sides almost as if
she wanted to get up and punch him. “So we’re playing that game? You’re going
to make me grovel?”
“I can’t make you do anything although
you’re the one who came to me wanting something, so unless you spell it out I
can’t help you.”
“You’ve changed.”
“I think we’ve already established that.”
“Do you really hate us all so much?” she
whispered, placing her hand over her ample bosom. “Me
especially? I’m so sorry for what I did. If what you want from me is an
apology, you have it.”
“That would mean a lot to me…if I still
cared. Since you’re skirting around the issue, I assume you’re here because
I’ve authorized the termination of AlCore’s contracts
with my hotels?”
“You know it is,” she answered
tight-lipped, not bothering to maintain eye contact.
“And the Alexanders believe I’ve done it out of spite.”
She shrugged. “Didn’t you?”
“To make such an accusation would be an
acknowledgement that they had some prior connection with me or they’ve done
something to warrant me wanting revenge. To the best of my knowledge there is
no association. You yourself know I have no ties to them.”
She didn’t look at him but her body
language screamed embarrassment. In different circumstances, he might have felt
sorry for her. But then all he had to do was remember their last encounter and
any semblance of pity that tried to form within his heart was immediately
squashed. “So you won’t help us?”
“And what would be the benefit of my
helping a company that’s weeks away from filing bankruptcy? I’d be throwing
money away if I continued doing business with AlCore ,
which by the way has been so grossly mismanaged in the past several years it
was only a matter of time before it faced financial ruin. Not to mention, the
quality of the products have gone down. That’s the gist of it. I can’t continue
to allow AlCore to supply my hotels with an inferior
product. Our clients deserve the best. I run a business, not a charity, my
dear.”
“Won’t you help for David’s sake?”
At the mention of that asshole, James
finally reached the end of his rope. “Speaking of David, I find it odd a CEO
who cares so much about the future of his company would send his wife who I’m
sure hasn’t spent one day in the office to speak on his behalf instead of
coming himself.”
When no answer came, he pounded his fist
on his desk making Gillian jump. “Get the hell out of my office, Gillian.
You’re wasting my damn time.”
This time she smirked. “I thought you said
you no longer cared.”
“I don’t but neither do I like being
played for a fool.”
She shot daggers with her stare. “Fine,
I’ll leave. Bitterness doesn’t suit you at all, James.”
“And desperation doesn’t become you, my
dear.”
“Just like that? You won’t help us. Think about your family.”
“What family, Gillian? You’re barking up
the wrong tree. And frankly, I find it pathetic how your husband is willing to
prostitute you to save a company he doesn’t have the balls to fight for
himself.”
Gillian rose to her feet in a huff. “Bastard. You think you’re so much better than us now
because of all this?” She swept her hand out. “Well, don’t forget where you
come from.”
“I’ll never forget, Gillian, and therein lies the problem. Goodbye.” He returned his attention to the
papers he had been studying before she’d entered his office. It was only when
she marched out of his office and slammed his door behind her did he give up
the pretense of working. Her barbs had hit more marks than he was willing to
admit.
Though he was no
she wanted to get up and punch him. “So we’re playing that game? You’re going
to make me grovel?”
“I can’t make you do anything although
you’re the one who came to me wanting something, so unless you spell it out I
can’t help you.”
“You’ve changed.”
“I think we’ve already established that.”
“Do you really hate us all so much?” she
whispered, placing her hand over her ample bosom. “Me
especially? I’m so sorry for what I did. If what you want from me is an
apology, you have it.”
“That would mean a lot to me…if I still
cared. Since you’re skirting around the issue, I assume you’re here because
I’ve authorized the termination of AlCore’s contracts
with my hotels?”
“You know it is,” she answered
tight-lipped, not bothering to maintain eye contact.
“And the Alexanders believe I’ve done it out of spite.”
She shrugged. “Didn’t you?”
“To make such an accusation would be an
acknowledgement that they had some prior connection with me or they’ve done
something to warrant me wanting revenge. To the best of my knowledge there is
no association. You yourself know I have no ties to them.”
She didn’t look at him but her body
language screamed embarrassment. In different circumstances, he might have felt
sorry for her. But then all he had to do was remember their last encounter and
any semblance of pity that tried to form within his heart was immediately
squashed. “So you won’t help us?”
“And what would be the benefit of my
helping a company that’s weeks away from filing bankruptcy? I’d be throwing
money away if I continued doing business with AlCore ,
which by the way has been so grossly mismanaged in the past several years it
was only a matter of time before it faced financial ruin. Not to mention, the
quality of the products have gone down. That’s the gist of it. I can’t continue
to allow AlCore to supply my hotels with an inferior
product. Our clients deserve the best. I run a business, not a charity, my
dear.”
“Won’t you help for David’s sake?”
At the mention of that asshole, James
finally reached the end of his rope. “Speaking of David, I find it odd a CEO
who cares so much about the future of his company would send his wife who I’m
sure hasn’t spent one day in the office to speak on his behalf instead of
coming himself.”
When no answer came, he pounded his fist
on his desk making Gillian jump. “Get the hell out of my office, Gillian.
You’re wasting my damn time.”
This time she smirked. “I thought you said
you no longer cared.”
“I don’t but neither do I like being
played for a fool.”
She shot daggers with her stare. “Fine,
I’ll leave. Bitterness doesn’t suit you at all, James.”
“And desperation doesn’t become you, my
dear.”
“Just like that? You won’t help us. Think about your family.”
“What family, Gillian? You’re barking up
the wrong tree. And frankly, I find it pathetic how your husband is willing to
prostitute you to save a company he doesn’t have the balls to fight for
himself.”
Gillian rose to her feet in a huff. “Bastard. You think you’re so much better than us now
because of all this?” She swept her hand out. “Well, don’t forget where you
come from.”
“I’ll never forget, Gillian, and therein lies the problem. Goodbye.” He returned his attention to the
papers he had been studying before she’d entered his office. It was only when
she marched out of his office and slammed his door behind her did he give up
the pretense of working. Her barbs had hit more marks than he was willing to
admit.
Though he was no
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