Read Online The Grace In Darkness by Melissa Andrea - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melissa Andrea
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”
J.D. folded his hands together and finally turned toward Mitchell. “ Have I given you the impression that we ’ re friends? ” He spoke slowly, further embarrassing Mitchell.
I knew everyone in this room, including myself, wanted to leave. Part of me wanted to feel bad for Mitchell because I knew the worst was coming.
“ I… I… ” Mitchell stuttered.
“ Let me make myself really clear, Mitchell. You ’ re my employee, my secretary, actually. I ’ m not your friend. I ’ m not your buddy. You will never refer to me as Jonathan again, do you hear me? I ’ m Mr. Dare. My son is Mr. Dare. Now say yes, sir, so I know you comprehend. ”
Mitchell swallowed hard and his fingers tightened into a fist. “ Yes, sir, ” he answered tightly.
“ Good, ” J.D. said, stacking the papers against the desk like a judge pounds a gavel.
Mitchell had gotten a shitty sentence of karma.
“ Do you like pissing me off, Ryland? ” J.D. asked, slipping into the massive black leather chair. Even his office furniture was used for intimidation.
I slumped in the chair opposite him, ignoring the pain in my ribs because I needed the “ I don ’ t give a flying fuck ” attitude more. I adjusted into the least uncomfortable position and didn ’ t even need to fake bored while I listened to J.D. go on.
“ I feel like that ’ s a trick question, Mr. Dare.”
“ Is there even a point to your sullenness? Why do you have to drag your feet when it comes to being a part of this company I ’ ve worked so hard to build? When it comes to even being a Dare? ”
“ Now I know that is a trick question. ”
“ Goddammit, Ryland! ” J.D. yelled, slamming his fists on the smooth wood top.
I frowned. It was a rare occasion to see J.D. lose control like that, and even though I enjoyed it, he hated letting it slip that he was still human. J.D. cleared his throat and stretched his shoulders and neck, shaking off his brief emotional slip.
“ Why is it so important to you that I work here? I don ’ t get it. You can run this company with your eyes closed. You don ’ t need me. ”
“ It ’ s not a matter of need , Ryland. I want you to take over this place in the future, and I need you to be prepared. ”
“ I hate to break it to you, J.D., but I have zero interest in taking over this place for you. ”
“ I always get what I want, Ryland. ”
“ Your threats don ’ t work on me, J.D. ”
“ Don ’ t they? ” He challenged. “ Are you not sitting across this desk from me right now? Are you not here because I threatened you? ”
I gritted my teeth and opened my mouth to tell him to go fuck himself, but the flash of Araya ’ s face, her smile, stopped me. I wanted to leave this hellhole, but the only thing that stopped me was the fear he would take Araya away from me before I was ready to get her.
“ All you had to do was work here a year, Ryland. ” He went on. “ A simple year with no trouble. If you ’ d given it half a chance, you might have actually enjoyed it here. Now I ’ m going to make sure you don ’ t. ” He threatened and my eyes narrowed. “ I ’ m assuming this, ” he said, referring to my appearance with his hand, “ is your brother ’ s doing. We ’ re not white trash, Ryland, and you won ’ t come to work looking like it. ”
“ Are you done? ” I moved to get up, but his words stopped me.
“ The Mark Vincent Charity Benefit is two weekends away. You will be attending that. ”
“ You said only you needed to be there. ” I gritted my teeth again.
“ And now I ’ m saying you ’ ll be there. Get out of here and go home. I don ’ t need you here looking like that. ”
The urge to reach across the desk and strangle him burned my fingertips, but I slowly walked out of his office.
It didn ’ t matter what I said or did. I was damned if I did and damned if I didn ’ t.
A t this point, we were both surviving off adrenaline alone. It was racing
J.D. folded his hands together and finally turned toward Mitchell. “ Have I given you the impression that we ’ re friends? ” He spoke slowly, further embarrassing Mitchell.
I knew everyone in this room, including myself, wanted to leave. Part of me wanted to feel bad for Mitchell because I knew the worst was coming.
“ I… I… ” Mitchell stuttered.
“ Let me make myself really clear, Mitchell. You ’ re my employee, my secretary, actually. I ’ m not your friend. I ’ m not your buddy. You will never refer to me as Jonathan again, do you hear me? I ’ m Mr. Dare. My son is Mr. Dare. Now say yes, sir, so I know you comprehend. ”
Mitchell swallowed hard and his fingers tightened into a fist. “ Yes, sir, ” he answered tightly.
“ Good, ” J.D. said, stacking the papers against the desk like a judge pounds a gavel.
Mitchell had gotten a shitty sentence of karma.
“ Do you like pissing me off, Ryland? ” J.D. asked, slipping into the massive black leather chair. Even his office furniture was used for intimidation.
I slumped in the chair opposite him, ignoring the pain in my ribs because I needed the “ I don ’ t give a flying fuck ” attitude more. I adjusted into the least uncomfortable position and didn ’ t even need to fake bored while I listened to J.D. go on.
“ I feel like that ’ s a trick question, Mr. Dare.”
“ Is there even a point to your sullenness? Why do you have to drag your feet when it comes to being a part of this company I ’ ve worked so hard to build? When it comes to even being a Dare? ”
“ Now I know that is a trick question. ”
“ Goddammit, Ryland! ” J.D. yelled, slamming his fists on the smooth wood top.
I frowned. It was a rare occasion to see J.D. lose control like that, and even though I enjoyed it, he hated letting it slip that he was still human. J.D. cleared his throat and stretched his shoulders and neck, shaking off his brief emotional slip.
“ Why is it so important to you that I work here? I don ’ t get it. You can run this company with your eyes closed. You don ’ t need me. ”
“ It ’ s not a matter of need , Ryland. I want you to take over this place in the future, and I need you to be prepared. ”
“ I hate to break it to you, J.D., but I have zero interest in taking over this place for you. ”
“ I always get what I want, Ryland. ”
“ Your threats don ’ t work on me, J.D. ”
“ Don ’ t they? ” He challenged. “ Are you not sitting across this desk from me right now? Are you not here because I threatened you? ”
I gritted my teeth and opened my mouth to tell him to go fuck himself, but the flash of Araya ’ s face, her smile, stopped me. I wanted to leave this hellhole, but the only thing that stopped me was the fear he would take Araya away from me before I was ready to get her.
“ All you had to do was work here a year, Ryland. ” He went on. “ A simple year with no trouble. If you ’ d given it half a chance, you might have actually enjoyed it here. Now I ’ m going to make sure you don ’ t. ” He threatened and my eyes narrowed. “ I ’ m assuming this, ” he said, referring to my appearance with his hand, “ is your brother ’ s doing. We ’ re not white trash, Ryland, and you won ’ t come to work looking like it. ”
“ Are you done? ” I moved to get up, but his words stopped me.
“ The Mark Vincent Charity Benefit is two weekends away. You will be attending that. ”
“ You said only you needed to be there. ” I gritted my teeth again.
“ And now I ’ m saying you ’ ll be there. Get out of here and go home. I don ’ t need you here looking like that. ”
The urge to reach across the desk and strangle him burned my fingertips, but I slowly walked out of his office.
It didn ’ t matter what I said or did. I was damned if I did and damned if I didn ’ t.
A t this point, we were both surviving off adrenaline alone. It was racing
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