His words wind me up. He makes it seem like I don’t deserve anything that he’s given to me. He doesn’t even give me credit for following the footsteps that he wanted for me, even though I’ve always hated it. I’m sure he must see that what I really want is to make it on my own, but that hasn’t ever been an option.
“Right, fine, well as I’m sure Charlie has already told you, I have been around much more.”
“I know, you have, that’s right. But it hasn’t made any difference. Didn’t you hear what I said out there? The numbers aren’t great and the fact that we have been losing out on contracts to other marketing companies, purely because of your behavior, has hit us hard. It’s going to take a lot to claw back.”
“Dad, this company isn’t suffering financially. It’s just a couple of contracts. And honestly, I think that we can cope without those.”
“It isn’t about what we can and can’t cope with. We shouldn’t be losing out on anything.”
He’s a fucking asshole, and I can feel myself getting all tied up in knots because of him. He always drags out my self-doubt and makes me feel like shit. What sort of father gets off on doing that to his son?
“Okay, so I will make it right again.” I shrug. “I will bring the numbers back up, behave better, and make sure that we don’t lose out on any more contracts. I will even meet with certain companies that have rejected us to show that I’ve changed. To make it better. I will do whatever the hell I can…”
“And get rid of the tattooed girl… I’m not going to forget that.”
“It isn’t happening. I’m not firing anyone. I can’t, Dad.”
“You can and you will. I won’t hear another word about it. Now, I’m going to make the rounds and speak to some of my favorite employees to see how things are really going around here.”
He fires off a wink and exits, knowing that I will be stuck here in a bubble of rage for a while, during which time he can spread his poison. He can turn people against me even more. And he’s right. I do remain locked away in my office, pumping my fists in anger, while he does what he can to wreck me. It’s like he doesn’t really want me to have an actual chance here. He’s happy for me to fail. It’ll probably make him feel like a bigger man.
It isn’t until Lexi pops open my door and leans her head in, concern plastering her face because she’s heard what my father has said about me, that I break free from the bubble and I force a smile on my face.
“Are you okay, Isaac?” she asks me. “Is there… anything that you need me to do?”
I could force a spiteful job on her, just to release myself of a tiny bit of my rage, but I don’t want to. Lexi doesn’t deserve any of the crap from my father and she doesn’t deserve it from me either. I have been just like him, a prick, and now I need to stop… or maybe not stop but change up the game.
“Lexi, I need you to stay late tonight. Is that okay with you?”
I challenge her a bit with my eyes, trying to see if she’s really into all of this. She looks a little worried, like she isn’t quite sure if she can do this or not, but I know she’ll be fine. There’s a spark between us, even if she doesn’t know it yet. A sexual chemistry that I know she’ll enjoy. She just needs to give it a chance.
“L… late? Sure, I can stay late tonight.”
“Good.” I smile, more genuinely this time. This day has just taken a turn for the better. “Great, well let’s see how it goes then.”
Chapter Eleven
Lexi
Once Isaac finishes talking to me, I race into the bathroom, needing a moment to myself. As soon as his father walked i
nto the office, I knew that it wasn’t going to be the easiest day, but I never expected it to be the day that he started cashing in on the sexual favors. Now it’s going to be the time when everything changes.
I grip on to the side of the sink and gasp, trying my absolute hardest to get some air in my lungs. I need to act normal, to pretend like this is okay, because I know it’s what I signed up for. I agreed to this for the kick ass salary that I don’t really deserve otherwise, and I did it for a reason. I have started paying for Jane’s treatment out of it, and I wouldn’t have been able to do that in any other scenario.
“It will be fine,” I tell my freaked out reflection in the mirror. “It isn’t so bad.”
I mean, at least Isaac is hot. Plus, when he isn’t wearing his arrogant, over the top mask, his personality isn’t terrible. We do get along. Surprisingly. This could be a whole lot worse if it was with someone I hated and was totally gross.
The door flies open, and two girls enter, meaning I need to stand up straight, act like I have it together. Everyone here doesn’t like me as it is. I definitely don’t fit in here at all, so I don’t want to make it worse by acting like a freak. I’m sure people already assume that I’m Isaac’s fling on the side. This would just confirm it.
I watch in the mirror as the girls glance at one another and giggle. I hate them both, with their poker straight matching hair in various shades of blonde, and bright red lipstick, heavily made up faces. To be honest, they are the sort of women that you would expect to see on Isaac’s arm, not me. But maybe they have already been there. In my position. About to be used for a higher salary. Maybe it’s a rite of passage here.
I breathe a few times, needing to calm myself down, then with my head held high, I leave the bathroom. Those girls obviously want to talk about me, and I don’t give a fuck. Let them talk about me. I have my own issues. A little bit of bitchiness isn’t going to affect me at all.
I take my seat back at my desk and do my best to focus, but it’s hard to get anything done. My head is all over the place. I keep zig zagging in different directions, unsure of what I need to do.
I will never be ready for something like this, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t survive it. Eventually the day rolls on towards the end and people begin to leave. I have to keep myself looking busy so there is a reason for me to stay behind, but it’s also good because it means I’m a little distracted. It means I can’t show myself freaking out although I am from inside. I’m the messiest that I have ever been in my life.