Bennett (Bourbon & Blood #1)
Prologue
“ W hat the hell is the meaning of this, Erica?” Mia demanded as she slapped the memo onto the desk.
The other woman pursed her perfectly lined and lacquered lips. “Where did you get that?”
“I am the one asking the questions here. Who do you think you are to come into my family’s business and try to alter the very fabric of the company we’ve built?” She was more livid than she could recall being in a very long time.
The memo was fairly straightforward. It was a request to review a proposal to increase production by diluting the older barrels held in reserve with newer batches of bourbon. It would greatly increase the volume of their product, but it would decimate the quality.
“Samuel asked for people to think outside the box,” Erica replied coolly. “Profits were down last year, Mia. Your marketing plan didn’t work.”
Mia clenched her fists and tried to rein in her temper. She had a lot of issues with the other woman, and not all of them were professional. “Profits were down because another distillery, that is our direct competition, was plastered all over the news on a daily basis for months. Just because some asshat production line workers managed to pull off the crime of the century and steal more than a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of bourbon and that’s all every news outlet in the state can talk about! That is the kind of publicity and advertising that cannot be purchased.”
“Regardless, we need to be looking ahead and not behind. You’re too mired in tradition, Mia. You’re losing sight of what this company could be,” Erica said with a smug smile. “Your father will listen to me. We both know that.”
Mia smiled in return, though the expression was loaded with venom. “ We all know, and by we , I mean everyone, that more of your work is accomplished under my father’s desk than at your own. Just because you’ve managed to get him into your bed, don’t make the mistake of thinking you can control him. Samuel Darcy will never compromise Fire Creek Distilleries.”
“You don’t run the show, Mia. Neither do your brothers!” Erica snapped hotly.
“My brothers and I, together, have controlling interest in this company. As long as we stick together, there’s not a damn thing you can do about it. And I might not be a daddy’s girl, but don’t think for a single second that I can’t get rid of you.”
“Are you threatening me?” Erica fired back. “My attorney will be very happy to hear that.”
“I don’t threaten. I’m offering you a piece of professional advice, and as it’s coming from someone who owns a portion of this company, you should take it. Learn your place, stay within the bounds you’ve been given, and you can work here to your heart’s content—or until my father’s eye wanders again. That won’t take long, by the way. But overstep again, and your career here will be over. Are we understood?”
Erica glared at her. “This isn’t over.”
“Oh, I think it is,” Mia replied softly. “You are here to take customers and guests on tours, to talk up the bourbon industry like it’s a bit of royalty while you wear the charitably given title of Assistant VP of Marketing. You are not now, nor will you ever be, part of this distillery. Remember that.” Mia took the mic drop moment and waltzed out. She left the door open in her wake, but it was only seconds later that she heard it slam with considerable force. It was followed by the sound of breaking glass. A full-on tantrum was in process and she felt strangely good about being at the heart of it.