Page 11 of The Revenge Agenda

“I’d say it’s the standard scripting, given that’s what everyone else has said to me.”

“Not a very original bunch, are we?”

“Yeah, but there’s something comforting about predictability.” I spare a smile.

“How are you liking Seattle?”

That’s not a question I have an answer for. “Still too new to know, I think.”

“Well, get your man to take you to the Space Needle. It’s very touristy, but?—”

My heart sinks. “Ah, actually. We broke up.”

Courtney does a double take. I expect everyone was told I moved here to be with my partner, and now I get to be the one to correct that story. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m not. Turns out he wasn’t who I thought he was.”

She clearly doesn’t know what to say to that, and thankfully, she’s saved from commenting by Ted.

“Want to come and meet your team?” he asks.

“Yes, of course.”

I say goodbye to the other department heads and follow Ted out into the bullpen. It’s got good energy here, which is a relief, and I hope like hell it’s not as much of a dud as the rest of my experience in Seattle so far.

Ted pauses by a pod of four desks. “Team, this is Hunter Barrett. He’s your new department head. Hunter, this is Eloise, Gates, Autumn, and—oh.” Ted looks around. “I swear Carey was here a moment ago.”

I glance over toward the empty desk that’s cluttered with an assortment of drinks and paper.

“Lunch.” Autumn almost shouts it. “He went on his break. He’ll be back, uh, soon.”

I quirk an amused eyebrow her way.

Ted laughs. “One thing you’ll learn about Carey: he’s a fantastic fellow, but he’s never where you need him to be.”

Great. Somehow, I can already tell that Carey and I are going to have issues.

Chapter 4

Rush

Well, my career is over. I’ve become rather fond of my “boring office job” as Christian calls it, and now I might as well pack up my desk and skip out the door. The desk that I’m currently huddled under, ass going numb.

Goodbye, Gates’s smelly feet.

Goodbye, sensor lights that keep me company when everyone else has gone home.

Goodbye, Sandra and her wild weekend escapades.

I’ll even miss that stupid spray thingy in the men’s bathroom that scares the shit out of me every time it goes off.

The pointy toe of Autumn’s shoe nudges me, and I swat her away. Then the second one comes at me. It’s a full-on assault as she tries to drive me from my hiding place, and I karate chop her hideous flats.

No number of potential bruises or bloody noses are going to get me out of here.

Not with Hunter, the Hunter, standing just by me.

He talks again, and Autumn quickly stills.

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