by K T Grant
At Omar’s nod, Fabian rose from his chair with a poster-size case. He opened it and produced two posters, both showing the design of a modern-looking hotel with the Segal name on the front.
“We’ll begin construction this winter,” Omar went on, with a tentative grand opening date of June seventeenth, two years from now, to honor Icelandic Republic Day.” His voice boomed. “My talented sister, Kennedy, will oversee construction.”
“What?” she asked, stunned.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for you,” he said with pride in his voice.
She scanned the room. If anyone else thought it was strange, they didn’t show it, not even Konrad or Vala. They were all smiles. She looked at Svana for clarification, for some sort of understanding as to why she had been kept in the dark about this important piece of information that would uproot her entire life.
Omar lowered his voice, speaking for her ears only. “We’re just in the planning stages. I’ll go into more detail at dinner tonight.”
“Did you know about this?” she asked Fabian.
“He told me on the plane ride here. Congratulations are in order.”
She continued sitting while everyone started speaking. Omar shook hands with Konrad and Vala. Svana stood off to the side, having an in-depth conversation with her assistant. Svana pursed her lips, shaking her head. She caught Kennedy’s eye and mouthed, “We’ll talk later.” She then asked for Konrad, who came to her side. She whispered something to him and he nodded, tugging on his collar as he exited the room.
Still trying to digest everything that had happened in the last few minutes, she rose from her chair, ready to grill Omar about the stunt he’d pulled. But, like the majority of this trip, she was hit with even more surprises when he took her to the side and asked her what her deal was between her and Fabian.
***
“Maybe it’s best if I’m not there when you talk to Verner.” Konrad stopped walking, making Svana do the same.
She crossed her arms and peered at the conference room where Omar and Kennedy were in a deep conversation. When Fabian approached them and curled an arm around Kennedy’s waist, her jaw clenched, sending a shooting pain up the side of her face. She cursed and prodded the sore muscle with her finger.
“You’re upset with me.” Konrad leaned on the wall, his hands in his pockets.
“It’s not you. I’m under a lot of stress,” she said, finally turning away from Kennedy before she had another headache-like attack. First, she had to deal with her pathetic uncle.
“Stress over your resigning? Does the new hotel with Segal change your plans?” Konrad asked.
“No. I told Omar I’m cutting back to a certain extent, and you and Vala will take on more of a supervisory role. Segal constructing a hotel in Reykjavik won’t affect the deal we have with Segal in the US,” she said, giving him an easy smile. “What I’m not looking forward to is my conversation with Verner, especially after his behavior during dinner and what he did to you after last night.”
“I antagonized him. I should have never brought him home, but I was…concerned because he was too drunk.” He sighed and shook his head. “If he’d just kept his big mouth shut about Papa and you, I would have never punched him—”
“You stood up for yourself after so many years of his verbal abuse.” She cupped his sore cheek. “I would have kicked him in the balls.”
He chuckled but then winced, favoring his left side. “I better check and see how big a black-and-blue I have under my shirt.”
“If it’s bad, go to the doctor. I’ll be here until late, so don’t feel you have to stay,” she said, sneaking another peek at the conference room where Kennedy sat between Omar and Fabian. Kennedy looked miserable while Omar talked. When Fabian hung his arm around Kennedy’s shoulder, and his other hand moved under the table, toward the woman’s knee or upper thigh, another sharp pain jabbed the side of her face.
Konrad blocked her view. She had to stop this obsessive watching before she did something embarrassing. There would be time to discuss the next step in their relationship. She couldn’t believe she was thinking of having anything monogamous with someone after so many years of being single. Especially with the upheaval in her life, and her planned career change, and Kennedy’s new role in her company.
For now, she had more important things to concentrate on. She would have loved Konrad to be there for emotional support when she gave her uncle the news he was retiring immediately, but her brother had done enough.
“I better get it over with.” She turned away from the temptation of Kennedy and channeled her inner bitch as she moved toward her office.
Konrad walked with her. “If you really want me to—”
She squeezed his shoulder. “I want to do it alone.” She stopped at her office door where she’d stationed one of the security guards who patrolled the office and parking lot. “If Verner’s anger gets the better of him, I have Sandel here to help.”
Sandel tilted his cap at Svana and nodded at Konrad.
“Okay. Good luck, systir.” Konrad left.
She ran her palms down the front of her skirt before opening the door. As soon as she did, Verner rose from the couch, the front of his throat bobbing as he swallowed. He was dressed in the same type of suit he wore yesterday, but sported a black eye and a huge purple bruise on his chin and jaw.
“You look like shit,” she said, noticing the sallowness of his skin and the broken blood vessels and wan shadows around his one good eye.
“You can blame your asni of a brother—”
“Shut up!” She slammed the door behind her, enjoying his wince. “Your alcoholism and immature actions are to blame.” She marched to her desk and opened a drawer to throw a folder on her desktop. “You’ll shut the fuck up and listen to me.”
He puffed out his chest and fisted his hands, his face turning red. “How dare you talk to me this way, you—”
Grabbing the letter opener off her desk, she darted in front of him and jabbed it under his chin. He stumbled back onto the couch.
