Car Crash

by T Gephart

  “Okay,” I agreed, wanting to at least hear him out.

  I’d done a lot of growing in the last couple of weeks and part of that was not to assume I knew what other people wanted. I nodded, urging him to continue.

  “Matthew had seniority but O’Shea had the ambition. They figured between the two of them they’d take me out and convince Braxton to appoint Matthew as CEO and O’Shea as COO. They’ve been sniffing around for a while, but I didn’t take the risk seriously so they knew I was vulnerable. They’d assumed I wouldn’t check the figures, or if you did, you wouldn’t be smart enough to see something was off. Of course they were right about me, but completely wrong about you. I think a lot of people have been wrong about you, including the woman who claimed to be your friend.”

  He didn’t need to elaborate. I already knew he meant Lani, probably overhearing her choice words for me yesterday.

  “So, they decided to play a fun shell game with some money. Deciding that as long as no one took it and it was returned, there could be no criminal charges, and Mr. Easton was the attorney they employed to ensure that was the case. He specializes in corporate law, knows all the loopholes, but the idiots paid him out of the company funds. Funnily enough, they both decided to hand in their resignations effective immediately.”

  “Did he . . . was I part of it?” I swallowed, not even sure if he had an answer for me.

  I didn’t want to believe that I’d been so blind that I couldn’t see when someone was using me, but it wouldn’t have been the first time. And considering how devious their plan had been it wouldn’t have surprised me that they’d intended to use Justin against me. As Lani had so eloquently pointed out, so many people thought I was a whore. Surely I wouldn’t be able to resist a man who was smart and successful, throwing himself at me?

  Ugh.

  “From what we can ascertain, no. He claims to have not known who you worked for until you told him during your first . . .” He waved his hand in the air. “Whatever. So either Mr. Easton is far more intelligent than we’re giving him credit for or he honestly didn’t know. I do think he wouldn’t risk disbarment by involving himself in something as messy as corporate espionage. They weren’t paying him enough for that.”

  Well that was a small comfort; I hadn’t totally been blind. And I had felt there was something off about him from the start, so my instincts were there even if I didn’t always listen to them.

  “So what happens now?” I asked, the conspiracy revealed but not the resolution.

  “Braxton made it very clear that he wouldn’t tolerate anyone who wasn’t a team player. My complacency allowed it to happen, and that will stop. I’m taking a week off starting the end of today and when I come back, I’ll be ready to be the CEO I haven’t been for a long time. He was kind enough to not say it in front of the staff, but they are aware there are big changes happening and anyone not on board can find their own way out the door.”

  “Is Lani still here?” I asked.

  I didn’t want to uphold my promise to Cameron that she’d keep her job and part of me felt like I shouldn’t care. No one would blame me for defaulting on my word especially when she’d been so cruel with hers. But, being mean with intention wasn’t in my make up, and I wouldn’t allow myself to sink to her level.

  “Lani is still employed and will be reassigned. I figured that would be something you would want to do.” He straightened his tie and smiled.

  I stared at him blankly. “Me? Why would I do that?”

  While I appreciated the gesture, an executive assistant didn’t have authority to assign or reassign roles in the company. And as much as I would have loved to do to her what I’d done to Oliver, I thought I’d made it clear that I wasn’t doing Garrett’s job for him anymore.

  Even if I was really tempted to do that one last thing. Think of it as severance payment for a job well done.

  “Well, Kitty, the reason you would do that is because it is one of your duties in your new role as chief operations officer. That is assuming you accept the promotion.”

  “But I’m not—” qualified, I finished in my head. But I stopped myself from saying it out loud. The truth was I didn’t have a business degree from an Ivy League school, but that was all I didn’t have. I’d been with the company since I’d graduated college, working my way up by sheer determination, learning as I went. I was hard working and dedicated, and knew more about the company than most senior level executives. So while it made no sense on paper, it made all kinds of sense in real life. And I wasn’t going to sabotage the opportunity because someone else might think I was lacking.

  “Yes, I’m accepting the promotion,” I said quickly in case he changed his mind. “Does Braxton know?”

  Garrett laughed, leaning back in his chair. “Who do you think came up with it? As much as I would like to take the credit, it was his idea. He’s rather fond of self-made people, which was why he’d hired me in the first place. I had suggested we make you an office executive and he decided to go one better. His name is on the letterhead so I figured I’d let him have that one. And I figured with you working beside me instead of below me, you’d be able to kick my ass when I need it. See if we can’t bring Braxton Hill into a new era of greatness.”

  “No morale building dinners at anyone’s house,” I warned, glad I’d never have to suffer through another of O’Shea’s.

  Garrett stood, buttoning up his jacket. “On that we can agree. Take a minute or two and let it all sink in, then come see us in the boardroom. Braxton has HR working on a new contract for you as we speak, and I’m sure he’ll want to tell you in his own way too.”

  “If I’ve just agreed, how can HR already be working on my new contract?” I joined him on my feet and eyed him suspiciously. “What happened to it would be my choice and you’d respect it either way?”

