Only, it could ruin me completely.
No. I could go around in circles and torment myself with all these questions, but I had to talk to Merritt first and demand an explanation.
Taking deep breaths, I willed myself to calm down before I got out. I looked at the front cover of the tabloid again, feeling nauseous at seeing such intimate photos published like this for the whole world to see. I’d have to call my brother later and explain everything to him. And then my mom. Hopefully, she hadn’t seen this yet.
I ripped the tabloid in pieces until the front page and the article part were unrecognizable and threw it into the trash can. I washed my face and walked out of the restroom, planning to use the nearest phone in my office Merritt. Luckily, I had his cell phone number memorized.
Glancing over my shoulder to see if I was drawing attention, I picked up the phone and dialed his number. How many people had already seen that piece of trash?
I called Merritt, but he wasn’t answering. Ring after ring increased my anxiety, and I wished I could scream my frustration out. This was not what I needed now.
I had thought my life was going well. The work was good, and I grew closer to Merritt more and more. I was so sure my life had finally gotten on the right track, but I’d had to know better. Being with Merritt was a terrible mistake.
“Come on, pick up.”
I called Merritt again, but once more, there was no response, and I slammed the phone back to its place.
I wanted an explanation, so I wouldn’t let this slide. There was only one way I could reach him, since he wasn’t answering his phone. I would go straight to his office.
I took a deep breath and headed there, my legs wobbly. I had to confront him no matter how harsh the truth could be.
Thankfully, no one stopped me and claimed to know what was going on between Merritt and me. Everyone minded their own business, barely sparing me a glance, and I felt grateful for more moments of anonymity because all the hell would break loose after more people found out about this.
I planned to ignore his secretary and storm right into his office, but the woman who couldn’t be older than me had other plans.
“What are you doing? You can’t just barge in Senator Dawson’s office,” she said, stopping in front of me with her arms spread wide apart.
“I need to see him right now. It’s urgent.”
“Senator Dawson is a very busy man, and he can’t see you right now. If you need to talk with him, schedule an appointment with him.”
I hated how smug she looked. She was staring at me as if I was stupid. I felt an urge to push her away and get into his office no matter what.
“Do you understand me?! I just told you that it’s urgent. I need to speak with him now—” I tried to side-step her, but she prevented me from going forward, pushing me back.
“And I just told you that he can’t see you right now.”
“Get your hands off me!” I shrieked at her. “I’m going in anyway!”
“No, you are not! I won’t let you bother Senator Dawson when he is working! As I said, schedule your appointment first and then you can see him.”
I bit into my lip, telling myself to stay calm. As much as it was possible under these circumstances, anyway. “Look, I really need to see him, and I’m not going anywhere until I do. I’ll camp here in front of his office if I have to.”
“Well, then I’ll call the security and they will kick you out. How does that sound?”
I was a second away from cursing at her, but I bit my tongue before I could do it. I didn’t need to make more problems than I’d already had.
There was no other way then. I would have to wait for Merritt to finish his work, and then I would talk to him.
19
Merritt
I was staring at the document on my computer without even seeing anything. I was waiting for Marissa to give me an update of the situation, all the while thinking about what the hell was Camilla doing. Anger didn’t leave me for a second, and I wanted nothing more than to march into her office and demand answers. However, I didn’t want to make an even bigger scandal.
“Do you understand me?!” I heard someone yell outside of my office. “Get your hands off me!” A female shouted. “I’m going in anyway!”
What was going on now?