Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
“I’m not sure if it’s a personality conflict or something more,” I said honestly. “I feel very unwelcome in that department.
“Whitney and Shana are quiet and give direction when I ask, but they have made it clear through comments made that they believe I’m only here to seduce the CEO, whom I have never met or seen. It’s frustrating being accused of something I’m not doing.
“I thought I could prove myself with dedication and hard work. Instead, I’ve been given unreasonable deadlines on complicated reports, spoken to rudely, and have had files mysteriously go missing, after which a thumb drive hidden on my desk to ensure my work wouldn’t disappear again also went missing.
“It feels like I’m being targeted, and I’m afraid that, if I stay in this position, it won’t be long before something unexplainable happens and I find myself out of a job for good.”
Gail took a moment to digest what I’d shared, then said, “The CEO’s administrative pool has an immediate opening if you would like to try that.”
“Move directly to the place they all think I’m vying to go?
I’d stay where I am and take more proactive steps to protect myself by making additional backups before leaving each day.
Non-confidential information, I’ll put on a thumb drive to take home with me, and I’ll work with IT to secure a network backup location for all confidential information.
I’ll ask them to notify you each time I save something there.
“As for my work ethic, I have yet to avoid any task assigned to me or fail to meet deadlines given, even though the majority of them have been outside of the scope of training I’ve received.
While I hope my continued, consistent task completion and the quality of my work would speak for themselves, I think it’s in my best interest for Ms. Stonestock to review my performance, with you present, at the end of the week so we’re all on the same page.
That way, I can make immediate adjustments if she has any valid concerns. ”
Gail nodded.
“All right. Let me coordinate with Ms. Stonestock about the meeting, and please do keep me in the loop regarding the IT data issue. Hopefully, they’ll be able to resolve it soon so you won’t need to continue to make additional backups.”
“Thank you.” I shook her hand and left her office, feeling a little better about heading up to my desk.
My phone buzzed in the elevator.
Miranda: Hope the she-bitch stays out of your way today. If you need backup, let me know. Just got my nails done.
Miranda: Also, your admirer wants to know what he needs to do to get through your walls. Do you need anything? A bathroom remodel? A new roof? I think you should take this as an opportunity to score big in a way that benefits you.
I rolled my eyes.
Me: He would need to lose all his money, not be a shifter, and not be looking for forever. I do one-night stands only.
Miranda: Should I tell him that?
Me: Please.
Miranda: On it. Want to meet for lunch?
Me: Yep. See you at twelve. Not the Steele building this time.
Miranda: I’ll send the address and order ahead for us.
Me: Thanks!
The elevator doors opened, and I moved on autopilot, thinking about the conversation with Miranda and wondering if the morning would start with a confrontation with Lianna.
I wasn’t thinking of why I’d spotted Konni downstairs. Which was why seeing him again on the executive floor, walking into the VP of Operations’ office, stopped me in my tracks.
“Are you all right?”
I looked at the woman who was watching me and nodded toward the closed office door.
“Who just walked in there?”
Her friendly expression cooled. “Drokonnen Steele, Steele Corporation’s CEO.”
My lungs froze.
“If you’re smart, you won’t set your sights on him and instead focus on your work performance. Climbing the corporate ladder will be a lot easier than trying to climb into his bed.”
She turned away from me before the slow flush consumed my face, unaware of how backward she had it.
Woodenly, I walked to my desk and sat. Thankfully, no one else had arrived yet and didn’t witness my personal crisis. Panic was making it hard to breathe.
Konni was Steele’s CEO.
Steele’s CEO had given me five grand.
He’d slept with me.
Steele’s CEO was interested in me!
A strange breath wheezed out of me.
No, I was wrong. I had to be wrong.
Another piece fell into place, and I picked up my phone to call Miranda.
“Who did you contact last Friday?” I asked.
“Why? Did something happen with the she-bitch? I’m on my way.”
I heard her moving.
“No, Miranda, I need you to tell me who your contact is here.”
The beat of hesitation spoke volumes.
“The CEO.”
I closed my eyes against the stab of doom that pierced me, killing the panic with the resolute knowledge of what I’d done.
“You mean Konni, right?”
“Yeah. Am I in trouble?”
I thought about it for a second before answering.
“No.”
But I was. I’d slept with the fucking CEO that everyone in my department had accused me of targeting. What the hell was I supposed to do with that?
