“What in the hell has gotten into you, Addison? You don’t return my calls, you don’t answer your email, and, quite frankly, you look like shit. It really doesn’t surprise me that I had to drive all the way over to this godforsaken place, this suburban hellhole. Please explain it to me. Why is it too much to ask for some simple decency?” Sondra tilted her head and crossed her arms.
Addison slid her sweaty hands down her black compression workout pants before straightening up and meeting Sondra’s gaze. “Well, hello to you too.”
“This isn’t a joke. We need to talk, Addison.”
Addison turned and walked towards her house. “Who’s joking?”
Sondra’s heels clicked on the walkway as she tried to keep up. “I need you to listen to me, and I mean really listen.”
Addie closed the door behind them and leaned back against the wall, folding her arms. The dizzy feeling hadn’t quite subsided. “You’re here, aren’t you?” she said, gesturing towards the living room.
Sondra sighed. “Look, Addison, I need you to come back to work. The firm needs you. The clients love you, and, quite frankly, we’ve had a few who have bailed on us in your absence.”
“Bullshit.” Addison said, a wry smile playing across her face.
Sondra shifted. “Excuse me?”
“I don’t buy it. Sure, maybe you want me to come back. I just don’t buy your reasoning; that’s all.”
Sondra smirked. “You know, Mrs. Greyer, there’s a reason I’ve always liked you.”
Addison didn’t respond but instead plopped down on the sofa, sat back, and waited for what she knew was coming.
“You have a keen eye for detail, and I can certainly appreciate that. The truth is the firm does need you and the clients do love you. But what I really need is for William Hartman to see that you’re back.”
Bingo.
“Addison, he’s threatening to shut us down. We both know he’s not pleased with me. After everything that happened, well, I think if he could see that you’ve forgiven me and that you are willing to give me another shot, then perhaps he would too.”
Addie sighed. “I have forgiven you.”
“Have you, though?” Sondra questioned as she perched herself on the armrest of an oversized chair.
“Yes, I have.”
“Well, then, what other reason could there be for you not coming back to the agency? Look, I’m not asking you to work for me as a Domme. I understand that ship has sailed. But the agency, it does need you. And forgive me, but I think you need it a little too.”
Damn it. That woman always knew exactly how to hook her. “Fine. I’ll come back. Give me a week to sort things out here, and I want a new contract—with shorter hours and more pay.” Addie allowed the words to slip right off of her tongue, knowing she shouldn’t be agreeing to what she was agreeing to, not in a million years.
But Sondra Sheehan had been right about one thing. Addison did need it. The trouble was she couldn’t discern just which it she was referring to.
William gestured towards his cell and stepped out of the meeting upon seeing the number on the display.
Clearing his throat, he answered. “Well?”
“You’ve won, William, all right? She agreed to come back, but I swear if you ever blackmail me again it will be the end of any kind of relationship we have.”
“Just like that?” William grinned from ear to ear. Obviously, he’d underestimated Sondra.
“No, of course not ‘just like that.’ The pain in the ass had a list of demands, which I fully expect Hartman Industries will meet. What I mean to say is this is going to be your budgeting issue, not ours.”
“I don’t see that being a problem, but seriously? She agreed? I assume that you left my name out of it as per my request, right, Sondra?”
Sondra rolled her eyes, toying with her bun. “Don’t flatter yourself so much, Mr. Hartman. I have real business matters to attend to now, so if you’ll excuse me . . .”
William tugged at his tie and stared at his shoes, cutting her off. “Nice work. See you at six.”
“Don’t test me, William. As you know, trust is at the heart of every relationship. I advise you not to taint ours. Clearly, I must be missing something. I just don’t see what’s so important about this girl, but I may have to ask that you enlighten me during our session. Is that what you want, Mr. Hartman?”