“Y-you scratched me, you daft bitch!”
She tapped the metal rod on her palm and snarled, “I’ll do a lot worse if you don’t sit down and stay quiet, old man.”
He gaped but didn’t argue. She was a little surprised she had shocked him into behaving, but she would keep the fact to herself to give her the upper hand. She scooped up the file off her desk and sat across from him in a chair with her legs crossed, dropping the letter opener on her lap. “What the hell were you thinking, you drunken fool? Papa would be turning over in his grave if he saw what you’ve become.”
“And what do you think I’ve become?” he asked in a muted tone.
“A pathetic drunk who is going to destroy all the hard work Konrad and I have done.” She held out the folder. “’I know what you’ve done on your so-called business trips for Landvik to Asia and in Europe. You think I don’t hear about your illegal hobbies?”
He eyed the folder with unease. “You spied on me?”
“I’ve spent a lot of money on investigators to research my competitors and certain employees for my best interests and those of the company.” She refused to explain herself further to this man who didn’t deserve it.
“Research?” He lifted his folded hands to his mouth and lowered his eyes, as if in prayer. “And what did your research turn up about me?”
“You drink too much, and you like women…or rather girls whose age would get you arrested if you kept company with them here or in the US.” She tossed the folder on the cushion next to him. “Remember your little Christmas visit to your friend in Las Vegas? The one who runs the escort service? Pictures of your time there are also in the folder.” She snapped her fingers and smiled with teeth showing. “I also have recordings of your phone conversations with your friend about the price of a specific type of female companionship that might get you locked away for the rest of your life. Maybe you should not have used a company phone I can track.�
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He lifted the folder and opened it, glancing at only the picture on top. There were twenty more under it, but he merely closed the folder and set it aside.
“Not going to curse me or threaten me with harm?” she asked more with curiosity than to antagonize him.
His face had paled and his shoulders slumped. Even his suit jacket and shirt collar appeared to have wilted. “Why aren’t you going to the authorities? You don’t want a scandal?”
She set the letter opener on the floor and cupped her knee. “Of course I don’t want a scandal. Landvik is a company many admire. I can’t have our employees and our country question our integrity, especially when—”
“When you step down as CEO and Konrad takes over?” he asked in a resigned tone.
Realizing her mouth hung open, she shut it, monetarily stunned.
As soon as he glanced up at her, she schooled her features into aloofness. If he saw through her bravado, she would lose. That was something she wouldn’t accept.
“What makes you think I’m going to step down as CEO?” she asked in a smooth, cool-as-shit tone.
He sat back with his hands between his knees. “You may not have a high opinion of me, but I’m not stupid. You and your brother have had many private meetings over the past year. Also, your trip to New York City last September to visit your friend from your music days gave me pause. You haven’t been back to New York since your parents and Reif died.”
“That’s some assumption on your part.” If she admitted he was right, he would hold it over her head, regardless of the blackmail she had on him.
He didn’t fight back, to her great surprise. “One Sunday, last month, I came to the office to reexamine the contracts with Segal. Konrad was here, which was no surprise, but Vala was here also, in his office. They looked very cozy together, and I first thought—” He shook his head and snorted. “She would never be interested in your brother in a sexual way because he’s—”
“Take care with what you say about Konrad,” she warned in a low voice, bordering on a growl. “You say you’re not stupid, but insulting my brother is not helping your case.”
“I’m screwed anyway, yes?” A dare flashed in his eyes then vanished. “As soon as I spotted them together, they headed for the observation deck over the brewery floor. Curious, I followed, and overheard them speaking about you. Konrad was nervous about taking over for you, doing his typical timid routine. Maybe it was to gain sympathy from Vala, but she fell for it and convinced him he’ll be a great CEO like you. They also mentioned you jumpstarting your music career.” He wiped his palms on his thighs as he looked at her again. “I put two and two together, which wasn’t too hard. You’re really willing to give up everything you worked so hard on to chase your flagging music career?”
The slight taunt in his voice made her temper flare. But she wasn’t ruled by her emotions. If he thought she would second-guess herself, he was in for one hell of a surprise.
She took a deep breath and stood, making a show of bending down to retrieve the letter opener as she went back to her desk. She selected another folder from a drawer and brought it over, dropping it on top of the other one. “Inside this folder is a resignation letter I wrote for you. All you have to do is sign it. I have given you a generous retirement package, plus I will pay for you to get help or therapy for your…addictions, both alcoholic and sexual. If you fight me, you’ll be left with nothing.” She held up her hand when he opened his mouth. “You have until the end of the month to decide. You should take my offer and leave with respect and dignity. If you don’t, I’ll send the pictures, phone records, and your computer here—which I have already taken possession of, so you cannot delete anything—to the authorities.” Her lip curled. “I wonder what the police would find on your home computer. Perhaps the same type of pictures and websites you view on your PC here?”
He blanched. “You scanned my work computer?”
“Based on your reaction, I bet I would find some shocking material on it. Yes?” she said in a near hiss, her hands trembling in revulsion. She had a good idea what was on his hard drive—and had no desire to view it.
