Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78807 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Dara: I know. I know!!! But you really think they’re going to believe me?
Kathryn: You have to tell the truth, okay? Tell them exactly what happened. Don’t let him bully you.
Kathryn: I’m serious, Dara.
Kathryn: Don’t. Let. Him. Bully. You!
Kathryn: If you’re going to get fired, at least get fired standing up for yourself.
I take a deep breath, nodding to myself. Kathryn’s right—Johnnie’s going to fuck me over, but I don’t have to just go ahead and let him. I pull on a cardigan, making sure to cover myself up as much as I can. I hate him for it, but Johnnie’s words about my workplace attire really got under my skin.
That’s the problem with guys like him. I know Johnnie’s a sexist little prick and what he says or thinks doesn’t matter, but just him saying it out loud lodges in my brain whether I like it or not.
His shittiness infects me like a virus.
I stand, trying to psych myself up, trying to get a little mad.
But all my anger’s gone.
I stand, staring at my blank computer screen. There’s nothing in me right now, nothing but a vague memory of Finn and a deep, ugly bitterness.
After Finn left earlier this morning, I hurried out of there and back to my apartment.
I found it empty.
Not entirely—Lucas was kind enough to leave some of my clothes (some) and most of my toiletries. But everything else? All of it gone. Anything that could be taken was taken. I assume they sold most of it, or at least they tried to. Maybe they brought the dishes with them to Mexico or something. But it was all gone.
I’m too devastated to work up a rage anymore.
I spent the morning on the phone with the police. They promised to send someone out, but he didn’t come in time, and I had to leave for work. Then I called Kathryn on my way and updated her, including every spicy detail with Finn—well, most of the details. I left out some key bits.
Like the unprotected sex.
She raged for me. God, Kathryn can really work herself up. I let her go on and on about how she always knew Lucas was a piece of shit (true, she told me once when him and I were on a break a couple years back), how she’s going to hunt him down and strangle him, etc., etc. Basically, she vented all the feelings I should be screaming out into the universe.
Instead, I have nothing. Just numbness.
Which is arguably worse.
Now here I am, down in HR, sitting outside of Harry Frith’s office waiting to get my head chopped off.
I don’t know how I ended up in this place. My money stolen, my apartment cleaned out, my boyfriend gone. It’s like the world’s out to get me, and it’s not holding back.
“Ms. Connell? Come on in.” Harry Frith is a middle-aged man, soft and round, bald on top with wisps of brown on the temples. His glasses make his eyes look like saucers.
Johnnie’s already there, sitting in a chair, not looking at me. I hesitate as Harry settles himself behind the desk, looking up at me with that owlish stare, blinking slightly. “Go ahead and take a seat, Ms. Connell,” he says.
But suddenly, I feel a spark of something. Not exactly anger, but indignation. An annoyance that I’ve been dragged into this mess when I’m the victim in this situation.
It’s seeing Johnnie sitting there, not looking at me like a fucking coward, after what he did the night before. That stupid, selfish asshole, that little piece of trash. If Finn hadn’t intervened, I don’t know what he would’ve done.
And I’m the one about to get in trouble.
“I don’t know what this man told you, Mr. Frith, but Johnnie assaulted me last night.” I slam the words like a sledgehammer, doing my best to keep my pulse under control.
I can do this. Kathryn’s right. Maybe I’m numb, but I can pretend to be her for a little while.
I can let her anger guide me.
Harry’s mouth drops open in shock. Johnnie turns, staring at me, hands waving in the air like he’s trying to stop what I’m about to say.
But fuck him. There’s no stopping this. Fuck all the guys like him that think they can get away with hurting women. He wants to screw me over? He wants to spin the story so it sounds like I’m the real problem?
Well, to hell with that.
I spew it all out. The whole story. Starting with Johnnie approaching me, and ending with Finn stepping in to help. “If that nice man hadn’t stopped by, I don’t know what Johnnie would’ve done. I’m not sure what he told you, Mr. Frith, but Johnnie’s a liar. He sexually assaulted me, made lewd comments about my workplace clothing, and I’m afraid he would’ve done worse if given the chance. If he tried to make me look like I’m at fault, he’s only doing it to save his own cowardly skin.”