Beneath Her Bastard Boss

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Blair waved down a taxi. She shoved open the taxi door and climbed into the backseat as quickly as she could, intent on getting out of here as fast as possible. She felt like getting drunk. But if she went to a bar alone during the day, that would be inviting trouble. She could feel the tears as they slid unchecked down her face. She had held herself together while she had confronted Dan and Laura.

*Where to?” the driver asked, his voice cutting through the fog in her brain.

Where to? Good question.

Home wasn’t an option. Sutton and Keira were at work, and she didn’t want to sit in their empty apartment, replaying the image of Dan tangled in her cousin’s sheets. She needed a drink. But sitting alone in a bar in the middle of the afternoon? That felt like waving a white flag.

She hesitated, then rattled off the address of her office. At least there, she could pretend to be productive. Maybe even figure out what the hell to do next.

The taxi pulled away from the kerb and she exhaled, trying to steady herself.

The driver looked at her in the rearview mirror. “There are tissues in the center compartment if you need them, hon.”

The driver’s voice was gentle, like he’d seen enough women cry in his backseat to know when to speak and when to keep quiet.

Blair grabbed a handful. “Thanks.” She said before cleaning her face as best she could. It wasn’t like she wore a lot of makeup. So she might as well clean her face.

Her phone began to ring. Dan.

She still pulled it out of her to check. Her stomach clenched as she stared at the screen, his name glowing in bright white letters.

She could just imagine the first words he would say.

“It’s not what it looks like, Blair.”

“I can explain.”

“Please, just let me talk to you.”

Lies. Excuses. The same bullshit men always spewed when they got caught.

She set the phone to silent and shoved it back into her bag.

By the time the taxi pulled up in front of the towering glass and steel structure of Kingston Industries, her makeup was beyond saving. She reached into her purse, dug out a crumpled twenty, and handed it to the driver.

“Be honest,” she said, forcing a smile. “Do I look like a woman who just found out her fiancé is screwing her cousin?”

F

The driver hesitated, giving her a careful once–over. “Your eyes are a little red, honey, but it’s hardly noticeable.” He paused. “Are you going to be okay?”

The unexpected kindness nearly undid her.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. “Yeah. Better to find out now, right? Just a little dump on the road of life.” She wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince the taxi driver or herself.

After paying the driver in cash, she climbed out of the taxi, hoisted her suitcase onto the curb and took a deep breath. Blair checked her phone screen to see Dan had called her six times and left six messages on her voicemail. Uninterested in what he had to say for himself, she slid the phone away in her handbag.

Blair turned toward the towering glass and steel structure of Kingston Industries. Roman had bought the building five years ago. The top eight floors belonged to Kingston, the lower three rented out to smaller businesses. With the way the company was expanding, she wouldn’t be surprised if they

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over the whole

inside, adjusting her bag on her

help you?” Blair blinked. Maggie, one of the receptionists, had

holding the bat. Blair had completely forgotten that she was

about to commit a felony. She was relieved,

everything here while I freshen

eyes darted to

tell you?” Roman preferred first

Roman than with

taking the suitcase, briefcase,

the foyer to

really didn’t look that bad She pulled a makeup wipe from her bag and cleaned off the last

cheeks. People always said that added color, but she didn’t see

eyes were still a little red, but there wasn’t much she could do about that. She pulled out a brush, freed her long,

the elevators. As she waited, she tried to

been home today. So no meetings,were

was fried. But walking in on your fiancé shagging your cousin would do that

thought made

a workday. She traveled occasionally for work, but not that often. If their

elevator arrived. A woman she didn’t recognize stepped in with

off at the second

Roman about Dan? It would feel like sour grapes–tattling just because he cheated. But he was also ripping off the company. No way

deeply before stepping onto the executive

receptionist on the executive floor, looked up. “Hey, Blair. I didn’t

figured I’d get a jump on the meeting notes for Roman. Is he

“No, he left a little while ago. Called to

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in relief. She wouldn’t have to face him just

Thanks, Kara.”

the door, and sank into her

head on the desk. Shit. She felt like a wrecking ball had just split her

worse than that, how

as kids, Blair had thought, they had grown out of that. Laura had

come back from Europe because her sister Keira had just finished university. Keira had moved in with Sutton. She would have

head, Blair looked down at the ring on her finger. The engagement ring Dan had

sell it. Because she

slamming it shut. She needed a drink. Standing, Blair went into Roman’s office,

big, strong, and masculine.

it, she sat down on his Chestfield lounge near the window. She opened the bottle and took a drink. Almost coughing it back

sip it this time. Nope, that didn’t help. But it wasn’t as bad as the first drink. So she had

Keira. Not yet. Let them get home from work. Blair planned to ask Sutton and Keira to assist her in organizing getting her stuff from the apartment. Although she didn’t want to put too much pressure on her older sister, Sutton. She was six months pregnant, and

boss for being so arrogant and intimidating and sometimes rude. Then Dan, who had been cheating on her with her cousin Laura for months. How low was that? Then there was Luca,

adults and a baby. When it arrived. But it would be great

man that had gotten her pregnant. It was a

bottle again to

ringing on Roman’s desk, Blair tried to ignore it, but as soon as it stop ringing it started again. Blair shifted to the edge of the lounge, rising to her feet. The room seemed to tilt ever so slightly,

regaining her balance, she made her way over to the phone and lifted the

greeted into the handset. Not very professional,

It was the best way to describe

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