Page 71 of The Art of Being a Psychopath

A risk taker.

My terrified heart couldn’t handle any more risks.

I sat on a sofa by the window as Alex picked up a crystal decanter and poured out two glasses of amber liquid, whisky, I guessed. Then he picked them both up, walked over to me, and handed me a glass before he sat down beside me and took a sip of his own. I placed mine on the coffee table without drinking it and he frowned.

“You are safe to eat and drink here, Emma.”

Am I, though?

I’d thought I was safe the last time I was here and look how that turned out.

I kept my thoughts to myself and smiled.

“I know. I’m sorry. I’m not much of a whisky drinker.”

And I’d prefer to drink something that came from a bottle with a secure cap, that I could twist off myself.

I was feeling so neurotic and I couldn’t seem to stop my brain from overanalysing those neurosis. I felt jumpier than I had been at my house, with the threats painted on my wall. The stress of the day was compacting, snowballing into an uncontrollable threat ready to explode at any minute.

Because he can get to you anywhere. Give yourself a break. You’re allowed to feel this way.

“I can get you something else if you like,” Alex went on. “Or some food, if you’re hungry. I can fix you something to eat, order something in, or if you prefer, you can make it yourself.”

I nodded in response, even though the thought of eating made me feel sick.

“Maybe later.”

I couldn’t shake my nerves, I felt on edge, so I took the mail I’d picked up at my house from my bag, to give me something else to focus on. I could see the blue box with the pink bow nestled in there and a shiver ran down my spine. I’d have to hide that later. I didn’t want Alex to see it. I couldn’t even bear to think about it myself. Knowing what he wanted to do to me, filled me with terror.

As I began sifting through the envelopes, trying to hide the fact that my hands were shaking, I noticed a familiar one that I’d used myself on numerous occasions. An envelope with the Merivale Echo name across the top, along with their business address, and my heart leapt into my throat. I tore the envelope open, took the letter out and scanned the contents, and then my heart dropped, shattering on the floor, as I gasped.

“They’re suing me.”

Alex sat forward, snapping to attention. “What? Who the fuck is suing you? What does that letter say?”

I held the letter out for him to take and read, feeling disbelief at what was in it.

“They’re suing me for breach of contract.” I could barely get my words out; my throat was dry, and my nerves were completely shredded. “They’re saying I left without fulfilling the terms of my employment contract because I didn’t give them one month’s notice.”

Tears welled in my eyes as I looked at Alex’s furious face.

I had no money.

I had very little will to fight every knock back I kept getting.

How was I going to get out of this?

What the fuck could I do?

“I can’t go back there and work for another month, not after everything that’s happened. I just can’t do it. What the hell am I supposed to do?”

Alex stood up, paced the floor for a few seconds, then turned to face me. “I’ll deal with this.”

“You can’t fight all my battles.” I sighed, feeling totally and utterly helpless and furious at the same time. How fucking dare they do this to me after everything they’d put me through.

“I can and I will,” he stated firmly, shoulders taut like he was ready to fight those battles right this minute. “I’ll get my lawyer onto this immediately. But it’s bullshit, Emma. They can’t make this stick. Not after the shit they’ve pulled, using your name illegally for stories you didn’t write. They don’t have a leg to stand on. I’ll sort this. Please don’t give it another thought.”

I had no doubt he’d do exactly as he said, and yet, my stomach still ached with stress, and my body shook with fear. There was only so much one person could take.