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What else could I do? I started walking in the direction of the bus stop, and my chest kept aching. Sweat gathered at my temples and slid down my cheeks. Was I just fired? Wouldn’t I have to sign paperwork if that were the case? Maybe they would mail the paperwork? I massaged my chest while I waited for the bus, and before I knew it, I was en route to my brother’s.
If anyone knew about fucking up and job hunting, it was him, so at the very least, maybe he would be willing to pat me on the back and say bold-faced lies, such as “it’s not your fault” and “you’re better off without that place anyway.” I had no idea what I was going to do, but it was finally a fucking crisis, and I had to figure something out. Groaning, I buried my face in my hands.
Hopefully with me gone, Albion would be all right.
He didn’t have a suspicious history—I did. Hell, he could even blame me, and everyone would believe him. As far as silver linings went, that was pretty awful, but at least it was something. I sighed.
16
ALBION
After my conversation with Massimo,I stalked toward Christie’s office, where I’d sent Wade, only to find he wasn’t there.
“Christie, where’s Wade?” I asked bluntly, and she raised her chin to stare at me with those big doe eyes of hers.
She cocked her head and frowned. “He was on his way to your office earlier.”
“He hasn’t come here since?” Concern prickled at me. We’d been caught by Maurice, and while I wanted to believe Wade wasn’t dumb enough to approach Maurice or the boss, I didn’t have high hopes. Begging for forgiveness seemed to be his thing, and I hated the stinging jealousy that stabbed my insides at the thought of him getting on his knees in front of Wick. Wade was mine, and I refused to let him beg anyone else. Never again.
“No.” She stood from her desk, her blue dress fluttering around her knees. “Should we be worried?”
I shook my head in answer. “It’s fine. I’ll figure it out.”
Then I left her, not waiting for a response. Wherever Wade was, he was probably freaking out. From what I’d seen in his background check, he needed a stable job for not only himself but his brother, too.
I went back to my office and grabbed my phone from my desk. I called him. Once. Twice. Three times. He didn’t answer.
I sent him a text message next.
Albion: Where are you? I told you to go help Christie.
I wasn’t stupid enough to wait around for a reply. If he didn’t answer my calls, he wasn’t going to respond to my text. Instead, I stormed toward Wick’s office. Before I got there, I stopped to take a deep breath. After about a minute of measured breathing, I pushed open the door and walked over to Maurice’s desk.
He glanced at me and nudged his black-rimmed glasses up with his knuckle, then smiled. “If you’re after Mr. Guidry, he’s gone out.”
I exhaled. “No. Uh, have you seen Wade?”
Maurice blinked at me, confusion twisting his mouth. He stood, his knees hitting the desk on the way up, then walked toward me. “You can’t find him?”
“No. I thought he might’ve come in here to see you.” Now that I’d considered the situation further, the idea was probably stupid. He wouldn’t have begged for forgiveness, right? Fuck. He would have. That was the type of person he was.
“He asked me not to tell Wick,” Maurice murmured with a thoughtful pout. “But then he got a bit loud, and Wick came out, and I had to explain the issue. Wick said he saw Wade outside, and Wick thought you’d really done something bad to him.”
I frowned. “Why would he think that? I made Wade clean, but I would never physically hurt him.”
“Because he seemed really scared. I saw a bruise on Wade’s hand.” Maurice stared at me thoughtfully. “I know he helped Xadrian, but we would never want Wade hurt. That isn’t the kind of people we are here at Émeraude Technologies.”
I winced. “I know it.” Heat spread up my neck. Damn it, why did I have to get so overzealous last night? “It’s a thing between us. He likes it rough, but it’s consensual. He has a safe word.”
“Oh.” A blush spread across Maurice’s cheeks and he laughed nervously. “Oh, right.”
This couldn’t get any more awkward. I wasn’t ashamed of my lifestyle, but Maurice was still my boss’s boyfriend and assistant. I kept my personal life away from my job for a reason. I worked with these people.
“As long as it’s consensual, and he can’t turn around and accuse you of?—”
“Oh no. No, no, no.” I shook my head, understanding Maurice’s concern. “We entered a contract of our own. I made him sign it because I didn’t trust him at first.”
Maurice’s eyebrows furrowed in worry. “He might argue that he was forced into signing it.”
