Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Harmon
To keep things professional and controlled, we meet in my office for check-ins on Saturdays, an hour before he is scheduled to leave.
It’s the end of our week, between days off, and it’s the perfect time to reflect.
For him to tell me anything he didn’t like and for me to tell him what he did exceptionally well and what to prepare for next week.
Today is no different.
“You’ve been doing so well, Cassius. I am impressed with the way you’re moving along. You take direction well.”
“I want to do it right.”
“You are,” I say with a smile. “Right and perfect. Though, that mouth of yours…”
He smirks. “I know I need to work on that. I’m trying.”
“I know you are. I can see it. You’ll get there one day.” I lean forward and lower my voice. “It’s the brat in you.”
Huffing a laugh, he shakes his head. “I’ve only ever heard that in a negative way.”
I can’t help but frown. “I’m sorry for that.”
He shrugs. “It’s fine. Nothing I’m not used to.”
“Is there anything you’d like to bring up that bothered you this week?”
“No, nothing.”
“You answered quickly.”
“I prepared.”
“Hm, you have.”
“There is something I’d like to ask you, though.” He doesn’t look at me when he says it. Avoiding eye contact tells me he’s nervous. What is there to be nervous about?
“Anything. This is a safe space.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” He clears his throat. “So, I know we signed a contract for six months, but, uh, how long does this sort of thing last for?”
“Are you trying to leave already?”
I make a joke of it, but I don’t like the way this feels. My chest is tight and it’s hard to breathe.
“What? No. The opposite, actually.”
“You want to stay longer?”
“I’m…” He sighs. “I’m trying to prepare for the future.
I know you don’t want much of my personal life, so I won’t give that to you, but me and my sisters really need to get out of our living situation.
We want to get an apartment together. They aren’t cheap.
Six months is a long time to have a steady income, but it’s not forever.
I need to know what comes after that so I can be ready. I need a plan.”
The emotion I see on his face. The vulnerability. The fear. The pain. I hate it. It’s awful that people live like this.
“I’m sorry to hear you’re struggling, Cassius. If there is any way I can help…”
“Could you, uh, answer the question? How long does this usually last for?”
I lean back in my chair, tapping my fingers along the arm.
“The longest slave I had was for eighteen months. Most of them last eight to ten. But there is one thing in common here.”
“What’s that?”
“They are the ones who chose to leave.”
“So…”
“So, if you choose to stay, if you keep doing well, I can’t imagine why this wouldn’t work for as long as we need it to.”
“You’re serious?”
“Quite. And if it will make you feel better, when the six months are up, we can sign a contract for a year. This way if anything happens, you’d still be guaranteed the money.”
He jumps to his feet, a bright grin on his face. “I could kiss you right now,” he blurts.
I huff a laugh. “Not necessary.”
“Right. Yeah, sorry.” Clearing his throat again, he sits back down. “Sorry. This is… it’s a relief, you know? No, of course you don’t.” He laughs again.
“Do you need more money?”
“No, of course not. It’s not about more money now, it’s the long run. Stability. That’s all.”
“Not to get into your business, but have you considered looking at houses? These days mortgages are about the same and—”
“We did, yeah, but it didn’t make sense for us.”
I raise a brow. “Why not? Buying is smart, especially if you plan on staying for a while.”
“Well,” he begins, licking his lips. “To be honest, I don’t think we’d qualify, and the houses in the area we were looking in were overwhelmingly expensive.”
I watch him, see the hope in his eyes, see how badly he wants this. I know he would do anything for it. Not for a house, but for a place to live.
I easily could buy him a house, but that feels like it’s too much. The way he reacted over the money and the car? Buying him a house may come across as creepy. Though, it could be his annual bonus…
“Are you safe now?”
I don’t know why I ask. The words just come out of my mouth.
“Yes. Well, sort of. I mean, it’s fine. Same thing I’ve been dealing with since I was born.”
“What if I told you that I—”
My cell rings, stopping me mid-sentence. When I see it’s the office, I grit my teeth but answer.
“This better be good,” I answer.
“Diamond Russo is requesting an immediate meeting, sir.”
“I can take the meeting at home, Oliver. You know I have an office here.”
“Yes, sir, I do know that, but she’s actually here.”
“Here?”
“She’s in the office. She’s threatened to cut all funds if you aren’t here in twenty minutes.”
“I live thirty minutes away!” I bark.
“I think I can keep her occupied.”
I growl. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
I end the call and shove up to my feet, turning to leave my office and storm to my room to change, when I see Cassius from the corner of my eye. I pause and turn toward him.
“Do you want to come with me?”
“With you?”
“To the office. I have some business to attend to. I mean, as long as you aren’t busy. Your time ends in—”
“I’d love to.” He hops up from his chair and is at my side.
Nodding, I tell him to meet me in the front foyer. I hurry upstairs to change and refuse to think about why I asked him to come with me.
I make it to the office in thirty-one minutes, hoping like hell that Oliver was able to work his magic.
"Miss Russo,” I greet as I walk into smallest conference room on this floor. It’s more intimate, for small meetings, since I don’t like people in my office.
Diamond Russo looks exactly as you’d expect her to. Like she puts too much money into looking younger than she is. Blonde hair. Flawless skin. Too-full lips, and perfect makeup.
