Perfect Chaos

“What was that, anyway?” He points to the door with his glass. “Don’t you think I can handle my own staff?”

Keep calm, I tell myself. “Your staff is my staff, too,” I point out, making him huff childishly and swig some more Scotch. “But besides that, I didn’t think your mood was helpful for such a delicate situation. Lainey was clearly upset. It needed to be handled with care.”

“Oh.” Sal laughs sarcastically, holding his round belly. “I forgot you’re Mr. Sensitive, aren’t you?”

I bristle, but keep it contained, breathing through the anger beginning to simmer in my gut. “What’s going on with you?”

“Nothing,” Sal barks. “Where is she anyway?” he asks. “Crying over the photocopier?”

I flinch on Lainey’s behalf. “I sent her home. She was upset.”

Sal scoffs and gets up, stomping to the window and staring out. “What tramp fucks married men?”

My teeth grind together, and before I can think better of it, I’m talking, but I’m saying shit I really shouldn’t be saying. “She isn’t a tramp, Sal. Take that back.”

He snorts, turning to face me. He’s sweating, his bald head shining. “Not even you fuck married women”—he laughs—“and you’re the biggest slut out there.”

What the actual fuck, Walker? But . . . Let it slide, Ty. Just let it slide right on over your head. Yet as much as I try to moderate the building fury, it’s rising quickly. I stand up and wedge my clenched fists into the wooden surface of his desk, leaning over threateningly. “Rein it in, Sal,” I warn, starting to sweat myself. Fuck it. I’m telling him. I don’t care how foul his mood is, he can swing at me for all I care, and he looks like he probably will. I’ll take the punch. I’ll take anything at this point. “Sit down,” I order firmly. I mean business, and he’s going to need to be on his arse when I tell him. “There’s something . . .” My confession dries up when I register his bottom lip trembling. Like he might cry at any moment. “Sal?”

“I’ve fucked up, man.” He drops to his chair, burying his face in his palms. “I’ve fucked up so badly.”

I slowly rise to full height, completely taken aback. “What are you talking about?”

He shakes his head, starting slowly but working up into a shake that could probably cause brain damage. “I’m such a fucking cunt.” He clenches at his head, looking for some hair to pull at. “You need to help me, Tyler.” He looks at me desperately. “Please help me fix it.”

“Fix what?” I ask, my concern increasing with every word my partner speaks. “What’s happened?”

“I cheated on Moya,” he chokes, his head going back into his hands, ashamed.

My mouth falls open in utter astonishment. I couldn’t have heard him right. Yeah, I’ve joked about it, but never, not once, did I think he’d betray Moya, no matter how desperate things have gotten. “What?”

“I cheated, Ty.” He looks up at me. “I’ve royally fucked up.”

“Does Moya know?”

“God, no.” His eyes brim with tears.

“Well, she will soon if you’re behaving like this at home, Sal. Women know shit like that. Pick up on weird behavior and come up with reasons.”

“I know,” he whines, rubbing at his stomach. “The guilt, Ty. I can’t take it. It’s eating me up inside.”

I take a seat, needing to take the weight off my foot. “You dumb fuck,” I fire. “What were you thinking?”

“I don’t know. It just happened. One minute we were talking about work, the next we were kissing.”

“You dumb, dumb . . .” Wait. Work? I shoot forward in my chair. “You kissed a client?” I shouldn’t sound so outraged. I’ve done a hell of a lot more than kiss a client. But I was single.

He eyes me across the desk. I’m not sure if it’s with caution or shame. “Not exactly.”

My eyebrows pinch. “Then wh—” I gasp, shooting up from my chair, seeing Violet’s blushed cheeks each time I’ve seen her with Sal. “An employee?” I need to pipe down. I’m in no position to pass judgment, what with Lainey’s and my situation. No, wait. Yes, I fucking am. I’m not fucking married. “What the fuck, Sal?”

“I know.” He slumps over his desk. “I know, I know, I know.”

“You hypocritical wanker.”

“I know,” he murmurs pitifully, starting to thump the desk.

I’m raging. How the hell dare he? After everything? I see Sal in my mind’s eye, laughing along with Violet in all the meetings, the playful banter, and his brush-offs every time I mentioned their flirting. The stupid, stupid twat. “I honestly can’t believe you.”

“I can’t believe myself, Ty. Honestly. I mean, I’m not trying to make excuses, I’m not, but Moya and I have been struggling to get along, and I was blindsided in that one fraction of time. Caught off guard. It could have been any woman, but Lainey was there, and—”