know whose coat this is,” I said meekly, wrapping it tighter around me. “I just stole someone’s coat.”
“Don’t worry about it. We’ll figure out who it belongs to and make sure they get it back. I’m sure they won’t mind you borrowing it,” Lila said, sitting to the right of me.
I nodded my head. I thought the tears would come once I made it to the limo, but they hadn’t showed yet. My body just felt numb. I had to quit my job. There was no way I could continue on after that night. How could I have an ounce of respect for myself if I did? “I have to quit, don’t I?” I asked my friends. They were all in the limo–– Lila and Henry on my sides, Hannah holding hands with Peter, Carmen sitting in between Max and Kyle, and Emma sitting beside Corey. My own little support group.
“Could you stay?” Emma asked me. “Could you stay after this incident?”
I shook my head. “There’s no way. No way. How would I act around Kevin? The employees? What kind of example would I be setting for them if I just brushed this under the rug? That they all need to lie back and take whatever shit Kevin throws their way? I can’t do that. I just can’t. I’m better than that.”
“You are better than that, Alex. Just keep remembering that. You’re better than what just happened in there.” Henry squeezed my hand and kissed my temple.
The limo first dropped Max and Kyle off at their place. Peter was staying at Hannah’s and Henry was staying with me. “I’m going to hop out here, too, if that’s okay with you, Alex. Unless you want to stay up and chat at all. I’ll come back to Wacker,” Carmen said. Even in my current condition, I could see she was finally closing the gap of “friendship” between her and Max.
“No, please. Don’t worry about me. I’m exhausted and just want to sleep. I don’t want to think anymore until the morning. Have a good night.” I managed a wink at her, and she winked back before grabbing her clutch and exiting the limo.
The rest of our group rode back in near silence. Tony helped us all out of the limo and tipped his hat to us as we filed silently inside Wacker. Everyone gave me a hug as we parted, even Corey. I remembered thinking I liked him as he grabbed Emma’s hand and led her down the hallway. Lila unlocked our door and we stepped inside the apartment.
“Well. Great night, everybody. Let’s try that again next year, shall we?” I said bitterly, throwing my clutch on the kitchen table. I ripped the stupid Louboutins off my feet, wanting to throw them as well but realizing that carelessly treating shoes that could very well cost thousands of dollars wouldn’t be my smartest move. “What a fucking joke.”
“It is a fucking joke, Alex. I mean, what the hell are you going to do tomorrow? What do you even say to him? To the employees? Dani? What the hell is Dani going to do?” Lila fired off questions that she knew I couldn’t answer. Henry sank onto the couch, shaking his head.
“I really don’t even know if I can think about this anymore tonight. My head feels like it could explode. But there is no way in hell I am going back to work for him. No freaking way.”
“Can you sue? Could you have any sort a case of sexual harassment against him or something?” Henry asked.
I shrugged my shoulders. “Honestly, I doubt it. He has so much money anyway he could hire much better lawyers than I ever could. I know he’s won lawsuits before when he definitely should have lost. Money buys everything in his world.”
“But Henry’s right. You’re quitting because of what he did. You’ll be out of job because of his actions. And what about the money that he’s given you? You could show how he’s tried paying you off.”
“But that’s going to make me look bad. I accepted it. I helped keep his secrets because he kept handing me checks. What does that say about me, about my character? I look like any cheap hooker would, choosing money over my morals. Why didn’t I just get out of it right away?” Tears leaked through my eyes. I should have known better. I should have gotten out. I should have told. Should have, should have, should have.
“Alex, you can’t blame