by Lexy Timms
Every once in a while, he would look up and catch me staring.
Shit. This wasn’t a good decision.
We weren’t going to make it.
Chapter 11
Jimmy
I knew I needed to call my lawyer, but I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to or even if I could. Should I call the FBI investigator first? Should I bypass my lawyer altogether? Was it possible for us to tack on any more charges? It was wrong to keep this information to myself, and I needed to be doing what Ashley was suggesting. It wasn’t possible for Markus to do something like this and have ever cared about me.
That truth hurt in a place I hadn’t touched in decades.
I was a lost little boy again, digging through the trash and finding scraps for my mother to eat. I was staring in the face of my alcoholic father, his smile lopsided as puke poured from the side of his mouth. I was that little boy again, huddled beneath a tarp I’d found for my mother and me to take shelter from the rainstorms battering our hometown.
Markus had stranded me.
The man I had chosen to be my father stranded me like my real father had.
My heart hurt so much I couldn't breathe. I leaned over and tried to catch my breath as a tear dripped off my nose. It felt like a thousand sharpened daggers were plunging into my skin, robbing me of the very life I once enjoyed living.
I drew in deep breaths, trying to calm the pain coursing through my body.
Ashley was right. I knew in my rational mind she was right and I was wrong. I had to hand over this information. I had to throw as much of it at them as I could. Markus was a con artist. It was his job to trick people into having deep, intimate relationships with them. For all I knew, Jamie was a pawn as well, a girlfriend he would strand in the cold the moment she was no longer convenient for him. I turned my chair around and wiped at my face. I flipped the folder open Ross had given me and stared down at the papers.
Markus had invested on behalf of my company, weaseled his way into these companies and stolen from them. He’d used my fucking signature to do it.
I shoved the file away and turned my attention to my email. I toggled my mouse and was met with a blinding flashing light. There were scores of unanswered emails from all sorts of news outlets. Fox. CNN. Tabloid magazines. People. Times. Local newspapers. And they were all wondering the same thing.
They were all wondering why Ashley was fired and brought back.
Why the hell did that matter? And who the fuck told them Ashley had been fired? There were no termination papers. I had never filed anything with HR on it. The only thing I had was the email in my inbox saying she wasn’t returning to work.
Holy shit, had someone hacked into my fucking inbox?
I searched my name on the internet and got tons of articles, all published between last night and this morning. “Big Kahuna Bangs Little Fish.” “Sheldon And Ternbeau, Sitting In A Tree.” “Sexual Harassment On The Horizon For Big Steps?”
My vision was dripping red as I combed through the articles.
There were allegations of sexual harassment charges and lawsuits in the making. There were allegations of us screwing in my office and using company funds for dates. There were allegations of me giving Ashley her job back because she agreed to suck my dick under my desk four nights a fucking week.
I slammed my chair out from behind my desk and walked out into the hallway.
I caught Ashley coming in for the day, and I pulled her directly into my office. I looked around and made sure the coast was clear before I shut the door. There were tears in her eyes, which told me she already knew what was going on. Her phone was probably flooded with all sorts of disgusting headlines from various online “sources.”
“I’m so embarrassed,” Ashley said. “I never should’ve come back.”
“You had every right to. You’re more than qualified for the position,” I said.
“Cass called me this morning in an absolute frenzy. I didn’t even know what she was talking about until I scrolled through the messages she sent me last night.”
“Ashley, look at me.”
“I can’t,” she said.
“Please.”
Her beautiful green eyes fluttered up at me. The pain coursing through them dealt the final blow to my gut. I couldn't help myself. I wrapped her up in my arms and pulled her close and was shocked when she allowed me to do so. She cried into my chest, sniffling and hiccupping as her shoulders shook.
“I’m going to hold a press conference this afternoon and clear this all up,” I said.
“They won’t listen. They never do with stuff like this,” Ashley said.
“I’ll make them believe me like they did with the social media scandal,” I said.
“I’m not going to be there for it. I can’t stand there and watch you this time.”
“You’re not going to, even if you wanted to. You’ll be in your office working like the corporate woman you are.”
“What are we going to do?” she asked.
Just hearing her say the word “we” sent my heart fluttering with hope.
“I’m going to call this press conference, and you’re going to work. Don’t let anyone into your office except Ross. He’ll be our go-to communications guy. If you need me, pick up your office phone and call me that way,” I said.
“Okay. I can do that.”
I got on the phone with the PR department downstairs and had them set up a press conference for four in the afternoon. I wanted to make a statement and then get the fuck home. I had my security team scanning through the systems trying to figure out if someone had hacked into my email and saw that message from Ashley.
Because the only other explanation was speculation, which meant someone in my company was opening their damn mouth.
