Chapter 8
8
It is a matter of life and death, a road to either safety or to ruin.
THE ART OF WAR , SUN TZU
Chase sat at his desk, rolling his chair forwards and backwards. Something was off, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. And it wasn’t helping his mood at all.
Ever since yesterday when somehow instead of sugar, there had been salt in his coffee, actually in the sugar wrapper, which could only have been a mix up at the factory, he’d started dabbing his finger into the white substance, and it made Chase feel like an addict.
He checked his watch. He’d scheduled a team meeting for 10a.m., hoping that everyone would have suitably recovered from the night before. Chase barely recognised himself. Twelve months ago he would never have imagined that he’d not only be arranging team meetings, but doing so, cruelly, the morning after a night out. But Bella had been right. He needed to let the team know about Zadzisai. It wasn’t fair to keep them in the dark.
Chase rolled back in his chair, still feeling like something was off as Bella knocked on his door looking alarmingly fresh at the head of the rest of the team.
He gestured for them to come in. Ali entered clutching her tablet, a notepad and the biggest can of energy drink he’d ever seen. Maurice looked as if he should have been wearing sunglasses.
‘Morning boss,’ Ye-Joon said brightly, bringing up the rear.
The kid was a fucking ray of sunshine and as much as Chase wanted to hate that, he really didn’t.
‘Ye-Joon. You’ve met our new comms director?’
‘Yeah, just now. She’s cool,’ he said, bobbing his head on his lanky frame.
Bella smiled at the compliment as if it really meant something to her and he felt a thump in his chest.
Ali could barely take her eyes off Ye-Joon and wasn’t being subtle about it either. Bella’s gaze tracked back and forth between the two. Ali might as well have had hearts in her eyes for how obvious it was. And Ye-Joon might as well have been hit over the head with a hammer for how oblivious he was.
As people got settled, he watched Bella retrieve something from her bag and pass it to Maurice beneath the line of the table. He mouthed, ‘Thank you,’ back before reaching for his water and swallowing what was presumably painkillers.
They were little things. Small gestures between them, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that they’d become a little unit. A little unit that he was about to put under a huge amount of pressure.
He took a breath.
‘Oh!’ Ali exclaimed, reaching into her bag, and pulling out a cardboard box with pastries.
‘Thank you, Jesus,’ Maurice whispered, not so much under his breath as on it as he reached for the nearest and quickest way of loading his body full of sugar, fats and just a little salt.
Salt.
He grimaced and eyed the coffee station on the side table with suspicion.
He looked back to find Bella’s eyes on him before she looked back down to her coffee.
‘Bella?’ Ali offered.
‘No, thank you.’
No. Chase didn’t think that a good girl like Bella would consume more than half her daily calories before 10.30 in the morning and as if in challenge, he purposefully leaned forward and picked out the one doughnut covered in the most sugar and took a huge bite, and he felt her gaze on him the entire time. She bit her lip and he nearly choked, and that was enough to remind him where they were and what he thought he was playing at.
He’d like to blame the hangover, but he didn’t have one. He took a mouthful of coffee to wash down the sugar and cleared his throat.
‘Okay. So, now that I have you all here, I’ve got some news.’
‘You’re leaving?’ Ali accused.
‘You’re closing the gallery for the day and we can all go home?’ Ye-Joon offered.
‘Bella’s pregnant?’ Maurice said, causing Ali to squeal, Chase to laugh and Bella to gasp in horror.
‘None of those things.’ Chase was quick to recover in time to see Bella looking at him in accusation as if what Maurice had said was his fault. ‘At least?—’
‘No. Not pregnant,’ Bella replied firmly. ‘And I swear that if one, one , newspaper headline remotely even suggests?—’
A chorus of ‘no’s filled the room without Bella having to finish the threat.
‘Okay,’ Chase said, calling attention back to him. ‘I’m afraid we’ve lost Zadzisai,’ he said, ripping the Band-Aid off in one fell swoop.
