It was signed with a beautifully scrolling D.
David.
Diana’s breath exploded from her chest just as she tried to swallow. Choking, she coughed, trying to get her bearings. Lord, David certainly didn’t play games, he told her what he wanted and when. Then, the anger came. What, did he just expect her to jump to do his bidding, be his beck and call BBW?
She grumbled under her breath about arrogant assholes, totally forgetting that Margie was still in the room.
“Well? What does it say?”
The office phone rang, saving Diana from having to answer. She raised a finger to tell Margie to wait, then she answered.
“This is Diana,” she greeted into the receiver, hoping she sounded livelier than she felt.
“Diana,” Mr. Ayers drawled on the other line. “Please come see me in my office.” He didn’t give her time to ask what the impromptu meeting was about, before hanging up. That was new. That was unexpected. Ayers had never been so curt to her before.
Has someone pissed in his Cheerios? She wanted to roll her eyes at her ridiculousness, but she didn’t. Because that wasn’t the reason her boss was calling her into his office instead of sending a message through the inter-office messaging system.
Anxiety bit at her, making her slow to replace the phone on its receiver.
Margie was still there, staring at her.
“What was that about?”
Diana shook her head, her shoulders edging up toward her ears. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll go find out, though.”
Margie walked out the office door before Diana but stopped just outside it.
“I’m going to grab some lunch from the cart in the lobby, but then I am coming back here so we can talk.”
The anxiety growing black tentacles in her chest, Diana could only say, “Alright.”
Margie left, but not before scouring Diana’s expression, her own eyes bright with concern, and once she was gone, Diana made her way to Ayers office, her legs as solid as banana pudding.
Sucking in a breath, hoping it would fortify her, she let it out, still feeling like something, just beyond that door, was going to swallow her whole.
She knocked, and Ayers called out, “Come.”
Hands shaking, she opened the door and stepped inside. Ayers sat behind his desk, his laptop open, and files piled neatly, nearly obsessively beside it.
“Can I help you with something, Mr. Ayers?” she asked, her voice surprisingly not strangled.
He waved her over. “Sit, please, Miss Bluth,” he intoned, his piercing blue eyes blank.
She sat, clasping her hands in her lap.
“I’m going to cut to the chase, because I owe that to you, Miss Bluth.”
What was happening? The hair on her neck stood up, and a wave of terror snaked down her back.
“I’ve had reports that you were spotted at the Bella Notte, where you were also seen leaving, and then going up stairs with one of our clients. I don’t need to tell you what assumptions have been drawn.”
Diana’s breath lodged in her throat.
David.
He was talking about the night she slept with David Brenner that first time. But that was weeks ago! Why was this coming out now?
In a gush, words spilled from her lips. “Sir, I can explain. I knew he was a client because I’d seen him in the building that day, but when he approached me in the bar…well, I…”
Ayers placed his hands on his desk and pushed his chair back, slowly standing to peer down at her with disappointment etched into his expression.
“I know David personally, as I’m sure you are aware, and I know his reputation with the ladies. However, I also know you are aware of our policy of employees keeping their hands off our clients. You were aware and you did it anyway, and that is grounds for immediate termination.”
A choked cry escaped her mouth.
He held up a large, long-fingered hand.
“But…since you have an exemplary record with this firm, and because I do know David Brenner and his tendency to do whatever the hell he wants, I’ve decided to give you the benefit of the doubt.”
Relief cascaded through her, immediately followed by humiliation. She had done this to herself, she had no one else to blame.
“Sir…thank you,” she murmured, unable to raise her voice higher than that. “I admit to my wrong doing and can only hope that this doesn’t affect my place within the firm moving forward.”
Ayers pursed his lips. “You misunderstand, Diana. I may have given you the benefit of the doubt, but the other partners are not so generous. They are demanding a disciplinary review.”
Shocked but not surprised, she closed the hinge of her jaw and waited for him to continue.
“You are to be suspended from work, without pay, until an investigation into your behavior is completed.”
Diana shot to her feet, fury taking the helm.
“Suspended without pay! They can’t do that. I’ve been a model employee—working long hours for you, never asking for special considerations.”
Ayers sighed, his expression now unreadable.
“And what about this investigation? What exactly needs to be investigated? I spent one night at the Serata Incantata, I slept with David Brenner and I left the next day. I didn’t even tell him my name, for God’s sake. It was supposed to be casual, it was never meant to be anything but nameless sex between two consenting adults, and now it’s going to be turned into some kind of dog and pony show with a farce of an investigation.” She didn’t bother telling him that she’d had sex with him since then, and they were, more than likely, going to have sex again. It wasn’t any of Ayers’s business what she and David did on their own time.
That first time, though…you knew it would come to this.
Shit!
She threw her hands into the air, guilt, fear, and rage exploding within her.
She knew she was letting her emotions reign, but what the hell else was she supposed to do? Suspended without pay, for however long the other partners needed for their fucking joke of an investigation, meant that she wouldn’t have money
