I stomp closer. “If you’re going to talk about me behind my back, be man enough to admit it to my face! Did you start that rumor?”
His lips turn down. “What rumor?”
My blood boils. “Haven’t you heard? Apparently, I slept my way to the top of that case last month.”
His face pales. That’s all the confirmation I need. My hands are around his neck, and I don’t know how they got there, but they are intent on strangling him.
How could he do this to me? Irritating me before every mock trial, or stealing my sandwich from the breakroom is one thing, but spreading lies like this?
Connor pulls my hands off his neck and pins them behind my back, trapping me against his chest.
“Let go of me.” I struggle against his hold. I won’t stop until I claw his eyes out.
He tightens his hold, and I hate that my heart reacts by trying to jump ship right into enemy territory. My chest rises and falls next to his with pent-up anger.
“Maddie…” His voice comes out low and gravelly. “I don’t understand.”
He doesn’t understand? I don’t understand how he could be so cruel. Once upon a time, I considered the reason he annoyed me was because he had some sort of crush on me. But now? I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.
I hate Connor Quinn.
The fight leaves me, and my anger dissolves into a sea of pain.
Something foreign lands on my cheek.
A tear?
No. I don’t cry.
“Whoa, Maddie, I…” Conner says, his voice softer now. He loosens his hold, and I wrench myself out of his grasp. He’s still talking, but I don’t register his words. He might as well be on another planet. I can’t hear him. He won’t charm his way out of this.
I sniff and gather what’s left of my dignity, narrowing my eyes so the red rims are even more menacing.
“I did not sleep my way to the top or anywhere else.” The words taste like acid in my mouth.
I can’t place the expression on his face. Shock, disbelief? “But Maddie I—”
“No.” I hold up a hand, cutting him off. “Don’t ever talk to me again.”
Chapter 2
Connor
A very angry—albeit very justified—Maddie storms out of the conference room. And my mind races through the last few minutes. She accused me of starting a rumor. At first, I’d been confused, but then it all came rushing back to me. And though I always hate to admit it, even though it happens more often than I’d like, she’s right.
It was almost a month ago when the attempted kidnapping case went to court. I’d been ticked when Maddie was allowed to sit in on that trial. In return, I had to do her job as well as my own for three weeks. And everything possible went wrong. Cases all over the office went south because of evidence I had overlooked. The night of the trial, though, I spiraled. I was intent on fixing my mistakes and couldn’t make myself go home. It was late, Bri and I were the only ones in the office. I’m not sure why she was even there, to flirt or be a pain in my side most likely. She knew I was ticked and asked why Maddie got the case instead of me?
I’ve never been the best at controlling my tongue when it comes to Maddie, and I said, “Of course, the boss would give the beautiful girl a case over me.”
She leaned forward in her seat, her intense blue eyes gleaming. “Do you think they are sleeping together?”
“They have to be.”
Not that Maddie couldn’t get that case on her own merit. In fact, she’s the most determined person in the office. I knew she’d earned it. My stupidity evolved from something much more pathetic. Because Maddie got that case, I didn’t. Which meant I hadn’t impressed the bosses like she had. Once again, I didn’t measure up, and I let my insecurities about losing in our imagined competition take over instead of being happy for her.
Bri brought it up again the next day at work, but I shut the conversation down, thinking that was the end of it.
But apparently, Bri took the liberty of sharing my idiotic ramblings with the entire office. Always the giver, that one.
