gabe/chloe after violet's relapse

"My office.  Now." Gabe barked through the speaker of my desk phone, startling me because I didn't even know he could do that.  

I smoothed down my skirt as I entered his office, seeing a makeup-less Violet seated in front of his desk, dark circles under her bloodshot eyes.  As I glanced up at Gabe, an electric bolt shot through my gut, telling me my biggest fear had come true.

"Sit," he ordered, pointing to the chair next to Violet.  "You're dismissed," he told her, much to Violet's disapproval.

"Bro, we should all talk this out.  We could figure out a win-win solution."

Gabe's response to her argument was a hard stare, an expression that told me Violet was currently sitting on a warm bottom and if she didn't want more, she'd better obey.  That thought made me squirm in my seat as I wondered how this scene would unfold.

Of course Violet broke first.  "Fine," she said with an eyeroll, then turned towards me.  "I'm sorry, but I had to tell him, especially after everything with Andy."  

My heart sped up as she stood and left, door slamming so loudly that I jumped in my seat. There was a moment of uneasy silence, but then Gabe spoke.  "You've lied to me, Chloe.  For months."

I tried to steady my voice, my eyes welling with regret. "I-I'm sorry.  I should've told you."

"Damn right you should've," he snapped back, his words a whip crack of frustration. "You put this firm, my reputation, and my client's future at risk because you couldn't trust me enough to come clean."

A laugh escaped.  "Come clean and then what?  Go to prison?  You can't expect me to just turn myself in like that."

Gabe's nostrils flared.  "Loyalty is a two-way street. If I'm asking for it from you, then you're getting it from me, you should know that by now.  We could have figured out a compromise."

My face fell, not having considered that as an option.  Why would Gabe be loyal to me?  The only person I'd ever been able to count on was Izaak, and that was only because he didn't know my secrets.  "We still can," I said, almost pleading.

"It's too late now, you've already broken my trust.  If it weren't for Violet, the feds would already be here with handcuffs waiting for you.  But she begged for time to figure out a better solution.  So you have 24 hours, use it wisely.  You're dismissed."