Sidequest for Love by L.H. Cosway

“Blackmail?” Leanne gasped, gripping my upper arm and ushering me over to the fancy velvet couch at the far end of the bathroom. She sat us down and levelled me with a serious look. “Tell me everything and start from the beginning.”

So, I did.





20.



Neil

I watched Afric and Leanne walk in the direction of the bathrooms when Callum spoke, drawing my attention.

“I’ve actually been meaning to discuss something with you,” he said to me before casting an apologetic glance in Annabelle’s direction. “Sorry, love, I hope you don’t mind if we talk about work for a minute?”

“Not at all,” she replied, demurely flicking her hair over one shoulder. “Go ahead.”

Callum brought his attention back to me. “James and I have been working on a business idea for a while,” he said, and my eyebrows rose.

“You have?”

He gave a self-deprecating smile. “Neither of us is going to be fit enough to be jumping off buildings the rest of our lives. My knee is already fucked up. I swear it gets an ache right before there’s a rainstorm these days. But anyway, my point is that both of us aren’t the young whippersnappers we used to be. We need more long-term financial security.”

“Seems smart,” I said, nodding as I took a gulp of my drink.

“So, we’ve come up with a plan to start our own sportswear brand.”

“Oh, that’s so cool. I would definitely buy your sportswear if you had a women’s line,” Annabelle put in.

I really, really wish you weren’t here, a voice in my head complained. Every time she spoke, I thought of what she said over at the bar and the USB drive she had in her handbag that she’d clearly brought along to threaten me.

“It’s early days yet, and there’s still a lot of planning to do,” Callum went on, “but both of us have been in agreement about one thing, and it pertains to you.”

“To me?” I asked, not entirely sure what he was working up to. I was too busy fretting over Annabelle.

“We want you to be our COO,” Callum said, and I blinked. “It’d be a big step-up from your current job, and there’d be a significant pay rise.”

“Wow, what a fantastic opportunity for you, Neil,” Annabelle chirped with false sincerity, and just like that, turmoil set in. I remembered all the reasons why I didn’t deserve such a wonderful offer.

“Yes, it is,” I agreed, glancing at Callum. “Are you sure you don’t want someone more experienced?”

“Nope. We want you. It’s a new venture, and the three of us will be learning the ropes together.”

I rubbed my jaw. In any other circumstance, I’d jump at this offer, but guilt and remorse swarmed within me. I didn’t deserve the respect nor the opportunity Callum was offering me.

“Can I think about it?” I asked.

“Of course. Take your time. There’s no rush,” Callum said just as Leanne and Afric returned from the bathroom. In the space of a second, the atmosphere changed. Leanne looked ready to commit murder as she glared at Annabelle. Afric stood behind her, a sheepish expression of drunken guilt and worry on her face, and just like that, I knew.

I knew she’d told Leanne everything, and I was in danger of puking up every last scrap of food I’d eaten today.

“You should leave,” Leanne said, her furious gaze intent on Annabelle.

Annabelle shot her an incredulous look. “Excuse me?”

“Are you hard of hearing, love? I said you should leave,” Leanne practically growled, and Callum reached out to take her hand.

“Leanne, what’s the matter?”

“I’ll tell you what’s the matter,” Leanne snapped. “This bitch has been blackmailing Neil, and I’m putting a stop to it here and now.”

I was frozen in place. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I cast Afric an accusatory look, and her eyes were filled with a thousand sorrys, but it wasn’t good enough. This wasn’t her secret to tell. It was mine, and she’d taken away my chance to do it at a time and place that suited me. I certainly wouldn’t have chosen to tell Callum and Leanne the truth in a flashy, crowded nightclub while Annabelle herself was present.

Finally, I stood. “Listen, I can explain.”

“No, you don’t need to explain anything,” Leanne said, her expression full of sorrow. Oh no, this was worse than anger. She felt sorry for me.

“Can someone enlighten me because I’m completely in the dark here?” Callum asked.

“Yes,” Leanne replied. “I’ll explain everything after this bitch leaves.”

“What did you just call me?”

“You heard me.”

Annabelle’s gaze cut to Afric. “You told her.”

Afric’s attention went from Annabelle to Leanne and then finally to me again. She looked like she regretted what she’d done, and I knew she was drunk, but that was no excuse. She shouldn’t have told Leanne, not like this. This was about to turn into a shitshow; I could already feel it.

Some sort of determination formed in Annabelle’s eyes as she dug into her bag and pulled out the blasted USB drive. “We’re in love. We have been for months. I have all the evidence here,” she said, a wild expression on her face as she wielded the drive at Leanne.