22. Sabrina

Was this real or had I stumbled into some kind of waking nightmare? Miranda clung to my arm, her nails biting into my flesh. The stab of pain knocked me into reality. Definitely real. I’d almost gotten locked in the building while a potential fire raged.

This was all too fucking weird for my taste.

“Did you see anything?” I directed the question at Miranda, more to distract her from methodically piercing me with her nails than for my own sanity. Or so I told myself.

A woman elbowed into my side. “I heard something happened on the fourth floor. Margo heard screams.” Her eyebrows shot to her hairline. She gave me a long, dirty look. “You’re the new girl they hired.” The derision in her voice snapped my spine straight.

“Fuck right, I am. What did you hear about the fire?” I refused, refused, to let her undermine me in any way. I deserved to work for Grady as much as the next person, maybe even more so.

She sniffed. “I heard Chase was on the fourth floor right before the alarms went off. He’s never on the fourth floor. Something is happening.”

“She’s the new plaything,” a low voice hissed from close by. “Mark in reception said he sees her using the private elevators every morning.”

“I heard she spends all her time walking around Russell’s office. Naked.” Another voice chimed in.

My face heated. I kept my expression flat and uncaring even as the words tore through me. I’d almost come to expect their animosity. I couldn’t help that it bothered the hell out of me. All I’d done was take a job that I was qualified for. It wasn’t my fault I was young and pretty. Neither of those things had any bearing on why I’d been given the position.

“Did you see that photo before we were all forced to evacuate?”

“I bet that’s why Garrett pulled the fire alarm. He must have wanted everyone away from the computers so he could get rid of the email.”

Seriously? That was the story they wanted to circulate? Idiots. I leaned harder into Miranda. “Can you believe this?”

She didn’t answer right away, and the way her grip on my arm loosened pulled me away from watching the building like I expected it to burst into flames at any second. I dragged my attention over to Miranda and the skepticism etched across her face in tight lines. “I was about to ask you the same thing.”

Her words daggered straight to my heart. I trusted her more than any other human in my life, and this was how she thought of me? My relationship with Chase and the others had given me something I’d been missing for years, maybe even my whole life. What we had went beyond sex. They appreciated me. I wouldn’t say I’d fallen in love with them, but I damned well might if they kept treating me like a goddess. Wasn’t that what every woman wanted? To be loved and worshiped?

“It’s not what you think,” I started to explain, then stopped. I didn’t owe anyone, not even Miranda a reason for my feelings. They were mine to feel and to explore. And right now, I had to keep them under wraps before someone else called me out and I was forced to retaliate. I concentrated on the firetruck instead of the heat burning my cheeks.

The firefighters had left the building several minutes before. Garrett stood between Chase and Russell, their heads bowed toward each other. The strong line of Chase’s profile offered a genuine fuck-off vibe.

Garrett nodded and backed away, then made his way over to where the rest of us stood in a huddled mass. “False alarm. The building is clear.” He skimmed the crowd. “You’re all free to return to work or go home with pay for the remainder of the day.”

“You mean we get to choose?” Laura from HR spoke up from behind me. She shoved into the space between me and the obnoxious woman. “I’ve never heard of Grady doing anything like this. What does it mean for our jobs?”

“It means we all had a scare today, and we value our employees too much to put the additional strain on you to perform your tasks if you’re not feeling up to it.” Garrett’s loose smile showed a flash of teeth. “Chase, Russell, and I will be finishing out the day and going over what happened. If anyone has information on the event, please come see us in our offices.” He took a minute to meet the slew of questions being hurtled his way. “I’d recommend everyone go home and try to put this behind them. Thank you.” He walked away without a backward glance, leaving his stunned employees—myself included—behind him.

I should stay. Maybe they would give me more answers than the next to nothing I’d just heard. But the last of my belongings wouldn’t pack themselves, and I wanted to have the last of it done before I picked up Keith from school. There was no need to look at anyone as I left the parking lot and made my way home. This day called for ice cream, a warm blanket, and hours of sappy movies. Instead, I pulled up to the apartment to see Bailey and two of her sons chucking the last of my stuff out onto the lawn.

