Chapter Twenty-Six: We Fight Right Here-7

He finally stopped in his tracks and turned back around to me, his expression incredulous. "What?" "I'm not going home," I said calmly as I got up to my feet and walked toward him. As I watched his face flicker with pain, hope and desperation, the tight vise around my heart loosened until I could breathe again. "Tell me one thing," I said, stopping in front of him. "Are all of her accusations true?" Luke's brows drew in as he frowned. "Not at all." I smiled. "May I have your word on that please?" "You have it. God knows I've only got one woman plaguing my life." My smile brightened. "Do you want her to keep doing it?" He lifted my hand up to his lips and tipped me a small smile. "Plague away." I caught him by surprise when I stood up on my toes and planted a sure kiss squarely on his mouth before turning toward the door. "Where are you going?" I stopped and looked over my shoulder. "To my desk. I have work to do, you know? Then after work, you and I are having dinner at my place so you can help me finish packing. I'm making stir-fry." I left Luke with his mouth hanging open as I strode out of the office. Peggy and Terrence stopped talking to look at me and I flashed them both a smile—a feat, really, considering my insides still felt like jelly but everyone was already worrying enough for all of us. "Terr, I don't need the security detail. I'm mostly staying at Luke's so I'll just come in with both of you. I don't really want to draw more attention than what's necessary." A little breathless, I turned to Peggy and amped up my smile even more. "Hey, don't forget to send me the number of that moving company you recommended. I have a bed and love seat that needs to be out of my apartment by next week." Without giving them a chance to recover, I gave them a little wave and left. You can do this, Max. It's not the first time people have told you things you didn't want to hear. But it's never stopped you, has it? Of course, that mantra was a little tougher to pull off in reality when all the entire marketing floor could talk about was the mob outside, even after it had thinned out if what we could see from our window was accurate statistical representation. All my friends called to check in on me and as much as I didn't really want to talk about it, I had to reassure each of them that Luke and I were fine and that there were lawyers dealing with this fiasco. Jillian threatened to hack into Lola's email and social media accounts to find proof of her lies and manipulation. Ryan assured me that the Hedenbys have the best lawyers. Zoe told me that Lola was a lying skank and Alex said that if there's even a hint that Luke is lying to me, he'd rearrange his face. Yes, friends. Love them or hate them. "And just when you think it's happily ever after, the prince goes and kisses another princess because he realized the first one he'd kissed was actually a frog," Theodora snickered to someone from her desk where she knew she was well within my earshot. I risked a glance at her and saw her watching me with a rude, satisfied smirk. I wasn't surprised since she'd been at it in the last three hours, doing more gossip than actual work. "It feels good, doesn't it?" I said with a small smile. "Making a little vindictive comment to console yourself because neither prince nor frog would ever kiss you. It's not your face, Theodora. It's mostly the vile stuff that comes out of your mouth. I think that's what puts them off. A little FYI, you know? A girl to girl advice. From one frog to something way worse." If someone made the tiniest baby fart in this side of the room, we would've all heard it considering the complete and utter silence that followed my statement. Theodora's face was a sheet of white quickly turning into mottled red—a natural flush that in my opinion wasn't all that beautifying. I ignored it, put on my earbuds and got back to the data analysis I was doing on a report. I probably didn't look up again until lunch time when a tall shadow fell across my desk. "Wanna go grab something to eat?" Elise said, a big, broad smile on her face. Since all eyes were still on me as they had been all morning, I quietly locked up my computer and picked up my purse. She said we could use Luke's office since he was off to a meeting and Peggy had already ordered in from Pepe's. It was a crisp autumn day but the sun was still high that it was actually quite nice and comfortable sitting out there on the balcony without spectators. It was only when Elise stretched out her legs, frowning a little in discomfort and excused herself for putting her left one up on one of the chairs that I saw under the hem of her pants. It looked like skin peeking out from above her flat, short boot but it was too smooth and plastic-looking. Elise had a prosthetic left leg. It was a curious sight but I reminded myself to look away because if she'd wanted to talk about it, she would've said something by now. I expected to feel sympathy because despite all the courage we could summon about it, it wasn't something we wished for. But I felt none of that. Elise had never once limped or complained around us about it that if it weren't for her revealing it now, I would've never known about it. There was nothing to pity here but much to admire. "Not that I mind this at all but I do find it a little strange that you wanted to see me for lunch," I confessed, my brain firing up with possible explanations. "What gives?"