Maurice looked appalled, Ali bemused as if she knew she should be shocked but didn’t quite get why, and Ye-Joon put his head in his hands. Ye-Joon had really been looking forward to working with Zadzisai’s paintings.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said, genuinely, feeling responsible, because as gallery director, he really was. ‘But I’m already looking, and I will find someone to replace Zadzisai as our featured artist.’
‘Everything has to change,’ Maurice said. ‘The website, the promotional plans, almost the entire first magazine?—’
‘Neither the main pages of the website or the magazine have gone live yet, so we have time to change the copy there,’ Bella said soothingly. ‘We’re still compiling mailing lists so no actual specifics have gone out to clients. We’re actually in a really good place for this to have happened. It would be different if the information had been released…’
She trailed off a little towards the end of the sentence as if suddenly getting distracted, but despite that, Bella’s words had the desired effect, soothing the ruffled concerns of his team.
‘Absolutely. It’s better that we know now so that we can make the changes we need.’
‘But all the other artists were chosen because of how their pieces worked with Zadzisai’s,’ Ye-Joon said, worried. ‘Does that mean we’re changing everything?’
‘I’m not changing a single thing until we have a new featured artist in place,’ Chase said firmly.
‘And… do you have an idea as to who that might be?’ Bella asked hesitantly.
I’m working on it , wouldn’t cut it.
‘Not yet,’ he admitted.
How can we help if you won’t let us?
Just like then, Bella held his gaze now and he shoved the deep discomfort at putting his trust, his faith in other people aside and said, ‘But I’m open to ideas.’
Maurice raised an eyebrow – though whether that meant he was impressed or derisive, Chase couldn’t tell. Ali tapped her fluffy-tipped pencil against her sparkly notepad, eyes to the ceiling as if this was the pose of ‘deep in thought’ she had perfected from teen movies.
Ye-Joon frowned.
‘Ye-Joon?’
He squinted. ‘There is this girl – woman ,’ he hastily corrected under Bella’s watchful eye, ‘at college. She’s… something else, man, like seriously. What she can do with a brush. It kinda reminds me of you, you know.’
Chase tensed against the emotional gut punch.
‘BA? MA?’ he asked.
‘MA. Sascha Levy. Fine Art. There’s something there, that’s all I can say. You’d have to go see for yourself,’ he said with a shrug.
Chase made a note, before saying, ‘Look, I know that this feels like it stops us in our tracks but it doesn’t. I’ll be focusing on this, but I still want to see the mock-ups and copy for the remaining artists, as well as the marketing schedule for the lead in to the pre-opening by the end of the week.’
The team nodded and he got up as they began to file out, Bella hanging behind. Just as he’d expected.
‘You want to go from Zadzisai, to an art student?’ Bella asked sceptically, thankfully having waited until it was just the two of them.
‘I haven’t even seen the work yet.’
‘But you’re considering it?’ she prodded.
‘Yes. I am.’
‘Did you consider approaching another established artist? Someone that would at least have enough recognition to draw the kind of attention needed?’
‘Did I think about it? Yes,’ Chase said, returning to his seat behind the desk, because the hint of her perfume as she’d stood close to him had surprised him. He’d expected floral and sweet, but that was not what Bella was wearing. ‘Of course I did,’ he said, regaining his chain of thought. ‘And did I think that any other established artist that would attract the kind of attention you’re hoping for would run for the hills like Zadzisai? Absolutely.’
The conversation was beginning to grate and he needed her out of his office. The V of the silk shirt was tantalizingly close to revealing.
Pervert.
Bite me , he threw back at his inner voice.
‘Look,’ he ground out from between his teeth, ‘let’s go check out Levy and see what we think after that,’ he said, trying to close down the conversation.
She pulled up, the shirt settling less indecently across her chest and he let out an internal sigh of relief.
‘You want me to come with you?’ she asked.
Pervert.
Chase cleared his throat. ‘Yes. I would like you to come with me,’ he said impatiently.
‘Why?’
‘Because you’re going to need to see what I do, if we’re going to sell this to the others.’
She gave him that glazed stare again and finally nodded her agreement.
‘I’ll let you know when we’re good to go,’ he said, pulling himself back into the desk on the chair that didn’t quite feel like his chair.
