Taking Courage

by S. J. Maylee

  She searched the room for Simon. He was talking with a man at the other end of the table. The desire to run out of the room fought with her need to stay and work through her fears. She wanted to claim she didn't need her father. She couldn't exchange needing her Dad, to needing Simon. If she did, she'd be changing one jail for another.

  Now was not the time to debate her strengths.

  It was scoping time. Time to bring everyone in the room to one understanding. She didn't know this group, but she'd been in this situation countless times. She logged into the system built into the conference table and brought up her presentation.

  “Janna.”

  She looked up and found Keller hovering over her.

  “Can I have a word with you in my office?”

  “Sure.” What could he have to take about now? Her presentation was supposed to be begin. Nerves from all over her body took off at a sprinter’s pace making her stomach turn.

  They walked in silence to his office. Keller opened his door, and she slid past him, almost afraid he'd bite by the look he threw her way. He continued his silent treatment while he closed the door and sat at his desk.

  “How would you describe your relationship with your parents?”

  “I'm not sure why that should be your concern.”

  “Well, usually it isn't.” He watched her for a minute. “I know you left your family back in Detroit, which isn't out of the ordinary of course, but sometimes it can be a sign of problems to come.”

  Shit, what does he know?

  “I have a good relationship with my mom. My father is a bit opinionated. I think some time apart is good on both sides.

  “I received a few calls from him this week.”

  “You what?” Her mouth dried, and colors blurred across her vision. She should have guessed when he called today that she wouldn’t be able to dismiss him that easily. Her father usually had a nasty trick up his sleeve.

  “I've never gotten a call from an employee's father, especially one that insisted I fire his daughter. He claimed this move was just a way to negotiate more in your allowance.”

  Tears swam in her eyes, and her body turned cold. It was like a slap in the face. Janna hadn't asked for an allowance since she took on her first job in high school. She'd always wanted to pay her own way.

  Her fairytale crumbled around her. Was she to get shucked back to her family and never know the life she wanted?

  “Have you talked to him recently?”

  No wonder Keller had called her into his office. She had a lunatic for a father, which must make her foolish as well. She was foolish to think she could ever get what she wanted. No matter what she did, or how far away she got, her father would try to find a way to put her back under his thumb.

  She stared out the window and dreamed of the life that was almost hers.

  So close.

  “Janna?”

  “Yes, sorry.” She shook her head. “We talked this morning. He tried to convince me to come home with the promise of a great position at his friend's company.”

  “I see.”

  “My father has always run my life. He decided which high school, which college, which major. He used his connections to get me my first job. Not one thing did I do on my own.”

  “That's no longer true. You were offered this job on your own merits. I interviewed you, and that conversation convinced me to offer you a career here. Also, you made the decision to come here.”

  She looked up at Keller. Did he understand? Could he possibly understand what this change in her life meant to her?

  “Yes, I made the decision to take this job and move here.” Her shoulders relaxed, and she sat up straighter. “My father’s worked hard for everything he has, and he’s made a comfortable life. I was walking blindly behind him until he negotiated my marriage.”

  She looked at the walls of Keller's office and tried to distract herself with the intricate pattern of the panels. Memories flooded her thoughts. She knew now that her sham of a marriage had only one up side, and it was all business. Mike's dad was on the board of a country club her dad wanted to join, and Mike wanted to do business with her dad. She tried not to think of it much, but now that she did, she felt sick. Used.

  “Mike?”

  “You know about him?”

  “Just from the background check.”

  “Right.” She hadn't thought how her bad decisions would be on display for every employer here on out. How humiliating.

  “Janna, with your history and his actions, things can play out in two ways. One, you can go home to your father. Let him continue to control your life. The end result may not mean happiness for you, but you'll live comfortably. I'm sure.” He got up and walked around his desk. “Or two, stand your ground. Refuse to let him intrude on your life and your fresh start.”

  “I never lied to you.” She looked up at him.

  “I know.” He smiled and sat next to her in his other guest chair, just like he did that first night at the club. “Can't blame me for testing you though, right?”

  “No. My father can be awfully convincing.” The need to get past the humiliation outweighed her feelings of injustice. “Thank you for taking the time to understand my situation.”

  “To be honest, it’s not just you I’m concerned for. My team is already attached to you. They need your leadership on this project.” He leaned towards her. “Forgive me. I must press a little more. Now that you've gotten a little taste of what life can be like away from your father, I'm sure the comforts of home are tempting, and he's probably found your dream job. Are you considering it?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Are you being honest with yourself?”

  “I am.” Her dream job alone should not have the ability to pull her out of her adventure. Was she fooling herself into believing she could survive out here without her family? She wanted to be here. “Of course I am.”

  “There is no shame in changing your mind. It doesn't mean anything.”

  “Sure, I know. I have plenty of practice in changing my mind.” She wrung her hands together and fought the fear of inevitability. She might not make it here.

