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‘Amanda wasn’t the first, though she lasted the longest.’ She gestured at the guy with the list. ‘This is Steven. He knows everything.’

Steven gave her a quick wave. ‘Hi.’

‘He’s Isabelle’s assistant, right?’ Leigh checked.

‘He was. Now he’s mine. Long story short, I’m blowing it all up. Tonight.’

Leigh blinked. ‘Why?’

‘Because we’re all stuck with under those bastards, and I can’t have that. So let’s pool that rage and drain their power.’

Leigh was terror-struck. ‘But…’

‘I know,’ Alex nodded. ‘You have bosses. They won’t like it. So, this is your call. But I think if I can get this going, your bosses will have the proof they need that Erin’s a monster. Hopefully, the only thing they’ll have to say to you about it is, “Thanks for trying to warn us. Here, have a massive raise as an apology.” Alex paused. ‘Might be a bit optimistic.’

‘Isabelle wouldn’t accept your apology?’ Leigh asked.

‘Oh, I never gave it to her,’ Alex said quickly.

Leigh was surprised. ‘So,thisis how you’re saving your career?’

‘Possibly?’ Alex said philosophically.

‘Seems like there are easier ways,’ Leigh was compelled to point out. ‘Starting with that apology you were planning before.’

‘Yeah, well, I had second thoughts about that.’ Alex shrugged, trying hard to seem casual. ‘I’ve never really been one for kissing the ring.’

‘But this is very risky.’

‘If it doesn’t work, at least they’ll say I went out big,’ Alex said with a twinkle in her eye. ‘So, you in?’

Leigh thought about it. She thought about how this would complicate things further for her. She thought about how fucking angry Cybill had been the last time they spoke. And she also thought about her old boss saying, ‘Be bold.’

And then there was Alex…

However she was trying to play this, Leigh knew there was more to it than simple self-preservation at work in Alex tonight. Leigh needed to hear Alex take a leap. If Leigh was going to be strong tonight, she needed Alex to do the same.

‘I’ll do it if you admit something,’ Leigh said. ‘That you’re not doing this for yourself.’

Alex rolled her eyes and groaned. ‘There’s no time for this.’

‘You bettermaketime. I’m not helping unless you say it.’

Alex looked at the floor and let out an enormous groan of annoyance. ‘OK, Leigh. You win. I’m doing this because I care, OK? About Amanda and everyone else those two devils have used and abused. You happy?’

Leigh grinned. ‘Ecstatic. Now, who am I calling and what exactly is it I’m asking from them?’

Thirty-Nine

Alex watched as Leigh hung up the phone after a fifteen-minute talk with Amanda. She’d been talking low and slow. Alex couldn’t read her tone at all.

Leigh turned to Alex. ‘She said yes.’

‘She did? Are you fucking serious, Calloway?!’ Alex grabbed ahold of Leigh before she realised what she was doing.

But if Leigh was shocked by it, she didn’t show it, accepting the hug completely. It was a momentary hug, but being pressed against Leigh, feeling her breath on her neck unraveled her.

They leant back from the hug after a few seconds, and Alex looked right into Leigh’s big, dark eyes. She realised the terrible thing, the feared thing, the worst of all possible things, had happened.