few moments into her hysteria, and I have to push my chair back to ensure I remain safe from whatever is about to fly from her mouth next.
“I fail to see what is so amusing about my ruination.”
She takes a breath and waves her hand in the air. “I’m sorry … it’s just … - snort - … you’re worried about your reputation because you had sex in a club? It’s not like you work for the church or anything.” She wipes tears out of her eyes. “What’s the big deal, anyway?”
I lean back in my chair, trying not to feel ignorant. The fact that it’s my assistant who’s caused this feeling to well up inside me is beyond acceptable. “I’ll have you know that the investors in this company, some of them, come from very old and established families from very conservative parts of the globe. And they do not appreciate a public display of what should remain in the bedroom. It smacks of irresponsibility and recklessness, two characteristics one does not want to see in his or her investment manager. I’ve seen good men ruined over silly things like this. I cannot allow that to happen to me or this company. I’ve worked my entire life to be here, and I have very high hopes for my future.”
She calms down and blinks a few times. “Okay. I guess I can see that.”
“Thank you. Please try to remember that I am not Edward. I am not permitted the latitude that he is when it comes to indiscretions.”
“No, I guess you’re not.” She turns back to the computer, sighing with what sounds like sadness. “But why would she do that? What’s her damage, anyway?”
“Ingrid wishes to sleep with me. That’s what she’s said, in any case.”
Miss Meechum turns around, her eyes big and round. “She’s blackmailing you for sex ?”
“Now you’ve got it. Bravo.”
“Wow. She’s got balls. And she must think you’re like … Magic Mike or something.”
“I’m almost afraid she has got balls.” I have no idea who Magic Mike is, but it’s no matter. I have much more important concerns on my mind right now. I look out towards my door, the desire to run very strong. I’ve never run from a fight, but I’ve been tempted. This is one of those times. “Do you think you can help me?”
Miss Meechum starts typing away. “I can definitely try. That stupid … wench. She’s going to be really sorry she went after you like this.”
A part of me is proud that my assistant is so loyal while at the same time bent on vengeance. The other is concerned with how far she’ll take it. “I just want that tape erased or the file deleted. Nothing more. Whatever else she’s up to is none of our business.”
“Okay, if that’s how you want to play it.”
“It is. It most definitely is. I’m a big believer in karma.”
“What’s the name of her club?”
I frown as I try to recall the name. “I cannot remember exactly. It’s in an industrial area. A large building. Something about a monster, perhaps.”
“Oh, I know that place. Hot bouncer works there. Let me see if she has anything like that mentioned in her emails. I’ll need the IP address from the computer she’s using if it’s not this one or connected to it.”
“I’ll leave that to you.”
The phone rings and my able assistant reaches over to answer it without stopping the typing with her left hand. “Stratford Investments, Rachel speaking, how can I help you?”
She props the phone on her shoulder and continues typing with two hands. I feel completely useless and too full of nervous energy, so I stand and wander over to the other side of the desk.
“Jennifer Moorehouse? Are you a client?”
I reach over the desk without thinking and snatch the phone from her ear. A few pieces of her hair are caught under my fingers, but I don’t realize it until I’ve removed them from her head.
“Youch!”
“My apologies,” I whisper, my hand over the mouthpiece. I shake the loose red frizz from my fingertips, as I turn and walk as far from the desk
“I fail to see what is so amusing about my ruination.”
She takes a breath and waves her hand in the air. “I’m sorry … it’s just … - snort - … you’re worried about your reputation because you had sex in a club? It’s not like you work for the church or anything.” She wipes tears out of her eyes. “What’s the big deal, anyway?”
I lean back in my chair, trying not to feel ignorant. The fact that it’s my assistant who’s caused this feeling to well up inside me is beyond acceptable. “I’ll have you know that the investors in this company, some of them, come from very old and established families from very conservative parts of the globe. And they do not appreciate a public display of what should remain in the bedroom. It smacks of irresponsibility and recklessness, two characteristics one does not want to see in his or her investment manager. I’ve seen good men ruined over silly things like this. I cannot allow that to happen to me or this company. I’ve worked my entire life to be here, and I have very high hopes for my future.”
She calms down and blinks a few times. “Okay. I guess I can see that.”
“Thank you. Please try to remember that I am not Edward. I am not permitted the latitude that he is when it comes to indiscretions.”
“No, I guess you’re not.” She turns back to the computer, sighing with what sounds like sadness. “But why would she do that? What’s her damage, anyway?”
“Ingrid wishes to sleep with me. That’s what she’s said, in any case.”
Miss Meechum turns around, her eyes big and round. “She’s blackmailing you for sex ?”
“Now you’ve got it. Bravo.”
“Wow. She’s got balls. And she must think you’re like … Magic Mike or something.”
“I’m almost afraid she has got balls.” I have no idea who Magic Mike is, but it’s no matter. I have much more important concerns on my mind right now. I look out towards my door, the desire to run very strong. I’ve never run from a fight, but I’ve been tempted. This is one of those times. “Do you think you can help me?”
Miss Meechum starts typing away. “I can definitely try. That stupid … wench. She’s going to be really sorry she went after you like this.”
A part of me is proud that my assistant is so loyal while at the same time bent on vengeance. The other is concerned with how far she’ll take it. “I just want that tape erased or the file deleted. Nothing more. Whatever else she’s up to is none of our business.”
“Okay, if that’s how you want to play it.”
“It is. It most definitely is. I’m a big believer in karma.”
“What’s the name of her club?”
I frown as I try to recall the name. “I cannot remember exactly. It’s in an industrial area. A large building. Something about a monster, perhaps.”
“Oh, I know that place. Hot bouncer works there. Let me see if she has anything like that mentioned in her emails. I’ll need the IP address from the computer she’s using if it’s not this one or connected to it.”
“I’ll leave that to you.”
The phone rings and my able assistant reaches over to answer it without stopping the typing with her left hand. “Stratford Investments, Rachel speaking, how can I help you?”
She props the phone on her shoulder and continues typing with two hands. I feel completely useless and too full of nervous energy, so I stand and wander over to the other side of the desk.
“Jennifer Moorehouse? Are you a client?”
I reach over the desk without thinking and snatch the phone from her ear. A few pieces of her hair are caught under my fingers, but I don’t realize it until I’ve removed them from her head.
“Youch!”
“My apologies,” I whisper, my hand over the mouthpiece. I shake the loose red frizz from my fingertips, as I turn and walk as far from the desk
Similar Books
