Page 90 of Takedown

“What happened?” Ethan asks.

“It was a lifetime ago. It doesn’t matter.” I let out a nervous laugh and curse myself for bringing this up.

“It matters, Mel. What happened? And why am I just now hearing about this dysfunctional department?” I arch an eyebrow at Adam, mentally calling him out on his hypocrisy, but he only stares at me right back and waits for my response. It’s not often Adam is upset. The first was the night he came back from Vegas, and I denied we were married. The other was two nights ago when Ethan appeared on our doorstep.

“I’ve let it go. Besides, I’m sure everyone wants to hear about you, not me.” I clear my throat, grab my drink and hope they change the subject.

“I’m really interested in hearing about it,” Ethan persists. “If a department in my company is dysfunctional, I need to know.”

“Me too.” My husband puts down his fork and looks at me. I know from the look in his eyes, he won’t drop the subject until I tell him everything.

I take a deep breath before I start talking. “The risk manager there sexually harassed me. We were working late one night, and he touched me, so I hit him. He came after me, and I grabbed a hole puncher and hit him in the face with it. He called the police and said I assaulted him. There was another person working with us, but she backed up his story. I was arrested and he pressed charges, but they were eventually dropped. I left New Jersey and moved to Boston with my brother and never looked back.” Ethan’s blue eyes darken at the table, and for a split second, I want to slap myself for telling that story. Of course, he won’t believe me. This is his company, and I’m a stranger.

“What’s his name?” Adam’s voice is low, but I can hear the anger brewing. “I’m gonna find him and show him what getting assaulted is really like when I shove my foot up his arse.” His brogue thickens with each angry word.

“Oh, Adam, leave it alone.” He ignores me and turns to Ethan.

“Get me his name,” he hisses to his brother. “And what the hell kind of people do you hire? He fucking put his hands on mywife.”

I run a hand down his thigh, but that doesn’t calm him down. In fact, his face has turned red, so I don’t bother reminding him that I wasn’t his wife when this happened.

“Go ruin his life, baby,” Tara says right before Ethan stands up from the table and excuses himself. I sit there, stunned at the turn of events.

“Guys, it’s okay. I’m over it.”

“It’s definitely not okay,” Elizabeth says. “That’s not allowed at BradCo, and you’re our family now, Mellie. We take care of each other.”

44

I seethe sitting next to my wife. Now, I understand why she moved from New Jersey. Her bitch mother was only part of the reason. I lift her hand to my lips, excuse myself, and stand.

“Adam, sit down,” Mel says. “Come on.”

“His office is down the hall and to the left,” Tara says, knowing exactly where I’m going.

I get there just as he’s ending the call. The door is cracked open, and he waves me in.

“Did you find him?” I get straight to the point, and he points an index finger at his computer. I walk around and see a photo of the asshole who dared touch my wife.

“I need his address,” I tell Ethan. “Now.”

“I’ll take care of it. I’m going to find out as much about him as I can.”

“I’m still gonna fuck him up,” I say. He stands, but I lift my hands. “Imagine if it were Tara.” A flash of anger crosses his face, and his left cheek ticks.

“I get it. I’d want to rip his throat out, but it will be much more satisfying to ruin his life in other ways. Fire him and make it impossible for him to get another job.”

“I want to be there when you confront him.”

“You’ll have to come to New York.”

“Fine, but let’s keep that part between us.”

“You can’t hit him,” he warns.

I’m mollified by that, and I let him believe that I agree. I nod, walk out of his office, and return to my wife.

“Guys, I was just making conversation, not trying to start World War Three,” Mellie says.

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