Scandal (Tainted #1) (4 page)

Since she’d seen the front page of the newspapers on her way to work this morning, she knew this was coming. She’d briefly considered calling in sick, but that wouldn’t make any of this better. She was done with wallflower Alicia, and going into the office proved that, if nothing else, she was growing a backbone.

Still, she’d rather dip her toe into a pool filled with piranhas than face Mr Maine’s wrath.

She knocked his door once, then entered when he grumbled something. His elderly face was raw, contrasting with what was left of his salt-and-pepper hair. Air puffed his chest out and she couldn’t look at him without trembling. There were newspapers scattered across his desk, all with various pictures of her … and Collins. She’d glimpsed the captions earlier. Saw what the media had come up with.

Alicia clasped her shaking hands together.

‘What’s going on here, Alicia? The truth.’ His voice was low and laced with steel. Just like her father’s had been the first time he’d given her a lecture. The first time she’d really made him angry by coming close to dragging his family’s reputation through the mud. A cool sweat broke out across her forehead.

‘I’ve no idea, sir. I didn’t know there were photographers there. We had lunch, discussed my pitch in more detail, and as I told you yesterday, Collins took the contract away to have his people look at it.’

Far from mollified, Mr Maine scowled at her. ‘You do realise there’s no way in hell he’ll sign now. His manager at AIG has already been on the phone chewing my ear off. He recognised you from the picture on our website – which I’ve had to remove. The last thing Collins needs is to be linked to another woman, even if you are the daughter of an earl.’ He ran a hand over his jaw with a sigh. ‘Not to mention our strict rule about getting involved with clients.’

Alicia gasped. ‘We’re not involved!’

His brows furrowed and his jaw tightened. He tapped his finger against the picture of Collins kissing her. She moved closer. It was like looking at a different woman. Her eyes were big and bright. She remembered only too well the shiver that went through her when he’d leaned in. Remembered the fiery scorch of skin on skin that smouldered right down to her bones.

With her face burning, she was about to launch into another denial but it was pointless. Wasn’t she the one who said people believed what they wanted? Mr Maine was obviously no different. Tears pricked her eyes as she imagined what came next, but she wouldn’t break down here. That could wait until later.

‘I’m going to have a think about what to do with you, Alicia. You’ve never given us problems before, but this crosses lines I’ve put in place for a reason. You’ve risked our reputation.’

He shook his head, and she could almost believe he didn’t want to do what was clearly coming. She’d be sacked. Without a chance to prove the pictures were not what they seemed.

Collins signing would be the only thing that could save her job now, but if his manager was angry at Maine, there was no doubt he would be too. As she walked back to her office, her shoulders stooped with defeat and the corridor seemed more claustrophobic than before.

A flurry of noise down the hall caught her attention. She kept going until she got to the reception desk. A large man, tall and wide, was causing the fuss. Making angry demands, if the way Sarah shied away from him was any indication. His voice was growling words so fast they were difficult to understand.

She was about to turn and look for security when she noticed who the big guy was with. Her breath stilled.

The man who could have cost Alicia her career before it even really got started lounged in one of the chairs, his arms folded across his chest while he looked at the bigger man with an amused glint in his eyes.

What on earth was
he
doing here?

Collins turned to her and his grin made her heart pound. Before she could give into the urge to run, he said, ‘Told you I’d be back, didn’t I, Blondie?’

Watching the colour drain from Alicia’s face made him feel like a first class-shit.

Seeing Tony turn on her like an angry pit bull made the feeling worse. Sebastian hopped out of the chair and was at his manager’s side before he could say a word. With one hand on the guy’s arm, he muttered, ‘Let’s wait until Maine comes down, then we can all air our grievances.’

He understood the questioning look Tony threw him, the suspicion glinting in his manager’s eyes. Since Tony gave him a wake-up call the grim reaper would have feared, he’d stuck with denial all the way. Besides, this time the media had it so wrong it was almost funny, but it had given him an idea. Which is why he’d insisted coming to Maine PR with Tony instead of letting him thunder on alone.

Nothing to do with the fact he wanted to see Blondie’s eyes flare up. Though at the moment she was all wide eyes and pale skin. That was his fault for being careless, and there was no doubt her boss had already given her hell. Unleashing Tony’s fury on her was the last thing any of them needed.