  “I'm not concerned about your determination. Your father’s choices worry me, and I'm concerned my team, who is anxious to lean on you, is going to lose you. This project is mighty important to my company, and I don't like playing things loose with our vitality.”

  “Sir, if you can forget about my father, so will I. I chose to be here. I choose to be here. I don't want to leave.”

  “Well, that makes me feel a lot better. Thank you for the Sir. It was a nice touch.” He stood and led her to the door.

  “That's it?”

  “Yes, I would have come to you sooner, but I know you've been working hard all day and I'd hoped we'd be able to sweep this under the rug. But I advise you to talk to Simon. He doesn't like hearing about things secondhand.”

  ****

  Each time the board room door opened, Simon's relief floated to the top and then sank when it was just another board member. What could Keller have to know at this moment? Janna should be handling the last minute prep for her presentation, not getting quizzed about Keller's latest concern.

  Simon crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the wall. The door opened again, and Marcus poked his head in.

  “Where's Janna?”

  “Keller has her.” Simon shoved off the wall and pushed Marcus back and out of the room.

  “Do you know if she needs anything?”

  “I think she has everything under control.” The men in this office needed to leave Janna alone and let her do her thing. “What are you still doing here?”

  “I thought I'd finish up my current project. I want to be ready for Janna tomorrow.” Marcus picked up his stride to keep up with Simon. “You've gotten to know Janna a bit. Can I ask your opinion?”

  “Sure, why not?”

  “I noticed she's on the trainee roster now at the club. Do you th
ink she might consider giving Club Blind a try?”

  Simon stopped, but shoved his hands in his pockets instead of shoving Marcus against the wall. Janna wasn't his official sub. She was his trainee, but even that wasn't official yet, and if she wanted to try out the new club he couldn't stop her.

  “Have I overstepped?” Marcus walked back to where Simon had stopped.

  “No, not at all. Janna's just starting her journey, and new experiences are things she needs to consider.”

  “Thanks, Simon.” He patted Simon on the back. “I'm going to get some of my work done and talk to her after the board meeting.”

  Simon made a mental note to hit the gym on his way home tonight. The tight energy rolling over him had him twitching and itching to hit something.

  Anne was still at her desk when he arrived at Keller's door.

  “Are Keller and Janna still in there?”

  “They sure are, but I think they'll be done soon.”

  “I don't know why he needed to do this now.”

  “I'd think you of all people would want him to.” She picked up a stack of papers and walked to the tall filing cabinet along the wall. She opened a drawer, and she walked through the files. “I sure hope Janna decides to stay. I think a lot of people would miss her around here.” Anne shoved the paper into a folder, shoved the drawer closed, and came back to her desk. “Are you okay, Simon?”

  “I'm fine.”

  “Let me get you a glass of water.”

  “No, I'll just head back to the board room.” He turned to leave and then turned back around. “Thanks, Anne.”

  Chapter Seven

  She'd tell Simon tonight, but first she had to rub out this ugly business and get her head back in the game. Tonight, she'd prove her worth, not only to the team, but to herself.

  She found Simon in the board room the second her foot got past the door. He tilted his head, and she nodded in response. He had her back. She could do this.

  Keller stepped in beside her at the large table. “Thank you for coming in tonight, everyone.” The room quieted. “I've found a new gem for our team. Janna Hall is a Certified Project Manager from Detroit. She's been running projects like ours for a few years now. We are in for a real treat tonight.”

  He made eye contact with her, and she stopped breathing. Her nerves worked overtime to have a front row seat. She swallowed back the temptation to give them control.

  “Janna, please take us through your findings.”

  The presentation started well. Only a couple questions were asked, and Janna had the answers. The first sign of trouble came from a man at the back of the room during the discussion of the timeline.

  “That's not going to work, Janna. We need to have this project done before we can release our next prototype.”

  “Colin.”

  All eyes in the room turned to Keller.

  The urge to ask why no one had mentioned it before almost slipped from her lips. She clasped her hands in her lap and forced her shoulders down. Had Keller withheld the piece of information on purpose?

  While everyone looked at Keller, she watched Colin in an attempt to read the situation. She knew this could be the beginning of a landslide. Her toes tapped out a rhythm.

  “We already agreed not to rush this phase,” Keller said in an unbreakable tone.

  “That was before the markets changed. I warned you about this, Keller. We need to push harder and ensure our bottom line. Our stockholders won't wait much longer. What's that knocking?”

  Janna pushed down on her knees. There was a lot going on here, and she only wanted in on a smidgen of the conversation. She released a slow breath and the death grip she had on the table.

  “Thank you, Colin.” She threw her words in between the dueling men. “This is exactly why we are having this meeting. All of you are filled with bits of information vital to the success of this project.”

  In her gallop through the last few days, she'd forgotten to ask Keller how this project fit inside the company's bigger picture. The mistake was hers. Usually program managers handed her that kind of high level information when she was assigned the project.

