TENSE - Volume Two (The TENSE Duet Book 2)

by Deborah Bladon

  I would have chosen something else to wear today if I had known that I'd be coming face-to-face with Claudia. I woke up this morning and put on a dress I'd designed more than a year ago. It's pale purple with a narrow black belt. The lines are clean and simple. It's more than enough to impress Sasha, but she's not in the same league as Claudia.

  Just as I was organizing my new workstation in the design department, Mr. Foster walked in. The room hushed and as he stalked toward me, the smile on his face gave me a sense of comfort I didn't know I needed until right that second.

  I confided in him about Claudia when I went up to his office to brief his temporary assistant earlier today. I repeated the words Nicholas said about Claudia making sure my designs would never see the light of day. It turns out that Gabriel Foster and Claudia Stefano are old friends.

  I didn't have to ask him to speak to her on my behalf. He offered to make a call to her immediately.

  My new contract with Foster Enterprises prohibits me from showing any of my pieces in her boutiques right at this very moment, but fashion is a fluid industry and now that I'm a designer for Ella Kara, my path will inevitably cross with Claudia's at some point. I have to undo any damage Nicholas has done.

  I'm not a thief and the sooner that Claudia knows that, the better.

  Saving my relationship with Nicholas may be impossible, but my professional reputation is salvageable and today that's all that matters to me.

  Chapter 3

  Nicholas

  "You've made such a huge fucking mess of your life." Cheyenne chews on the end of a blue plastic pen she pulled out of her purse. "Why did you bring her here, Nick? I thought you confined extracurricular activities to your office."

  "She was different. Is different," I correct myself. "Sophia is different than other women I've known."

  "You've got that right." She leans both hands on the edge of my desk. "She fucked her way to a million dollar payout and left you in her dust."

  I'm the one who left her in my dust. I walked out of Hibiscus two nights ago without a glance back at Sophia. I couldn't look at her. I couldn't stand the thought of a woman I was falling in love with fucking me over that way.

  "This is fixable," I say it even though I doubt like hell that it is. My agent, Steve, called me late last night to tell me that the book has been removed from the website that posted it, but excerpts had already gone viral. Erasing its existence from the internet isn't possible. At this point, the manuscript has no value beyond what I'll be awarded if I sue.

  Cheyenne's already pointed that out to me. She was at my door at the break of dawn, ranting about how my publisher is primed to pull the plug on my contract. I avoided her calls yesterday and when she turned up in the lobby of my building, I didn't buzz her in. I needed the day to decompress and weigh my options. It turns out that ignoring my publicist was a monumental mistake.

  Cheyenne, in her desperation to sweep this under the rug, told the attorney who called her from the publishing house yesterday that I'd given a copy of the book to my girlfriend. That's enough to not only void my contract but to take legal action against me for breach of contract. I'm screwed, and if I'm going down, I'm taking the person responsible for this fucking mess with me.

  The problem is I don't know who the hell that is anymore.

  Ever since I left Sophia standing in the restaurant, I haven't been able to forget the way she looked. She was shocked. She's either an Oscar-worthy actress or she was telling me the truth when she said she didn't sell the book. The memory of that innocent expression on her face has been gnawing at me ever since. I can't escape the regret I've been feeling about leaping to the conclusion that Sophia was involved in this.

  "You're delusional." Cheyenne slams both palms against my desk. "Do you realize how bad this is, Nick? Your career is over."

  I know it's bad, but my career isn't going down with this ship. I may lose my contract and all respect I've had in the publishing world, but my words are mine.

  I can still write. I can find a new publisher, or I'll publish myself.

  "Have you talked to Sophie?"

  "Sophia," I enunciate every syllable of her name. "I already told you that I saw her and she denied doing it."

  "Did you expect her to confess on the spot?" She shakes her head. "We're meeting our attorney in an hour. He's going to want to know everything you know about this woman. We'll make her pay for what she did to you."

  I turn away. I'm not about to jeopardize Sophia's future. She may be the only person, other than me, who had access to that book, but it doesn't add up.

  The woman I spent all that time with felt the same connection to me that I felt to her. I'd bet my life on that. She's not capable of doing this to me and in my rush to point the finger of blame at someone, Sophia landed square in my sights.

  "Push the meeting back, Cheyenne." I hold up my hand to stop her as she opens her mouth to talk. "Don't fight me on this. I'll meet him later today or tomorrow. I need time to think and I can't do that with an attorney who is itching to file a lawsuit breathing down my neck."

  ***

  An hour later I rake both of my hands through my hair. "This doesn’t make any fucking sense to me."

  Cheyenne takes a seat on the couch next to Liam. My brother showed up twenty minutes ago with some choice words for me. Emails we shared six months ago popped up on one of the many social media accounts that my fans have created.

  Someone tagged Liam and when he read the emails, he left his office and headed straight for me. Who the hell could blame him? They're messages we'd exchanged regarding the woman he was dating at the time. He wanted out of the relationship, but she was emotionally fragile. The fact that she's been texting him non-stop since he got here isn't helping.

  "How the hell am I supposed to calm Britney down?" Liam waves his phone at me. "She's a decent girl, Nick. Her dirty laundry is everywhere now."

