Chapter 21: Not Your Staff

Margot's POV

I looked at my husband, and I knew exactly what he was going to say.

He was going to say yes.

"I could do it for a few months," Nolan said to the lawyer.

"Help them find someone. It'd keep the lights on."

"It would," the lawyer said.

"No," I said.

They both turned.

The street was full of neighbours and flashing blue light.

The police car with Brody in it was just pulling away.

I did not care who heard.

"Margot," Nolan said. "It's your company."

"It's a logo, and I built it sitting on the edge of a bathtub in a rented flat. I know what it is."

"Eleven years of work."

"I know."

"Fifty people."

"I know that too." I took a breath. "I'll sit with every one of them and find them somewhere to go."

"Margot."

"I'll sell it if I have to. But you are not going back to running my life."

"I wouldn't be running your life. It's a job."

"That's how it starts, Nolan. It's always a job."

He went quiet.

The lawyer coughed, and found something interesting in the pavement.

"Tell the board no," I said to him. "Tell them I'll attend their meeting myself and take the blame."

"And?"

"Tell them my husband works for himself now."

"Margot, this could cost you most of it."

"Then it costs me most of it."

I turned to Nolan.

His face was open in the streetlight, and he looked young and astonished.

"The one thing I won't do for you," I said, "is let you do it for me."

"Margot."

"Not again. I want a husband, not a staff."

"You'd lose the company."

"I almost lost you twice," I said. "A company is easy to replace."

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