He exhales, “I know you had a personal relationship with Phoenix in the past.”
I shift through the people who know: Lance, Thiago, Monica—then it clicks. Through gritted teeth I say, “Lena.”
“Yeah. She mentioned it to Uri when he was sent to move the VIPs back to home base a few months ago.”
I tighten my grip on my fingers, squeezing them to a painful point. Why would Lena say anything to Uri? That doesn’t make any sense. The corners of Markus’s eyes tighten, and his jaw locks. It’s not a look I see on him often, but I know it well—jealousy.
But… oh fuck. I lift my laptop lid, and the default wallpaper of a mountain range flashes on the screen. I click on the client NDA files. Grae has been very discreet. Three years ago, about a week before he had the Majesty attack, there’s an NDA. I don’t want to click on the form. Uri’s my friend, and Grae is… Grae. But my finger clicks on it anyway.
Oh, come on! What are the fucking odds. I push my laptop off to the side as I thump my forehead against the desk. Uri used his mother’s maiden name on the form, which is why our background check didn’t flag it.
“Poor Uri.” I guess this is why Uri’s been so weird around me. I thought it was because I almost died. Nope. He screwed my ex-boyfriend. I should be way more pissed about this, but clearly, I have no self-control with Grae, so how can I expect anyone else to?
“Um…huh.” Markus clears his throat, and I can imagine the look on his face.
Still talking directly into my desk I grumble, “Uri hasn’t had many relationships, and then he slept with Grae, who’s like, the Kobe beef of men. Most guys are like three-day-old Micky D’s left in the backseat of a minivan.”
“This didn’t go the way I expected.”
I lift my skull from my desk to see Markus’s frown. “The fact that I didn’t kill you with a stapler, or my reaction to Uri and Grae? Or that I am saying openly that you should be with Uri instead, but now you have to live with the knowledge that you’ll never be as good as his first lover?”
“Yeah, all of that.”
“I’m kinda surprised myself.” I roll my head onto my arm and look to the side. “Threats won’t work on you, and loyalty goes a long way with me.” He sat on this information for months and only came to me because he thought it could eventually be a problem.
Markus sits quietly like the white noise of the sound proofing. When he gathers his thoughts he says, “I’m having a hard time wrapping my mind around this. Not that you’re with Grae, but why haven’t you been with him since the beginning? Why did you two break up?”
Trillion-dollar question.
“I don’t know. I will not be taking follow up questions on that topic.”
“Was this always the plan when you wrote the office code of conduct?”
I’m slightly offended, but after all, I am a mastermind. Weaving webs and connections and moving people in the exact positions I need them to be is sort of my thing. Writing a manual that created a loophole to reconnect with an ex is something I would do… for someone else.
“No,” I say with the certainty and authority I’ve spent the last decade building.
“Good.” He nods a few times. “Because it would be hella shady if you did.” Markus pushes himself out of the chair. “I assume you aren’t ready to tell people yet and deal with that fall out?”
My shoulders stiffen as my chin juts out like a snooty old lady. “There’s no reason to tell anyone. He only has ten more days left on his trial, and if this is the shit I’ll have to put up with, I'm not subscribing to his service.” I’m annoyed that potentially it’s going to be an issue. But at least it’s only Mastodon who knows. If the outside world found out, Grae would be in danger. And I can’t let that happen.
“Out of everything you said, that's the only thing I don’t believe.” Markus opens the door, and the sound proofing vanishes. He knocks on the doorframe and adds with a smirk, “When you’re ready, I want to hear every detail.”
We would need a case of wine for me to tell that whole story.
I huff a little, “Thanks buddy.” But as soon as I said it, he freezes then reboots and walks away. It’s Markus. He’s loyal, and Grae’s safe. That’s what matters. I repeat that to myself until semantic satiation occurs, and the words themselves are a jumble of letters and sounds.
CHAPTER 17
Alana
Day 4
It’s time for Family Day.
The parking lot is filled with luxurious armored cars and parents dressed in designer couture. There’s more money in this school than in some countries. There’s also chaos, and nannies and so many kids. It makes my brain hurt. I walk into the auditorium and yep, metal folding chairs. Good to know where the tuition is going.
Waverly sees me and jumps to her feet, waving like she hasn’t seen me in months. Next to her is Thiago and his wife, Monica, and Dimitri and Katya are sitting on the other side of her. Duncan and his wife, Linda, are sitting in the row in front where she lifts a pile of coats for me to sit down. Donny, who sits on Duncan’s left, must be the representative for his family. He gives me a head nod but goes back to his phone. Though everyone is a shade tanner than when they left, Waverly and Duncan are bright red. Apparently the two of them didn't understand the concept of sunscreen.
