Page 91 of Push

Judy stood above me, hands on her hips, thin lips flat. “Yep. You’re out. Take a fucking vacation. You won’t be stepping foot back in this clinic until you’ve sorted out your shit.” Her chest heaved under the weight of labored breaths. “Understand?”

“I’m not going.”

“You’re going, or I’m calling the damn cops!”

Ian struggled to his feet. “No!” He collapsed back to his knees. “No. Don’t. Judy, please. Toby’s just—he’s not himself—he’s my—” Ian sniffled. “He’s my best friend.”

Please. The man should’ve become an actor, not a dentist. “We’renotfriends,” I spat.

Judy’s gnarled hands shoved me to the doorway. She wanted me gone. The frowns and glaring eyes from the other staff crowding the tiny room told the same story. Theyallwanted me gone.

“Toby, I’m sorry,” Ian almost sobbed. “I’m sorry… I had to protect her. After all the things you did to hurt her… I had to protect Gwen.”

Judy shoved me, but there was a gap between her shoulders and the doorway to the changing room. A couple of the girls were fussing over Ian, swiping tissues at his face to sop up the blood. Like that would do anything. A trail of red seeped from his nose. He was a mess.

What have I done?

Ian’s eyes lifted to meet mine. He wasn’t scared. His bloody teeth bared in an eerie smile, and he silently mouthed the words, “I win.”

My body turned ice cold. He’d planned this. Just like the party. I’d walked into his trap and reacted exactly how he wanted. Again.

I’d failed.

29

She Saw Him Crumble

Gwen

The pale lemon wallsof my study were a sunshine prison. I was never leaving my desk.

Ping.

Another email.

I sank into the leather chair, the old, worn wheels not groaning quite as loud as me, and I rubbed the pinch in my temple.

Was I questioning my sanity for agreeing to work for a man who’d proudly declared himself an unforgiving perfectionist? The same man who’d once been the little boy who’d blinked at me, utterly perplexed, when I’d cried after skinning my knees on the concrete.

Maybe.

A little.

But relief filled my lungs with enough air almost to float. Sure, my brother flirted with a line somewhere between being sweetly unhinged and a complete sociopath, but seeing his name inthe flood of emails drowning my inbox made me feel strangely whole. He was part of my life again. That was enough to keep me going.

My phone rang.

Gee, who could that be?

Grimacing, I tipped forward in the chair and accepted the call without bothering to check who was calling.

Before I could say hello, Elias blurted out, “Pleasedon’t quit.”

I laughed. “Good morning to you, too.”

“Oh. Yes. Good morning.” His laugh sounded more strained than mine. “I got held up in meetings and just logged on. I see our illustrious leader has been…” He paused as he carefully chose the right word. “Busy.”

I scooted back in my chair, tucking my knees under and getting comfy. “Busy, huh?” That was an understatement. “Does my brother ever sleep?”

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