It’s a war of nerves, I decide, and grit my teeth.
Is he waiting to see if I do it again? If I show any other signs of inappropriate behavior? Maybe some photographic evidence?
I glance around uneasily, wondering if there are hidden cameras.
If there is anything mentioned about the college incident in my personnel file.
If the boss is waiting for a staff meeting to out me.
If I get a reprimand and Jethro finds out about it, a reprimand of this nature, he’ll never talk to me ever again. Fucker.
So when the boss finally calls me to his office in the early afternoon, I go in guns blazing.
“Mr. Kingsley,” he greets me.
“It’s a misunderstanding,” I reply, standing there, fists clenched, heart pounding. “It’s not true. All lies.”
He looks confused. “Your name isn’t Kingsley?”
“It is, as I’m sure you know.” Now he’s mocking me, on top of everything.
I wait for him to tell me about the college scandal, and the copier room, but he just frowns at me. “Are you all right, Mr. Kingsley?”
“I’m perfectly fine,” I say with a savage snarl and swing my ass into the chair across from his desk.
Silence spreads. He’s observing me with a funny expression on his bearded face, something like amusement that pisses me off more.
Damn this charade.
“Did something happen that I should know about?” he eventually asks, steepling his fingers together on the desk.
“Isn’t this about the copier room?”
“And what happened in the copier room?”
Fuck, is he gonna make me spell it out for him? “You saw me from the window.”
“I see many things, Mr. Kingsley, but what is it you think I saw?”
Shit, is he kidding me? “Why did you call me to your office?”
“To talk to you about a new project that might interest you. A sports-related one.”
“That sounds… great,” I say in a strangled voice. “Thank you, sir.” I clear my throat. “I’m all ears.”
Holy shit. Holy goddamn shit.
If paranoia doesn’t kill you, it sure fucks you five ways to Sunday.
Chapter Six
JETHRO
I had no one. I wasn’t even sure I was sane anymore. I was alone against the world, and the world was full of teeth and claws and flashing knives.
And then there was Joel.
I can’t. Can’t do this anymore. Can’t fight it. It’s getting harder by the day.