Havoc (Tattoos and Ties 1)

Boy, had Janice nailed that. Alec got a little pit in his stomach staring at Janice who stepped back and let the doors close in his face. He stood there, the elevator buzzer still ringing in his ears, wondering what the hell Twiford would do to him now. The elevator doors next to him opened, and Blair stepped off, coming to an abrupt stop in front of him.

“Good. You’re here. Twiford’s in your office. I was supposed to come find you when I got sidetracked,” Blair said, giving a sympathetic smile and a pat on his arm. He stood there, not wanting to move even when Blair walked away.

“I’ve got a meeting,” he said lamely, attempting to mask the worry from his expression. In the five seconds he’d had to contemplate the possibilities of why Twiford was in his office, he couldn’t think of any good reasons.

“She had me reschedule before I came and got you,” Blair said, again doing that pivot move in order to walk backward.

“What’s it about?” he asked, still not budging one single step. A complete stall tactic, more than anything, but he didn’t want to go in there.

“I’d guess the biker gang, but I don’t know.” She turned back around, walking in quick strides to her desk.

Terms like dead man walking came to mind. The fifty or so steps to his office felt more like the green mile with the anxiety churning through him. When he entered, Donice Twiford had commandeered his office chair, her long, claw-like fingernails clicking on his keyboard. She didn’t acknowledge Alec, but he hadn’t expected her to.

The problem they had between them was that Alec never bowed to her. He flat out didn’t like her, and he suspected the feeling was mutual. He considered her a master manipulator of everything and everyone, and her agenda wasn’t for the greater good, but for personal glory. All qualities he detested in a person. She had no boundaries for personal space. He’d learned within her first few days in office to log out of the internal company program. She regularly appropriated the staffs’ computers and space, especially when she had discipline on her mind. He took it as a reminder of who really ran this show.

“Take a seat,” she said, pointing to one of the two chairs in front of his desk.

Alec hung his suit jacket on the hanger by the door as slowly and causally as possible before taking that seat, laying his portfolio opened on his lap, pencil in hand.

“You haven’t joined any of the Havoc task force meetings. Why?” she asked, not looking up or stopping her fingers from their insistent clicking. Her fingernails were so long he couldn’t understand how she hit the keys so quickly with just those pointed tips.

Alec waited until her typing slowed and her right pinky hit the enter button before he answered. “It’s not my area of expertise,” he stated with as much disinterest in his voice as he could muster.

“Hmm.” She lounged back in his chair, giving a small insincere grin. Lordy, he didn’t like the woman. She was condescending as hell. Her whole demeanor spoke volumes on how much she thought of his answer.

“I heard you declared your intentions this weekend,” she stated, lifting a perfect arched eyebrow.

“I did,” he confirmed with a nod.

“And you didn’t tell us first? Not human resources, not me…” He wondered how long her brow could hold that severe arch of condemnation.

“It happened quickly, and I’m in the preliminary stages,” he answered. It hadn’t even occurred to him to seek her approval.

“Hmm.” The arch dropped and the cold smile was back as she leaned forward, lacing her fingers together on his desk. “Well, effective immediately, I’m changing your position. From this point forward, you’ll be working the CPS—”

“What? I’m not qualified for CPS.” Alec vigorously shook his head, slamming the portfolio closed as he came to his feet. He certainly didn’t have the temperament for such a placement. He’d never be able to separate himself from the cases in Child Protective Services. Absolutely not.

“I don’t believe that for a second.” She opened a file he hadn’t noticed on his desk and she thumbed through the contents. From the angle he stood, he could see the file held information on him. “I see a specialty in civil rights. That’s sweet if not a bit idealistic. Certainly looks good in front of a Senate Judiciary Committee. You’ve worked pro bono on the Death Penalty Project and the Equality Act. You interned with the Commitment for Civil Rights and Judge Sawyer.” She looked up, cocking her head, that horrid little smile spreading. “I think it’s a perfect fit.”

She flipped the file closed and stood, with an I-fucking-dare-you challenge clear on her face. More than anything, he wanted to tender his resignation, show this hateful woman exactly how he felt about this move, but that was also exactly what she wanted. He steeled his spine and narrowed his eyes. He wouldn’t quit now, if only to spite her.