract on that hotel renovation. Shouldn’t this be ten percent instead of one? I’m no expert or anything but I…” I catch myself before I tell her about my class on contracts at school.
“Let me see it.” She spins my monitor toward her, narrowing her eyes on the text I highlighted. “Yep.” Her lips mash into a thin line and her jaw flexes. Someone is going to be up shit creek. I would not want to be on the other end of that conversation. Tate writes down something on a Post-it and storms toward Decker’s office.
I close out the contract and hope whoever messed this up doesn’t get in too much trouble. That’s a significant error to overlook, though, and I have no idea how that could happen. There’s a review process to prevent these types of things.
I keep myself occupied going through my schedule and making sure I’m ahead on my tasks for the day. I’ve learned the best thing to do when Decker is on the warpath is to have my head down and look busy. If I can have whatever he’s after waiting for him before he asks, even better.
Where the hell is Deacon? He’s normally in by now.
My phone buzzes with a text, like he can read my mind.
Deacon: Good morning, beautiful.
I grin at the screen then catch him stepping off the elevator.
I give him a small wave. It’s awkward as hell, but he looks so cute with his sheepish grin when he sees me.
He lifts his hand to reciprocate, but immediately drops it when Decker hauls ass toward him.
Oh no.
Deacon, what’d you do?
Maybe Decker’s pissed, and just wants to tell Deacon someone made a mistake and he needs to go have them fix it. That has to be it. At least, I hope that’s it. It’s probably wishful thinking.
The more heated Decker looks, the more my stomach twists into a knot.
Within a few seconds it’s clear Deacon handled the contract. I wish I had known it was him. Maybe I could’ve gone to him after the phone call and given him a chance to correct it before anyone found out. But Tate was right there, and I couldn’t lie to her.
Decker and Deacon both stomp toward a conference room once they notice all the associates and paralegals staring at them. What if Decker and Tate tell Deacon I’m the one who told them about the error in the contract?
Say goodbye to this fantastic Monday.
Deacon
I fire off a text to Quinn, then walk off the elevator feeling on top of the world. I spot her right as she gets my text and I smile and wave.
I’m a little late getting to the office after my meeting with Dr. Flynn, but I called ahead and told my secretary I’d be in by ten.
It doesn’t take long for Decker to ruin my fantastic morning.
He heads right at me with a scowl on his face. “Conference room, now.”
I glance around and the entire office stares at us. “Okay.” I look back at Quinn, but her head’s down. The uneasy look on her face makes me frown.
What the fuck just happened in here? I just won. A huge goddamn win and they’re coming at me?
I follow Decker to the conference room and take a seat. Tate walks in a few seconds later.
Fucking wonderful.
“Someone piss in your oatmeal?” I grin.
“How about you explain this to me.” Decker slams a contract down on the table.
I glance at it. It’s the construction contract for the Beckley brothers. “What about it? Sent that off a long time ago.”
“Look. At. It.”
“You made a huge error.” Tate stares at me with a smug grin, like she’s pleased I made a mistake.
I can’t think with her eyeing me while I try and read over the contract. My face heats up as I scan the words. I can’t believe I just went through all that shit, murdering the Flynn case like a goddamn champion, and they have the balls to sit here and waterboard me over a fucking contract.
Tate lingers closer, almost at my side.
“Jesus Christ, would you get her the fuck out of here, Decker?”
“Excuse me?” Tate starts toward me like she might get in my face, all five foot nothing of her in heels.
I glare back at her. “You heard me. I don’t need you running your yap at me non-stop. This shit doesn’t concern you.”
Her hands go to her hips. “I’m a partner just like you. Everything concerns me.”
“Yeah, you had to fuck the boss to get the title, too. Now, what? You fucked Donavan over and that wasn’t good enough? You gotta start in on me?”
“You little motherfucker.” She takes off toward me once more and Decker grabs her by the waist and yanks her back. She doesn’t stop yelling at me over his shoulder. “You had to share a mom with the boss to get your title, you ungrateful little—”
Decker puts himself between us and wheels around on her, then glares back at me. His face is fire-engine red. “Enough! Goddamn it!” He paces back and forth and clutches his temple like he might have an aneurysm. “Both of you are giving me a fucking headache with your crybaby bullshit.”
