INTRUSIVE

CHAPTER 9

Ember wasn't about to let her life be dictated by Rylan. And she definitely wasn't going to let her life be controlled by Michael.

So Sunday evening, when an email from Michael came in, she readied herself. She was to meet him at 9 in the morning at a coffee shop only a few blocks from her work. She knew this was intentional. She would miss work, but it couldn't be avoided. She'd just have to take her chances with Rylan's anger.

Everything was ready to go: she'd spent most of the day preparing evidence against Michael. He wasn't squeaky clean. He had even more of a checkered past than she had. If push came to shove, then it would be easy to turn the evidence over to the police.

She'd implicate herself, of course. There was no other way to go about it, not now. She just hoped that it wouldn't be enough for Rylan to fire her. If it did, well... She'd always been smart and resourceful. She'd survive.

And Michael would end up in jail for a long, long time.

Rylan would be out of her life. She sighed thinking of that. But isn't he already?

Ember reached into the bottom of her desk drawer, removing all of the files inside. Then she lifted up the false bottom and pulled out a pistol. She'd never used it besides a few times at the gun range. She never thought she would have to use it.

She grabbed it anyway.

If things between her and Michael got bad, and he was as dangerous as he'd let on, she didn't think it would hurt to have a little bit of extra protection.

She hoped she didn't have to use it.

But she would...