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Back The Companion Project Save as PDF
Chapters (89)
  1. Dedication
  2. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  3. ONE
  4. HENRY
  5. TWO
  6. EMMA
  7. THREE
  8. HENRY
  9. FOUR
  10. EMMA
  11. FIVE
  12. EMMA
  13. SIX
  14. SEVEN
  15. HENRY
  16. EIGHT
  17. NINE
  18. TEN
  19. HENRY
  20. ELEVEN
  21. TWELVE
  22. EMMA
  23. THIRTEEN
  24. HENRY
  25. FOURTEEN
  26. HENRY
  27. FIFTEEN
  28. SIXTEEN
  29. EMMA
  30. SEVENTEEN
  31. HENRY
  32. EIGHTEEN
  33. HENRY
  34. NINETEEN
  35. HENRY
  36. TWENTY
  37. TWENTY-ONE
  38. EMMA
  39. TWENTY-TWO
  40. EMMA
  41. TWENTY-THREE
  42. HENRY
  43. TWENTY-FOUR
  44. EMMA
  45. TWENTY-FIVE
  46. EMMA
  47. TWENTY-SIX
  48. EMMA
  49. TWENTY-SEVEN
  50. HENRY
  51. TWENTY-EIGHT
  52. EMMA
  53. TWENTY-NINE
  54. HENRY
  55. THIRTY
  56. HENRY
  57. THIRTY-ONE
  58. HENRY
  59. THIRTY-TWO
  60. EMMA
  61. THIRTY-THREE
  62. HENRY
  63. THIRTY-FOUR
  64. EMMA
  65. THIRTY-FIVE
  66. EMMA
  67. THIRTY-SIX
  68. HENRY
  69. THIRTY-SEVEN
  70. EMMA
  71. THIRTY-EIGHT
  72. HENRY
  73. THIRTY-NINE
  74. HENRY
  75. FORTY
  76. EMMA
  77. FORTY-ONE
  78. HENRY
  79. FORTY-TWO
  80. FORTY-THREE
  81. EMMA
  82. FORTY-FOUR
  83. EMMA
  84. FORTY-FIVE
  85. HENRY
  86. EPILOGUE
  87. ALSO BY CHELSEA CURTO
  88. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  89. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bad. This is bad. He’s in just as deep as I am.

Would JD be sweet and considerate, letting me finish first while he stares into my eyes and tells me I’m beautiful? Or is he fierce and powerful, exerting dominance over me in a way I’ve craved yet never vocalized? Constructing my reply, my heart overpowers my logical brain, giving in to what Nicole said. What I know I want to do, consequences be damned.

Open up.

Screw it.

RB: I think… I think I want them, too.

RB: So maybe after some time, you can have them.

JD: Yeah?

RB: Yeah.

JD: Sunday needs to hurry up.

RB: Four days.

JD: I’m counting down the minutes.

THIRTEEN

HENRY

I’m zoning out, twirling a pencil absentmindedly between my fingers and not paying attention to the men chattering around me in the conference room as we wait for the meeting Wallace called to start. He mass-emailed everyone yesterday afternoon, letting us know about an important announcement taking place, and attendance was mandatory.

I’m fairly certain he’s going to tell everyone about Richards’ departure, which also means he’s going to be sharing the news that Emma and I are both up for partner.

Dread notches its way down my spine. I’m not quite ready for the rest of the firm to know we’re going against each other. We’ve pleasantly coexisted as of late, and I’m enjoying this new dynamic between us. We’re not full-fledged friends yet, but I think we could get there with time.

Hopefully.

She even awarded me a polite nod in the hallway the other day when I walked to lunch, a minuscule gesture that made my heart skip a literal beat. That’s never happened before, and I rubbed my chest the rest of the afternoon, trying to find the source of the unrhythmic shift.

Emma and I are taking small baby steps in the right direction, but after the announcement, the jokes will roll in. Mumbled comments mentioning our inexperience will follow, and I don’t want her to get caught in the crossfire.

I have the urge to send RB a message and ask for advice. Talking about work and our occupations is off-limits, I know, but I could use some motivation or encouragement leading into this inevitable shitstorm. That woman always says the right things, making me feel better when I’m down.

As if on cue, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I know it’s her. It’s weird, but I can tell when she’s the one to message me. We don’t have a strict communication schedule, but I light up when my phone vibrates at specific times during the day, knowing RB’s sneaking in a message to me during her free moments at work.