Page 21 of Ride or Die



Reporting Gio might have been a mistake. Actually, it was a mistake. The cold concrete bit through her pants as Riley sat on the curb. The shadows from the skyscrapers lengthened, and the breeze lifted the hairs on her arms. She should have kept her shit together and stuck it out a bit longer. He’d barely touched her.

None of this is okay.

Arguing with Candida about leaving work an hour early just wasn’t worth it.

The bus eased off the curb across the street from their office, belching white smoke into the damp air. Candida’s voice wove in and out of the passing taxis and cars.

Are you sure you’re not reading into it? Gio’s pretty popular around here. A little crush is very understandable. We won’t be reporting this, but don’t worry. I won’t say anything.

“You’re not listening.”

Riley’s head was too heavy to move. “Sorry, what?”

Candida sighed. The wind whipped her hair around her face, red streaks flying. “If you’re going to insist on a written report, we’ll need to consult legal.” She tapped a nail on the notes Riley had emailed her documenting their “conversation.”

Printed them out and everything.

“What did Nico say when you called him?” Riley asked, muted like the blanket of clouds above. Candida’s gaze skated over her and focused on the tourists across the street.

“It’s actually not up to Mr. Ricci. It’s company policy.”

Nico was company policy. Riley climbed to her feet, brushing the cold away from where it’d seeped into her pants. “You did call him, right?”

“I said, it’s company policy.” Candida didn’t meet her eyes, using the same clipped tone as she’d had all afternoon. Candida was the one-woman HR department and did payroll, staffing, and hiring. And firing.

I should have thought this through. This was the opposite of keeping her head down. But it wasn’t fair.

No one deserved this.

The simmer of anger built, burning Riley’s breastbone. She was surprised she still had any left. “I thought not getting harassed at work was also company policy.”

Oh. Yup, lots left.

Candida stared at her. Riley closed her hands and tucked them under her arms. She couldn’t feel them, but it wasn’t that cold. It wasn’t raining.

“Riley, that’s quite an accusation.” Candida shifted on her red-soled heels. “I thought we’d agreed on this. It’s about optics.”

Riley sighed and pushed the heat back down. She folded her jacket over her arms. “What would you call it?”

Candida’s gaze held something unreadable. “A misunderstanding.”

“Huh.” It didn’t feel like a misunderstanding.

It felt like she was seeing clearly for the first time in months.

Tourists moved to the next landmark, halfway up the block, a bronzed bust without a nose. Someone had chiselled it off this time last year.

Candida pasted on a smile and rested her manicured hand on Riley’s shoulder. “You know Gio’s had a hard time. He can’t afford this.”

Riley looked down at the sharp red fingernails. This is a new angle.

Candida injected sympathy into her tone. “He doesn’t even have an MBA. He’s had to work very hard to find his place. He’s really made something of himself. We don’t want to damage his reputation.”

Riley blinked at her. “Are you serious?” Gio’s reputation? As a coked-up, womanizing predator?

Candida pursed her lips, a flicker before she widened her fake smile. She squeezed Riley’s arm. “I couldn’t believe it either when I heard.”