la

ng was fi

d down, hoping that Lucian Vale had already

had

e, Ms. Mo

cou

-

immaculate, the kind of space that made you feel like y

st my chest and waited while he opened my file and read t

es came up

old. Un

said. The words came ou

" His voice was flat and fina

d it because six years of making myself

her page. Set

ely," he said. "I expect no excuses about

ument across th

r it. "Th-th

Montc

top

n, the one I still didn't have a name for. The one that had

But your timidness-" he paused, choosing the word deliberately, "-needs addressing.

red a

work history. He had read it carefull

ears said anything to me that wasn't a criticism had just cal

But the flash of the hotel room came-the blood on my

to watch

Sir,"

say anything else that I

-

6pm and I was s

taken a lunch break. There was no one to take it with. Vivienne had disappeared hours ago wi

across t

something, completely at ease. A small group of people around her,

her for

very room she entered she owned within minutes and she a

n there

nd my work and a quiet I had gotten

thought arrived quietly.

nd caught my reflection in t

t thinking and felt somethin

h

zed. Ronan had made me cut it. Bu

ost s

s dropped onto my des

rsh stood

Second in command

ice belonged to him: grey haired, heavy shouldered, with the specific co

e. Extra work dumped on my desk without explanation. Credit taken without

er unders

I intended

t their desks went very still. "You think you can embarrass

tighten

ward. "And you made me a laughingstock. What exactly is the poin

hot. Nobody intervened

isible? Or were they

ck of papers. "This needs to be do

d at th

gnments above my grade for years - taking the credit at galas and presen

I had taken it

ned me a full rewrite of my report within the week. I don

went compl

stare

hed the realization move across his face

ned hi

ral

right. Cutting across the

fice who called him by his first name. Not Mr. Marsh.

t now it wasn't p

between the pile of work and me and for just a frac

red it i

ed brightly, gesturing toward me with a little laugh, her short d

t," I sa

nked. Gerald

e before

ayed light, almost amused. She nudged my arm. "Just

aid, turning back to my

le

murmur of an office that had just wi

under his breath. I didn't catch

dn't

nne that mad

ion changed into something soft and wounded, her voice droppin

ster trying very hard. "I know Mr. Vale was really hard on you

it land. "I was on

oom s

eyes moved, the way

ding while I sat with my jaw tight and my spine straig

ture," someo

believe she's th

from somewhere I

pted anyway

. Just enough that I felt

ftly and gestured for Gerald to follow her. He went, smoothed an

deep breath goi

alone and sat on the edge of my

gently. "I know

n't a

ossed her face at my sile

it might help - getting out, a nice dinner, the th

. "What do

é behind my back and ma

on my desk waiting f

said. An

cost me

ly, squeezed my s

back to m

, I would ta

ust o

on who had looked at me