  “Kitty, as I told you before, a lot of people underestimate you, but I’m not one of them. You’ve been doing the job for months and it was time we gave you the title. But . . .” He smirked. “If you don’t want it, I can go ahead and tell HR—”

  “Nothing, you will tell them nothing.” I pointed my finger accusingly at the man who, up until a few minutes ago, had been my boss. “I want this.”

  “As you should. Now I’m going to head to the boardroom and we’ll see you in there in the next few minutes.” He tipped his head goodbye and walked out of my office.

  Probably wasn’t going to be my office for much longer, I might even have an assistant of my own. I knew who it wasn’t going to be. While I might be willing to forgive Lani, I sure as hell wouldn’t be forgetting.

  I picked up the phone and scrolled to Dallas’s name. I was sure my parents and sister were going to be out-of-their-mind proud, but I had to tell him first.

  “Hey baby.” He answered immediately like he’d been waiting for my call. “Everything okay? You need anything?”

  He didn’t say, “Do you need me to come down there and straighten someone out,” but I could read between the lines. I loved that he let me do it my way, even if I’d have enjoyed watching him walking into work and starting a fire of his own.

  We were quite a pair the two of us.

  And I wasn’t ever going to forget it.

  “Everything is fantastic.” I smiled into the phone. “I just wish you were standing in front of me so I could see your face when I tell you, but the phone will have to do.”

  “Or you can open the door and let me in. Pretty sure the people on your floor have already called security though.” He laughed into the phone.

  My butt rose off the chair and raced to my door, yanking it open. There on the other side was Dallas with his phone to his ear.

  “I’m not here because I didn’t think you could do this on your own.” He lowered his phone. “But because traffic in Manhattan is a fucking nightmare and if you needed me it would take too long.”

  “I don’t care why, just come in here and hug me.” I pulled him into my office and closed the door.
“Is Josh going to be pissed you are blowing off work again?” I kissed him only being slightly worried about his job.

  “He’s the one who told me to get my ass here in the first place. I told you, I’m not that smart.” He chuckled against my mouth. “I am going to be pulling some long ass days for about a week or two, so we’ll have to work around that.”

  “Well, I might be pulling some long ass days myself.” I laughed back, standing up proudly. “Pretty sure as the new COO, I’m going to be expected to put in a few more hours.”

  “COO? I’m not great with acronyms, babe.”

  “It means I’m one of the bosses. Not like the big boss, but pretty fucking important.” It was over-simplifying it, but I’m sure I’d have fun later telling Dallas all about it.

  “Pretty fucking important sounds about right.” He brushed his mouth up against mine. “Means if I fuck you on your desk, you can’t get in trouble, right?”

  I liked the way he was thinking.

  But it would have to wait. “Let’s leave that until I get my new desk and office. I have a meeting I need to get to.”

  He chuckled. “Fine, ruin all the fun, Kitty. But if this promotion turns you into one of them, we’ll be having words.”

  “I promise you, I will never be one of them. And desk sex in my new office is at the top of my agenda,” I promised, absolutely committed to it as my first order of business.

  He kissed me, but he didn’t linger, tearing his mouth away too soon as he squeezed my ass. “Good. Go give them hell, babe. I’ll be at home waiting for you.”

  It was the first time any man had said that to me and I’d wanted to hear it.

  And I couldn’t wait to get home to him.

  Kitty

  EVEN THOUGH I’D SIGNED MY CONTRACT, IT was hard to believe I was the new COO at Braxton Hill. I’d heard snickers in the halls, wondering whose cock I’d sucked for the promotion, with others complaining I didn’t have the necessary résumé to be put in the position.

  It might have bothered me if I’d had the time, but I was going to be too busy proving what a badass I was. So they could take all their innuendo, suspicions and speculation and shove it. They would eventually see exactly why I was promoted, and if they didn’t—who the hell cared.

  I’d gone back to my office and was disappointed to find it empty. I knew Dallas had to get back to work—as did I—but I missed having him there, able to kiss and hug him as I wanted. It was definitely going to be difficult with both of us so busy, but I didn’t doubt for a second we’d make it work.

  Between the promotion and Dallas, I didn’t think there was anything that could wipe the smile off my face. That was until there was a knock at my door and Lani walked in.

  “You have every right to hate me, but please give me a second.” She raised her hands defensively before I’d even had a chance to say a word. “I shouldn’t have said that to you, but you have to admit it looked suspicious.”

  A lot of people felt that as long as you gave an apology, it was all good. Or that if you somehow rationalized your actions that it excused bad behavior.

  I’d even done it myself.

  But.

  I wouldn’t accept it anymore.

  “It might help me believe you’re sorry if you meant it. But the truth is, even now you believe you were justified.” I shook my head, no longer wondering why I’d made such shitty relationship choices. “No matter what it looked like, Lani, I never would have slept with Cameron. You were my friend, and I don’t do that to friends. And yes, you can go ahead and throw the mistakes I’ve made in the past in my face if it makes you feel better, but I didn’t know at the time. I have never willingly been involved with someone else’s infidelity. And maybe I was too trusting, and I chose to see the good in people instead of the bad, but that doesn’t make me a bad person.”

