Ride Rough - Tessa Layne Page 0,1

practically spit. "If I don't make waves, and offer to write puff pieces."

"There's no shame in writing human-interest."

She ground her molars so hard they squeaked. "This is when your cowardice is complicit in trafficking," she accused, steel in her voice.

"Now, calm down a hot second." He raised a finger. "You're only speculating."

Cecilia slammed her hands down on squeaky clean desk that stood between them, and leaned in. "I. Will. Not. Calm. Down. Sir." Chicago's queen of the Northeast Heights, Bonita Carradine's matchmaking service Until You was involved in trafficking. She knew it with every bone in her body. She just hadn't been able to prove it. Yet. She'd already seen evidence it was an illegal escort service. It wasn't too much of a stretch to move into trafficking, especially when so many young co-eds were on her payroll, and the number of mafiosos on Bonita's client list was staggering. She stared hard at her boss. How had she been so blind? He'd let her chase down the story to keep her occupied and distracted while he was privy to the pending merger. "You were going to fire me anyway, weren't you? This just made it easier." Her stomach churned violently. Stupid, headstrong Cecilia, always crusading for a cause. Only this time, she'd gotten so caught up in her discoveries, she'd been oblivious to everything else - the frenetic energy in the office over the last month, the guilty looks exchanged between coworkers when she walked into the break room. She'd foolishly assumed they'd felt bad that her boyfriend Charlie had dumped her.

At least Bob had the grace to blush. He dropped his gaze, nodding once. "Trib wasn't interested in someone with your skill set."

"You mean, someone like me," she said flatly. "Someone who goes after the tough stories. Someone who still has journalistic integrity."

Something warm flashed in Bob's eyes. "You're too much of a liability."

"Because I expose the truth?" Her nostrils flared as she huffed out a breath, shaking her head. "I expected more from you Bob. I really did."

"Journalism's changed, kiddo, you know that."

Cecilia straightened. "Journalism's dead. And thank God you've saved me from following in your footsteps and dying a slow, pathetic death." The corners of her mouth drew up, though it was no smile. "Have a nice life, Bob. Enjoy the beach with Janet." She didn't bother to remove the acid from her tone. Turning, she stalked to the door, taking care to not rush her steps. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her crack. A hush fell on the outer room as the door swung open, all the evidence she needed that her colleagues knew. Keeping her eyes riveted on the far side of the room, she marched to her desk, swept her messenger bag from her chair, and wove through the eerie silence and down the hall to the bank of elevators. Thankfully, she met no other employees on the elevator ride down. At the security desk, she paused, removing her badge. "I won't be needing this anymore, James," she said with a watery smile.

The older gentleman's eyes widened, but she shook her head before he could speak. "It's okay. All part of the plan. See you 'round." Her silver gladiator heels echoed across the shiny marble as she propelled herself toward the revolving doors and out onto Michigan Avenue. It was only nine-fifteen, but already the warm summer air held a heaviness that predicted afternoon showers. By the time she'd walked the mile-and-a-half to Grant Park and dropped to a bench, her feet were screaming at her. She didn't care. Right now, the pain was welcome. Better her feet than her heart. She pulled out her phone, took a bracing breath, and called the only person in the world who might possibly make this day suck a little less.

"Sissy! How's it going?"

The smile in her little sister's voice knifed right through her chest. Cecilia bit her lip to keep from crying out. "Hi," she said, voice wavering.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Mariah's voice filled with concern. "Spill," she ordered.

The fierce love and worry in her sister's voice was her undoing. Cecilia squeezed her eyes shut trying to keep her shit together, but it wasn't enough to stop the water from leaking out, or the cry from exploding out of her throat. She bent against the searing pressure in her chest. "I lost my job," she sobbed. "I don't know what to do."

Chapter Two

April - Two months earlier

"No," Trace said flatly, gripping the