  "No one knows her last name," I point out. I know that for a fact because Wolf never offered it and I never asked. We don't go into details about the women we fuck because they're all temporary hook-ups. When I told him about Sophia a few weeks ago, that was the exception.

  "Her friends and family know it's her." His voice is laced with anger. "She's humiliated."

  He is too. I see it written all over his expression. Liam keeps to himself. He always has. Exposing him like this is going to damage what we have.

  "I'm sorry," I offer even though it's minimal considering the circumstances. "I don't know how it happened, Liam."

  "Sophia." Cheyenne reaches to tap Wolf's shoulder through his coat. "Nick's latest is selling his life to the highest bidder as we speak."

  I lean back in the chair I'm sitting in. She's dead wrong. There's no way Sophia had access to those emails. When I handed her my laptop, my email program was closed. I use that same email address to send everything to my agent and my contact at the publishing house. I shut it down whenever I'm done using it and I have to enter the password each and every time I log in.

  "Cha-ching." Cheyenne gazes down at her phone. "Sophia just added a few more dollars to her nest egg. Every email you've ever shared with Steve is currently being uploaded to one of those trashy gossip websites."

  I reach to grab her phone, my eyes dropping to the screen. Email after email written by me to my agent and vice versa floods the screen. Details about my contracts, my future projects and my ongoing complaints about my editor and my contact at the publisher are on full display.

  "What the hell?" I mutter under my breath. "Who the fuck is doing this?"

  "You know who." Cheyenne yanks her phone from my hands. "I'm not pushing the meeting with the attorney back again, Nick. We're going down there now. Your lover is determined to ruin your life and if you don't put a stop to it, I will."

  I curse under my breath. "Fine. I'll meet with him but Sophia's not responsible for these emails. There's no way in hell she'd do this. She didn't do any of this. She's not the one trying to ruin my life."


  I absorb my own words as I grab my coat. I'm the one who ruined the best thing that ever happened to me and right now I don't give a shit about anything but talking to Sophia.

  Chapter 4

  Sophia

  I exit the elevator and I'm instantly taken aback by what my old desk looks like. It's covered in file folders, one stained with what looks like coffee. Mr. Foster's temp has called me more than a dozen times already today. It's obvious that she's overwhelmed with the job.

  "Nancy," I call out to her as I approach since she's bent over retrieving something from the floor. "Tell me what you need from me."

  She jumps in surprise, smashing the back of her head on the corner of the desk.

  I cringe as I lunge forward to help, but she's already on her feet, her hand rubbing what must be a tender spot hidden under her red hair. "Sophia, you came."

  Of course, I did. Sasha told me that until I sign my contract, I'm a technically still Mr. Foster's assistant, so I'm on call for whatever Nancy needs until the permanent replacement starts next week.

  When Nancy called my cell less than five minutes ago to tell me she urgently needed to see me, I tucked my sketchbook into a drawer on my new workstation, and I headed straight for the elevator.

  "What can I do for you?" I ask cheerily. She's probably had to deal with Mr. Foster's less than friendly demeanor all day. I know he's frustrated. He said as much in a text message he sent me yesterday telling me he was considering asking Sasha to fire me so he could rehire me.

  "It's not me this time." She smiles. "Mr. Foster asked me to find you so he could talk to you."

  I glance at the closed door of his office. "He wants to see me?"

  "As soon as possible." She pushes on my shoulder. "That means now, Sophia, so get in there."

  I laugh nervously. He's already asked me once if I'll be signing the contract for my new position with the design department. I told him I was waiting to get it back from my attorney, which I am. If he brings it up again today, I may need to ask Zoe Beck to put my file at the top of her priority list. I haven't given it as much thought as I should have. I've been replaying what happened with Nicholas in my mind over and over again. I still haven't heard from him or the attorney he threatened me with. I don't know whether that's a good or bad sign.

  "Did he say what it was about?"

  "Like he'd tell me," she jokes. "All I hear about all day is what a great assistant he had. If I had to wager a guess, it would be that he's going to offer you your old job back. If he does, I think you should take it and start right now."

  "Funny." My grin is wide. "I'll go talk to him but you should know that you're stuck here until your replacement shows up next week."

  "Damn." She winks. "In that case, it's time for my coffee break."

  ***

  "Has your attorney had a chance to look over the contract yet, Sophia?" Mr. Foster asks as I take a seat. "I'm impressed that you didn't sign it on the spot. It's always prudent to have a professional go over any legal document line-by-line."

  I can't argue that point. The wording of the contract went right over my head. It's much more complicated than the standard salary based contract I signed when I started working as his executive assistant. The design contract has strict stipulations regarding how I share my designs and an allowance for travel in the event my pieces are featured in a fashion show.

  "I think I should have it back soon, sir. I'll sign it then."

  "I'd rather you didn't." He taps his fingers on a large yellow envelope in the center of his desk. "I had a new contract drawn up earlier today. This offer replaces the original one."

  Shit. I took too long to sign and now Mr. Foster is pulling back on his offer. That has to be what this is. He may be a great boss, but the man is still a ruthless shark.

