CHAPTER 31HUGH
CHAPTER 31
HUGH
Lucian was sitting at his desk flipping through an email that I’d sent him updating him on my clients when a knock came at the door. I scrolled absently at my emails as the door opened and Julian Frey walked in. I did a double take, seeing how much he’d changed since I’d last seen him.
The retro charcoal-gray suit he was wearing had a modern twist and highlighted his svelte look. He’d lost at least fifty pounds but had that same cocky smile splashed across his face as his locs hung heavy down his back. I stood to greet him, and his green eyes lit up as he shook my hand.
“Hugh. I heard you had hung around. How’s it been?”
He placed a hand in his pockets and showed the slightly off-center, six-button vest.
“Nothing but good things, my man. I heard you were gracing us with your presence.”
Jude’s bright smile dimmed a little and left his eyes. “Yeah, I was ready to reenter the world.” He clapped me on the back, and I gave him a smile as I moved my gaze to Lucian and saw a scowl on his face.
“Jude,” he was staring the man down, and Julian met his frown with a bright smile.
“Luke,” he replied.
The air was thick with something that was not my business, and I was just about ready to see myself out when the door careened open.
Xavier stomped in, slamming the door behind him as he charged past Julian and me, straight over to the other side of Lucian’s desk. The man was huffing and puffing as he leaned down to get in Lucian’s face. Lucian seemed surprised at first, but he was calm, probably trying his best to defuse the situation.
“Denise Roberts needs to go,” Xavier hissed.
Xavier’s face was ruddy, and his usually slight accent was heavy in his rage. To Lucian’s credit, he crossed his fingers in front of him. Lucian’s height meant that the men were practically looking at each other eye to eye.
Julian’s whole face morphed into something I’d never seen. He was always cracking jokes and laughing, but this was different. I’d never seen him ready to knock a motherfucker out, but his expression was murderous.
Lucian raised an eyebrow at Xavier and waited a few seconds before replying. “Does she?” he asked, his tone icy.
“And then I saw that you’d fired, Darla. What are you thinking?” Xavier was leaning down, trying to tower over Lucian. I was surprised the old man was bold enough to try Lucian like that.
Lucian stood, using his full height to tower over Xavier before saying, “I’m not going to match the disrespect and lack of professionalism you showed barging into my office.”
Julian moved forward to intervene between the two men, but Lucian threw up his hand.
“Darla broke several different confidentiality clauses. She’s lucky she didn’t get sued.”
Xavier opened his mouth and Lucian shook his head.
“An employee being assaulted is not actionable—”
“She clearly got caught running around with him,” Xavier spat the words. That’s when I stepped forward.
Julian side-stepped in front of me as he observed his manicured nails.
“Xavier. Leave.” Julian said. I could tell he was a fighter. The way his muscles were coiled tight, it would look relaxed to anyone, but I’d seen that shit one time. Some young cat was popping off at some old timer at the gym and we’d had no time to react before the youngster hit the floor so hard and fast, they had to take him to the hospital.
“Or what,” Xavier yelled, his finger hitting Lucian square in the chest.
“Or you not only lose your job, but I’ll send your ass to the ground floor—express,” Lucian replied. Xavier’s ruddy face drained of color, and he took a step back, it seemed like he realized he was yelling in his boss’s office surrounded by folks who wouldn’t take his side.
“Sir, these two are clearly not cut out to be assigned H1, they’ve been hiding their relationship,” Xavier’s tone went from angry to desperate.
“Just because you weren’t privy to it doesn’t mean it was being hidden.”
Julian stepped in front of me, forcing me to take a step away from Xavier as we exchanged icy glares.
“I’m going to chalk this up to stress as long as you turn around without saying another word and leave my office.”
Xavier seemed nervous before turning and leaving, shutting the door on his way out, noticeably softer than the way that he’d slammed it a few minutes before.
There was something else there. I’d never seen Xavier appear so rattled before. The man was fiery but coming in here like that was out of character. Between Xavier’s weird ass energy and the frost between these two, I was ready to take my ass back to my office. I moved toward the door, but Lucian motioned me into the seat, so I sat.
“Anything I can do to help you get settled in at work , Jude?” Lucian was still glaring at him, and Julian didn’t seem bothered by it.
“Nah, I was just swinging by to let you know I was in the office. We didn’t get a chance to talk last night—”
“We’ll catch up another time. Let me go over this email with Hugh.” Lucian turned away and effectively dismissed Julian. His jovial smile cracked a little, but he took the hint and walked out.
Once the door was closed, Lucian leaned in his seat and rubbed at his face. He looked like he needed a minute, so I let him sit in silence.
“I remember how nice it was being a one-man shop,” he muttered beneath his hands.
“And now look at you,” I replied, standing.
“Living the dream,” he muttered. “Now, what’s your plan for dealing with Jean?”