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“Victor!” Aiden’s deep voice roared, and we both turned to see him standing in the office, Lina at his side. “Step the fuck back.”
Mr. Rainer stepped back, and Aiden held out his hand. “Riley, come to me.”
The demand in his voice got my shaking legs moving, and I half stumbled, half-ran across the office to him. His hand closed around mine, and he pulled me behind his broad body. Lina joined me, slipping her arm around my waist and holding me tightly as Daisy stared at Mr. Rainer and made a low growl.
“Lina, take Riley to my office and wait for me there,” Aiden said.
Lina immediately turned me around, shaking her head when I hesitated. “Time to go, honey.”
We walked quickly to Aiden’s office, Daisy following behind us. Aiden’s office was only a few doors from Jamie’s, and I cringed when I heard Aiden shouting even louder than Mr. Rainer had. I couldn’t make out what he said, but when I hesitated at Farah’s empty desk, Lina urged me into the office, shutting the doors behind us to dampen the sound of Aiden’s shouting and guiding me to the couch. “Sit down, honey.”
I sat with a thump, staring numbly at Daisy as she crowded against my legs and whined. I petted her head before staring up at Lina. “Where’s Farah?”
“I think she had a doctor’s appointment,” Lina said.
“Right, yeah, she mentioned that this morning.” I stared out the office window at the thick snow that fell. “I have to…”
“You have to what?” she asked as she handed me a bottle of water from the mini-fridge in Aiden’s office. “Drink some water, Riley.”
I stared at the bottle of water in my hand, my lips oddly numb. “Thank you for always being so nice to me, Lina. I… I’ll miss you and Noah. If it isn’t too weird or awkward, maybe you could text me when the baby is born. I’d love to see a picture of her.”
Lina frowned before dragging a chair over from Aiden’s desk and sinking into it with a soft grunt. “I can’t sit on that damn couch, or I’ll need Aiden to get me out of it.”
She took my hands, squeezing them lightly and making a gentle shooing motion to Daisy when she rested her big head on our clasped hands. “Honey, are you okay?”
“Fine,” I said faintly, staring at our hands. “Do you think Mr. Wright will let me pack up my stuff today, or will I have to come back?”
“What?” Lina squeezed my hands. “Riley, what are you talking about?”
“My desk,” I said. “Can I pack up my desk today? I don’t have a lot of personal stuff, but I have some, and I -”
“Honey,” Lina gave our clasped hands a little shake. “You’re not leaving.”
“Mr. Rainer fired me,” I said dully. “He fired me, and now I don’t have a job, and I won’t be able to help my mom. She’ll die, and it’ll be all my fault.”
Lina gave me an alarmed look. “What’s wrong with your mom?”
“Cancer,” I said dully. “I’m helping pay for her chemo.”
I tried to stand up, giving Lina an impatient look when she held tight to my hands. “I have to make a call. I have to tell the Twisted Sisters I need more contracts. It’s the only way I can…”
I trailed off, horrified by what I’d just revealed.
Lina cocked her head. “Who are the Twisted Sisters?”
“No one,” I mumbled, “it’s not important. But I need some privacy for a minute, okay? Please?”
“I don’t think you should be left alone right now,” Lina said. “You’re shaking, and you’re white as a ghost. I need you to drink some water, please, Riley.”
I twisted off the cap and drank a few swallows of water. “Okay, I’m good now.”
“Riley, you’re not fired,” Lina said.
“Yes, I am,” I said. “Mr. Rainer fired me.”
“Mr. Rainer can go fuck himself,” Lina said in a prim voice that made me smile faintly despite my panic.
“Why was Mr. Wright there?” I asked. “He didn’t have a meeting with Mr. Rainer.”
