Oh, the consequences of anger . . .

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Thanks to:
Di, my editor,

Paige, Aileen, and Renee, my prereaders.

Stupid Little Game
Chapter 9

Riley, the Senior Graphic Designer who worked on the Luxe account, was pissed as usual.

He looked like a forty-year-old Archie Andrews from the comic strip, and would have been boyishly attractive without the perpetual scowl. The first time I witnessed his anger, I'd been taken aback, but I soon realized it seemed to be his usual state of mind. Riley tended to bitch first and produce afterward. Thankfully, what he did create was generally breathtaking.

Meanwhile, he was going to give himself an ulcer.

"You have got to be kidding me. I don't remember Luxe being this difficult when Stephenie worked with them," he said nasally, running a hand through his startling red hair.

I bit back a grin when it remained standing.

"They've never been this indecisive before," he accused.

Wait a minute. Was he really insinuating this was my fault?

"It's a scholarship contest, Riley, and they've never offered one before," I said smoothly, swallowing my own anger. Still, I was damned tired of him always giving me a hard time. "They're nervous and excited about doing it, so I think that's why the design has changed so many times. But I also understand they're one of our top clients, so it's important to accommodate them, okay?"

It was the right thing to say, but also the wrong thing, because steam practically came puffing out his ears.

"No. You are not standing there trying to tell me something I already know," he drawled in a contemptuous manner, letting his wrist flop down in an exaggerated fashion, pantomiming like an angry drama queen.

"No, I'm just reminding you."

"Now listen here–"

Spinning around in his chair, he leveled me with a fierce glare that quickly dissipated at the sight of something behind me. Suddenly, he looked both chagrined and delighted.

"Edward," he said loftily, and I spun.

Edward stepped through Riley's office door like a fierce-eyed, avenging angel dressed in darkest gray. Registering his impassive face and hard stare sent my pulse hammering after my heart. It was a familiar look, one I'd seen on a much younger expression, and suddenly, I felt lightheaded.

Oh, no. Had he heard our conversation?

Briefly, his gaze swept across me before he moved it back to Riley.

"Sounds like you're giving Bella a hard time," Edward said, his tone arctic.

Well, that answered that.

Riley, his feet hooked around the bars of his stool, was visibly shaken, and his posture straightened. Seeing him react like that made me carry my iPad to my chest.

"I give everyone a hard time, you know that," he tried to joke.

It fell flat. Coolly silent, Edward assessed Riley stoically. After a moment, Riley began to squirm.

I started to internally squirm myself. First of all, I didn't need Edward's assistance, and second, his forceful stare might have been hot as hell, but it was also intimidating. I was second-hand nervous and teetering in the wind.

I'd lied in Edward's office the day I told him Riley worked well with my concepts, because I didn't want to create waves. I also believed any problems that ensued were mine to deal with. But even if they weren't, I would have swallowed my own foot first before mentioning anything to Edward.

Long seconds passed as the two men engaged in a staring contest, and it was getting uncomfortably ridiculous. I was about to speak when Riley finally caved.

"Maybe I'm being a little unreasonable," he admitted. "But the client's changed their mind four times now. Perhaps Bella's concept wasn't clear enough, because it seems to me they don't know what they want."

My mouth fell open. No, he was not trying to throw me under the bus!

"The concept is clear, Riley," Edward said. "I've read it myself. The client knows what they want. It's your job to create it visually, even if it takes more than four tries to get it right. As you've worked here for years, I have to assume you've encountered situations like this in the past."

"Well, not to this extent—"

"But what really concerns me is your blatant disrespect of another employee."

A wave of dread coursed through my body as Riley paled and swallowed.

"Of course," he began. "I've definitely–"

"Because that's not how Smith and Devaney operate. Maybe you need a refresher on company core values."

"It's fine," I said, hoping to diffuse Edward's anger. "We're working it out, aren't we, Riley?"

"It is not fine," Edward said, and my heart started racing. "I heard the entire conversation. This is not how professionals on the same team work together, and Riley knows it."

Edward took a few steps closer to the desk where Riley sat, forcing Riley to look up at him. When he spoke, his tone was conversational, but the words were pointed and carried a warning.

"I understand Betsy promoted you to Senior Graphic Designer recently. Perhaps that has added more stress than you can deal with, and clouded your judgment."

"Please don't make this into a huge ordeal," I implored Edward.

He glanced at me, his gaze softening at whatever he saw reflected on my face. Probably a sense of panic, because I felt as if his criticism was spiraling out of control.

"He's right, Bella," Riley said with a heavy sigh, and the nasal tone was gone from his voice. With his hair still sticking up and the frown on his mouth, he looked like a chastised boy. "I haven't treated you fairly, and I apologize."

"Accepted," I said immediately, desperate to ease the situation. "I know we'll work well together now. I look forward to it."

