The desks I pass, where developers usually plug away on their keyboards, are empty.
How odd.
I hear hurried footsteps behind me, and turn to find Nia practically sprinting towards me.
“Mark,” she breathes. “You need to come upstairs. Now.”
Her brow is furrowed and her mouth turned down, an expression I’ve not seen on her.
“What’s happening?”
“Not here,” she grits out, and pushes me along towards the lift. If I wasn’t so flustered from the surprise attack, I would get mad at her for behaving like this.
The ride up the lift is excruciating. Nia won’t look at me, and her jaw is working hard. Did someone tell her about Rey?
I follow her towards the boardroom, and a chill washes over me, making my hair stand on end. Why are we going to the boardroom?
“He’s here,” Nia states to someone who’s already there, and when I walk in past her, I’m met with a room full of dark-suited people.
“What the hell is going on?” I demand.
“Mark,” a deep voice comes from my side, and I turn to see our legal director, Kurt, and the faces belonging to the bodies in the suits start sinking in. I recognise them now.
Legal, HR, PR.
Kurt pulls out the chair for me at the head of the table, and Nia puts a laptop in front of me.
And there it is.
Rey’s naked back. My hands on her.
From my office.
Our special, private moment on display.
I rub a hand over my mouth and bite down on my fingers.
“Where’s this from?” I rasp.
“Is it real?” Kurt asks from behind me.
“From his reaction, do you have to ask?” Nia hisses. She sounds mad.
“In this day and age, you never know, but I guess thatexpression confirms it. However, I’d like to hear you say it, Mark.”
I drop my hand and close the laptop. “It’s real.”
“Bloody hell, Mark,” Nia says, and I don’t blame her.
“Reel it in, Nia. If you can’t stay level-headed, you need to leave,” Kurt says.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’m Head of HR, and I’m Rey’s friend, and I’m staying here to make sure you conniving bastards don’t try to pin this on her. She’s terrified; there are reporters outside her house!” Nia yells, and my attention snaps to her.
“You spoke with her?”
“Yes, I called her and told her to stay home. I’ve had to suspend her, Mark. Temporarily, at least. You’ve really screwed her over with your selfishness.”
“That’s enough,” I bark. “You don’t know anything about us.”
