Page 63 of Pride
I nodded in response, even though the thought of eating made me feel sick.
“Maybe later.”
I couldn’t shake my nerves, I felt on edge, so I took the mail I’d picked up at my house out of my bag to give me something to focus on. I could see the blue box with the pink bow nestled in there and a shiver ran down my spine. I’d have to get rid of that later. I didn’t want Alex to see it. I couldn’t even bear to think about it myself. Knowing what he wanted to do to me, filled me with terror.
As I started to sift through the envelopes, trying to hide the fact that my hands were shaking, I noticed a familiar one that I’d used myself on numerous occasions. An envelope with the Merivale Echo name across the top, along with their business address, and my heart leapt into my throat. I tore the envelope open, took the letter out and scanned the contents, and then my heart dropped, shattering on the floor as I gasped.
“They’re suing me.”
Alex sat forward, snapping to attention. “What? Who the fuck is suing you? What does that letter say?”
I held the letter out for him to take and read, feeling disbelief at what was in it.
“They’re suing me for breach of contract.” I could barely speak; my throat was dry, and my nerves were completely shredded now. “They’re saying I left without fulfilling my terms of employment because I didn’t give them one month’s notice.”
I had tears in my eyes as I looked at Alex’s furious face.
I had no money.
I had very little will left to fight every knockback I kept getting.
How was I going to get out of this?
What the fuck could I do?
“I can’t go back there and work for another month, not after everything. What the hell am I supposed to do?”
Alex stood up, paced the floor for a few seconds, then turned to face me. “I’ll deal with this.”
“You can’t fight all my battles.” I sighed, feeling totally and utterly helpless and furious at the same time. How fucking dare they do this to me after everything they’d put me through.
“I can and I will,” he stated. “I’ll get my lawyer onto this right away. But it’s bullshit, Emma. They can’t make this stick. After the shit they’ve pulled, using your name illegally for stories you didn’t write, they don’t have a leg to stand on. I’ll sort this. Please don’t give it another thought.”
I had no doubt he’d do exactly as he said, and yet, my stomach still ached with stress, and my body shook with fear.
Alex stood still for a moment, reading the letter again, then he crumpled it in his hand, making me lurch forward to try and save it, but he was too angry to focus on anything other than how he was feeling.
“I swear to fucking God,” he seethed with his fists clenched. “That man will pay for this. They all will. I’ve had enough of people thinking they can do whatever the fuck they want. Of thinking they can fuck you over.”
He threw his head back and growled, then peered down at me and said, “I hate to do this, but I have to go. I need to do something to stop it all now, otherwise I’m going to go insane. I’m so sorry to leave you like this, Emma. But I can’t stand by for another minute...”
“I’ll come with you,” I said, standing up, because I didn’t want to be left alone in his house.
But he put his hand up and told me, “No. Wait here. This is something I have to do on my own.”
I tried to argue. I didn’t want this. But he turned and strode out of the room, leaving me to sit back on the sofa, staring at the door in shock.
And then he stalked back in again, and a spark of relief burned inside me.
He came to stand in front of me, then knelt down so he could look right into my eyes.
“I’m so sorry. I feel like shit for leaving you. Please, treat this house as your own. While you’re here, I want you to see this as a second home. Choose a bedroom, explore anywhere you want. My house is yours. I mean that. Nowhere is off limits.”
He reached forward, taking my chin between his thumb and forefinger, and he lifted my face to stop me looking down.
I didn’t want to choose a room.
I didn’t want to explore.