His gaze was grateful as he faced me, although he still looked browbeaten and embarrassed.

"As long as that happens, we won't have to involve Betsy and Stuart," Edward said and stepped back.

"Thank you," Riley said humbly. "I appreciate you giving me another chance."

"Across the board, Riley. I don't want to hear any more stories about you being difficult, or we'll be revisiting this conversation, and there will be an entirely different outcome," Edward added.

Riley dipped his head and nodded.

Edward turned and held out his arm then, indicating I should leave.

Okay, I guessed my meeting was over.

"I'll have something for you to look at tomorrow, Bella," Riley called after me.

I turned to aim a look his way. "Thank you."

As Edward and I walked down the hallway to the Marketing section of the floor, my heart was pounding with the urge to call him out. He'd used his position to intimidate Riley, and I couldn't help but relate his actions to those of his past. In my mind, I kept seeing that cold, impassive look on his face.

Feeling Edward's stare, I smoothed out my expression, trying to hide how upset I was.

"Do we need to talk about this?" he asked.

"No," I growled, and took two steps before I stopped and swung around. "You haven't changed much at all," I whispered. "You were bullying Riley!"

He studied me, then wiped at his mouth. "Let's go to my office."

"No."

"Bella, please. I'm not asking," he replied, and my free hand balled into a fist.

As I moved along, I could feel how stiff I was, how hard I gripped my iPad. When my steps slowed beside my cubicle, Edward cleared his throat.

Tanya saw us as we went by—her internal Edward radar seemed to be as acute as mine—but I didn't dare meet her eyes. On the other side of the aisle, Alice was busily clacking away at her keyboard while wearing her headset.

I was sure people wondered what was going on as we marched silently across the floor to Edward's office. My skin crawled with the feel of eyes on us as we passed. I could just hear the words, oh, somebody's in trouble.

"Please remember that everyone can easily see inside this office," Edward said as soon as he'd closed his door after us.

"I'll smile widely as I talk, then," I muttered.

"Let's sit. Standing makes it appear as if we're arguing."

Realizing he was right, I sat as Edward moved around the desk to his own chair. Trying to calm down, I took a couple of deep breaths.

This isn't about you, I told myself.

"When I came around the corner and heard the way Riley was talking to you, I knew you'd lied to me. Why?"

Or maybe it was about me.

I had to look away from the intensity in his eyes. Why was everything so high octane with him? It honestly wore me out.

"I fight my own battles."

"You couldn't know this, but Riley has a reputation of being difficult to work with sometimes," Edward said with a pointed look on his face. "That's why I asked you how it was going with the Graphics Department. It wasn't because I didn't think you could do your job."

Hearing that Riley was also difficult for others to work with gave me a tiny pause, but barely took the edge off my anger.

"Regardless, he backed down the instant you challenged him," I said. "Why did you have to keep hammering on him? It was embarrassing."

"To ensure his behavior doesn't keep happening. He was the one doing the bullying."

My breathing picked up. "And you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?"

"Yes," he said firmly. "I would, because I had to face it myself. Trust me, it's been made perfectly clear to me what bullying is and how to deal with it. There's no room in the workplace for that kind of behavior, and I made it clear to Riley."

"You browbeat him in front of someone else. It would have been different if I hadn't been there, but I was."

"Browbeating him would have entailed calling his boss and the CEO of Advertising into the office, and explaining exactly what I'd heard him saying to you. Based on what I've heard from others in this department, it would have been deserved. Riley owes you a thank you for keeping him from that experience, because I was prepared to do it."

Still flustered, my nails dug deeper into my palms. "Exactly what a bully does. Hammer."

"I was simply reminding him of his place within our organization," Edward replied, utterly unruffled. "And Riley agreed he hadn't been fair to you."

I shook my head, feeling tears sting my eyes. I didn't know why Edward's anger with Riley was affecting me so strongly, but I needed to get a hold of my emotions and fast.

Edward's steady regard wasn't helping.

"Did you hear him when he said he was sorry?"

I blinked, picking up an odd note of concern in his voice. "Yes, I heard him."

"And do you accept his apology?"

"You were there," I answered. Where was he going with this?

"So you accepted his apology, and I bet he's been acting this way since day one. Am I right?"

I exhaled sharply and gave him a sideways glance. "This isn't about us."

"Isn't it?" he murmured.

Our eyes held, Edward's piercing as usual, mine angry and accusing . . . and beginning to swim with tears, damn it. Tearing my gaze away, I stared at the blurry pattern of sunlight on the floor in front of the window.

"I think you unintentionally put yourself into Riley's place just now," he said, his voice low, gentle, his patience growing as mine shattered. "So, I understand why you were upset and embarrassed. I'm sorry, Bella."

