“As for what I’m doing here…” Conversationally, Nathan relaxed his shoulders.
It wasn’t just his posture that invited trust, it was the warmth in his tone, something she hadn’t heard until now.
“Mr. Newman would never have wanted it to be announced this way, but he was in the process of selling the company. We were originally planning to close next year. Obviously the timeline has been moved up, something no one would have wanted or been able to foresee. From here forward, it will be known as Donovan Logistics. Because you’ve been here so long, we wanted you to be among the very first to know.”
He was good. Friendly, direct, inviting trust. Not at all what she’d expected based on his reputation.
“While there will be some changes, I can assure you that there are no immediate plans to restructure. We’re pleased with the way things are going, and we’ll continue forward.”
She noted the way Martha responded to his charm, part sympathy for Mr. Newman, part reassurance for the future. And giving her plenty of gossip to spread through the company. Kelsey was beginning to get a toothache from the way her jaw was set in response to the youngest Donovan brother.
The door opened and two VPs entered. A few seconds later, a sales manager joined them.
It was go time.
She squared her shoulders and made introductions. Within minutes, she was dealing with IT, ensuring remote logins from the docks were coming online and answering questions about Donovan’s intentions and Mr. Newman’s health.
At one minute until eight, Nathan took control of the room.
He raised his voice the barest hint and asked people to be seated, and he pulled back the chair next to his for Martha. The woman nodded in satisfaction.
As much as Kelsey was loath to admit it, he did a masterful job. Mr. Newman’s meetings almost always started around five after, since he waited for everyone to arrive, grab a coffee and get situated.
At exactly eight o’clock, Nathan began. He took out a piece of paper and began addressing the people in attendance as well as those joining via video. He had obviously prepared and rehearsed for this. Though he waved in two latecomers, he kept going and never tripped over a word. Meticulously, he crossed items off his agenda before moving to the next topic.
At every turn, she was reluctantly impressed. She’d spent years trying to keep Mr. Newman focused, but his meetings had always meandered. In contrast, Donovan was on target.
Then he surprised her by inviting her to say a few words about the going-away party. She promised details would be forthcoming by the end of the weekend.
“Thank you,” he said, taking control again. “If you have any questions, feel free to ask.” He reiterated his key points—jobs were safe, Mr. Newman was appreciated and everyone’s help was needed in order to make the transition smooth. “I know you’ll do an excellent job of informing your people.”
Next he addressed the video attendees, letting them know he intended to visit the docks before the end of the workday.
He passed out a stack of business cards. “Please send me an email by lunchtime letting me know how your meetings went.”
Shockingly, he wrapped up in under fifteen minutes. He stayed around to answer a few questions and greet the late arrivals.
Kelsey realized Nathan had set a new tone. Things were more precise and better organized. He’d left no doubt there was a new boss, one who was serious.
She stood and gathered her belongings.
“I like the young man.”
With a frown, she turned to look at Martha. “Mr. Donovan?”
“Seems honest. I don’t think Mr. Newman would have chosen him as the new CEO if he hadn’t been the right person.”
Kelsey kept her mouth shut. But she had to acknowledge he’d done a good job if he’d managed to charm Martha so quickly.
After a few more words, Martha went to talk to someone else, and Kelsey took aside Lawrence, the head of HR, to notify him they’d be releasing Seward. She added that she wanted the tug captain to receive three months’ severance pay.
“I’ll get it calculated right away and request a check from accounting,” he said.
After the man nodded and went on his way, Kelsey felt a strange tingle at the base of her neck. She glanced up and saw Nathan looking at her.
Though he was surrounded by others, he was watching her intently.
Did the man miss nothing?
She chatted with a couple of people before escaping to her office to call Sofia Donovan. The number Nathan had provided was her direct line rather than a general number for the company, and Sofia answered her phone on the first ring. Was every Donovan efficient?
Even though she had misgivings about her new boss, Kelsey instantly liked Sofia. The woman struck a balance of warmth and professionalism as she went through a list of questions. Then she added that her sister now ran the Houston branch and promised to have Zoe call Kelsey within the hour to set up a meeting.
Afterward, Kelsey telephoned the florist to arrange flowers for Mr. Newman. Then she texted Holly about the party plans.
Nathan rapped on the corner of Kelsey’s desk when he entered their suite, but he didn’t slow down on the way to his office.
Still, as if a whirlwind had swept through, it took her a couple of minutes to remember where she was and get back to work. She forwarded the new corporate logo to her preferred vendor and placed an order for pens, mugs and pads before going back to the conference room to clear it of everything that had Newman Inland Marine on it.
Kelsey fought back a gulp of sadness, told herself to focus on the future and show the type of leadership the Newmans had asked for. In her work life, she’d never done anything more difficult.
When she returned to her office, Lawrence was waiting for her.
She slipped into her chair, and he sat across from her. He slid a folder containing Seward’s termination package across the desktop toward her.
When she went to scrawl her name on the bottom of the check, she noticed that it was drawn on a new bank. Since she’d never filled out official paperwork, she doubted Donovan had made her a signer on the account, which meant she had to take the check to him. “I’ll handle this and get it back to you,” she said.
