Facade (Billionaire in Disguise 1)

“And now I’ve hired a team that is worthy of such an adversary. Look, Griggs. I understand the work you and your men have put in. What I’m offering you guys is more than fair, more than was outlined in your contract.”

“Does this company really have enough manpower to guard this house twenty-four seven? Like my men and I have ever since all of this started? Just think about this.”

“Mr. Griggs, I’m not speaking with you as a friend. I’m speaking with you as an employer. You have until the end of the day to notify your men of my decision,” I said.

The silence on the other end of the line was gut-wrenching. I didn’t make it a habit to befriend people I hired for professional purposes, but it was hard not to befriend Griggs. We thought a lot alike. He was rough around the edges and always went the extra mile when it was necessary. I had gotten to know him well over the years, and it hurt a part of me to do this to him and his team. But if I was going to fire them, even temporarily, I needed to make it look real.

Which meant bonuses, severance packages, and referrals. And if they were hired on by someone else before I could get them back, then that was a chance I had to take. While I knew Griggs’ skills, they were no longer cutting it for the threat that loomed over my head. A better team needed to come in and take care of this.

And that was the team Sam was assembling.

“You’ll regret this, Mr. Steele. I guarantee it,” Griggs said.

“I’m going to assume that wasn’t a threat and simply your concern over my decision. You and your men will have your bonuses, severance packages, and gleaming referrals from me by the end of the day today,” I said.

“I’ve worked very hard for you. I left the company I worked for so you could hire me on full-time. I brought the best staff I knew, and I told them to risk it all because the job you were hiring for was worth it. What am I supposed to tell them now?”

“To get better training and be more prepared next time,” I said.

“This will backfire. It always does.”

Griggs’ voice was gruffer than I enjoyed. I felt the predator looming inside of me stand to attention. I felt the hair on the back of my neck energize. I didn’t want to make enemies of them. I wanted to hire them back when this was all said and done. But Griggs was getting hostile, and it wasn’t making for a pleasant conversation.

“I will not say anything bad about your team. You’ve done good work. No one is arguing that. But this threat is greater than your team, and that greater threat requires greater skills. Take the time you have and train your team better. With my referrals and the more-than-generous money I’m throwing your way, you will find more work in no time,” I said.

“You’re making a very big mistake,” Griggs said. “And it’s a mistake that will cost you greatly.”

“If you and your people want the full package I’m offering, then you all will have to sign nondisclosure agreements. Anything less will result in immediate termination with nothing more than your current paycheck due to you at the end of the week,” I said.

“Fine,” he said. “If that’s what it takes.”

“I’ll send the paperwork over immediately. Sign and date, have your men do the same, and once they are returned to me, I will release all of your funds into your individual accounts. Have a good day, Mr. Griggs.”

“I’d say the same to you, but I wouldn’t mean it.”

The things he was saying was disturbing. I’d known Griggs to be a rough man but never an angry one. Anger was boiling over in his voice as Sam’s lilt crept to the forefront of my mind. Maybe there was something in Griggs I hadn’t seen that she already saw. Maybe my security team did have something to do with this. I thought Griggs would take this better. I thought things would be okay between us and that he would be able to respect the fact that his team could no longer keep me safe.

Apparently, I was wrong.

I hung up the phone without so much as a goodbye and prepared the paperwork to be sent. I double-checked the numbers and ran the figures through my head, making sure all the account numbers were right. I handed the paperwork off to John and told him to take it down to them, and he smiled while taking the papers from me.

I really hated that guy.

“Mr. Steele! So glad I found you. I wanted to go over your itinerary for your trip to Las Vegas.”

“Hello, Miss Emma,” I said as I turned around.

“I hope you don’t mind. You haven’t been to your office all day, and you always enjoy the itinerary being confirmed twenty-four hours in advance,” she said.

“Yes, yes. You’re fine, Miss Emma. Read it out to me.”

“Okay. So, first question. Is ... Samantha ... coming along still?”

“Yes, Sam will be with us,” I said.

“Okay,” Emma said with a sigh. “The plane will be in the air tomorrow by nine fifteen. Boarding on your jet begins at eight forty-five with breakfast being served on the plane.”

“Perfect. What happens when we land?” I asked.