She braced herself for a fight, but he set the folder on his lap and opened it. He wiped under his eyes, glossy with unshed tears. She had finally broken him, but she didn’t find any joy in it. Why couldn’t he be the man her father was? Why couldn’t he have been a second father to her and Konrad instead of an alcoholic pervert?
“You’re enjoying my embarrassment and shame.” A tear slipped from the corner of his right eye. “Payback for the way I treated you and your brother all these years?”
“Why couldn’t you have been a better man like my father or Reif? They would never have destroyed themselves like you have or verbally abused Konrad as a child or come to blows with him as an adult.” Her voice cracked, and she hugged her arms to her chest, suddenly overcome with despair.
He flinched and wiped at his eyes in earnest. “Are we done here? I prefer to reflect on what we discussed in my office where you can’t find joy in my humiliation.”
“I’m not like you. I don’t find joy in breaking people apart, even ones who deserve it, like you do.” She rubbed her arms as a chill came over her. “You’re a proud man, so I shouldn’t have to worry about you drinking yourself to death or some other sort of suicide attempt. I won’t have your death on my conscience.”
He rose from the couch, clutching both folders. With a proud tilt of his chin and watery, bloodshot eyes, he fixed the collar of his shirt and straightened his tie. “I wouldn’t give you the pleasure. I plan on living a long life just to annoy you like I always have.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll look over the papers and give you my answer by the end of the week. As for the other folder, I could destroy what’s inside, but you have backups, so I’ll leave it here.” He dropped the folder on the couch. “I’ll also speak to Konrad and apologize for last night. Is he aware of our conversation?”
“He thinks it’s about your alcoholism. I’ll tell him about your other extracurricular activities after you announce your retirement,” she said.
“Always protecting him until the bitter end. He’ll be one hell of a CEO for sure.”
His hollow chuckle made her want to punch him. Instead, she sat down in a chair and shooed him away. “You can leave now.”
He slammed the door as he exited. She expected him to come back to get the last word in. When he didn’t, she expelled a gust of air and rubbed the sides of her head where a headache brewed. She should warn Konrad before Verner approached him and said a few choice things that were definitely not an apology.
“Knock, knock.” Vala stood in the doorway, concern etched on her face. “Verner’s marching down the hall, looking like he wants to punch something. You told him the news about your future?”
“Shut the door,” Svana instructed and splayed out her legs, not caring about her posture.
“That bad?” Vala took the chair next to her.
“You know how it is with him. But I can keep him in line.” The folder lying on the couch made her smile.
“Did Konrad know about your conversation with your uncle?” Vala asked.
“Yes, but not the outcome yet. You’re the first.” She sat up straight as thoughts of Kennedy invaded. “Where are the Segals?”
“They left. I overheard Kennedy on her cell asking someone about changing her flight. She’s leaving for home earlier than expected.”
She dropped both feet on the floor and shot up from her chair. “What? Why? She’s supposed to stay until Saturday.” She cursed, upset not only by Kennedy’s leaving, but her neediness for the woman who came along and turned her upside down.
Vala sent her a strange look, the lines in her forehead to deepening. “Either your conversation with Verner has you rattled or something is going on with you and Kennedy.”
“What are you implying?” She inserted a frigid tone in her voice.
Vala didn’t shy away. “The stares you and
Kennedy send one another leads me to believe your relationship may have crossed from professional to personal. Is it just flirting or more?”
“You’re assuming Kennedy is gay.”
“I have great gaydar.” She shrugged then clasped Svana’s hand. “You like her.”
“What if I am attracted to her? Nothing can come from it.” The ache in her head intensified. “It’s too complicated.”
“I guess you’re right. It’s not like you slept with her.” She snorted.
“You’re fishing. It wouldn’t be smart to engage in a sexual relationship with the woman, considering our new partnership with her family’s company and my upcoming plans.” A wave of melancholy engulfed her. Why couldn’t she have it all?
“Too bad. It would make things much easier if you were interested in Miss Segal since she may be moving here for a few years.” Vala squeezed her hand. “But it might not even happen. She didn’t seem pleased about relocating to Reykjavik during the construction of the new hotel.”
“If she refuses the offer, she remains in California. I’ll be in New York most of the time, anyway, as well as touring and all the other important shit that comes with my music.” She shook her head. “Again, it’s far too complicated.”
“You’re probably right. But it’s never stopped you from getting what you wanted before. If only your brother thought the same,” Vala groused.
Svana turned her hand over so she was the one offering comfort. “Is there something going on between you and Konrad—”
“No.” Vala shook her head, adamant in her refusal. “I don’t date coworkers, least of all the future CEO of this company.”
“Oh really?”
“I value his friendship. Once he gains more confidence, he’ll be an amazing leader, like you.” Vala nodded, her way of ending the conversation, and stood.
“And with you as Konrad’s wing woman, as you were for me, he’ll do a great job.” She stood, grasping the chair to steady her wobbly legs. She would shake it off like she always did. This wasn’t the time to be weak.