“Yeah,” he said. “I don’t envy you your job.”
Lawrence left. She stood and straightened her skirt before picking up the file folder and crossing the room to knock on her new boss’s door.
He called out for her to enter. Too late, she realized he was on the phone. Regardless, he waved her in, and she took a seat and waited for him to finish.
“Second weekend of December is fine, Colonel,” he said. “I’ll let Connor know we’ll be there.” After a few more words, he hung up. “That was my grandfather,” he explained, unnecessarily.
“He’s a colonel?”
“No. Yes.” He twisted his lips wryly. “I’ll explain when we have more time. Donovan Holdings, which is essentially just family members, is planning a retreat. It’s an annual gathering before the holidays. We discuss all aspects of the various businesses and make the strategic plan for the upcoming year. With the acquisition of Newman, I’m too busy to travel far, and since Cade will use any excuse to skip, the Colonel has decided we’ll hold it at the ranch.”
“The ranch?”
“The Running Wind. Maybe you’ve heard of it?”
“I think most people in Texas have,” she agreed. If it wasn’t the largest ranch in the state, it was certainly close. In fact, it was one of the biggest in the country. She knew the Donovans had owned it for more than a century and that only small, select parts were open to the public.
“The timing on this takeover wasn’t ideal. We’d hoped to put it off until the first of the year.” He shrugged. “As my assistant, I’d like you to be there.”
She blinked. “Me?”
“I’ll want your input, and I’ll want you to be part of the strategy for the logistics business. I have financials to prepar
e for all the companies as well as a general overview.”
“Are you still CFO of Donovan Worldwide?”
“In my spare time.” He gave a tired half-smile.
Absently she wondered if his exhaustion had been there the whole time and why she hadn’t noticed it.
“Think about it,” he went on, bringing her back to the present. “It’s more than a month from now, and you don’t have to give me an immediate answer. Theoretically, we’d leave work around lunchtime on Thursday so that we’d be in time for an evening overview. We’d stay through early Sunday afternoon.”
She’d had no idea that he expected his assistant to travel with him. “I typically ran the offices when Mr. Newman was gone.”
“I’m sure we have VPs who are capable of stepping in. Or, preferably, Martha could sit at your desk.”
“She only works part-time,” Kelsey replied.
“See if she can cover. It’s only a day and a half. If not her, find someone else. We’ll be available in an emergency.”
She nodded slowly.
“What can I do for you?” He clasped his hands on the desktop.
“About Seward…” She placed the manila folder in front of him.
He flipped it open, scanned the contents faster than should have been humanly possible then looked up. As if it had never existed, the momentary weariness etched beside his eyes had vanished, replaced by steely intensity. “Three months’ severance? Do you think that’s appropriate?”
“It’s not atypical for someone who’s been with us for so many years.”
“And will potentially cost the company tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of dollars?”
“I’m thinking more about his family.”
“As Seward should have done. Donovan Worldwide pays severance when it’s warranted but never in cases of severe misconduct.”
“Potential misconduct.”
“Ms. Lane.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Please.”
She exhaled. While she knew Seward might eventually be cleared of responsibility, the truth was, he had violated the company’s abuse policy.
“Have this amended to cover only his to-date pay and accrued vacation.” He closed the folder and pushed it back to her. His action and tone left no room for argument. “We’ll set you up as a signer on the bank account in the next couple of weeks.”
“Yes, Mr. Donovan,” she said, voice tight. She snatched back the folder and left his office.
Instead of returning to her desk, she headed to HR to request a new check. Rather than riding the elevator, she took the stairs, needing the exercise to clear her mind.
After meeting with Lawrence, she decided to grab a latte from the coffee-cart vendor in the building’s lobby. She took it outside and crossed the road to the urban park with concrete seats, a large swatch of grass, oleanders that had lost most of their blooms and several small fountains.
Since she only had on a lightweight suit jacket and the sun was obscured by clouds, the breeze chilled her.
After a couple of sips, she called her friend Andi.
“What’s going on, girl?” Andi asked.
“Not sure you’ll believe it.”
“Hold on. Let me get away for a minute.”
Andi owned a massively successful salon or, in her words, a hair artistry and design studio. They’d been friends since high school. Both of them had lost their moms early, and both of them had fathers who were overbearing.
“You’re calling to make an appointment, right? That’s what I won’t believe. You’re finally ready to do something about those poor, neglected tresses. Highlights? A new cut? Oh halleluiah, tell me we’re going to get rid of some of that length. We can always put in extensions to make it look longer.” Andi growled deep in her throat.
“Was that supposed to be sexy? Or were you trying to sound like a cat in pain?”
“Bitch.”
In the background, Kelsey heard blow dryers and a man yelling. “Lorean?” she guessed.
“Shampoo girl didn’t do a proper rinse,” Andi said. “Honestly, I’m not sure how much longer I’ll put up with him being a bitch.”
“Another ten years?”
“Probably. But only if he takes his PMS medication.”