He mouthed ‘go’ and she backed away.

But then footsteps sounded down the hall. Before she could disappear, Maine was at her side. Sebastian cursed under his breath. He didn’t want her anywhere near this meeting. Tony and Maine erupting could get messy, and she looked scared enough without having them throw insults her way or talk about her like she wasn’t there. He’d known from the nightmare that had been his life since the split how horrible slander could be, and he wouldn’t even wish it on his ex. Though after Mai’s latest bullshit kiss-and-tell, it was tempting.

‘Perhaps we should do this somewhere private? Alicia, ready the meeting room,’ Maine instructed.

She disappeared in a flash and he had to lock his knees to keep from running after her to offer help. Or at the very least give her the massive apology he owed. That said something. He wasn’t the kind of person who had regrets until Mai came along, so apologies didn’t come easy.

At Tony’s grunt of an agreement, they were led through the building at a slower pace. Sebastian didn’t pay much attention to the plaques on the walls or potted greenery every few feet. He was focused on how he was going to save Blondie’s pretty little self from losing her job, all because he couldn’t resist kissing her.

When they got to the conference room they’d visited the day before, his attention zeroed in on Alicia. Her hands shook as she put a fresh filter in the coffee machine. He took a step towards her but Tony gripped his arm. He caught his manager’s scowl and decided against arguing. Tony was on the verge of dropping him as a client after Melbourne, and he didn’t want to push his luck.

They both slid into chairs across from Maine, but his gaze was on Alicia fussing with mugs in the corner.

Maine didn’t waste any time. ‘I apologise for the turn of events on behalf of Maine PR and Ms Simpson. The pictures are unfortunate, and I assure you we will do everything we can to prove the allegations are false and that Ms Simpson is not dating you, Mr Collins.’

‘Too little, too late,’ Tony snapped. ‘The evidence is already out there, and my client hardly has the best reputation.’

Alicia dropped a mug. It clattered on the counter then rolled over the side. She made a grab for it, but missed. The porcelain smashed when it hit the floor.

‘Leave it,’ Sebastian said. ‘We’ve already had coffee.’

His blood simmered at the thought of her being treated like the help. She was too smart, too good at what she did to play servant to the sharks.

She made her way to the table, her eyes never meeting his. She looked everywhere except directly at him. He gritted his teeth, his frustration growing. He liked her gaze on him, especially when it was fiery and scolding.

As she slid into a chair across the table, she focused on Tony and visibly wilted. Turning, he caught the look of bloody murder on his manager’s face and elbowed him. With a grunt, the man dialled the rage down a notch.

‘I’m … sorry. Of course nothing is going on between Mr Collins and I. Disproving the allegations is the first thing I’ll do when –’

‘You think we’re signing now? Are you insane?’ Tony boomed.

Mr Maine cleared his throat. ‘Miss Simpson’s indiscretion was unfortunate, and we have both apologised.’

His manager and Alicia’s boss argued until their rage just about replaced oxygen in the room. Sebastian tuned them out and instead focused on Alicia. Moisture made her eyes shimmery and that hit him in the chest harder than a wayward serve. This was his fault. She’d been more than professional, had sold him on her pitch, and hadn’t taken any of his shit at the restaurant. There wasn’t anyone else he wanted to hire. How was he going to convince Tony?

Lots of words, insinuations, and insults were volleyed back and forth between the two hotshots at the table. Alicia kept her chin dipped, hoping to appear remorseful when in truth her hackles were rising with every verbal slap she took from Collins’ manager.

It wasn’t
her
fault his client couldn’t keep his lips to himself. It certainly wasn’t her fault they’d been snapped in such an unfortunate pose. And if Collins didn’t sign, then surely that couldn’t be pinned on her?

If only the slither of guilt in her gut would believe the logic.

Something tapped against her foot and she jerked her head up. Collins had that look of concern again, and she tried to convince herself the leap in her pulse was rage. If anyone should be on trial here, it was him.

Don’t worry,
he mouthed.
I’ll think of something.

She’d passed worry the second she’d stepped into Maine PR. Now she was running on terrified.

