Page 70 of Art of Sin

31denial

The colorof my illustrious boss’s face matches his eggplant dress shirt.

“Say that again,” Maxwell demands in a near-screech, “because I’m sure I didn’t hear you right.”

“I’m handing my client list to Trent. He’s more than ready. Gideon Masters has hired me full-time.” I nod to the paperwork under his clenched fist. “He’s paying well above the normal rate for my services. It was a no-brainer. The end.”

My calm voice is what tips Maxwell over the edge. He lurches up from his seat and leans toward me. Spittle collects at the corner of his mouth as he whisper-shouts, “You’re out of your goddamn mind if you think I’m signing off on this. It’s career suicide!”

I cock a brow and cross my legs. “I’m not sure what your actual complaint is. It’s my decision. If you don’t sign off, I’ll go freelance and the agency won’t see a cent from that contract. Additionally, if you block Trent’s acquisition of my list, I’ll take my team and my clients with me when I leave.”

An empty threat, but he doesn’t know that.

With a wordless yell, Maxwell swipes a stack of papers from his desk to the floor. Outside the glass walls of his office, the entire staff stares at us, not even bothering to pretend otherwise. They can’t hear what we’re saying, but it’s a moot point. Especially since TMZ’s online article last night entitled, Playboy artist Gideon Masters gets up close and personal with PR Shark, Deirdre Moss.

The attached photos are from the night I mistakenly thought I was walking into a ménage à trois with Gideon and Finn. I remember the moment—braced against my car door with Gideon crowding me, his arms bracketing my head and his mouth at my ear. Finn watches us from the background, an inscrutable but focused look on his face. The photos aren’t damning or even overtly salacious, but no one cares about the truth in this city. Or the irony that Gideon and I weren’t sleeping together then, but we are now.

But the part of my brain that gives a shit about the rumor mill is shut down. Turned off. Gone. I have much bigger problems than gossip sites and my fuming boss.

Namely, the dead man stalking me.

“Look, Maxwell, it’s all or nothing.” I stand, pointing at the untouched contract. “Read it. Sign it. Or explain to the VPs why I walked out with some of the agency’s biggest clients.”

His beady eyes narrow, glittering with malice. I’m unaffected; after all, he’s a lamb.

I’m a wolf.

“I won’t forget this, Deirdre.”

“Good.” I head for the door. “I’ll expect the signed contract on my desk before day’s end. Have a great day, Maxwell.”

When I leave his office, twenty-plus heads swivel rapidly. Papers shift and keyboards start clacking. The only person to meet my gaze head-on is Skylar.

Color me not at all surprised.

“Well well well,” she says, voice pitched to carry. “Deirdre Moss, throwing her career away for some dick. Don’t worry—I’ll make sure your clients are well taken care of.”

There are assorted gasps and a few snickers but mostly stunned silence. Across the room, Trent steps out of my office, his face cut in angry lines. I catch his gaze and shake my head.

Skylar’s smile grows. She’s smug and satisfied, thinking about all the ways she’ll benefit from my demise. The demise she thinks she orchestrated. How cute.

I offer her a lazy smile. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out it was you who paid the pap and sold those photographs? A few calls was all it took. You’re not nearly as smart as you think you are, Skylar, and now everyone knows they need to watch their backs around you.”

Ashen under her spray-tan, Skylar glances around the room. Our colleagues eye her with varying levels of disappointment and disgust.

“She’s lying. Come on, guys, I’d never do that.”

“Yes, you would,” someone mutters.

Walking toward my office, I leave a wake of rising murmurs behind me. Trent closes the door as soon as I’m inside.

“Did she really leak those photos?” he asks once I’m seated behind my desk.

“Who knows and who cares.”

Trent whistles, long and low. “That’s savage.”

I shrug. “I told you I’d do whatever it took to make this a smooth transition. Skylar needed to be put down.”

---