She knew Lorean had been Andi’s first employee. Despite, and maybe because of, his mercurial moods, he brought in tons of clients. Pissed off plenty of them too. But all the bad reviews that former clients left online just seemed to fuel the drama and attract more interested people. He was becoming a legend in Houston.
“So if you’re not going to let me do something about that mess on top of your head, why did you call?”
Andi’s bluntness was her most compelling asset. Kelsey never knew what her friend would say, or show up wearing—from a designer dress and heels to cartoon-print leggings and an oversized sweater. But it was the hair and makeup that was always the best surprise. Blue. Pink. Bob. Shoulder-length blonde extensions, or even ash-gray ones which gave her purple eye shadow and false lashes the look of a movie star’s.
“Come on,” Andi encouraged. “I’m going to need to run to wrestle a fucking flatiron away from Lorean. Jesus H. Where’s my Xanax?”
“The Donovans have”—she ran her finger around the plastic lid covering her cup and settled for—“acquired Newman Inland.” She mentally patted herself for the word. It was better than her first choice, stolen.
For a moment, there was silence. “Donovan? Like Donovan, Donovan?”
“Yeah. As in Nathan Donovan is my new boss.”
“Holy fuck bunnies.” Andi whistled, and the noise was so high-pitched that Kelsey had to move the phone away from her ear. “That’s a fine man right there.”
Except for the personality that went along with the classic good looks and stunning body. “He’s a hard-ass.”
“Meaning he acts like a Dominant?”
“What?” Kelsey demanded.
“Just askin’,” Andi said. “I forget which, but one of the brothers is part owner of that new club.”
Kelsey frowned. “What new club?”
“You know, the one I was telling you about. The tie-me-up-and-beat-my-ass-hard club.”
“The BDSM one? You’re not talking about Deviation, are you?” Kelsey had read about it in an exposé in the alternative newspaper that could be picked up for free at the trendy places around Houston. A man who lived in Boston and was reputed to be a friend of Julien Bonds was the majority owner. But she didn’t remember seeing the name Donovan. Maybe because it hadn’t mattered at the time. But now… A kaleidoscope of questions turned over in her mind. Could Nathan possibly be a Dom? Could that explain her visceral reaction to his personality?
She shook her head to clear it. Even while she told herself she wouldn’t think of her new boss that way, she said to Andi, “Keep talking.”
“I may or may not have personal knowledge of said club.”
“What? You? You went to a kink place?” Kelsey almost dropped her cup. “When?” According to the article, the place was all very secretive and exclusive. It had some amazing high-tech additions, making it unique among all the clubs in the country.
She thought back to Nathan, his watch, the unique things it did. Was it possible that he was the brother who’d invested? She discarded that thought almost as quickly as it had formed. Even in the short time she’d known him, she doubted he’d put his money into something with that kind of risk.
If Andi actually answered her question, Kelsey didn’t hear her. She was so consumed with her own thoughts that she was no longer listening. “Can you get me in?”
Andi interrupted herself to demand, “What? Seriously? Shut your mouth. You want to be tied up. Or wait…”
Kelsey could imagine Andi’s pseudo-frown. She’d had too many face-freezing injections to actually get wrinkles, but she managed to bring her carefully drawn eyebrows somewhat closer together when she was genuinely caught off guard.
Truthfully, Kelsey was more th
an a little surprised that she hadn’t been able to prevent the question from tumbling out.
“Wait… Do you want to do the tying? Do you want to beat some little subbie’s ass?”
Kelsey rolled her eyes. “No.” But the image of her body, bound and naked, tantalized her.
“I had no idea you really were kinky. Girl, we gotta talk more about this. I get off early tomorrow night. Martinis and confessions?”
“I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to talk about it without fortification,” she admitted. “Friscos at six?” She named the nearby downtown hotspot. They had a great happy hour, meaning she could eat dinner for almost nothing. She might have unkindly called Nathan a penny-pincher but the truth was, she, too, was a master economizer.
“Six it is, and girlfriend, I’m telling you this. Get me Sofia or Lara Donovan as a client, will you? If you do, I’ll make your first cut and color half-price.”
“Half-price? Your generosity knows no limits.”
“You know, I want Erin. She’s your boss’ sister. You can get her, right? Talk to him? God above, get me Erin and I’ll give you a BOGO.”
“Buy one, get one? Which means I have to pay full price for the first one?” Kelsey asked. Clearly Andi was insane.
A male shriek cut across the phone line, and Andi screeched in return. Knowing the conversation was over, Kelsey hung up.
As she finished her coffee, she spent a few minutes thinking about Nathan. It made sense that he was a Dom. He seemed to have the personality. Well, as much she knew. Or guessed, really. She read a lot, chatted with a friend who enjoyed participating in scenes with men, was in a few online groups and owned the movies featuring one of her favorite actors as a Dom.
Kelsey told herself to end the fantasies right there. That’s all they were.
She dated men who were considerably gentler than he was, always friends before lovers. And in bed, they were polite. Polite and mostly perfunctory.
The fact that she was curious about BDSM was a conundrum for her. Of all people, she shouldn’t fantasize about being submissive to a sexy man. But she did, more often than she would dare to admit.
She took her last sip and closed her eyes.
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