Her gaze goes to me, then to Cassius behind me.
“Is your son the reason you’re late?” she asks cockily.
From the corner of my eye, I see Cassius’s jaw drop. Maybe bringing him here wasn’t a good idea after all.
“Cassius is an associate, not my son,” I say, tugging on my tie. “Oliver, please show him where he can wait for me.”
“Of course, sir.”
Oliver gets up from the chair at the table and ushers Cassius out the door. I’m not sure what I was thinking, bringing him here, only that I wasn’t ready to let him go yet.
“Can I get you anything?” I ask. “Coffee or—”
“You can tell me what the hell is going on with this new watch. I’m hearing a lot of things that aren’t looking good for you, Harmon.”
“We put out a statement to all of our investors,” I say calmly, pulling out the chair to sit.
She scoffs. “You know I hate those cookie-cutter letters, Harmon. Where’s the personal touch?”
I watch her, waiting to see if she’s going to make a move and tell me what the problem is. When she says nothing, I speak.
“How about you tell me your concerns so we can work this out.”
“My concern is that each day that passes, I’m more certain that you’re the one who stole the design.”
I grit my teeth, take a slow breath, then let it out.
Control is power.
Anger is weak.
“I assure you the design was stolen from us, and we’ve already taken legal steps to prove as much. What is put out into the media is horse shit, and you know it. So why don’t you tell me why you’re really here, hm?”
“I don’t like the way this looks or the way it’s making me look. My company is not happy with this.”
“You think I’m happy with it? I’m handling it. You know legal things take time. What more do you want me to do?”
She stands up, planting her hands on the table and leaning forward. “Do whatever it takes to change the stories in the media, or you’ll be losing our business.”
She saunters out of the room like she’s on a runway, showing off for people who don’t matter.
I get up a second later, when she’s already rounded the corner.
“Oliver!” I call, turning the corner. “See Miss Russo out, please.”
He scurries out of the room around the corner, moving after her. He says something to her that I can’t hear, but I bet whatever it is, is pathetic—something to get her to calm down.
She’s a pain in the ass, and if we didn’t need her as an investor, I’d cut ties. But doing that isn’t worth what we’d lose. Her special pink line of watches was a great idea, so it’s hard to toss her aside. She knows what sells.
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I turn into the room that Oliver took Cassius to. I jerk my head, gesturing him out of the room, and he follows me to my office. I close the door behind us.
“This is nice,” he comments as he looks around the space.
“It’s just an office,” I say as I drop into my chair. “Come here.”
He raises a brow but walks over with a smirk on his face. I point to the floor. “Kneel here.”
“Is that what you really want?”
“What did I say about that mouth of yours?”
“I was thinking you might like a massage instead.”
“If I wanted a massage, I’d tell you to give me one. Now kneel.”
He watches me, not in a defiant way, but in a way that he’s trying to understand me. I allow it and don’t scold him for it. He is still learning. He gets to his knees beside me, and I run my fingers through his hair as I lean back in my chair and close my eyes.
“This is what we should do more often,” I say. “Right here in the office. I could use this during the day when people stress me out.”
“I can do it if you want me to.”
More time with Cassius does sound like a good idea…
but also like a bad one. I say nothing and enjoy the silence and my fingers running through his silky hair.
Once I’m calm, I open my eyes and find him watching me.
I drop my hand and spin the chair, scooting closer so he’s between my spread legs.
I pat my thighs and he brings his arms up to rest them on me.
“Why did you agree to this? Was it just for the money?”
“Would it be bad if I said yes?”
I search his eyes. “You asked how long this typically lasts for. If it goes longer than the six months, will it still only be for the money?”
“It’s a big part of it, but I don’t hate this. Though, I would deal with just about anything to care for my family.”
I shouldn’t be trying to get more from him.
I shouldn’t want him to tell me that this is more than just a job, just a contract.
I shouldn’t want that. But there’s something about him that makes me wonder what it would be like if it was.
If it was natural. Just us. I’ve never had that before, and why I care about it now, I don’t know.
Something about the way he looks at me, I think.
The way he trusts me. It’s different from what I’m used to. It means more.
“That’s admirable,” I say.
“I’m just trying to survive.”
“Many would only care for themselves. Let the others fend for themselves.”
“I would never do that to my sisters. I couldn’t. I love them, and they need me.”
I run my fingers along his cheek. “They’re lucky to have you.”
“Thank you,” he whispers back.
I smile, my mood going downward and I don’t know why. Tired, perhaps.
“Come on. Let’s get out of here.”
He stands, and as I push my chair in, he asks, “Why did you invite me here today?”
I straighten my keyboard before turning to look at him.
“I only thought maybe it would be a nice break.”
It’s a lie that falls easily from my lips, but I can’t tell him that I couldn’t bear to see him leave me so soon.
He nods, then moves toward the door, waiting for me.
We get to the car and are putting our seat belts on when he speaks again.
“You know what I think?”
“What’s that?” I ask as I put the car in reverse.
“I think you don’t like being in charge because of the control. I think you need it because everything falls apart if you aren’t.”
He’s seeing through my facade.
And I don’t hate it.