  Her eyes got watery, realizing her apology wasn’t going to be as easy as planned. “Kitty, it’s just that you look like you do, and all the guys—”

  “No.” I stopped her, not allowing her to use what I did or looked like to excuse her behavior. “It was you, it was your choice, Lani. And personally, if you think Cameron would cheat on you so easily then there is a whole lot wrong in your relationship that has nothing to do with me.”

  She sobbed quietly and I hated I didn’t know if it was for real. I wanted to believe that she was sorry, but I wasn’t sure. Too many times I had played the sucker, and I deserved better. “If Eve was willing to forgive you for actually being with Oliver, surely you can forgive me.”

  And there it was.

  Proof that it was more about her than it would ever be about me.

  She wanted absolution, not to make things right. For me to give her the words so she could sleep better at night for trying to tear me down for no reason at all. And as good as my heart was, and as much as I would have liked to, it was something I didn’t want to give her.

  “Lani, maybe one day I will. And maybe I won’t, I honestly don’t know. But either way we’re going to work together and you are going to realize that regardless of my personal feelings I will support you. Why? Because you are good at what you do. And that’s all that matters between these four walls. Not who you sleep with, how you dress or what you look like. I hope you’ll pay me the same respect.”

  It felt good to say it out loud and to mean it, and to believe it myself.

  “Honestly, I’m sorry.”

  This time her apology didn’t come with a “but,” and I felt that was progress.

  “Thank you.” I nodded my head and gave her a small smile. “You’ll be reassigned next week but for today you can help out Martha.”

  She’d been hoping for more, but she knew she wasn’t going to get it. “Okay, thanks. Talk to you later.” She left, leaving me in my office alone.

  I turned around and looked at the space and felt a sense of warmth wash over my body. I couldn’t remember a time when everything had been so right in my world or when I’d been so incredibly happy.

  I used to think it wasn’t possible for me to have it all. And then I found out the only obstacle in my way was me.

  Dallas

  “You know, all this being nice to me is making me a little nervous.” I handed Josh his beer. “Giving me time off, closing the shop early—how do I know aliens didn’t take over your body and this is some alternate Josh?”

  Josh took a sip from his bottle. “Guess you’ll just have to wonder.”

  Eve didn’t seem to have the same concerns, his girlfriend putting her arms around him like he couldn’t be an imposter and shooting me a grin. “When’s the guest of honor getting here? I can’t wait to congratulate her.”

  While I’d promised Kitty to be waiting at home, I decided she needed more than just a lame celebration at home. Nothing huge because I sucked at organizing, but a few drinks with our friends was definitely in the cards.

  I’d messaged her to let her know, but all I’d gotten was a thumbs up emoji followed by an I love you. So, she was either totally fine with it and busy or she was willing to humor me. I guess we’d find out which when she finally got here.

  “Not sure, soon I hope.” I checked the time, noticing it was close to nine.

  I should have gone into the city and given her a ride. I didn’t care how much she liked taking that goddamn subway; I hated the idea of her riding it at night. Loving someone wasn’t all orgasms and cooking shitty dinners, worrying about them came as a package deal. And at the moment, that was the feeling that was edging up my neck.

  “I see her.” Eve gave my arm a shake. “She’s at the door.”

  Even without being told, I knew when Kitty entered a room. Something inside me changed, like I could breathe a little easier and the world made more sense.

  And seeing her smile, that took me into a whole new level of happiness.

  Her face was beaming as she strode through the front door and found us congregated around the bar. I could tell just from looking at her, her day had
been awesome, and if I had anything to do with it, her night was going to be pretty spectacular too.

  “Hi.” She waved and smiled to everyone, saving her best for me. “Hope you haven’t been waiting long, there was a ton of stuff I needed to go through with my old boss before he took off for vacation.”

  “You are worth the wait,” I answered for everyone, not giving a shit whether or not they had a problem with it. Then I did what I’d been dying to do for hours and kissed her.

  “Let your woman breathe, Dallas,” Josh called from behind us.

  And just to show him how awesome I was at multitasking, I flipped him off while I continued to kiss her.

  Maybe the bar had been a bad idea, my hands grabbing her ass and pulling her closer. God, I loved how she felt in my hands, every single inch of her perfect—like she’d been made just for me. And if by some miracle she couldn’t feel the rod in my pants, she was going to see it very soon as the bastard got bigger.

  “Uh-hmm.” Mason cleared his throat, totally raining on my parade.

  Kitty pulled away, her lips leaving mine to give the bastard attention he didn’t deserve, smiling as he introduced himself.

  “I’m Mason, remember? We met briefly at the shop.” He stuck out his hand with a grin I did like.

  “Of course I remember. It’s nice to see you again, how are you settling in?” She returned his shake but stayed close by me, her other hand snaked around my waist. I liked it there and was already thinking up strategies to keep it there most of the night. Not sure where she’d put those handcuffs, but they’d be useful if I had them.

  Eve got Kitty a drink and we moved to a booth. While I wasn’t a fan—preferring to sit at the bar—it was hard to have a conversation with the four others in the group without constantly getting whiplash.