clients and to the rest of the firm. You are not yourself. The accident changed you. When you’re back to your old self, we’ll make this right.”
He dared to touch her, just a gentle brush of his cool fingers against her cheek. “Take care of yourself, Natalie. I’m going to miss you.”
Shaking with fury, Natalie walked straight to her office, feeling as if all eyes were on her. Clint stood as she entered the room. He took one look at her and opted not to ask the question she knew full well was poised on the tip of his tongue.
Rather than leave him in suspense, she said, “I’ve been asked to extend my leave from the firm. Apparently,” she started to shove personal items into her briefcase, “there has been a security breach that originated from my computer and I’ve been deemed unreliable or untrustworthy—maybe both.” She jammed in a few more items. “So, I’m on leave for a few more months.”
He took the briefcase before she could attempt to stuff anything else into it, ensuring it never closed. “I’m certain it’s only temporary.”
“Maybe.”
They exited her office. “Let’s take the stairs.” She had no desire to walk back down the hall past all those other office doors to reach the elevator.
Natalie held her tongue as they descended the stairs. She refused to be caught on the security cameras venting, which would only make bad matters worse.
“Natalie!”
Vince Farago hurried to catch up.
Natalie stopped and turned back to see what he had to say. She imagined he’d been gloating all morning. He was likely the first to hear the news.
“Are you all right?” he asked as he looked her up and down and then glanced at Clint. “We’re all very worried about you.”
“I’m fine, Vince. I’ll be taking a little more time off. There’s no need for you to be concerned.”
He glanced at Clint again. “I am concerned, Natalie. You haven’t been yourself all week and...frankly, I have serious reservations about your involvement with Clint.”
“I’ll wait outside,” Clint offered.
Natalie held up a hand. “No need.” She lifted her gaze to Vince where he stood a few steps up. “I am fully aware of Clint’s history and I have complete confidence in his ability. So, don’t waste your time and energy worrying about me, Vince. I’m in very capable hands.”
The bastard had the audacity to smirk. “I can’t say I’m surprised. How long has it been since Steven dumped you? They say women get desperate after—”
Clint was nose to nose with him before Natalie realized he had moved.
“That’s enough, Farago.”
Vince held up his hands and backed away, almost stumbling on the step behind him. “Just telling it like I see it.”
Clint turned his back on him and headed down the stairs, guiding Natalie along with him. The feel of his hand at the small of her back gave her a sense of reassurance she hadn’t felt in a very long time.
Once they reached the parking garage, she paused before getting into the passenger seat of his Audi. “Thank you for backing me up.”
The slow smile that released across his lips made her pulse flutter. “I’m the one who should thank you.”
He had no idea. His only indiscretion was giving women what they wanted...she, on the other hand, had quite possibly killed a man.
She suddenly felt sick.
He squeezed her arm. “Don’t worry. We’ve got this under control.”
Natalie nodded and settled into the passenger seat. She should tell him what she’d found before he discovered the truth some other way. Her heart lurched. If she told him and he stopped believing in her, what would she do? Who could she trust?
The one thing she understood with complete certainty was that she could not do this alone.
Chapter Nine
Southwood Road 10:50 a.m.
Clint placed the last box on the dining room table. “Last one.”
Rather than allow Natalie to stew over the injustice of the morning, he had decided to lay out his suspicions about her fall.
He dared to touch her, just a gentle brush of his cool fingers against her cheek. “Take care of yourself, Natalie. I’m going to miss you.”
Shaking with fury, Natalie walked straight to her office, feeling as if all eyes were on her. Clint stood as she entered the room. He took one look at her and opted not to ask the question she knew full well was poised on the tip of his tongue.
Rather than leave him in suspense, she said, “I’ve been asked to extend my leave from the firm. Apparently,” she started to shove personal items into her briefcase, “there has been a security breach that originated from my computer and I’ve been deemed unreliable or untrustworthy—maybe both.” She jammed in a few more items. “So, I’m on leave for a few more months.”
He took the briefcase before she could attempt to stuff anything else into it, ensuring it never closed. “I’m certain it’s only temporary.”
“Maybe.”
They exited her office. “Let’s take the stairs.” She had no desire to walk back down the hall past all those other office doors to reach the elevator.
Natalie held her tongue as they descended the stairs. She refused to be caught on the security cameras venting, which would only make bad matters worse.
“Natalie!”
Vince Farago hurried to catch up.
Natalie stopped and turned back to see what he had to say. She imagined he’d been gloating all morning. He was likely the first to hear the news.
“Are you all right?” he asked as he looked her up and down and then glanced at Clint. “We’re all very worried about you.”
“I’m fine, Vince. I’ll be taking a little more time off. There’s no need for you to be concerned.”
He glanced at Clint again. “I am concerned, Natalie. You haven’t been yourself all week and...frankly, I have serious reservations about your involvement with Clint.”
“I’ll wait outside,” Clint offered.
Natalie held up a hand. “No need.” She lifted her gaze to Vince where he stood a few steps up. “I am fully aware of Clint’s history and I have complete confidence in his ability. So, don’t waste your time and energy worrying about me, Vince. I’m in very capable hands.”
The bastard had the audacity to smirk. “I can’t say I’m surprised. How long has it been since Steven dumped you? They say women get desperate after—”
Clint was nose to nose with him before Natalie realized he had moved.
“That’s enough, Farago.”
Vince held up his hands and backed away, almost stumbling on the step behind him. “Just telling it like I see it.”
Clint turned his back on him and headed down the stairs, guiding Natalie along with him. The feel of his hand at the small of her back gave her a sense of reassurance she hadn’t felt in a very long time.
Once they reached the parking garage, she paused before getting into the passenger seat of his Audi. “Thank you for backing me up.”
The slow smile that released across his lips made her pulse flutter. “I’m the one who should thank you.”
He had no idea. His only indiscretion was giving women what they wanted...she, on the other hand, had quite possibly killed a man.
She suddenly felt sick.
He squeezed her arm. “Don’t worry. We’ve got this under control.”
Natalie nodded and settled into the passenger seat. She should tell him what she’d found before he discovered the truth some other way. Her heart lurched. If she told him and he stopped believing in her, what would she do? Who could she trust?
The one thing she understood with complete certainty was that she could not do this alone.
Chapter Nine
Southwood Road 10:50 a.m.
Clint placed the last box on the dining room table. “Last one.”
Rather than allow Natalie to stew over the injustice of the morning, he had decided to lay out his suspicions about her fall.
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