“Hey.” I bolted from the car. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Getting rid of your shit.” Carl, my youngest half brother gleefully tossed a basket of books onto the walk. The wicker basket cracked on impact, spilling my books across the grass. “Mom warned you.”

“I have two more days.” I grabbed Bailey’s elbow and yanked her around to face me. “Stop ruining Keith’s clothes.” Everything within me threatened to explode at the sight of Keith’s school clothes dumped together in a heap. Grass stains marred his white shirts, and someone had smeared mud all over his shorts and jeans. They were the last clothes I’d bought him, and with the way things were going, the last I’d be able to afford for a while. “Why are you even here?”

“I’ve escalated the timeline. You were told to get your stuff out.” She looked me over, her eyes narrowing. “Where the hell have you been?”

“At work.” Nothing, and I mean nothing, prepared me for the series of scoffs that sounded all around me.

“Work. Right. Where’s your G-string?” Carl wiggled his ass and spun around, thrusting his hips.

The urge to punch his sneering face tightened both my hands into fists. How dare they? “Leave. Right now. I told you I’d have my stuff moved by Friday. You agreed. Now leave me the fuck alone and stop trying to ruin my life.” The low pitch and controlled tone stopped Bailey for a split second on her way back through the front door.

She planted her hands on her hips and leaned toward me, her bony face close enough for sunlight to catch on the freckles she tried so hard to hide with layers of makeup. “You don’t talk to me that way. This is my house. My rules. If I want to get rid of you today, that’s my prerogative. Your father gave me permission.”

“Yeah? Then why don’t you have him say that to my face?” No matter what happened, I always held out hope that this all was a huge misunderstanding. Surely, Dad didn’t know Bailey did these things to me. Surely, he didn’t approve them. If he did, if my father hated me so much that he allowed this bitch to destroy me at every turn, then why did I even bother? I wouldn’t believe it until I heard it from his own mouth.

Carl clapped and cheered. “Two points, Mikey.” A series of thumps followed the words.

Pain echoed up my jaw from the force of holding back.

Bailey spun on her heel and marched into the house. “Where’s the crystal vase that used to be on this table? If you took it, I’ll have you arrested for theft. That vase was a gift to me from your father. It’s worth more than you’ll ever be.”

“It’s up your ass.” I trailed behind her. Might as well get this whole thing done and over with once and for all. “And it’s worth about three dollars. I should know. I’m the one who bought it, wrapped it, and put Dad’s name on the tag three Christmases ago.” The smile felt good. Too good.

Bailey’s heels screeched with the speed of her turn. “You conniving little bitch.”

“Is that why you hate me? Are you jealous of me?” I’d had the thought before but never let it take root. “You have everything I’ve ever wanted. Dad’s affection. His attention. All I have is a run-down apartment that doesn’t even have two bathrooms. But that doesn’t stop you from putting me down every chance you get. You’re supposed to be the adult in this relationship.” I motioned between us. “You were supposed to be my mother.” It took all my control to keep my voice from cracking.

“Like I’d ever claim you.” Bailey’s eyes were cold chips of ice, her face twisted in a macabre grimace.

The breath whooshed out of me. “All I’ve ever done is try to help. From the moment you came into my life, I wanted to help. Even now.” I stopped before I gave myself away. “Nothing I ever do is good enough for you.” Or for Dad. That thought stayed firmly locked away where she could not use it against me.

“That’s just the point.” Bailey stayed in the center of the room. She surveyed the space, ignoring my presence except to keep lashing me with her words. “You’re never going to amount to anything, Sabrina.”

I wanted to refute her words. I’d spent years studying for my master’s in the hopes of finally winning Dad’s affection. Bailey was a lost cause, she had been since her first child was born. The lingering hope was a terrible thing. No matter how often she shut me down, I always came back for more.

She had a point. As much as I hated to admit it, everything I did turned ass up and I got fucked. When was the last time I’d done anything right?

My phone rang, the shrill tone cutting off whatever I might’ve said next. I left the house as I answered, my heart in my throat when I heard the school’s name in my ear.

“I’m sorry, Miss Roberts, we need you to pick up your son.”