I put on my best suit in my office and then started downstairs. I looked over toward Ashley’s office to try and see her, but her door was closed, which was probably for the best anyway. I sent my receptionist home early so she could beat the traffic that would ensue after this statement was over. Then I made my way downstairs.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m here to address some rumors flying around. I won’t be taking any questions because I’m pretty sure all the nasty articles flying around center around one topic. Ashley Ternbeau and I have not been together in my office. There’s no sex on a desk or any sort of derogatory agreement where she obtained her job in exchange for sexual favors. She was never fired, and there are no sexual harassment lawsuits pending against me. I was going to have Miss Ternbeau work from a potential new location my company was about to open, but things fell through when we found fraud within Big Steps.”
I watched all the reports eyes bug at the mention of fraud.
“Mr. Sheldon, what do you mean by fraud?”
“Is someone stealing from your company?”
“Is that why there are unmarked police vehicles spotted coming and going from your office?”
“Do you have any leads as to who’s committing this fraud you speak of?”
“I told you I would not take any questions. An investigation is underway, and I promise you, it will wet your palette for drama. But it’s not okay to take a valued member of my corporate team and slaughter her reputation in the media simply because she’s a woman. If Miss Ternbeau were ‘Mr. Ternbeau,’ this would not be happening. There would be no wondering if ‘Mr. Ternbeau’ screwed his way to the top. Miss Ternbeau has an incredible IQ, can compute complex mathematical equations without ever pulling out a pen, she can speed read, she’s a wonderful customer interface, and she has single-handedly reorganized the way I do my financials. If anything, my company is better because of her.”
“The fraud, Mr. Sheldon. What about the fraud?”
“Miss Ternbeau was never fired, and there are no harassment lawsuits because no harassment has taken place,” I said.
“But what about the fraud?”
“What can you tell us about that?”
“Is it someo
ne from inside your company?”
“On your investor’s board?”
“What does Mr. Fowler think about this? Does he know?”
“I’m not able to answer questions about the ongoing investigation at the moment. Thank you for your time,” I said.
Then I stepped offstage and made my way back into my office.
The cameras were flashing, and people were trying to follow me. My security team was keeping the hounds at bay. Traffic was being directed so my employees could get out of the parking garage and go home to their families, and part of me thought about shutting down the entire company for the next few days. The heat was strong, and announcing the investigation would make both my lawyer and the FBI irate.
But it took the heat off Ashley, and that was all I wanted.
I went back to my office and looked down at the crowd below. My security team was still struggling to get everyone off the sidewalk. The building was quickly emptying of the people who had been loyal to me for so many years. I looked over at Ashley’s office and saw that she had locked up and gone home for the day. I reached over and refreshed my screen, waiting for all the headlines about sexual harassment and Ashley to disappear.
Then, after fifteen minutes of refreshing my screen, I saw the first headline.
‘Fraud At Big Steps. Who’s To Blame?’
And Ashley’s name wasn’t mentioned once.
Chapter 12
Ashley
I pulled into work the next day and was shocked to see so many journalists and paparazzi standing outside the building. I pushed my sunglasses up onto my face and steadied myself into the parking garage as the company’s security worked them back from the opening garage. It was insane, what they were trying to do to get information. It sickened me in a way. This company had been through enough. Jimmy had been through enough. All of us had been through enough over the past few months.
Why couldn’t everyone back off?
I snuck out of my office the moment Jimmy had left for the press conference. I rushed to get out of the building before any of it started. I listened to it on the radio during my ride home and almost slammed into a light pole when he mentioned the fraud.
I couldn't believe he’d dropped that bomb to the media on his own, but it didn’t stop people from approaching me.
“Miss Ternbeau?”
I whipped around in the parking garage and found someone with a microphone coming at me.
“Miss Ternbeau, if we could have a moment of your time.”
I picked up the pace of my walking as the elevator came into view. Two more people came out of the shadows with microphones and cameras. They were asking me questions about how long Jimmy and I had been sleeping together, and if having a relationship with him affected our working relationship. They threw questions like “how long have you been together?” and “what’s it like screwing your boss?”
I pressed my fingers on the elevator buttons, trying to keep my cool as security men came around the corner.
“Hey! Hey! What the hell are you guys doing down here?”
The press took off, running with their microphones and their cameras as the burly men chased them down and arrested them.
I got into the elevator and squeezed my eyes shut. I was questioning things more than ever. How could our relationship work with all this chaos around us? How in the world were we supposed to keep this under wraps now? How were we supposed to start over and try to get this off the ground if people were hounding us about allegations that were technically true?
If this was even something I wanted to start up again.
There were times when it felt right and times when it didn’t. Yesterday, when I was walking into work, it felt right. Falling into Jimmy’s arms and crying felt right. Leaning into his comfort felt right. But as I rode up the elevator all the way to the top floor, it no longer felt right. It no longer felt comfortable and safe.
Yes, we’d gone out and had a nice time. Yes, we’d hooked up this weekend. That didn’t mean our issues were actually fixed. We hadn’t magically sorted through all the turmoil we’d put one another through for the past two days. What happened between us didn’t mean I trusted Jimmy or that he trusted me, and it didn’t mean I felt safe talking to him or confiding in him about things.
