Page 78 of Savage Suit

Reid winced. Quinn glanced over her shoulder, then looked at Megan again. “If you know the location of where you’re supposed to be, get your ass up and go there.”

“Call security, Tina,” Nicholas ordered. “What’s your application number?”

“Assho—” Quinn snarled as Tina pressed a button on her phone and I blurted, “That’s my sister. I asked her to come as moral support at the press conference.”

Tina, Nicholas, and Megan looked at me.

“Recent development. Hold off a second,” Tina said into the phone, then disconnected.

“This is a private event,” Tina told me.

“But—” I started.

“Who the fuck gave you the authority to invite anyone?” Nicholas demanded. “Noah didn’t. He’s dealing with our asshole younger brother, who thought today perfect to marry a gold-digging whore.”

I couldn’t do it. No amount of money was worth the brutality of these circling vultures. Vaguely, I heard Reid’s chiding tone, but couldn’t understand the words.

“She’s going to fucking ruin us,” Nicholas said. “Look at the baffled look on her face and how she’s just standing there like she doesn’t have a brain in her head.”

Quinn gasped.

“I quit.” I allowed the paper with Megan’s typed statement to flutter to the floor. “Fuck all of you, but especially you, Megan.” My voice trembled. “You’ve subjected me to your insults for hours. It isn’tmyfault Noah hasn’t fucked you. Whether I’m here or not, he doesn’t want you. He can see into your bitter, spiteful soul.”

Her mouth opened in shock. Turning the tables satisfied me.

Quinn rushed to me and hugged me, cocooning me in warmth and protection. “It’s okay, Ry,” she whispered. “Let’s get your things, and find Sandy, so I can drive you home.”

I nodded, mute. Too stunned to cry or speak.

“Fuck, Noah will hang us,” Tina said. “She can’t quit. We need her to reverse the damage—”

“Then you should’ve fucking acted like it, bitch,” Quinn threw over her shoulder as she dragged me out the door, but Reid’s voice carried into the hallway.

“Ryan, please, come back in. Let me talk to you a moment.”

An odd note rang in his voice. Not demanding. Not authoritative. Just miserable. The heartbroken type, recognizable because Quinn sounded the same with each failed relationship.

“Please,” he said again. “Only Noah can fire you. If he discovers today’s events, he won’t reprimand you.”

I backed to the office and stopped in the doorway before turning. Reid still sat amongst the others. “Clearly, such protection doesn’t matter. Who cares if no one else can fire me? Everyone can abuse me.”

“That isn’t true,” he countered.

Tina glanced from me to Reid. “It’s how we all get along.”

“You’re dysfunctional motherfuckers,” Quinn called from the hallway.

Nicholas stiffened, Tina sniffed, and Megan glowered.

“Noah needs you,” Reid said quietly.

Emotion filled his voice, the truth deeper than the surface meaning of his words.

“A lot’s riding on your press conference,” he continued. “Our press releases have had insignificant effect. Imagine the fallout if we cancel your event because you’ve quit?”

Quinn stomped back into the office. “How the fuck is that her problem? Maybe you should’ve explained the urgency tothembefore they got to my sister.”

“You’re not helping, Quinn,” Reid snapped with surprising familiarity.