Page 16 of Love Spell

“Sometimes I think you buggers have all the fun.”

“Sometimes you’re right.”

“What I want to know is where did this come from?”

“What?”

“Timmy all over Noah — as of yesterday.Rivals?Sure.Opposition’s solicitor?No problem.But a new junior?Who knew old Timmy would fuck anyone with net assets of under ten million?”

“Standards are slipping everywhere these days,” Chandler said contemptuously.“Perhaps he started having a thing for Yanks after the last New York trip and he’s fresh out of other options for a baseball fan with a stupid accent.”

“I can’t wait to ask Noah how it went talking about his career advancement with Timmy yesterday.”Dave was laughing.“That’s what Arthur told him Timmy was interested in.”

“No one’s that gullible, surely — not even an American.”

“Don’t you bet on it.The look on his face?I wish we had a video.We kept watching him at the bar while Timmy was laying on the charm.”

“Oh God …” Chandler groaned.

“Fucking priceless.”Dave’s voice was moving as he approached the open door.“Noah looked like a nun waking up in Las Vegas.I just wish I’d thought to take a look at those knees.”

Dave was still laughing as he stepped through the doorway into Noah.

“How about a closeup now, Dave?”Noah said and Dave’s eyes widened.He had no time for any more response at the sight of Noah facing him before Noah’s knee made contact with his balls and Dave hit the floor screaming — like a nun waking up in Las Vegas.

6

Noah sat hunched in his office chair, head in hands, listening to background voices and the endless electrical hum of a 100 monitors, cables, and connections.This morning, the voices were muted, the hum loudest of all.He’d already gathered the few personal things he had at his desk, including pens, notebook, and his tiny lucky cactus in its tiny pot, into a printer paper carton.

Was he really going to let this beat him?Was he going to throw away this big break, maximising the time he had left in London, by letting bullies win?

It was just about when he’d tucked his lucky cactus into the box that he’d changed his mind.He hadn’t come all this way to quit before squeezing every ounce of experience and every cent of commission and profit from London before the sand ran out in his hourglass.

If he left now, where was he going?Back to his mouldy little Airbnb room in Croydon for the next five days while he booked a flight and another room wherever he was going?Just so he could run away?

He could do better.

Except that he probably couldn’t because he’d physically assaulted a coworker in a foreign country.Jail time seemed unlikely, but free choice about exactly what he did next and when and how also seemed unlikely.Deportation might be just the start of a long list of headaches, from legal fees to a criminal record to a lifetime ban from the United Kingdom.

Noah gritted his teeth, palms rammed painfully against his eye sockets while he suppressed a scream.

He’d been at his desk, not working for half an hour at least.Everyone was in now.No one had asked him to get coffee.No one was shouting.The voices were murmurs and chortles, either focused on their work or passing along the gossip.

Dave’s voice didn’t feature.Neither did Timo’s.Could they really still be in Timo’s private office?Or had Dave got his wish of proving what critical condition he was in by ringing for an ambulance?Hobbled down there with one arm around Arthur’s shoulders while he gasped out his last requests?

That was how he’d been acting when Timo, Arthur, Ranveer, and Maksim had descended upon the three of them in the kitchen doorway.Chandler thought the whole thing was funny, but Chandler always thought other people’s pain was funny.

Maksim had actually rolled his eyes when he’d understood what happened, muttered, “What a baby,” in that thick accent, and went back to work.No one else was laughing, though.

Noah did think it was a bit much when Dave barfed up his coffee.Hadn’t he ever been kicked in the balls?Noah had been pounded until his ribs broke and he’d nearly lost an eye, but had he thrown up?No.He’d crawled home because you either got yourself home or you froze to death.Maksim had a point.

Maybe Noah could present said point at his police interview.

What would Dave tell Timo?“Just saying good morning to Chandler, grabbing a protein bar, and Noah shows up in the doorway out of nowhere andwham!” That’d be Dave all over.

Noah didn’t care anymore what Timo thought of him.Dave could say whatever the hell he wanted.But the police?Deportation?A lifetime ban once Dave filed charges?

For what?For one moment of losing his temper?Ultimately, he’d handed the win to Dave on a silver platter.Whatever happened now, it was Noah’s own doing.

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