Free TAMING THE BEAST: An Alpha Male by Olivia Cox Page A

like such a small thing, but it was possible that it would make all the difference.
    Robert flipped through the pages in the folder and then tucked it into his briefcase. “All right. And Ms. Johnson. Can you tell me, in your own words, how your relationship with Mr. Stone started?”
    “All right.” She took a deep breath to steady herself. “We first met when he started coming in for his appointments. At first, we just talked. And he flirted with me a lot.”
    “It was Mr. Stone who initiated romantic contact with you?”
    “If that's what you want to call it,” Chanise said. “I just call it being hit on.”
    “Were his advances unwanted?”
    Chanise frowned. “That's not what I said.”
    “I just want to make sure we have the details right.”
    “Look, he flirted with me, and at first, I didn't think I should get involved with him because he was a patient. But then we decided to go out for coffee.”
    “How long had he been coming here by that point?” Robert asked.
    “A few weeks.”
    “At any point, did Mr. Stone try to use his relationship with you to compromise your integrity?”
    “What?” Chanise asked, a shocked look on his face. “What do you mean?”
    “I mean, did he try to get you to alter any records, anything like that?”
    “Don't be ridiculous!” Chanise crossed her arms. “Our relationship had nothing to do with his counseling sessions. Nothing at all. He just liked me. We liked each other. So we had coffee. Then dinner. Then things started to get serious.”
    “And were you aware of the conflict of interest?”
    “Yes,” Chanise said. “He and I talked about it, and we knew he was going to need to switch counselors. We were planning on telling my father anyway, if he hadn't found out.”
    “All right.” Robert typed a few notes into his tablet, and then skimmed through his list of questions. “I just have one last question. And thank you for your patience with this. I understand this is a difficult situation, and you must not like having your personal life probed in this way.”
    “No, I really don't,” Chanise said, frowning at him.
    “I'm really sorry about that,” Robert said. “I hope you understand I'm just doing my job.”
    “She understands,” Dr. Johnson said. “What was your question?”
    “In your personal opinion,” he asked, “do you believe that Mr. Stone had any other motivations in initiating a relationship with you, beyond romance?”
    “What does that mean?” Chanise asked.
    “It means. Do you think he was considering his career or his suspension, or thinking that getting close to you would help him cheat his way past the mandatory counseling sessions? That he might be able to use you to alter the paperwork, or to say that he had attended sessions when he hadn't?”
    “No,” Chanise said. “No, absolutely not. The only thing on his mind was me. Was us. He was attracted to me, and that was it. He didn't want to use me. I'm certain of that.”
    “Thank you, Ms. Johnson.” Robert typed in a few more notes, and then he folded the keyboard, closing his tablet. “I appreciate your help and your directness. I'm sorry again if these questions were in any way upsetting to you. But we had to investigate this fully.”
    He got up to leave. Chanise rose to her feet as well. “So, is that it? Is Jake going to be allowed to play again?”
    “I can't say,” Robert said. “My job is only to investigate the situation and file a report. Mr. Stone will be informed if and when the suspension is lifted.”
    “Thank you, Mr. Phillips,” Dr. Johnson said. “I'll see you out.”
    Chanise sat back down while her father led the investigator out of the office. When her father returned, he sat across from Chanise. “I don't think there's anything to worry about,” he said. “Though I certainly hope that next time, you think things through more before you do something like this.”
    Chanise shrugged, giving her father a bashful smile. “I know, Dad. But I