Tessa's Temptation(43)

"My relationship with her is none of your business. You're my attorney,  or at least you were." Obviously she hadn't gotten his note yet. "We  can't work like this anymore."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"As of eight o'clock this morning, I no longer require your services.  Check your email," he said. "You'll find a letter of termination. I've  compensated you quite well, but I'm taking my business in a different  direction that doesn't include us working together. I'm opting out of  our contract."

"You can't do that."

"I can and I did," he said. "My new attorney has explained everything in  detail for you. When you came back on as my lawyer we placed  stipulations in your contract. You approved them. I took you back on the  basis that you were well and able to work."

"I am able to work."

"Maybe, just not for me. I think you need help but that's not my concern  anymore. I tried to help you before but I see how you repaid me."

"How dare you throw my breakdown back in my face? How could you do that? You know what a hard time I had."

"I didn't want to but you've left me no choice." He slammed his fist on  his desk when he thought about her keying Tessa's car and sending Tanner  to force himself on her. "You interfered in my personal life and I will  not tolerate that. I won't let you terrorize Tessa. Your issues are  with me, not her."                       
       
           



       

"Why are you doing this? I was trying to show you that you're living  with a gold digging tramp who would do anything to sleep in your bed."

"She's done nothing to you."

"She's taken you from me." She paced the office, waving her hands  around. "We were finding our way back to one another. We would have if  you hadn't moved her into your home. Why did you do that?"

"You're delusional."

"There you go again, trying to throw my breakdown back at me." With each  word she became more irate. "You understood. You took care of me until  that whore moved in. Once she got in your bed, you forgot about me."

"That's enough." Chase stood and walked past her to the door because he  had to stop this. "I want you out of here. I can call the facility that  helped you before. I can arrange for you to go back there and get help  again or we can find someplace else. Would you like me to call your  therapist?"

"I'm not crazy." She wiped her eyes. "I know exactly what I'm doing."

"I didn't say you were, but after what you did to Tessa, I can't have  you here." He opened the door because he wanted her to leave before she  caused a scene. His employees were starting to trickle in and she was  more unstable than he had initially thought. "Would you like me to call  someone for you? Perhaps your sister?"

"Why are you doing this to me? To us? I was willing to wait her out and  then you would see we belonged together. I'm the better choice for you."

"Audra, there is no us. There hasn't been for a very long time. Tessa had nothing to do with our break up."

She continued to pace his office, gazing out the window and then back at him.

"Do you understand that?" He needed to make sure she didn't blame Tessa for anything.

"Stop treating me like I'm certifiable." She adjusted her blouse and  smoothed her hair. "I get that we were broken up before she came into  the picture. I was trying to be a friend to you." She walked toward him.  "I can see that's not what you want. You really want me gone?"

"I'm sorry, but yes." She didn't appear as agitated as she had been a  few seconds before. She seemed calmer and more composed. He wasn't sure  that was a good sign. "It's not working out for either of us."

"Fine, but don't come crying to me when your slut from the wrong side of  the tracks rips out your heart and stomps all over it. She'll never be  who you need."

He didn't give her the satisfaction of a response as she stormed past  him and hurried down the hallway. He hoped she'd clear out and leave him  alone. This wouldn't be the last of her. He was certain she'd slap him  with some kind of lawsuit, but at least she'd be out of his office. He  hoped her sister could get her the help she needed. Now he had to figure  out a way to make Tessa forgive him.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and texted her a quick message. She was still asleep when he left the house.

Morning, sweetheart.

After a few minutes, he decided to go refill his coffee. She always  responded within seconds when he texted her. She was probably still  pissed at him. He didn't blame her but he intended to make things right.

He had a few things to take care of at the office and he wanted to make  sure Audra left without any commotion. Then he could go home and be with  the most important woman in his life.



***



Tess showered, made breakfast, and wrapped some Christmas presents all  before nine. Chase had left the house earlier than usual, and didn't  bother to say goodbye. He was probably avoiding her. She tried to keep  her mind off what had happened the night before, but nothing seemed to  work. She hadn't slept at all. The more waking hours that passed the  more she wanted to go crawl into bed with him. She was trying to prove a  point when she told him she wanted to be alone, but all it had done was  make her miserable. He was wrong and when he got home from work she  planned to tell him how hurt she was, and that if their relationship was  going to work he was going to have to be totally honest with her. She  didn't need to know about every woman he had slept with, but he should  have had the sense to tell her about his attorney. Especially since she  was an unstable bitch. Every time she thought about Audra keying her car  she wanted to slap her.

Tess may have been harsh on Chase. He was very protective of her, but  that didn't give him the right to keep things from her. Perhaps she  should call him and let him know she wasn't as angry as she was last  night. She wasn't going to let him off the hook easily, but there was no  reason to let him go through the day feeling as bad as she did. Maybe  if they talked for a few minutes she wouldn't be so unhappy.                       
       
           



       

When she retrieved her phone from her hoodie pocket she saw she'd missed  a text from him. He'd sent it over an hour ago. She smiled when she  read his morning greeting. He was reaching out to her too. Just as she  was about to respond the doorbell chimed. May had taken a few days off  to get her holiday shopping done and visit with her grandkids. Tess set  her phone down on the table and headed to the front door. She must not  have been fast enough for the impatient caller because now they were  knocking hard on the door.

"I'm coming," she shouted. "No need to be rude."

Her lack of sleep and fight with Chase had left her in a foul mood. She  didn't feel like dealing with any drama today. As she peeked out of the  glass window she rolled her eyes.

Hell no! I don't need this drama.

"What do you want?" she asked as she pulled open the door to greet her unwanted guest.





Chapter Twenty-five



Chase came in through the garage with roses and Tessa's favorite pizza  in hand. He wasn't above groveling. The house was quiet. She hadn't even  turned on the Christmas lights. That wasn't a good sign. She adored the  decorations and had lit the tree and mantle ever since the day after  Thanksgiving. Her car was still in the garage so she had to be home.

"Tessa," he called as he walked through the foyer to the bottom of the steps. "Baby, please come down."

He waited a few minutes but she still didn't respond. When he turned to  set the pizza on the foyer table he noticed the large crystal vase he  was going to put the roses in had been knocked over and shattered by the  front door.

"Tessa?"

Could she still be that mad? He went to the laundry room for the broom  and dust pan. How could she have left all that glass in the entryway? As  he swept up the mess he waited for her to come downstairs. He may have  had some apologizing to do, but she could have at least greeted him so  they could discuss things like adults.

A sharp knock at the front door pulled him out of his thoughts. He  looked through the side window to find Tanner standing on the porch.  What the hell did he want?

Chase opened the door to his jittery intern. Tanner didn't look like he  had slept either. His jaw sported a large bruise where Chase had hit him  the night before.

"What are you doing here?" Chase asked. "When you didn't show up at work I figured you came to your senses."

"I didn't think I still had a job."