  Her pulse beat in her throat, making her aware she needed to keep the meeting moving forward. She made a quick note on her pad to remind her to think it through while she closed out the project. She’d ensure she didn’t miss it on the next project.

  Not one of these guys was going to run her from the room or this job. She could handle this change. After a couple quick questions, she pulled up the project task list, added the milestone date for the release of the prototype and after a glance at her buffer zone notes, she made the adjustment needed to make it all fit. It was tight. She was worried what the staff would think of the change.

  “Well, would you look at that?” said Colin.

  “Nicely done, Janna. I'm impressed.” Keller relaxed back into his chair.

  “This may require some overtime.” She pulled up the budget. “I'd like to make some changes here.” With the necessary stakeholders at the table, she got the information she needed and finished the updates.

  The meeting continued without any additional red light issues, and they finished the scope review with just enough time left in the meeting for a vote. While Keller took the team through the voting process, Janna sat back and rubbed her palms against her skirt, making sure her shoes made no more noise. She gripped her thighs and lifted just her gaze to find Simon.

  His sights were set on her, reminding her of the ways he'd played her body. Even in this moment, the plug in her ass reminded her of his control. Heat blossomed across her pussy, and her heart beat as if it needed her attention.

  “Well done, Janna.” Keller stopped next to her with his hand held out.

  “Thank you.” She stood and shook his hand.

  “I think that was the quickest scope approval yet. I see big things in your future.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  The room emptied quickly, leaving just Janna and Simon. She collapsed into her own seat, both physically and emotionally exhausted. She'd always wondered if she could handle a project her father had no part in, wanted to see if she could handle a tough situation. If she had the energy, she would have gotten up and twirled around the room.

  “Well done, pet. Thanks for getting my project scope approved.”

  “You're welcome.” She reached forward and stretched her fingers across the big empty table. She conquered this room and was hungry for more. Of course her triumph wasn't spotless, but she'd analyze it tomorrow.

  “The meeting went great. You were great.” He walked over and stood beside her. “You should get a good night’s sleep tonight, because tomorrow the real work begins.”

  “You're right.” She gathered her things.

  “Are you alert enough to get yourself home safely?”

  “Sure.” She stood and took in his conflicted features.

  “Good. I have somewhere I need to be.” He picked up her notes and handed them to her. “I'll see you in the morning.” With a quick pinch to her chin, he walked out of the room and took a piece of her heart with him.

  The board room door closed behind him, leaving her alone.

  She pushed off the table and made her way back to her office. Instead of going through her notes and starting the dozens of emails she'd need to send, she dropped everything on her desk, pulled out her purse, and took her coat from the hook.

  “How did it go?” She looked up and found Marcus at her door.

  “Well enough that they approved it.” She dropped her purse on her guest chair.

  “Congratulations.” He took a step into her office.

  “I should warn you, the scheduled was tightened, and you’ll have some overtime coming.” She pushed her arms into her jacket.

  “I figured. So I stayed late and got my current project finished. I'll be ready to dive in tomorrow.”

  “Thank you, Marcus.” Team players like Marcus were priceless. “Can I ask you a ques
tion?”

  “Sure.”

  “Do you know Colin?”

  “I do.” He picked up her purse and put it over her shoulder.

  “Do you think I need to be worried about him?”

  “As far as your project goes, no. I don't think so. Did he give you some trouble tonight?”

  “No, he just brought up things no one else did, which is the purpose of those meetings.” She shook off her concern. “Walk me out?”

  “Sure.”

  “There was something about him that made me nervous.”

  Once outside, Marcus stopped. “Can I talk openly?”

  “Okay.”

  “Tell me if I'm out of line?”

  “Sure, what is it?”

  “I'm a Master at Club Voyage.”

  “Oh.” She looked down and examined her shoes.

  “Charlie sent out the new trainee roster today, and I didn't want you to be surprised when you saw me on Friday or Colin.”

  She stopped walking. “Really?” She looked at him again, but he didn't look any different. “Are you both Doms?”

  “Yes, Colin's a Master also. I've been running a new club out of the basement. Have you heard about it?”

  “Are you talking about Club Blind?”

  “I am. Did the club give you our brochure?”

  “They did. I'm not sure I'm ready for something like that.”

  “I understand. Talk it over with your trainer. Everyone needs new experiences.”

  “You're both Doms.” She shook her head. “Somehow, I'm not surprised.”

  “The longer you're in the scene, the easier it will be to spot us.”

  “I'm sure that's true.”

  “Can I give you some advice?”

  “Absolutely, please do.”

  “Don't rush the process. It takes time to know what works for you. Not every sub is the same.”

  “That makes sense.”

  “Just like your first boyfriend isn't always perfect for you, neither is your first Dom.”

  ****

  Late Thursday morning, Janna considered working through lunch. She hadn't spoken to Simon since last night. He wasn't in his office when she arrived, and the few times she’d gotten up for coffee, he'd been meeting with members of his staff. He hadn't called, but they weren't scheduled to meet again until tomorrow.