Don’t, you’ll make it worse,
she mouthed back. The traitorous sting in her eyes highlighted the fact she’d lost all hope. He hadn’t said a word since she’d sat down. If he really wanted to help, why wasn’t he jumping to her defence?

Because even though Collins wasn’t Darrell, they had more than one thing in common. Neither of them could man up when she needed them to.

‘Of course, she’ll be disciplined.’ Mr Maine’s words shocked her out of her thoughts. She closed her eyes to hide the tears collecting there. ‘I can’t promise more. Until now, her performance and behaviour have been exemplary.’

Seconds, minutes, maybe hours passed, and the hurt overcame the anger. She’d been disciplined as a child and a teen, but never as an adult. Certainly not since she’d left Cumbria.

‘You’re both missing the obvious.’ Collins’ voice had her snapping out of her pity party. She stared at him, along with the others. He couldn’t actually be coming through for her, could he?

‘Which is?’ Tony asked.

Sebastian gave Tony a run-down of Alicia’s plan to help save his career, and though his manager’s face paled to a healthier shade of pink, he shifted in his seat like hot coals lined the chair’s padding. Her heart raced with hope, but the terror Collins would screw this up dampened her forehead.

Tony frowned. ‘So the girl has good ideas. Doesn’t explain why you felt her up on the street.’

Oh, so now it was
his
fault? She was tempted to ask why he’d put her first in line to be shot at.

‘Alicia doesn’t only have good ideas, but she’s from a well-respected English family.’

Both Mr Maine’s and his manager’s expressions were blank, expectant. Alicia wondered where he’d dug up that information. He threw her a look that said ‘go with the flow’. Her expression froze and so did her spine. She had a bad feeling about this.

‘Dating an earl’s daughter is one way of showing I’m getting my act together, and the press don’t know she works here. They assumed we were on a date when really it was a meeting.’

She gasped and all eyes were on her. Collins’ foot connected with hers beneath the table and she swallowed back the insta-refusal. Under the scrutiny of her boss and the huge, rosy-faced man next to Collins, she ran the idea over in her head.

Denial was pointless. The papers had what they considered ‘proof’ along with several spins. All she could do now was give them a positive angle to work with. That was her job.

But at this cost? Alicia didn’t know. Using her family’s reputation meant her father would … Acid bubbled in her stomach and she rubbed a hand over her waist, trying to soothe the discomfort there. She couldn’t think about what her father would do. It was clear Tony had come for blood and wasn’t leaving until she was out on her backside or he was satisfied with their new plan. Her job was the priority, wasn’t it?

When it all came down to it, she didn’t really have a choice.

‘He’s right. My family’s reputation is untarnished.’ Or it would be, until she started officially dating the Playboy of tennis. ‘I could be his undercover publicist while showing the world he’s turned over a new leaf.’

Why was she even agreeing to this madness? A glance at the huge, angry manager who was all but puffing out his chest sent a shot of icy fear down her spine.

‘By dating the honourable Miss Simpson.’ Sebastian grinned and blood rushed to her cheeks.

She wasn’t honourable, far from it, but nobody other than her family knew that and she planned to keep it that way.

Mr Maine frowned at her. ‘Why didn’t you tell me about this idea of yours?’

Collins jumped in, diverting that cold stare from her. ‘My idea. It’s the perfect way to start her plan, and it means we can hide the fact I hired Maine. The press will think I’m making the changes by myself and will hopefully get off my back.’

Tony clapped him on the shoulder. ‘Good thinking. It wouldn’t have killed you to tell me, though.’

‘Mr Collins, I’d like to point out that this is not standard practice.’ Mr Maine’s expression turned serious. ‘We have strict rules about our staff getting involved with clients. However, I will make an exception this once since the relationship is a ruse.’

Alicia heard the warning in Mr Maine’s cool tone and didn’t doubt Sebastian had, either. She was still reeling, not allowing herself to think of what would happen in the days and weeks to come.

‘I hear what you’re saying and appreciate your concessions,’ Sebastian said.

He pulled the contract from his pocket and smoothed it out on the table. In black scrawl across the bottom was his signature. It was the most amazing thing she’d ever seen. She sagged back into her chair and released the breath she’d been holding.