Ignore it. Obviously. All of it. Any more bullshit on my plate and it would break.
“Are you okay?” she asked in all seriousness.
“Yeah. We’ll talk more at lunch.”
“Okay. Call or text if you need anything.”
“I will.”
I put away my purse and went for coffee. When I returned, Whitney was at her desk. If my greeting fell flat, hopefully she attributed it to what happened on Friday morning.
Meanwhile, my mind lingered on what happened that night. With Konni. The fucking CEO.
Thankfully, Lianna didn’t say anything to me all morning, and Whitney gave me enough work to keep busy. As soon as it was time, I saved everything off, grabbed my purse, and fled for lunch.
My head kept replaying all my flirtatious interactions with Konni at Lunar Pulse, distracting me from my path on the sidewalk. So when someone stepped in front of me, I quickly apologized and moved around them without seeing who it was.
A hand gripped my upper arm firmly.
“Sophia, stop ignoring me.”
My gaze flew to my father’s angry face, then to his hand.
“Assault charges aren’t dropped because of relationships,” I said. “Let go.”
His face flushed, and he removed his hand.
“I wouldn’t need to stop you if you answered my calls.”
“You called?” I asked, looking at my phone. He had. I’d silenced notifications from him.
“We need to talk,” he said.
“Why?”
“Mr. Hestian would like to have dinner with you this Thursday, seven-thirty, at Seventeen Twenty-One.”
“Unfortunately, I already have plans on Thursday. Please extend my delight in not being able to accept his unwanted offer.”
Dad’s face flushed further.
“We both know you can’t afford to reject him, Sophia. It’s only a matter of time before Abbye defaults on the house due to medical bills from her accident. Then what will you do? Are you willing to allow her to sleep on the streets?”
I wasn’t sure what angered me more. The fact that he knew how close she was to losing everything and didn’t care, or that he was trying to use our current desperation to control me.
“First, don’t try to use my affection for Mom to guilt me into helping you. It’ll never work. Second, I have two jobs and can support Mom until she’s well again. We’re in no danger of defaulting on the house.”
Unless the medical bills are insane. Then, bad things might happen. But I refused to think about that yet.
“How do you think Abbye will react when she learns you accepted five thousand dollars from Jay to pay off the back mortgage?” he demanded.
“How do you think she’ll react when she finds out you’re still trying to sell me for an investment?” I countered. “Even a rabbit will bite when cornered, Dad.”
I turned away from him without answering, ready to leave, but he grabbed my arm again.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, let go of her arm now, or I’ll show you my teeth,” Miranda called.
I glanced at my friend, who was closing in from twenty yards away, dangerous teeth already exposed by her silent snarl, and yanked my arm free.
“When you regret your behavior today, call me,” Dad said before walking away with an elite air of composure that made me want to kick the back of his knee.
“Say the word, and I can maim him,” Miranda said next to me.
I sighed. “We’d both get in trouble then, and my mom needs me.”
“Who is he?”
“My asshat father,” I said, looping my arm through hers. “I’m glad you came. Nice teeth just now, by the way. I thought it was one form or another with you wolves.”
“The teeth are needed for claiming a mate in either form. And I came to find you because you were taking too long, and I was worried I was in trouble.”
“You’re not. It’s not like you lied to me. You would have told me sooner if I’d asked. I didn’t because I didn’t want to know. I hate the idea of cronyism. In this case, ignorance was bliss.”
We reached the cafe and waited until we were seated before continuing our conversation.
“How do you know him?” I asked.
She lifted the purse she’d earned by trading information about me to the rich shifter who thought I was his mate. Realization hit me like a punch to my lungs.
“He’s the rich guy who wants to know how to break through my walls?”
“Yes.”
I let my head fall into my hands.
“I can’t do this, Miranda. My mom’s hurt. We’re in so much fucking debt. My Dad is trying to get me to marry some rich old guy who likes killing wives. And all my coworkers treat me like shit because they think I’m only at Steele to try to cheat my way into the good life by sleeping with the CEO.”
When I lifted my head, the compassion in her expression almost undid me.
“I need less bullshit in my life, not more of it. How am I supposed to keep working there now, knowing I unintentionally did exactly what they were accusing me of? I accepted money from him, Miranda. Money.”
“Say fuck it and accept more. Let him bail you out. And if you have to marry some rich guy to fix your problems, why not him?”
“Never. Not ever. I refuse to be like my dad.”