They know. This looks bad. So fucking bad. And yet, it’s what I asked for. The reality of their assumptions hits me.
Everyone here knows I’ve been sleeping with Adrian, and they think he’s keeping my department because I couldn’t keep my legs closed. It will never matter to them that I took my own power in being fucked by him. All they see is a woman who went behind everyone’s back to sleep with the boss and guarantee her department would stay intact.
That sickening feeling takes over again. Every part of me is on edge and Gail seems to catch on, squeezing my hand again and whispering, “Fuck them.”
Frustration clenches my jaw. For so many years, I’ve thrown myself into this work and made tough calls and spoken my mind to my superiors even though I knew it would be risky to do it. I’ve been the one on the line many times, all in service of building this company into something worthwhile. Now everyone in the room thinks I slept my way to the top. Not even to the top. They think I slept my way to keeping my job.
My discomfort grows with the silence. I’m not sure what Adrian is waiting for, but no one does anything. No one pretends to have another meeting or rushes out with their cell phone to their ear.
It hits me then, that he’s reading the room the same as I am. He knows exactly what they think and why they’re all looking at me. Not Gail or anyone else from my department. Only at me. His gaze slips to mine and the back of my eyes prick. I can take it. I’ll deal with the fallout and whatever damage is done to my reputation.
Adrian is handsome and stone faced at the front of the room. He’s a defensive, arrogant asshole, that’s what he is. Adrian has a strong jaw and an even better smile, but the expression he wears now is hardly encouraging.
“Not one of you came to pitch to me,” he says finally in a deadly tone, and the room holds its breath. They’ve been waiting for the release of finally knowing what’s going to happen, and now Adrian’s dragging it out. “Not a single one of you but the lead for brand positioning and marketing. One of you came to me with a plan, and I may be a heartless prick, but if there is value and a potential profit …” He’s looking deeply into my eyes now, in front of all my colleagues. Every eye in the room is on us. “I do consider it.”
Adrian
Today was less than ideal. I’ve never felt so conflicted when it comes to business.
Because she’s a factor now. The moment the meeting ended, I left first and I’m ashamed to admit, I closed the door to my office to avoid it all. Especially Suzette and all the questions written in her expression in that conference room.
There’s not a doubt in my mind, word will get out.
Wyatt clears his throat across from me, and I wish I’d canceled this meeting, but in truth, I’d forgotten about it until he walked through the door.
“Whatever’s going on, just tell me,” he comments from across my desk. A stack of papers, or more specifically, the contract he wants me to sign sits in front of him. To-go bags from a sushi place are in the other lounge chair beside him.
“We don’t have to discuss business,” he offers. He’s dressed in his lucky dove gray suit. He’s worn it to every wedding and every business meeting I’ve accompanied him to. He told me once that it’s his lucky charm. But as he fiddles with the thin pale pink tie, he leans forward, and his eyes search mine. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
“You didn’t come here to be my therapist.”
“No, but I’m always your friend. Business aside, you look wrecked.” He leans back, his tie wrapped up in one fist that lays on his chest. His brow’s pinched as he speaks with concern. “Like, is it a chick, is it your parents? What’s going on with you?”
“A chick,” I utter before I can stop myself and then I hate it. I hate the description. “She’s not just some woman.”
“Oh shit.” Wyatt elongates the words, pushing the contract out of the way to make room for the sushi.
“I’m not hungry,” I tell him and he only pauses to tell me, “Look, I need to eat. You pour your heart out, I’ll stuff my face. Whatever’s left you can have later.” The plastic bag crinkles as he digs out his carton of choice. “So, what’d she do?”
“Nothing that I shouldn’t have known was coming.” It was written on the walls. Before I even stepped foot in this building, without even looking at the security footage to detail employees, I knew Suzette Parks was going to fight me. It was written on the fucking walls.