Legally Not Yours

The Machine Incident

POV: Leah

I didn’t think the copy machine fire would follow me into the next day. But apparently, when a copier explodes, sets off the fire alarm, disrupts a senior client meeting, and causes a top-tier law firm’s third floor to evacuate, people tend to remember it.

Especially when you’re the last person seen using it and when you’re the scholarship girl. And especially when the person standing next to you when it happened was Jared Connors.

Of course, by the time I arrived at the office the next morning, everyone knew.

I could feel the stares before I even stepped off the elevator. I’d barely sat down in the shared workspace when a sharp knock hit the doorframe.

“Leah Rosewood?” I looked up to see someone from Facilities and another woman from HR.

Oh no.

“We need a few minutes of your time,” the HR rep said.

Jared was already seated, flipping through a legal brief like none of this concerned him.

I stood slowly. “Is there a problem?”

“There was damage to firm property,” she said calmly. “The incident is being reviewed internally. Mr. Connors wants it handled thoroughly.”

“Mr. Connors senior?” I clarified.

“Yes.”

I followed them down the hall and ten minutes later, I found myself outside Jeff Connors’ office, clutching my bag and trying to stay calm. The door opened before I could knock. He looked furious.

“Come in,” he said.

I stepped in.

“Do you have any idea what you did yesterday?” he snapped. “That machine caught fire in the middle of our quarterly review with Gableton Pharmaceuticals. They left the building before we could even finish the presentation.”

“I didn’t know it would—”

“Well, I don’t take excuses, Ms.Rosewood,” he said. “You were using the machine. You admitted it.”

“Yes, but I…”

“Then it’s on you until proven otherwise.” I froze, looking at him in disbelief.

“But I’ve used that copier before. I wasn’t doing anything wrong.”

“Then hope the Facilities report agrees with you,” he said coldly. “Until then, stay out of my sight.”

I walked back to our shared office space, Jared was still there. He looked up from his notes with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“Bad day?” he asked.

I slammed my bag down. “Go to hell.”

He nodded slowly. “That’s a yes.” I turned away from him, furious, humiliated, and shaking.

“I’m being blamed,” I said. “He’s furious, HR is investigating and they think I sabotaged the machine.”

“Well,” Jared said, standing, “technically, you were the one using it.”

I glared at him. “And you were next to me.”

“True. But I didn’t admit to anything.”

I took a shaky breath. “You’re really going to let me burn for this?”

He walked toward me slowly. “Not necessarily.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I have options. Leverage.” He leaned against the desk beside me. “You have a problem. I have a solution.”

I froze. He reached into his bag and pulled out the contract. The same contract.

“Sign it,” he said, laying it flat in front of me. “And I’ll take care of the rest.”

My jaw dropped. “You’re blackmailing me. Again.”

“I’m offering protection,” he said coolly. “You don’t have any.”

“I’m innocent!”

“And that’s adorable,” he said. “But you’re still alone and they won’t care what the truth is. They’ll care that the client walked out, and you were holding the copy tray when it lit up.”

“I can’t believe you’d do this.”

“And I believe you will,” he said. “Because you hate feeling powerless more than you hate me.”

He picked up a pen and placed it beside the page.

“I’ll make the calls. I’ll clear your name. You’ll come out of this looking like a victim of malfunction. Not sabotage.” My hands trembled.

I looked at him, at the paper, at the signature line waiting for my name.

“You enjoy this,” I whispered. “You love having me trapped.”

He stepped closer. “I enjoy watching you try to resist something you already want.”

“I don’t want this.”

“You want control,” he said. “Signing this is a control. Say yes, and you win back your reputation. Your future.”

He was close again. Too close. His hand moved to my lower back, fingers grazing gently. I gasped,half shock, half frustration.

I wanted to protest but Jared took the paper, folded it neatly and tucked it into his jacket. Then he stepped in one last time, nose brushing mine. We were so close I could feel every breath.

“You know what the worst part is?” he whispered. “I want to kiss you right now. But I’m not going to.”

“Why not?” Shit, that came out of nowhere.

He smiled darkly. “Because I want you to beg first.”