The Hardest Part (12 page)

"
No, I really should get ready to go. I have to go home to change before work." I turned around, wanting to get out of the kitchen before he could see me flushed. However, his voice stopped me.

"
Robbins went by your place during the night and got you a change of clothes."

My whole body went numb. My heart pounded loudly in my ears.
Robbins did what?!

When the words actually registered in my head, anger filled me.
Robbins had been in my apartment without my permission?
I slowly turned back around to face him.

He was staring right at me.
"I was going to ask you if it was okay, but when I came into your room early this morning, you looked so peaceful sleeping that I didn't want to disturb you."

I stood there, looking at him, dumbfounded and shocked, not knowing what to say.
Does he not realize what an invasion of privacy that is? Robbins had gone to my apartment? Without my permission? Went through my things?

I had no idea what he was expecting me to say, but after a few long seconds, he soon realized I wasn't happy. Maybe it was the death glare I could feel myself giving him, or maybe it was the fact that I hadn't answered him.

"
If you're angry, be angry with me," he said. "Robbins was just doing as I asked," he finished, his voice flat, like he really didn't care. He moved around the kitchen without another word and without looking me in the eye. He seemed like a different person than the guy he’d been over the past couple of days. There was coldness to him that I hadn’t seen before now. Had something happened after I’d gone to bed last night? Or was the reality of what happened yesterday starting to catch up to him?

I tried not to focus on his feelings. He didn’t seem to feel bad about sending Robbins into my apartment so I didn’t think I should be worrying about why he was acting so strange. Whether it was for good intentions or not, he had no right to send his bodyguard into my apartment.

Too angry to say anything, I made my way back down the hall. Next to my bedroom door, I saw a familiar bag. My bag. I didn’t know how I missed it when I came out of the bedroom earlier. Picking it up and throwing it on the bed, I pulled out my red cardigan sweater and a pair of black slacks. Anger and embarrassment flooded me. Robbins had been in my bedroom, in my closet.

Ready to get out of there as quickly as possible, I got dressed in a hurry. Reed had crossed a line. Robbins had crossed a line. Invasion of privacy would send anyone into a fit of rage, but with someone like me, it brought it to an entirely new level.

Throwing my bag and purse over my shoulder, I hurried down the hall to the elevators I’d seen last night. The ones I was assuming exited out into the lobby of the building.

"
Emily." Reed called my name as I walked right past him without a word. "Emily, I'm sorry. I was just trying to be helpful, but I see now why you’re upset. I had no right to send Robbins to your place." His demeanor had changed from just a few minutes ago. He now sounded remorseful.

It was rude, and maybe even a little childish, but I ignored him. I pushed the button and waited for the elevator doors to open.

He sighed.
"Please. Don't leave so upset. I'll give you a ride to work and we can talk on the way."

My chest felt heavy, like if I didn't say something soon, it would explode. I whirled around and asked him,
"What would possess you to think it was okay to send Robbins to my apartment? Without my permission? Let him go through my things?" My voice reached a higher-than-normal level.

He sighed again, running his hands through his hair. For a minute, I almost felt bad for raising my voice, but then I just pictured Robbins in my place again and I saw red.

"
I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking straight. It was a mistake." His voice was low, cautious.

I turned around to face the elevators again, even angrier than before.

"
Would you at least take the freight elevator and go out the rear entrance of the building? If you go out the front, you're going to be bombarded with paparazzi and reporters. Robbins said they're already crowding outside the lobby." He lowered his voice to almost an inaudible level, realizing what a mess this was for me.

Great. Just great.

I turned and stormed down the hall, toward the door we had come in last night.

"
Robbins will take you down," he said as I walked away. "Just in case you run into any problems.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Robbins walking toward me. No matter what Reed said, I was angry with Robbins, too. No matter if he was following what Reed had told him or not, he should have known better.

Robbins followed me inside the freight elevator. When the doors closed, I clutched my purse to my chest, desperate to get out of there. I couldn’t help but wonder how he got into my apartment? Had he gone in my purse to get my keys? Or was he skilled enough to get in there without needing any? I had a feeling it was the latter.

"
I'm sorry, Emily. Next time, I'll make sure to have your permission," Robbins said, his voice clearly regretful.

"
There won't be a next time," I said through gritted teeth.

"
Yes, ma'am."

The elevator doors opened and I followed Robbins to the rear exit door that opened up to an alley at the back of the building. There were no reporters or paparazzi in either direction.

"
Would you like me to follow you to the closest train station or to your office?"

"
No, I'll be fine."

"
Go this way." He pointed to the right. "Take a left at the end of the alley, and it will take you to Saint Street. There's a train station a couple blocks up."

I put on my sunglasses, pulled the hood of my trench coat over my head, and started down the alley. The vulnerability and fear of what had happened in the past twelve hours hit me harder than I expected it to. The anger I had felt this morning was starting to subside. Now, I was becoming overwhelmed with fear. Fear of what would be printed in the newspapers and magazines this morning. Fear of how this would all change the life I had tried to build here.

By the time I got to my office, I was twenty minutes late. To make matters worse, when I rounded the corner, I saw a mob of reporters standing outside the building.

