Page 76 of Not Safe for Work

“But you don’t want that?”

“I don’t. Not at all.”

I study him as he watches me, perhaps waiting for my reaction.

“You don’t want any of this, and they gave you the team lead promotion.”

He shakes his head before he gives me a strange look.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

He exhales a long breath. “You already know you should have gotten it. You always meet your KPIs. Your team was the fastest. You’re brilliant and a great leader. Everyone can see that, and it should have been a no-brainer.”

My gaze narrows, wondering where he’s going with this. “And?”

“And I debated ever telling you this, but I went to my uncle and told him I didn’t deserve the position and that he should give it to you.”

“Because you didn’t want it,” I accuse.

“No. Because you’re the one who deserved it. Tris, you’re so damn capable and brilliant, and the truth is, you’re the reason I’m even half-competent at my job.”

I shake my head, “What does that mean?”

“Working with you made me want to be better. Even if it isn’t really what I want, I’ve tried to make the best of it, and I don’t really know why we became so competitive with one another, but you’d get that determined look in your eyes, and I… wanted to impress you. But there’s no doubt that you are so much better at this.”

His words sink between us like a lead balloon.

“So, what happened when you went to Charles?”

Rafe inhales a long breath. “He told me the decision had been made, and if I didn’t want it, they’d give it to Rory. I didn’t want to tell you because I thought knowing that idiot was their next choice would hurt even more.”

I say nothing for a moment, blood thundering in my ears. It’s then that I understand I never stood a chance. I’d convinced myself I was second best, but I wasn’t even a consideration. It’s a cold slap in the face. A dose of reality. A hearty shove reminding me that the only person who can break me out of this rut is me.

I leap up from my seat and brace my hands against the balcony railing. Immediately, he follows.

“Talk to me,” he pleads.

“Rory?” I ask. “They were going to give it to Rory.”

I want to puke.

He nods. “It felt like I had no choice but to accept it. Rory would have been so much worse for everyone. For you. Fuck, I’ve been trying to get him fired for years, but this company can’t seem to pull its head from its ass even when someone is that toxic.”

“I thought he was your friend?” I ask, scrutinizing his face.

“He’s not my friend.” He looks so mortally offended by my question that I blink. “He just won’t leave me alone. He thinks that because we’re related, I owe him something. I tell him to stay away from me, but the asshole does what he wants. I can’t stand him.”

I huff out a breath that is part disbelief and part defeat.

My hands squeeze the railing as I will my tears not to fall. Rafe stands silently next to me, tension radiating between us. I grip the railing as I bend forward and belt out a scream of frustration.

“Tris, what can I do?”

“I don’t know!” I yell, throwing up my hands.

“You have every right to be angry. I’m going to fix this. When we get home, I’ll try again. I will try harder.” He looks so agonized that I almost feel sorry for him.

I shake my head, my eyes drifting shut. “No. I don’t want you to do that.”