Broken Melody (Rock With You #2) Rock Star Romance by Adriana Hunter Page B

a
whim…I bet I know where you’re going…who you’re’ going after.” Ryan watched her
a moment, hands clasped behind his back, moving slowly behind her. I’m the
prey and he’s the lion.
    He
stopped behind her and she felt his hands come down on her shoulders. “I think
there’s something you’re not telling me. And I want to know where you’re
going.”
    “Ryan.
Take your hands off of me. Now.”
    The
stir of his breath on her neck as he spoke made her cringe. “Or? We’ve had this
conversation before. You’ll go to Human Resources, you’ll file a complaint. I
know…you’ve told me this. And I’ve said go ahead. Because no one will believe
you. And now you’re being an insubordinate employee, by not following protocol.
You’re being willfully disobedient. I could write you up, you know.”
    His
lips were suddenly on her neck and she jerked out of his grip, spinning around,
anger fueling her movements.
    But
Ryan was watching her calmly, a smug smile on his face.
    “Are
you going to slap me again, Melody? I enjoyed your little outburst last night.”
He moved closer. “And I liked the pain.”
    “You’re
sick, you know that?”
    “As
to your leave…”
    “I’m
taking it. I’ll be out of the office after lunch tomorrow. You can check with
the new paralegal that you hired—I forget her name—if you need
anything with my cases. Or Lori can help you. And you can write me up, if you
want.”
    Melody
could hear the rising anger in her voice, but for once did nothing to lower her
voice.
    “There
are things in my life you cannot control, and this is one of them.”
    “You’re
making an unwise choice, Melody. I’m sorry to see things heading in this
direction.”
    Ryan
walked behind his desk and sat down, opening the file in front of him, adjusted
his glasses. Without looking up he spoke.
    “You’re
granted leave…indefinite leave. Do what you think you must. Just know there are
consequences facing you when you return.”
    Melody’s
hands were shaking as she opened the door. Lori was at her desk, looking up
briefly as Melody walked past.
    “Melody,
about Victoria…” Lori swiveled in her chair as Melody hurried past.
    “Later,
Lori. Not now.”
    She
pushed open the stairwell door, walking one flight down before she stopped,
sinking down on the top step.  The last thing she wanted to do was anger
Ryan further, but there was no way that she was going to let him stand between
her and any chance she might have with Logan.
    When
her hands had stopped shaking and her trip-hammering heart had slowed, she
finished the descent back to her floor.
    Victoria
flagged Melody down as soon as she came into view, waving an envelope. Melody
detoured to Victoria’s desk, as the woman waved an envelope in the air.
    “From
Ashton’s attorney. I thought you’d want to see it right away.”
    “Yes,
thanks.” Melody ripped open the thick envelope, pulling out the creamy sheets
of paper, scanning them quickly, a scowl creasing her forehead.
    “Shit…they
want to file a counterclaim. I thought this might happen.”
    ‘What
are you going to do?” Victoria’s words were left behind as she walked away,
still reading through the dense legal language on the papers.  She
disappeared into her office, closing the door behind her.
    Melody
tossed the papers on her desk, pacing the room in agitation.  Logan
MacKenzie was her client and she had a duty to him to deal with this
counterclaim from Ashton, but there wasn’t time right now. Not if she wanted Logan
back in her life.
    Logan
was the man she loved. The man who loved her…or at least he had. Maybe still
did. But if she didn’t do something to somehow try to find him quickly, to make
him listen to reason, she would surely lose him forever.
    But
if she neglected his case, her career would be on the line.  This was a
big case, the kind that people in her industry would deem ‘career changing’. It
was big for her but also big for the firm.
    The
decision