Chapter 24 - Quinn #2
“Because we have to have a massive gain, or Obsidian won't survive the next two years,” Olivia says, blurting it out like a secret she couldn't keep to herself any longer.
She sighs and looks around the room. “That’s all we have based on my analysis.
I know you all think I don't know shit about cybersecurity, and maybe you're right, but you also know that I worked in finance before taking over as CEO here.
I've looked over all of our reports and data, and if we don't make a massive, long-term change, this company’s doors will close in twenty-three months.
My father's desire to keep Obsidian small, combined with Jon’s sabotage costing us a fistful of clients, has created a cancer that is slowly going to kill us if we don't do something serious. East-World Bank and Joel Epson are our chemo. While you think it may not work or the idea of pitching to them makes you sick, our death is imminent without it.”
“And what if it doesn't work?” Stephen asks, frowning hard now that he knows Obsidian is on its last legs.
“Then we’re fucked,” Olivia replies harshly.
“All of the other big clients we could bring aboard are locked into contracts that are years long. East-World is the only one with an expiring contract, and from what I understand, they haven't begun extension or renegotiation talks with Palo Alto. So, this is our one shot. If we miss, we die. That’s it.”
“What the hell could we offer them that they don't already have with a bigger company?” Nick says, rubbing his chin.
“I don't know yet,” Olivia responds. “That’s for us to figure out when we do the pitch?”
“When who does the pitch?” Nick asks.
Olivia hesitates a second, then her eyes shift over to me for the first time today, finally seeing me. “Quinn and I will pitch to Mr. Epson.”
After all of that flowing conversation, silence suddenly engulfs the room.
Usually, this is where all eyes would turn to me and I would be forced to lean back in my seat as if trying to dodge their evil glares, but it doesn't happen that way this time.
Stephen and Nick glance at each other, then they look in opposite directions—Stephen's eyes move up to the ceiling while Nick’s drop down to the table.
Olivia's eyes, on the other hand, don't linger on me a second longer than they have to.
“Q—I mean Quinn, is the chief information security officer of this company,” Olivia says as a reminder to everyone listening, but the misstep on my name makes everyone’s eyes snap over to her. “He was promoted into this position for a reason, and I will lean on his expertise—”
“Lean on his expertise?” Nick cuts in without any regard to Olivia’s position as CEO. He fires a sharp glance across the table at me like a dart. “Have you ever pitched before?”
I shake my head as darkness quickly fills the corners of my vision. “No.”
He wastes no time going back to Olivia, his face tight with ferocity. “He doesn't have any pitching expertise. Jon and I used to do pitches together, so when it comes to expertise, I’m the only one in this room who has it. I should be doing this pitch.”
“You don't even believe we can pull them away from Palo Alto,” Olivia fires back.
“I need someone who actually thinks we can do this, and for what it’s worth, you're still under investigation, Nick, so I don't give a damn about what you used to do with Jon.
Until the internal investigation is over, you're on wafer thin ice with me. I do not trust you. I do, however, trust the man who saved us from Jon’s sneaky, sabotaging ass.
So, pout about it all you want, but you're not pitching to East-World Bank. Quinn is.”
Nick leans back in his seat, pinching his lips together and shoving his argument back up his ass where it belongs.
I can tell he wants to say something else.
Words are battering against the inside of his lips like prisoners trying to escape, but he seals them in as he glares at me.
I stare back, ready to leap across the table if he keeps looking at me or says another offensive word to Olivia, but Olivia speaks again before I commit assault on her behalf.
“So, that’s the plan moving forward,” she says.
“Quinn and I will prep for the pitch over the next few days, and hopefully we’ll all have something to celebrate next week.
Any questions?” No one says a word or even moves a muscle.
“Good. Have a good rest of your day, and I’ll see you all in the morning. ”
Olivia is the first to get up and walk out of the room, followed by Eden and Stephen.
Now that I know that my first-ever pitch will be to save Obsidian’s life, I realize how much work I have to do.
So, I ignore Nick’s peering eyes and make my way out of the conference room and back into my office.
If I'm going to help with this pitch, I refuse to let it be anything other than brilliant.
We have to convince the East-World CEO to come over to Obsidian, because our lives literally depend on it.
Even the lives of Stephen and Nick are leaning on my next moves.
As much as I hate them, if saving them means saving us, then so be it.
I cross the threshold into my office with my mind totally focused on what’s coming.
I have been consumed by being with Olivia.
Every cell in my body has been locked on her, wondering when we’ll be together again, anticipating how good it will feel to flog her, bruise her skin, and make her come for me.
But now she has given me something else to dive into, and I know how important it is.
Neither of us has ever done a pitch, but I know she's leaning on me.
She needs me and I won't let her down. When I sit down behind my desk, I lock in, but just as I'm about to open a tab for East-World Bank’s homepage, my train of thought is cut off by the sound of Nick stomping into my office and throwing himself into the seat in front of my desk.
He lets out a loud whoosh of air and gawks at me with a canyon-sized furrow in his brow, and before I can ask what the fuck he’s doing in my office, he speaks first and sends me reeling.
“So,” he says sharply. “How long have you been fucking Olivia?”