Tate glares at me. I knew I’d hit a nerve, but I d
on’t give a shit. She’s not even thirty and struts around like she’s a fucking manager. She ran off to Decker and made him drop Donavan’s suit against one of her clients. Decker did exactly what she told him to do. He’s like a puppy following her ass around.
Pussy-whipped bastard. It’d be understandable if she was cool like Quinn, but I don’t know what the fuck he sees in her. Every once in a while, I think we’re on good terms, then she does shit like this. Decker and Donavan barely talk anymore. She’s ripping our family apart.
My hands ball into fists, and I know I need to keep my shit together and just ignore Tate and fix the problem. I’d love to throw the Flynn case right back at them, but they won’t care. They only focus on the fuck-ups when it comes to me. Everything else gets swept under the rug or glossed over. I won’t give them the satisfaction of downplaying my success.
I take a few deep breaths and skim over the contract, finally able to think. It doesn’t take long to spot the mistake.
Yeah, I fucked up. So what? I typed one percent instead of ten. It’s my fault. I know it is. It wouldn’t have been a big deal if I hadn’t ignored the review process and sent it through. It’s no excuse for them to scold me like a child instead of treating me like an adult colleague.
I shake my head. Jesus, the one time I skip a step, this shit happens. It’s like the universe hates me.
“I’ll take care of it.”
Decker takes a step toward me. Clearly, he’s not going to let me do my job and fix the problem without running his mouth about how irresponsible I am. “Do you know how much money this cost a brand-new client? He’s pissed and threatening litigation.”
“Fuck, I said I’d fix it. Calm down and I’ll smooth it over.”
Tate pops off from the corner of the room. “I’m not comfortable with him doing—”
I cut her off, speaking through gritted teeth. “Decker, if you don’t shut her up, I’m going to choke slam her on this table Undertaker-style.”
Decker’s eyes get wide and he shoots a glare at Tate like, I don’t know if he’s serious, but please just shut up for five seconds.
His scowl returns when he turns back to me. “This is rookie shit, Deacon. You shouldn’t have been making changes on this contract. You should’ve been reviewing the fucking thing after an associate handled it.”
“You done yet? I’ll fucking fix it. How many times do I need to say it?”
“Oh yeah, maybe you should have your girlfriend review it this time around. She’s the one who found your mistake.” His words are like a slap to my face.
What the hell was Quinn doing looking at my contracts? Then she ran off to Tate and Decker and ratted me out?
“The fuck did you say?” When I glance up, I see something I don’t expect.
Tate’s practically shooting lasers out her eyes, but they’re aimed right at Decker. Her gaze rolls back over to me and her eyes soften. It’s maybe the kindest look she’s ever given me.
I shake my head. I don’t need this shit. I don’t want Tate’s goddamn pity, either.
Decker doesn’t know when to quit, though. It’s his opportunity to pile it on and he doesn’t miss a beat. “Maybe we should give her your office. Put you out on the phones and running errands.”
He’s taking this shit too far, and I can’t bottle the rage coursing through my veins any longer.
I fly out of my chair.
Tate’s eyes bug out of her head.
In two long strides, I’m right in Decker’s grill. “Keep pushing me.” I lean in so close we’re inches apart. “I fucking dare you.”
Decker gulps a little. We’re about the same height but I have at least thirty pounds on him and didn’t play a pussy sport like baseball. He takes a step back and waves me off with a flippant hand, trying to save face. “Just get it handled, goddamn it.”
“Yeah.” I glare at both of them then step into the hall before I do something ridiculous like throw Decker through the window. I can’t remember ever being this angry and I don’t like it. It’s not me. My chest heaves up and down and I want to rip the fucking walls of this place down.
I don’t even have a bad temper, but when he mentioned Quinn I just about lost my shit. I’ve never felt this way, never flown off the handle like that. I need to get out of this place for a while. Just to calm down.
As soon as I walk past Quinn’s desk, Dexter appears right next to me. “Drinks tonight at The Gage, you in? I’m taking out some new girls from the Dallas office.” He punches me in the shoulder, oblivious to what just went down.
I scowl at Quinn and she shrinks back in her seat.
I don’t even know why, but without thinking I say, “Yeah. I’ll be there.”
Her face pales, and I immediately regret the words, but I’m too pissed to talk to her right now. I’ll say things I don’t mean, like I just did. I need to get away from everyone.
Fuck. I hate Tecker. I hate the whole world right now. Most of all I hate myself because I know I just hurt Quinn.
I didn’t just hurt her. I could tell by the look on her face, I crushed her.