  "The other contract seemed very fair." I scratch the back of my head. "I'll call my attorney today and see if I can have it signed by tomorrow."

  "No." He opens the envelope and draws out a stack of papers. "That offer is no longer on the table. I think you'll find this one benefits you more."

  Benefits me more? I hope I get a meal allowance like Sasha does. That woman wasn't the same today when she returned from her two hour long lunch. One of the other designers told me that Sasha dines on the company's dime, which always includes a substantial amount just for several glasses of a good red wine. I could go for a glass or two myself right at this moment.

  I scan the top sheet of the papers. "So I should give this one to my attorney and tell her to forget the other one?"

  "You should, but first you should ask me why I'm rescinding my original offer."

  Of course I should. We're having an important discussion about my future with his company I should keep my mind on that and not on the signed copy of Burden's Proof that is sitting on the corner of his desk.

  "Why are you rescinding your original offer?" I ask with a small smile.

  "Flip that paper over and you'll see why." He turns the entire stack of papers toward me.

  I grab the edge of the top sheet and flip it aside. My eyes settle on a logo. It's feminine, elegant and when I read the words, my heart misses a full beat.

  "Mr. Foster." I squeeze my eyes shut. "Please tell me this is real."

  "Sophia." I feel his hand brush against mine. "This is real. The label of our new collection is now officially Ella Kara by Sophia Reese."

  "It's my collection." I open my eyes through a veil of tears. "I'm heading the collection?"

  "You own a stake in this." He moves his hand to pick up the papers. "You'll get the monthly stipend we originally offered but you'll also be a shareholder in this line. If you can make it the success I know you can, you'll benefit in every way."

  "Why would you do this?" I ask quietly. "Two days ago I was your executive assistant."

  He chuckles deeply. "Claudia came to see me after you visited her at the boutique. She's launching a swimwear line and wanted to know if you had any experience in that realm. I told her to speak directly to you, which she will."

  "She hasn't yet."

  Claudia took my number when I met with her at her boutique. She didn't tell me exactly what Nicholas said to her, but she made it clear that she valued Gabriel's opinion of me more. We briefly talked fashion and my aspirations before she had to speed away to the stockroom to overlook the arrival of a shipment from a designer based in Tennessee.

  "I'm grateful for that." He pushes the papers back into the envelope. "I want you at Foster, Sophia. Sasha has told me that she sees more promise in you than in any designer she's worked with in years. I'm giving you this line to show us what you've got. Sasha will work closely with you. You'll run everything by me and when we unveil this, it's going to be your designs the world sees."

  Next to launching a line on my own, this is the next best thing. I can get eyes on my creative talent and I don't have to foot the bill. If this isn't the fast track road to success, I don't know what is.

  "I thought my career was over two days ago." I wipe a tear from my cheek. "Now my dream is coming true."

  "You're going to make me proud." He pushes to stand. "Show this to your attorney and get it signed."

  "I'm on it." I take the envelope from him. "Is that all, sir?"

  "We're going to be partners in this venture, Sophia. Call me Gabriel from now on."

  "Thank you, Gabriel." The words rush out. "I can't tell you how honored I am. I won't let you down."

  "I know you won't." He rounds the desk.

  I turn to leave but his hand on my elbow stops me.

  "One other thing, Sophia."

  "Yes?" I pivot on my heel to look at him again. "What is it?"

  "Nicholas Wolf was here earlier. He came to talk to me about you."

  Hearing his name tenses my stomach. I try to temper my tone. "About me? Why would he do that?"

  His hand drops to his side. "He wanted to know if I had indeed fired you."

  I don't ask what his response was.
Mr. Foster is as honest as they come.

  "I didn't give him any details but made it clear that Foster Enterprises stands behind you." He tilts his chin back. "That includes our entire legal team if need be."

  I'm stunned by that. I had already asked Zoe what the cost would be if I needed a lawyer to help defend me against the baseless accusations Nicholas threw at me. The price she quoted is more than my parents paid for their house back in Florida.

  "Thank you," I mumble, trying to contain my emotion. "I appreciate your support."

  "You haven't spoken to him since the night he called me, have you?"

  "I doubt I'll ever talk to him again." I sigh. I want to. I want to tell Nicholas that he's made a huge mistake but I can't. It doesn't matter at this point that I'm completely innocent. The mere fact that he believes I'm capable of doing something like that to him is enough for me to wash my hands of the relationship for good. "I want to be with a man who defends my honor; not one who questions it."

  "He knows you didn't do it, Sophia. He came here to fight for your job and for you."

  Chapter 5

  Nicholas

  It's after six now. I've been staring at the screen of my phone for almost an hour. I know Sophia's work day ends at five. At least it did when she was an executive assistant. When Gabriel told me yesterday that he moved her over to the design department, I wanted to find her and congratulate her. I didn't. There's no way in hell the woman wants anything to do with me since I tried to destroy her entire life. I jumped to a fucked up conclusion that I should have known couldn't be true.

  I want to call her, but I have no idea what the hell I'd say to her.

  Sophia's forgiveness is what I want. It's the one and only thing I want right now.