Hell, I couldn’t even go into his office professionally with everyone breathing down our neck. How were we supposed to fix what was so broken between us if everyone was watching our every move?
I headed to my office and tried to hold my head as high as I could. People were still staring and snickering behind my back, but the key was to show them it didn’t affect me. If I gave in to the pressure, it assumed guilt, and that was the last thing either of us needed. But I was curious as to who was feeding the press this in the first place.
I set my stuff down at my desk and flopped into my chair. Instantly, I got back up to shut my door, closing out the prying eyes and the ears trained on me. I picked up my phone, perched on the corner of my desk, and then dialed Jimmy’s office number.
He picked up immediately and apologized.
“I got wind of what happened in the parking garage. They’ve been arrested and charged with felony trespassing,” Jimmy said.
“It’s okay. I mean, we didn’t think it was going to completely go away, right?” I asked.
“Honestly? That was the plan.”
“Then it was a terrible plan,” I said.
“Did you have a good morning otherwise?” he asked.
I snickered and shook my head as I slid from the desk into my seat.
“It was what it was. Cass stayed with me last night in case people figured out where I lived. I told them they weren’t that crazy, but with them in the parking garage, now I’m not so sure,” I said.
“If they show up at your apartment, you need to do two things. You need to call the police, and then you need to call me,” he said.
“Done and done. Have you called your lawyer yet? You know, about the other companies?” I asked.
“I haven’t, but I’ve sort of been busy with something else.”
“Jimmy.”
“My lawyer’s working on this company right now. Big Steps. That’s what matters right now. My subcompanies will bounce back. Ace-Landic and H&L will be informed via the FBI once they dig up the information on their own if they haven’t already dug it up. But Big Steps is going to have a very bad quarter if we don’t see any of that money within the next month or so. I have my lawyer sorting that out first.”
“You need to hand this over, Jimmy. It’s bothering me that you still aren’t,” I said.
“Why?” he asked.
“Because it feels like you’re still protecting him despite all he’s done and all he’s tried to ruin and swindle multiple companies out of.”
“Then I’ll call my lawyer at lunch.”
“It needs to be done now, Jimmy, especially since you dropped that bomb in the media yesterday. They know about the fraud. Investigative journalists will dig this up. And if they come clean with it before you do, what’s that going to make you look like to them?”
“Can you hold on, Ashley? One of the investigators is calling me on my cell phone.”
“I’ll be right here,” I said.
I could hear Jimmy talking on the other end, but I couldn’t figure out what he was saying. All I could tell was that his words were getting more and more exasperated. Whatever the investigator had to say, things weren’t good.
I really hoped Jimmy was coming clean with them about what we’d found a couple of days ago.
“You still there?” Jimmy asked.
“What was that about?”
“Just ... so much,” he said.
“Did you tell them?”
“I told you, I’m going to tell my lawyer at lunch. We’re getting lunch, and then she’ll know. But I have to cut this call short, unfortunately. The investigators are heading my way for another meeting.”
“Do you want someo
ne there?” I asked.
“Are you offering?”
Was I offering? And if I was, then why was I offering? I leaned back into my chair and listened to Jimmy’s steady breathing. I closed my eyes and reminisced on the better days when we could go to a restaurant and dance in one another’s arms without quizzical eyes and prying media outlets, when we partied at the hotel and when he took me up to his room.
I thought back to our first night together and how hot his touch had been against my body.
I cared for him.
Even though I wasn't sure we could make it work, it didn’t stop me from caring.
“I am, but it’s probably not a good look,” I said.
“I was thinking the same thing. Want me to call you when it’s over?” Jimmy asked.
“Sounds good. I’ll be here,” I said.
I hung up the phone and tried to distract myself with work, monotonous and boring, and I didn’t bother getting up to try and get lunch. I worked straight through and didn’t leave my office for any reason. Partially because I didn’t want to face the crowd outside for food and partially because I didn’t want to face the office building.
I also didn’t want to risk missing Jimmy’s phone call.
The second my phone rang, I yanked it off the receiver. I took a deep breath and put it to my ear, but I could feel the tension seeping through the phone.
“Ashley Ternbeau.”
“It’s me,” Jimmy said.
“I take it the meeting didn’t go well,” I said.
“A nice chastisement for what I pulled yesterday, but I had my reasons,” he said.
“So you didn’t tell them about the documents,” I said. “Did you tell your lawyer over lunch?”
I heard the grandiose sigh fill the phone, and I shook my head. I was worried about Jimmy, very worried. Even as a young man, I wasn't sure how much more of this his body could take. The stress was wearing him down like it had worn me down in the beginning before I set this chain of events in motion. He had bags underneath his eyes he was trying to conceal, and he was talking a little slower than normal. His breath constantly smelled of coffee whenever I was around him, and his stance seemed a little crooked at times.