Plush Book 1: A Billionaire Romance by KB Winters

chirped from the doorway.
    I looked up and saw Brittany, Rita’s main assistant, standing over us, her perfect, Barbie doll smile plastered on her perfect, Barbie doll face. I frantically wiped at my face, sure that all I managed to do was spread my wet mascara all over my cheekbones.
    “Yes, Brittany?” Bryce replied.
    “Rita needs to speak with both of you, immediately. Please follow me,” she answered, never dropping her sugary expression.
    What the hell did Cooper ever see in this girl? I started to wonder as I stared at her in disbelief. If this was “his type” then I was out, for sure.
    I guess that was already settled, I reminded myself silently.
    A new wave of tears rushed to my eyes but I blinked them away.
    Bryce let me go first and we started to follow Brittany down the—now familiar—path to Rita’s office.
    On the way, I started to wonder if Rita knew that her loyal pet had once been one of Cooper’s flings. I guessed the only difference between us was that Rita liked Brittany, and she didn’t like me. So where Brittany’s indiscretion was covered up, mine would, likely, be exposed.
    Like right about now, I thought as we walked.

Chapter Twelve
    Brittany smiled like a Cheshire cat as she held the door open to Rita’s office, and it took every ounce of self-control I had to resist the urge to throttle her. Luckily, for her, she disappeared as soon as Bryce and I stepped inside. Bryce’s whole demeanor changed as soon as the door closed. He spun towards Rita, “What is the nature of this meeting, Rita?” His lip was curled back into a snarl-like expression. I was taken aback simply because I had never seen Bryce so much as roll his eyes before. He was always jovial and patient with everyone around him. No matter what information he might share with me off the record, he treated everyone the same, even if he actually disliked them.
    “I called you here to discuss your employee,” she started, gesturing at me but not bothering to even look my way. “Please sit, both of you.”
    Bryce looked like he wanted to argue, but after a beat, he rounded the chair and sat down and I followed along and sat in the chair next to him.
    “I have some upsetting news, Miss Rand.” She turned my way and folded her hands on the desk in front of her as she spoke. “I have received undeniable proof of your affair with Mr. Brighton and that, combined with your less than forthcoming behavior, is enough for me to be granted the power to fire you. Your services will no longer be needed here at Spotlight.”
    “Rita, this is outrageous! You should have consulted with me long before it got to this point. I’m her manager. This is way out of line!”
    “Oh, that should be the least of your concerns. You aren’t completely innocent in this whole fiasco. If I were you, I would be a little more worried about myself than some girl you barely know.”
    “Really? And what authority do you have over me? We are both managers, you’re not my boss. I think you might be slightly confused on that point. In fact, I think you’ve always been confused by how our structure works here. You have always tried to pull rank on me, but this is the most outlandish thing you have done, to be sure. You need to remember your place.”
    I silently cheered for Bryce. Glad someone got to talk back to this horrible beast of a woman.
    She laughed a humorless laugh, her eyes boring into him. “We will see about my place, or rank, whatever you want to say. I’ve already had a conference call with Todd and Rich, and let’s just say they are not at all happy with this latest development and want to contain the situation in any way possible. And if that means doing a little housecleaning…” She let her voice trail off, leaving the insinuation to do the rest.
    My heart dropped, remembering the threats she had made during our first meeting about Bryce’s fate being tied to mine. I didn’t yet know what she had on me, but it couldn’t be good if