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I shake my head angrily.
“Yeah, but this isn’t your regular scenario because I let myself fall for them – and I didn’t have to do that. Plus, the whole time I didn’t even think any of it through. I mean, I should have known something was strange by the whole setup! What kind of men claim they can buy a woman?” I feel my own anger returning, coupled with intense feelings of sadness.
“Well, that nasty little detail is on Jensen. He’s such a creep, I can’t believe he put you in that position.” June starts fidgeting with invisible lint on her shirt, suddenly appearing far away. “Maybe we should report him to the State Bar and give him a taste of his own medicine. He can lose his law license, instead of you.”
I look at her closely, noticing that her eyes have gone faraway. A frown tugs at her lips.
“Hey, are you okay Junie?” I rest my hand against my friend’s restless one. “I keep talking about myself, but I forgot to ask about you.”
She nods, and wipes her eyes against the back of her hand.
“I quit Draper Peabody last week.”
“What?” It’s my turn to be shocked.
“Yeah. I just… I couldn’t take it any more.”
“Oh no, June, what happened?” I furrow my eyebrows, bracing myself for whatever my distraught friend might share.
June sniffles a little then tells me. “One day after a meeting, Jensen and I were the only two left in the conference room. I tried to sneak out with the other lawyers, you know like we always do. But before I could, he asked me to stay behind to go over a brief with him.”
June’s pretty face is crestfallen, and I can almost guess what she’ll say next. My skin crawls and I grab her small hand, holding it tightly.
“He kept trying to touch me whenever he said something, like a light caress on my arm. But then he started rubbing my back while we were next to each other. When I finally told him to stop, he screamed at me, saying I’m an ungrateful bitch and that he’s the boss and he can do what he wants,” she says in a choked voice. Her face crumples for a moment, but then she looks up, her eyes clear and bright.
“Gosh, June, I’m so sorry that happened to you,” I say sympathetically, angry for what she went through and even angrier that Jensen keeps getting away with such horrible transgressions.
She takes a deep breath.
“Honestly, I’m okay now. Nothing really happened. I think I just reached a point where I was tired of being so jumpy at work because who knows what he was going to do next? So I quit, and I put out some applications. I have a few interviews next week.” The dainty blond shrugs. “Honestly though? Right now, I’m more worried about you, Michelle.”
I smile weakly, unsure what to say.
“Thanks, but my whole situation is just nuts. I mean, I was a mistress to not one, but two men, who are also billionaire brothers. Tell me that isn’t a bizarre-ass scenario.”
She giggles a little.
“It is, but do you have the magazine article you were talking about? Can I see it?”
Reluctantly, I pull it up on my phone and hand it to her. As usual, Tom and Gabe are dazzling with their handsome features. Unfortunately, their wives are just as dazzling and elegant. My heart plummets again, and I feel the need to retch. Heavy tears slide down my cheeks, and I wipe at them absentmindedly.
“That’s weird. They’re not wearing wedding rings in this photo either.” June holds the phone up to my face but I wave it away, not wanting to see the horrific image.
“That doesn’t mean anything,” I shake my head, unsure where June is going with her line of thinking.
“Well, did they wear wedding rings when you were with them?”
“No, I already told you. They never wore any jewelry.”
She cocks her head.
“Did they have a weird pale spot on their finger, like where a wedding band would normally be worn?”
Detective June, I think gloomily. Always sticking her nose in things.
Out loud, I answer, “No. But that’s just it, June. Lots of men don’t wear wedding bands these days. I guess I don’t think of a ring as an indication of someone’s relationship status anymore.”
June frowns again, considering my words. She hands my phone back to me, offending picture still visible, and I quickly click the screen off. My friend looks thoughtful.
“I don’t know, Michelle, all the married guys I’ve known wear rings, or there’s some hint that they’ve taken off a ring.”
I shrug, unsure what she wants me to say. “Tom and Gabriel didn’t wear wedding bands, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t married.”
June nods thoughtfully, perhaps formulating her next question.
“Alright gumshoe, what else do you want to know?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood but failing miserably.
