At No Time || Bruno Mars

73

"Everyone talks shit, Peter," Christine snorted reaching by the foot of Peter's desk to retrieve her red pair of panties. "That's hardly news."

Peter sat in his swivel chair, his undone zipper hidden behind his desk as he oscillated slowly. Christine's words did not alleviate his feelings of uncertainty, and he was dismayed to realize that his quick call for her to come to his office on her lunch break had not done much either.

He did not know why he had thought to request her body; he did not long for it like he used to. She asked why he had changed his mind, remembering that he had been the one to put an end to their weekly trysts. He did not have a clear reason, so opted for the answer that he simply missed her.

He was glad that Christine had not questioned the status of he and Trystan—in his heartbreak he had already revealed too much to her. Instead, she knocked on his door, ready to give him what she had missed, and lent her ear to him as his divulged the circumstances of what happened three days before.

"I don't care about what Coulter said—he's had something against SoulWork for as long as I can remember. I just wanna know who leaked the information," Peter revealed. "I didn't want anyone to know anything yet, especially since I may not even be working for them."

"Why not?" Christine inquired, tossing her dark brunette hair over her shoulder and sitting at the chair in front of Peter's desk. "Did he do something wrong?"

"Not Robert necessarily, but his son, Matthew. The one I saw you talking to that one time. He's got some shit in his past that could've put him in jail. I know he still works under his father, so I don't know if he's corrupted their company somehow. I don't wanna take on the job just to see I've walked into a damn minefield."

"Well, you know that's a risk with any company, Peter." Christine crossed her leg with a furrowed brow. "I mean, I've done the numbers for them before, and they've got SoulWork by quite a lot. And knowing you and how smart you are, you'd be able to work out the kinks if there are any. I don't want you dismissing this great opportunity because of some alleged mishaps."

"But they weren't alleged. I've had some of my people here look into it and Trystan's said–,"

"Wait, Trystan? 'The mother of your child' Trystan?" Christine cocked a brow.

"Well, yeah," Peter admit, unsure as to why that was a problem. He did not reveal Stacie's identity because he did not want her to get into any trouble, but Bennett-Price was looking into Sovereignty as well, so Trystan's meddling was not wrong. "What's the issue?"

"The issue?" Christine laughingly mocked. "The issue is that a person who you've cared deeply for an will be attached to forever might have gotten into your head. This goes beyond business."

"Fuck, Christine. Give me some credit." Peter's brow furrowed. "I'm not stupid—people don't just get into my head. Trystan has every right to be wary as I do–,"

"How are you so sure that her intentions are in the right place?"

"What are you talking about?" Christine did not know her, and her assumption that Trystan was not the person she showed herself to be had Peter swelling with defense of her.

"What if she's just been in your head to make Bennett-Price to be something it isn't? What if she doesn't want you working there out of spite? You told me yourself you've hurt her before. What if this is payback for that? Not to mention, if someone who was less qualified to took the position instead of you, there's a chance they'd get paid less, and there's also a chance of her getting paid more because of that. I'm not trying to make you mad, Peter—these are just some things you've gotta think about. You've put yourself in a tough position."