"
You've got to be kidding me," I muttered, leaning against the brick building beside me. I couldn't imagine what was going on in the office right now or how angry Sharon was that there was a mob of people standing outside… probably all asking questions about me. I dug through my purse, pulled out my phone, and dialed. Isabel picked up on the first ring.

"
Hey, it's Emily."

"
Emily?" she whispered. “What the heck is going on? The front door is swarming with reporters. They're asking all sorts of questions about you."

"
I know. I can see it." I peeked around the corner again. "Is there a back door to the building?"

"
Um, yeah, we sometimes get deliveries back there."

"
Okay, can you go open it? I'll be there in a minute."

Hanging up the phone, I backed up and leaned against the brick building I was hiding behind.
What the hell have I gotten myself into?
This wasn’t good for anyone, but for me, this could be really, really bad. Not only was I trying to keep a low profile, I was also trying to start a new life. I needed this job. It was just a couple days ago that I started to feel like I was going to have one for a while, but now, I wasn't so sure.

Isabel was at the back door, waiting for me, and luckily, there were no reporters or paparazzi in sight. Once I was safely inside, I removed my glasses and took off the hood.

"
Holy shit, Emily. It's madness out there."

"
I know." I shook my head.

"
Sharon is freaking out."

"
Come on," I said. "I need to go talk to her."

I hurried down the hall, finding Sharon standing in the lobby next to Isabel's desk.

When Sharon spotted me, her eyes grew wide.
"What the hell is this, Emily?"

Christine was standing behind her. I was surprised she didn't have a huge grin on her face. The next words I expected out of Sharon's mouth were,
"You're fired."

Swallowing hard, I just came out and said it.
"I'm friends with Lexi Adams. You guys probably know her as Lexi Alexander. And all of this"—I gestured toward the front of the building—“is because of the Black and White event. They're digging up the old news and…" I sighed, feeling defeated. "I went out with Reed and Lexi the other night and then with Reed again last night. The press saw me, but I have no idea how they got my name or where I worked."

Sharon's gaze moved from me to Christine, turning into a full-on glare. I wondered why I wasn't getting that look.

"
You're friends with Lexi Alexander?" Isabel's mouth hung open.

"
Isabel. I'll ask the questions, thank you," Sharon said. "You don't think this would have been valuable information to tell me when I mentioned the Black and White event the other day?" Sharon was looking at me again.

"
I had no idea who she was until that night," I countered. "Before that, she was just a friend. I had no idea about her past or who her or her brother was. I didn't even know she was an Alexander. I know now that I should've told you, but I
—
I guess I was scared. I didn't want you to think I asked for the job."

Sharon looked irritated and I wondered if Christine was finally going to get her wish: me getting fired.

"
You and you"—she pointed to me and Christine—"in the conference room, now."

Wishing I could crawl under a rock, I followed Sharon. Christine came up behind me, still not saying a word. Shockingly, she didn't have a huge smile on her face. She actually looked about as terrified as me.

Sharon sat down at the head of the table while Christine and I sat across from one another. We both avoided eye contact with each other, and with Sharon.

"
This is a huge shit storm." Sharon rested her forehead against her hands and shook her head. "I'm not sure what we are to do here. I don't know how to do the Black and White event with you so closely tied to it, Emily. Lexi and Reed are not just a huge part of this event, they
are
the event. Their mother is why it exists. Mrs. Alexander started this event years ago…" Her voice faded and she closed her eyes, clearly saddened and frustrated by the whole situation.

I felt like melting into the chair or the carpet, anywhere but sitting here next to Sharon.

After a few miserable seconds, she sat up in her seat and composed herself.
"When Mr. Alexander came to me and offered me this event, I never expected it was going to stir up old news and that my employee was going to be the star of the show, but we will just have to hope for the best and see how it plays out. Hopefully, all the press will die down in a couple days and it won't be much of an issue."

My stomach twisted. In the back of my mind, I was remembering how upset Lexi was last night. I wondered if there would even be an event anymore. Then I wondered if
I
should even be a part of it. It seemed like this event was going to cause a lot of press, and I wanted to avoid that at all costs. I was convinced, now more than ever, I wasn't the best person for this job.

"
Christine, is there something you'd like to tell Emily? Maybe what you told me a few minutes before she came into work." Sharon asked. My eyes moved across the table. Christine was staring at her hands on the table, refusing to meet my eyes.

Finally, after a long moment of silence, she began.
"The reporters being here… it's my fault. My friend, Ben, the bartender, recognized you the other night with Lexi and Reed and then saw you again last night with Reed at The Palm. He called me to tell me you were there. I was angry. I thought you were trying to steal the event away from me. After the press released information about the event, the reporters started calling here asking questions. They asked me about the event and I told them you should have all the answers. I told them where you were and your name." She paused and met my eyes. "I'm sorry, Emily, I didn't think it was going to get this crazy. I just wanted… I don't know what I wanted. I was just so angry with you."

Bitch.
I didn't say it out loud, but I was thinking it as I glared across the table at her.

"
I really am sorry, Emily."

I narrowed my eyes on her. Even though she really did look regretful, I still wasn't buying it.

Isabel poked her head in the conference room, breaking up the tension in the air.

"
I'm sorry to interrupt, Sharon, but you have a phone call."

Annoyed, Sharon turned toward her.
"Take a message, Isabel. We're in the middle of something."