36. Owen

Chapter thirty-six

Owen

M y heart broke when Damian said we should break up. I guess I figured it was just a matter of time. I opened my laptop and found a flight back to Illinois. The so-called vipers were here in Seattle, and I was sure I'd be safe there.

I wouldn't stay in someone's home if I wasn't wanted. That was a simple fact. I gazed around the office and sighed. This is a ruse too . I was here because Damian's predecessor had been playing matchmaker, not because the law firm needed or wanted a nonmagical attorney on their staff.

Hell, I hadn't had one damned client assigned to me since I'd been here. Okay, I was a new graduate, and even in a regular law firm, I probably wouldn't have had clients yet. Regardless, I'd been given piles and piles of work better assigned to a legal assistant than a licensed attorney.

I pulled my phone out and texted my mother.

Me: Hey, Mom, I might need to come home for a bit, is that okay with you?

Her: Yeah, what's wrong?

Me: Boy troubles, nothing major.

Her: Yes, I'm leaving for a legal conference in St. Louis, but you can dog sit for me while you're home. How long will you be here?

Honestly, I didn't know the answer to that. Just that I needed to go. It was all way too much, and I needed to get the hell out of this town.

I opened a document, typed a resignation letter, and printed it out. "Cary," I said via my phone, "can you come into my office for a moment?"

When he arrived, I handed him the letter. "So, I need to ask your advice, and I need you not to go running to Damian. Deal?"

Cary regarded me for a long time before he said, "I won't promise anything of the sort. You are not safe, and I can tell this letter isn't something you should be writing."

I took a deep breath and held it briefly before exhaling slowly. "Let me ask you this," I said, waiting for him to gesture for me to continue .

"How many nonmagicals has this office hired over the years?"

"That's not got anything to do with you," he began, but I cut him off.

"That's not true, Cary. The answer is none, isn't it?" I forced the question again.

He sighed. "Listen, Owen, you should speak to the partners; have them explain…"

I laughed. "No, they'd just want to talk me out of what I want to do. I'm going home to Illinois, and I realize I probably need some protection to keep Damian safe. I don't want to work at a firm that hired me as a boy toy for the new wizard. It took too many years of college to get my law degree…"

"It's not that. You're making assumptions."

"Logical ones. Am I wrong? Wouldn't you make the same?"

Cary sighed. "Okay, so let's say you do this. Damian is dealing with some serious concerns with his friend missing. He's going to be distraught over your leaving. That will cause him to falter. Trust me, I get it, and no, I don't blame you, but let's not be too hasty. Let's do this," he said, and I could tell his mind was beginning to catch up with the situation. "I'll hold onto this letter. If you decide to submit it after you've had time to reconsider, I'll give it to the partners. I-I can help you get to Illinois with Mr. Stages's help. You have to clue them in with your plans to go home. As our coven leader, he'll know the witches in your region, and he'll have to be the one to make the contacts. "

I nodded. He was probably telling the truth. "Okay, I'll go talk to them now but only to say I'm going to Illinois, not to officially resign. I-I just can't deal with an emotional plea to stay."

I wanted to repeat myself, to force him to understand I didn't have the energy to argue with a man so powerful, not just as a witch but as a boss, and I knew he'd try to talk me into staying.

Maybe I was just overreacting, but since finding out about the spell cast by the old wizard, I had a low-level feeling that this whole set up made me a glorified plaything for Damian.

This incident had been a wakeup call for me. I just couldn't be a plaything for someone. Not again, not after all that'd gone down with my stupid ex and certainly not after spending so much time getting my degree, moving away from Illinois, and… well, and improving my life.

"I'm going to go home and pack. Cary, I'm not needed here and haven't been since I started. The partners should be able to hire someone with the skills necessary to serve the firm's clients. That isn't going to be me. However, if you want to wait before giving it to them, that's up to you. Hopefully," I said pondering aloud, "once this has blown over, and the vipers are dealt with, I can go on with my life, get a job at a regular firm, and all that."

Cary appeared sad but at least he wasn't arguing with me.

"Okay," I said mostly to avoid acknowledging that I might be making a mistake, "I'm going now. "

He stood up and hugged me, which surprised me a bit. Cary was obnoxious, but I did think he was a good friend. Maybe the only real friend I'd met since I'd gotten here. Of course, this morning, I'd have said Damian was one as well, but I'd probably been wrong all along. Damn me and my romantic sensibilities.