‘Okay,’ she said, nodding, and walked smoothly out of his office, leaving a trace of that scent that he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
* * *
It would be different if the information had been released.
Bella nibbled the middle of her top lip as she waited for the kettle to boil.
That was a very different kind of sabotage to putting salt in his coffee or destabilising his office chair. Both of which she’d done again that morning, slowly increasing the number of salt packets, and the inch in height of the chair.
But if that information had been released and it did get out it could damage Chase’s career irrevocably.
But how to do it? And who to do it to?
Maurice came to the kitchenette and leaned against the cabinet.
‘What do you think?’ he asked Bella who was so lost in her thoughts, she replied, ‘I think I want to see every article that’s mentioned Nayak New York.’
‘What?’
Bella spun round to look at Maurice. ‘I… ah, I think if we’re going to get ahead of this, then I want to see every article that’s mentioned Nayak New York.’
Because if anyone had that, the archivist would.
‘Yes, boss,’ Maurice said warmly and he left her to go do just that.
Yes, boss. She kind of liked that, she thought, a smile curving her mouth.
Someone out there must dislike Chase Miller as much as she and the girls – and presumably his ex-wife – did. All that autocratic, I know best, must have put someone’s nose out of joint. And she knew exactly who she needed to speak to about it.
Bella
Are you free this afternoon?
Astrid
On a work day? BAD Bella.
Of course I am, love.
But bring your leggings.
Bella
Leggings?
Astrid
You’ll see…
Less than three hours later, Bella walked, somewhat nervously, into Namast-ay . She hadn’t missed the women walking out on her way in, covered in sweat, bright red faces, one stumbling against the building.
She’d told Maurice she’d be working ‘off site’ that afternoon, which wasn’t technically untrue. She was definitely working. Just against Chase rather than for him.
She searched the women dressed in workout gear, looking for a familiar face when?—
‘Carmichael! Get your cute tush over here right now,’ Astrid yelled across the serene, ylang-ylang scented foyer.
Old Bella would have been horrified. The coarseness, the brazenness. But new Bella, her right now, saw her friend and loved every minute of it. Bella hurried over to where Astrid was standing and they embraced like they hadn’t just seen each other for brunch a few days ago. Bella felt herself well up a little at the rush of affection she felt.
‘You okay?’ Astrid asked without letting go.
‘Yes. You?’ Bella replied, also not letting go.
‘Just about.’
And then they laughed and untangled themselves and sat.
‘What is this place?’ Bella asked, half on a laugh.
‘This is the most extreme hot yoga in the whole of New York. It’s legendary.’
Bella looked about her, even more worried than she had been.
‘And this is where you bring me so we can talk about, our you know whos ?’ she whispered.
Astrid smiled at her. ‘It’s good to multi-task. Which is kind of how I feel taking on the Titan twins. Do you know what it’s like facing that level of testosterone, not to mention all-round freaking hotness on an almost daily basis?’ she said. ‘I need to drain myself nearly of the will to live just to get my nipples to stand down, so distract me. What do you need?’
* * *
Bella and Astrid queued up in front of the studio with about another fifteen women, all wearing expressions that covered grim determination to fear, with just a few serenities to make it not clear that she should leave before the class even started.
‘What do you know about Chester C. Carlton?’ Bella whispered into Astrid’s ear.
Once Bella had seen Chester’s article on Chase from nearly four years ago now, she knew he was perfect. The piece was bitter, asinine and amusing rather than accurate. It had been in a culture section blog for an international newspaper so hadn’t really caused any damage or impact.
But Chester C. Carlton was now working as an arts editor for a popularist lifestyle magazine having made a name for himself with bombastic, scathing write-ups of art and culture. He wrote like a food critic who hated food.
Astrid squinted in disgust. ‘The man’s a literary assassin. He’s been called a “wit”, but he’s not funny in the slightest. He’s just mean. Why do you ask?’
And then realisation hit.
‘Oh! I like where you’re going with this… But,’ she said, looking off into the distance again. ‘Your PR company won’t go near him.’
Bella nodded, Astrid having confirmed all her suspicions. ‘But I take it Carlton is the kind of man that would think I’m a stupid, spoiled socialite?’
