Page 71 of From That Moment

“We did,” Susan, one of the only women on my floor said.

“We did,” Trevor added. Warmth filled me, but I ignored it because I needed to focus on the horrible person in front of me.

Benji scoffed. “So what? George loves me. We golf every weekend. I’m the one getting ahead in this company. Your little boyfriend or fuck buddy or whatever the hell he is, is leaving.”

“I’m headed for a promotion, in fact. I’m not even going to be attached to this branch. So, we were never in a competition.”

“Oh, fuck you, too. In case you haven’t gotten enough fucking from her.”

I opened my mouth to say something and noticed that both Trevor and Susan had their phones out, recording everything.

Well, they were going to stand up for me, and I would finally have proof of Benji’s bullshit. I was tired of this. And if George didn’t take what I had to say seriously? I might sue. Regardless, I was leaving. I’d find a new job. Work, even if I loved it, was not worththis.

“I don’t know what you have against me, but this is cruel and beyond horrible. I do not have to take this anymore. And you can stop. You can walk away nicely, and I won’t sue you right this very moment.”

“Big words for a big bitch.”

Prior was there right behind me, but I stood in front of him, blocking his way.

“Don’t hurt him, he wants to sue you.”

“I don’t think the lawsuit will be from Benji,” a voice said from the elevator. I froze before I slowly turned to see our boss, George Haberman, walking towards us.

I did not like George. He was part of the good old boys’ club, someone who had gotten this job because of his family and rarely worked. However, he usually let us do what we needed to do and made sure we had amazing projects that utilized my talent and fulfilled my mind.

I hoped to hell he would be on my side about this.

Benji puffed up like a peacock as though he hadn’t heard our boss’s words. “Hey, George, can you believe how she speaks to me? It’s like I’ve been telling you.”

“You’ve been telling me a lot of things about Paris. And Prior. And a few other people around here. Why don’t you come with me to my office, Benji? We need to talk.”

Benji looked nervous, his face going almost gray. “What do you mean? You can tell everybody about my upcoming promotion right here.”

Promotion? This was the first I’d heard of it.

“The papers weren’t signed, Benji. And for that, I’m grateful. We can do this right here, though, if you want. You’re fired. And, if we’re lucky, Paris will only sue you and not the whole company. Those recording this, I would love a copy. Benji? Come with me.”

Everybody started talking at once, and then Prior was there, holding my hand for a bare instant, giving it a squeeze before letting go. I blinked, not knowing what to say, not knowing what to do.

I had a feeling my work situation had just gotten a thousand times better.

In the end, though, I wanted to throw up.

By the timeI got home, I was exhausted and sweaty but relieved. Benji would no longer be with the company. I would not be suing George and the corporation as of yet. There would be more paperwork and other things that I would need to figure out with regards to Benji. George had even helped, offered to assist me with getting a restraining order against Benji, but I didn’t think that was necessary. Although Benji hated me for who knew what, reasons that I didn’t understand, I didn’t think he was the one who had attacked me.

The fact that I still didn’t know who had, worried me. Honestly, I didn’t think it was him.

Prior wasn’t going to be at the office anymore, and I kind of hated the fact that the little cake the office had bought, and the little going away party and been marred. However, there wasn’t anything we could do about that.

We would all still see Prior if he ever showed up again at the building to work on other projects, something he had said he wanted to do. And I would see him any day I could. Because somehow, our relationship had turned serious.

So serious that I thought maybe, if I let myself acknowledge it, I was falling in love with him.

He had let me fight for myself, even when he wanted to be the one who screamed and shouted and hit.

And maybe if we hadn’t been at work, I would’ve let him.

I probably would’ve hit Benji as well, but that wouldn’t have stopped anything.