His apology threw me, and I swallowed painfully as a sob tried to work its way up my throat. Closing my eyes tightly, I willed myself under control. A tear escaped and rolled down my cheek. I wiped it away viciously, wanting to disappear through the floor, knowing he was there watching me.

Seeing me break down.

"It needed to be said, though, so Riley understands his behavior is wrong. It was unprofessional, not to mention downright mean, to act as he did with you. Someone needed to call him on it, and it happened to be me because I heard it. Our company's number one policy is teamwork, and Riley clearly forgot it. Collaboration is what we do here, and he was not collaborating with you."

The longer he spoke, the more I was able to recover, until I could finally meet his eyes again. Cautious, open, soft, Edward appeared more vulnerable than I'd ever seen him before; it seemed as if he was giving a piece of himself to me in response to my reaction.

I was surprised, even grateful, but still horribly uncomfortable.

"I get it," I said, and my voice sounded damp, gruff, and cool.

"What do you get? Tell me."

I sighed jaggedly. "I know Riley was wrong, okay?"

"What else?"

Damn it.

"You were within your rights to call him on it. I just wish I hadn't been there to see it. Or, I wish you'd just reported him to his supervisor and let her handle it," I said, regaining some of my composure.

"He's been reported to Betsy before," Edward said, and my eyes widened. "He's lucky he's not under my purview, or he'd be gone."

I nodded, looking away from him again. His beautiful gaze was just too knowing, too penetrating, too much.

"So . . . are we good?" he asked me after a few dragging moments of silence.

"Yes," I answered shortly, and pushed myself up. I'd had enough of this kind of embarrassing intimacy. "Can I go now?"

"Of course."

I felt his gaze on me as I walked to the door, but it didn't bother me as it usually did. Maybe because he had been so intent on helping me through my misread of the situation. Maybe because he hadn't made me feel bad about overreacting. And maybe because he'd made sure I understood the entire story.

"Bella?"

He could never just let me leave, could he?

"What?"

He didn't answer, so I was forced to turn around again. My heart jumped into my throat at the look of kindness in his eyes.

"I hope you know that you can always talk to me," he murmured.

I raised my eyebrow.

"Or you could talk to Alice," he added and smiled ruefully, making my chest flutter.

It was his sad little smile that got me; that look that made it obvious he knew I'd come to him only as a last resort. A tiny sting of shame cut into a corner of my heart.

"I know," I admitted. And I meant it, even if I'd probably never do it. I was used to handling everything on my own.

Back at my desk, I exhaled shakily as I sank into my chair. It felt as if I'd been run through a grinder, and left a piece of myself behind on his floor. My body and head felt heavy, and my soul was definitely shaken.

With the exception of the first time we'd met, I'd never let Edward Cullen see my tears. What was happening to me? He gives me a soft look, and I lose a chink of my armor?

No, he'd taken me by surprise, that was all. The whole thing with Riley had been like a damn roller coaster, hurling me headlong down a hill, then corkscrewing me into going upside down. I hated roller coasters; I'd have probably broken down in front of anyone after that ride.

"What's going on?"

I jumped at Alice's question and turned to see a serious expression on her face.

"Tanya stopped by about fifteen minutes ago saying that you and Edward were meeting behind closed doors. And Edward hardly ever has closed door meetings, so . . ."

I started to feel sick. Why was Edward changing the status quo?

"There was a little misunderstanding with Riley."

Alice leaned against my desk and crossed her arms. "There's never a little misunderstanding with Riley. It's all slings and arrows with him. What happened?"

"Edward overheard a conversation between us," I began, the words coming out laboriously. "He had some strong words for Riley. Because I was there, it upset me. It's difficult seeing someone get into trouble."

"Even if Riley deserved it?"

I shrugged and nodded.

"Riley's had it coming for a while. Betsy's good at what she does, but she's no disciplinarian. Still, it's odd that Edward didn't pull me into the room also. I'm your supervisor."

It was a leading comment, and she eyed me expectantly.

What was I supposed to say?

This was personal. I needed to give Edward hell for bullying Riley. Only I was monumentally wrong. It was a total mess. And embarrassing.

"He gave me a pep talk of sorts," I said and smiled, but even I could tell it was unconvincing. Telling half-truths definitely wasn't my strength. Or, apparently, hiding how off-balance I still felt. I used to be damn good at it—I used to hide a lot of pain from Dad—but evidently, I was out of practice.

Alice studied me silently for a few moments, then relaxed her arms. "You still seem upset, but Riley isn't worth it, trust me."

I wasn't exactly upset over Riley, but I nodded anyway. And tried to look reassuring. Basically, not fooling her for a second, but she let it go and moved back to her desk.

And I sat at mine feeling vulnerable, my world rocked slightly off its axis. I wasn't always right, but I wasn't used to being so wrong.

My anger with Edward had blindsided me.

It was an embarrassing wakeup call.