‘Absolutely. He’d think you’re a stuck-up rich princess,’ Astrid said in agreement. ‘Wait!’ she half yelled. ‘You know you’re not that, right?’
Astrid’s concern made Bella laugh.
‘Yes. I do,’ she assured her. ‘But that doesn’t mean I can’t play up to it to get what I want.’
The door to the studio opened and they all began to file in.
‘Which is why he won’t think it’s strange that you contact him directly, rather than through the PR firm,’ Astrid laughed maniacally. ‘I love how diabolical you are. Just think what you could do if you used your powers for good.’
Bella nibbled her top lip. That was the problem though, wasn’t it? She had tried to use her powers for good. And where had that got her? Dumped at the aisle, with her life plan burned to ash and no one there to help her pick up the pieces.
Until the girls.
Until she’d decided to be bad .
Fuck me, Daddy.
She really needed to find that book.
And then she walked into a room hotter than hell.
* * *
Two hours later, Astrid and Bella cut a somewhat erratic path down the sidewalk.
‘I’m so sorry,’ Astrid said, the words panting out of her mouth.
‘Why was it so long?’ Bella asked, almost imploringly.
‘I don’t know.’
‘And hot,’ she said, her skin still pink, even in the cold winter.
‘So hot,’ Astrid managed to force out. ‘It’s Blake’s fault,’ she groused.
‘Only Blake’s? I thought you said it was the twins plural.’
Astrid waved a hand, eyes averted. ‘Tom-ay-to, tom-ah-to.’
‘I hate you a little bit right now,’ Bella admitted.
‘I hate myself a lot of bits right now,’ Astrid replied.
‘Oh God,’ was all Bella could express.
‘Chase,’ Astrid whispered.
‘Oh God ,’ Bella groaned.
‘No, Chase,’ Astrid hissed, spinning her around to see Chase coming towards them on the sidewalk.
With a squeak, Bella turned, and in a wholly uncharacteristic moment of pure blind panic she pushed Astrid into the hedgerow of someone’s front garden.
‘Bella!’ Chase called out.
‘Yes!’ she half screamed, half squealed as she turned to face him.
Chase looked a little startled by her response. Bella was a little startled herself to be fair.
‘Sorry, I was…’ She stuttered over her words, her mind horrifyingly blank.
‘Are you okay?’ he asked.
‘Mm hmm,’ she replied, trying to see if Astrid was okay from where Bella had shoved her.
A single hand rose from the greenery with a thumb sticking up.
‘Bella?’
‘Yup,’ she said, the world tipping a little as she turned back to face Chase.
‘Are you drunk?’ Chase asked, clearly concerned.
‘No!’ Bella cried out in denial.
He barked out a laugh and finally her brain began to work. She needed to get him out of here immediately.
‘You’re a menace, Bella Carmichael,’ he declared.
‘No, I’m not,’ she replied hotly.
‘You should not be allowed out by yourself. Walking around New York pissed as a fart.’
Don’t make a scene, Bella.
We can’t take care of you both, sweetheart. It’ll be much easier this way.
But I’ll be good, Mummy. Really good. Please?
‘I am not a menace and I wasn’t making a scene,’ she cried, feeling her emotions spin out of control. ‘And I am not drunk, I went to a yoga class.’
‘Bella, it’s okay. I was just joking,’ Chase assured her, something like concern flashing in his gaze. ‘Come on,’ he said, pulling her into his side. ‘Let’s get you home. Sound like a plan?’
She turned back to look at where she’d pushed Astrid into a hedge and saw nothing, so looked up at Chase and nodded. Unsteady on legs more than a little wobbly after New York’s most evil hot yoga class, and on emotions that suddenly swept her to very dark places, Bella allowed Chase to guide her home.
She could feel the warmth of him pressed against her side, and couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to live life unafraid of being an imposition. A problem. A burden. What would it be like to want to burden someone?
She looked up at Chase, and thought how much of a shame it was that he was such a horrible, lying, cheating scumbag. Because, really, she’d quite like to burden him a lot.