I head to my office feeling like the world’s biggest asshole.
I’ve never seen anyone make a situation better when they’re pissed off.
I get to my desk and flop down in my chair. It’s not like the problem is hard to solve. Add a goddamn zero and draft a new contract, kiss a little ass and wipe my hands of this mess.
Fuck the client for not reading the shit he signed anyway. I could never say that to his face, but he’s the biggest dumb fuck in this whole ordeal. Who signs something they haven’t read?
I drop my head into my hands and close my eyes.
Quinn.
Why did I say that shit in front of her? Am I sabotaging myself? She didn’t deserve that. I don’t even know what really happened and now she probably hates me.
I just don’t understand. If she knew, why didn’t she come to me? Why go behind my back to Tate and Decker?
I know Tate and Quinn are friends, but Quinn knows I don’t get along with her. She knows every detail about every person in the office. She’s well aware how my brothers—outside of Decker—feel about Kim Jong Tate.
Regardless, I can’t focus on my personal shit right now. I have to get this contract situation smoothed over in a hurry. Quinn will have to wait, and it’ll do some good to step back like Dr. Flynn said. Empathize instead of judge.
That’s what I need to do.
Quinn
I don’t know if I’ve ever felt as stupid as I do right now. I thought Deacon cared about me; we were moving forward and starting a serious relationship that meant something to him. Meant something to both of us.
Maybe it was all me and I was seeing what I wanted to see or building up a fantasy in my head that didn’t reflect reality.
The Deacon I was with all day Saturday isn’t the Deacon who showed up after he left the conference room.
I can’t breathe. My chest burns and my stomach twists into a pretzel. Was it all a game? Was he building me up just to rip my heart out?
“Just the person I was looking for.” Decker smiles.
Tate shoots him a death stare that even makes my fingers tremble.
“Oh yeah?” I squeak the words out and my throat burns tight.
Tears attempt to gather in the corners of my eyes, and I fight them back. I won’t cry in front of my boss. I can’t break, but all I want to do is crumble right here on the spot. Deacon’s words play on a loop through my head and I can’t rid the dark expression in his eyes from my brain.
“What’s wrong?” He shoots Tate a what the fuck look, but she ignores him. “I’ll, uhh, come back.”
When he’s gone, Tate grabs me by the shoulders. “Let’s go to my office.”
I nod, biting back my tears. I don’t know if I’m about to cry because I’m pissed and want to punch Deacon in the balls or because I’m hurt. Maybe it’s a little of both. This is exactly what I was afraid would happen. He’d get
me to trust him. I’d let him in, and he’d jump on the first opportunity to crush me.
He can have his drinks with the new employees from Dallas. I won’t be sitting around waiting for his empty promises.
It will pass.
I feel completely empty, like a shell. Used? Confused? I want to hit something.
Tate leads me to the leather couch in her office. I’m too upset to sit but I do it anyway to keep myself from going after Deacon and screaming in his face. My bottom lip quivers and I sink my teeth into it, trying anything that might replace the pain in my heart. It doesn’t help. I don’t think anything will.
“Quinn,” Tate whispers. “I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry? You didn’t do anything, did you?”
“Decker wasn’t supposed to bring your name up. He told me he wouldn’t but the two egomaniacs in there got pissed off at each other, and personal shit started flying around the room. You did the right thing pointing it out.” She reaches out for my hand. “You know how they get. It was ugly and I’m sure Deacon didn’t mean whatever he said out there just now. He’s pissed off and embarrassed.”
“Makes two of us.”
Tate did her job, but I feel betrayed by her too. She told Decker about me and Deacon. I know how Decker is when he gets pissed.
I’m sure he loved rubbing Deacon’s nose in the mud, just because he could. “Maybe I should look for a job somewhere else.”
“That seems pretty hasty.” Tate leans back, clearly surprised.
“Tate, I’ve been going to law school at night for three years. I’m almost finished.”
Her frown turns to a smile. “Really? Good for you. That’s awesome.”
“I keep thinking. You know how it’ll look if I’m dating a partner when I’m done. People will think I slept my way into a position I didn’t earn. I’ve worked so hard for this firm.”
“If anyone can relate, I can. I had to scratch and claw for everything I have. I’d probably tell you to do just that; go to another firm and start fresh, but we need you here. You’re irreplaceable. I have no doubt you’ll be a great attorney.”