The War of the Roses: The Children by Warren Adler

wasn’t made of stone. And she had shown such enthusiasm and lack of inhibition. Had he unwittingly fallen into a trap? Whatever the motive, he was in deep shit. Let’s see you wiggle out of this one, Mr. Creative Director. Finally, he managed to get himself under control and sit down.
    He had no illusions about the impact of a sexual harassment challenge. The company had run numerous sensitivity seminars as a cautionary measure. Nevertheless, people took chances. The agency, with many young men and women employees, was a hotbed of consensual sex. He was certain, too, that there were the usual trade-offs, sexual favors for material enhancement. It had never entered his mind that his affair with Angela was in this latter category. She was already teacher’s pet.
    â€œThat’s better,” Dominic said when Josh had settled down again. “This is deal time, man. I know what you make. I know where you live and how. I seen your house. What’s two hundred grand to you? You get to keep your job and your good lifestyle. The wife’s no wiser. The boss don’t know. Pay up. Walk away. It’s a one-shot deal.”
    â€œWhat about Angela’s career? She’d be finished here. How can we possibly work together after that?”
    Dominic nodded his head.
    â€œNow we’re making headway, man. I don’t want no sleazy under-the-table deal here. What do you think we are? What I’m lookin’ for here is a private settlement. A legal piece of paper that goes right into the vault. And a check. The real thing. The paper says you sexually harassed her and the two hundred thou is your settlement chip. It also says that you can’t bad-mouth Angela ever. You’re right, man. She can’t work here. You said yourself she’s good. I want that paper to say that if anyone asks about her you tell the truth about her work. No paybacks. What do you think, because I’m Italian, I’m some Mafia hood? I’m talkin’ legal here.”
    â€œLegal?” Josh snapped. “Besides, you’d be asking me to put my signature on a lie. I did not sexually harass her.”
    â€œHey man, don’t talk to me about lies. Here you are porkin’ my wife and lying to yours. Come on now. Get real,” Dominic said, still picking at the imaginary lint. “Think a minute and take a look at the other side. We could just as easy go to your bosses. You think they want the stink of a harassment lawsuit? We go to them for the settlement. What would you do if you were them?”
    â€œFight it. You think they’re that stupid? Word gets out that they’re a patsy for this kind of payoff and there’ll be others standing in line. You can’t keep these things hidden. They’ve got lawyers on the payroll for just such contingencies. It will cost you a fortune to fight them and you might just lose. And no one in the field will touch Angela with a ten-foot pole.”
    He was beginning to find his courage now. I will not let this happen, he told himself. He’d show this son of a bitch what he was made of. “Listen, you low-life little crud. I don’t know how you got Angela to go along with this, but I got a pretty good idea. You might as well get the whole story. You should know that we fucked our brains out, every chance we got, anywhere, like rabbits in heat. Best blowjob ever. Swallows, too. Loves to take it up the ass.”
    Josh felt a nerve palpitate in his jaw. His breath came in gasps. Was this Josh Rose talking? His mind raced with images of their sexual frenzy. The irony was that he was spouting the truth. He watched Dominic fight to retain his cool, but the sudden flush attested to how deeply Josh’s words had struck. He wasn’t finished. “Poor deprived Dom. She told me she doesn’t play those games with you. Says you pop too soon.” He paused and watched him squirm.
    Dominic rose like a shot from the couch, the veins in