Page 23 of Game Change

“I’ve heard enough,” Brynne says.

"You still got the salary. I gave you ten percent more than we talked about. I don’t want to lose you, Brynne. And we also have a non-compete clause. You can’t work anywhere else for a year,” he reminds her.

I close my eyes and shake my head slowly.

My uncle has always believed everyone has their price and knowing him, he knows something else about her. Something about her makes him think she won’t quit on him.

Chapter 13

Brynne

Brynne, you stupid, fucking idiot. If I could go back in time, I’d smack myself in the pussy for letting this con artist get anywhere near me. Then, I’d go back a few more years and make a different career choice. I would have gone with the big corporate firm, not the smaller one, but I’ve had a great career here. Milton Kincaid took me under his wing. He mentored me and taught me everything I know, but he’s a snake, and I should have known better. I’ve been played before, but this one played me like a violin, and I just let him. When did I turn into a simpering teenager who falls for a man with washboard abs and a sexy smile?

He sits here in a designer suit when he pranced around shirtless, making questionable footwear choices, and I fell for it. I let him in my body. Not only that, but I also let him in my head. I allowed him to convince me that we would have some kind of future together when he’s been playing me the entire time. Now, he’s pretending he didn’t know who I was, as if the universe would be cruel enough for this to be a coincidence. No, this guy is maniacal.

I look down at the salary again. As much as I want and need this money, I’m not for sale.

“I can’t accept this.” I stand, ready to make my exit. There are plenty of other firms who would hire me. Milton doesn’t know this, but I always get calls from competitors.

They won’t pay this much, and when they learn Milton promoted his nephew instead of me, they might question my abilities. I eye Colin again, who also stands. Milton does the same and reaches for my hand. Like always, it’s warm. We’ve had a good relationship. From the moment I met Milton Kincaid, we’ve had a good rapport, but not after today. I pull my hand away, but he holds on to it.

“Please sit,” he says, gesturing at my empty chair with his free hand.

“I’m tendering my resignation effective immediately,” I say and try to pull my hand away. “I can’t—”

“I’m not trying to push you out, Brynne,” he says softly. “I don’t accept your resignation.”

He’ll have no choice once I return to my office and send an email to him and Human Resources. I’d rather walk out of here right now than face the other man in the room. The man, who just a few days ago, made me feel more alive than I have in years.

Fuck it. I won’t bother notifying HR. I’ll pack up my shit and leave. Fuck this place and fuck the entire Kincaid family.

“Talk to Paddy Cake,” he says.

“Can you not call me that at work, Uncle Milton?” Colin asks. I see a tinge of red on his cheeks.

That’s another thing. The short beard he had on vacation is gone. His face is clean-shaven. And I hate myself for still being attracted to him.

Milton’s phone rings, and he pulls it out of his pocket. “Excuse me. I have to take this.” He practically runs out of the conference room, and once he closes the door, I decide to look at Colin.

The instant I turn my head, our eyes lock. We’re like two magnets. I take a step back but don’t look away as I try and figure out how I could have gotten it all wrong. How could I have fallen for this man in such a short time? He takes a step closer, and I take one back, holding one hand up to signal for him to stop his approach. He doesn’t listen and keeps moving forward. I move back until I reach the wall of windows behind me.

“Stop,” I say. “Don’t touch me.” His steps falter, but he doesn’t look away. He seems shocked and hurt by my words. “Don’t you fucking come near me.”

“I didn’t know.” He points to the door. “I didn’t—”

“Bullshit. Please, don’t lie to me. You’ve done enough of that in the past two weeks.”

“What?” he asks. “I’ve never lied to you. I would never. This is—”

“This is what?” I ask when he stops mid-sentence. “This is you stealing my job, Colin Kincaid!” I feel the venom spouting out of me when I speak his name. Everyone knows the Kincaid family. They’re rich and run one of the biggest renewable energy companies in the world.

“I didn’t steal a damn thing,” he hisses, then he catches himself, lowers his voice and says, “He’s been begging me to work for him for years.”

“Then why didn’t you?” I ask. “Why now?”

“Because I’ve been living in California for over a decade, just like I told you when we met. I wanted to move back to the East Coast. He said I’d be running things and wanted a Kincaid in charge.”

“Oh? I’ve never even heard of you before today. He’s never mentioned an architect nephew, and here you are taking the one thing he had promisedme.” I point to myself. “You don’t even need this job.” He has mentioned this Paddy before, but you’d think he would tell me he’s an architect, too; Milton never once brought it up. I’m sure that was intentional.

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