Chapter Seven #2
“And ... and Hawk was right. I should have met Bakshai where we were visible to everyone, not in a closed office. Although in my defense, I did leave the door open.”
“A door you need to look around to see into,” Chase pointed out.
She nodded. “I want to bust out the entire west end of the executive floor. We gut my office, your office, the space Dee is in now. We take out the conference room on that end, and we make the space ours. We wall off our section with doors that remain open during business hours but that can lock our space down after hours. Each of us will have equal space for our offices, with room for an executive assistant for each of us in the center of our wing. We take a large section and make a meeting space to mimic what is currently only in my office and add a small conference table for just us. A kitchen that only we can access. Everything is glass. The kind we can black out if we need privacy. Except for the living space. That stays visible.” Alex visualized the space in her head with a smile.
“All this because of Bakshai?” Chase asked.
“It’s more than that. I don’t feel like myself at the office. When I walk out my doors and into the halls, I have this guard up.” Alex reached for her neck and made a strangling motion. “People avoid me. They stop talking when I walk by or get in an elevator.”
“They’re afraid of you,” Chase said, deadpan.
“I know. I want their respect. Not their fear.” She paused. “Except for Floyd. He can fear me.”
Max and Chase both laughed.
Alex leaned forward. “We’ve been at this for almost a year.
A year where we didn’t even know if we wanted this company and all it shoulders.
But since none of us has so much as whispered to sell, I say we make it ours.
We make this a family space within the walls of Stone Enterprises.
A space where Kit can hang out and live his best dog life and Hailey can nap in times when she has to be close.
And when she’s older, she can do her homework in the conference room when she’s grounded for sneaking out of the house to meet her boyfriend. ”
Chase dropped his hand to the table. “You just ruined my appetite.”
Alex looked at her still unopened lunch. “What do you think? I’m sure Piper can help with the details. She loves design.”
“You don’t have to ask me,” Max said. “It’s your—”
“ Our. It’s our company and our space. We’re going to be picking up Dad’s pieces for a long time, so we might as well do it in a space that suits us.”
“I think it sounds great.”
“Anything to make your life easier,” Max added.
Alex knew she could depend on the support of her brothers.
She opened her lunch and finally took a bite.
For the remainder of their meal, they talked about the board meeting agenda and what their collective stance was on everything that needed to be discussed.
Chase stood with Max outside of the deli while Alex used the restroom.
“What was all that really about?” Max asked.
“You’re picking up on Alex’s quirks rather quickly.”
“This is more than an office remodel.”
Chase glanced around at the people walking by. “This Bakshai thing spooked her. And if you haven’t noticed, our sister is a control freak. If there is one thing she hates more than being out of control, it’s when a man is trying to control her.”
“Like Bakshai.”
“And our father from the grave. If Alex wanted to sell this building and buy another to clear our father’s energy from the space, I’d support her. I’m surprised she hasn’t altered her office more than she already has,” Chase said.
Max glanced toward the door. “Has she lost weight? She hardly touched her lunch.”
Chase nodded. “She’s working too hard. We need to figure out a way to get her to delegate, or she’s going to get sick.”
“It needs to be her idea,” Max pointed out.
Chase smiled. “Exactly.”
Max sighed. “Me and my neck that is allergic to ties will come around more. I’m not sure how I can help outside of what I’m doing, but I can be there.”
“I’d appreciate that. Especially when Piper and I are in Europe.”
“You know what Alex really needs?” Max asked.
“A life beyond work?”
“I was going to say ‘to get laid.’”
Chase winced. “Yeah, probably.”
“Who is this Hawk guy?”
Chase blinked a couple of times. “Are you asking if he was interested in Alex?”
“I don’t know. You met him. Was he a middle-aged, balding ex-cop or something?”
Huh ... “No. He was our age.” Now that Chase thought about it, Hawk had mentioned more than once that Alex was beautiful. And the way he looked at her before he walked away. “I don’t know if Alex looked twice, though.”
“Maybe because she was too distracted by the fact she could have been abducted and then preoccupied when learning she invited that threat into her space. If control is her thing, that would rattle her.”
Chase placed a hand on Max’s shoulder. “I think my wife needs to give Alex a call.”
Alex smiled as she walked out of the deli while setting a pair of sunglasses on her nose. “That line was long.”
Both Max and Chase turned to look at her.
“What? Do I have something on my face?” Alex swiped at her lips.
“Not at all.”
They started toward the office.
“Max, I scheduled a meeting with our head of security, maybe you can help out with that,” Chase said.
“I can—” Alex started.
“No,” Chase interrupted. “You have enough to deal with. Max and I can correct some of the security issues Hawk mentioned.”
“Do you think he’d be interested in giving the building a full assessment?” Max asked. “Seems like it’s needed.”
Damn, it was nice to have a partner in crime.
“Good idea,” Chase said.
“Do you have his number?” Max asked.
“He gave his phone number to the reception desk downstairs,” Alex told them.
“Really?” Maybe Alex had noticed the man.
“Yeah, I checked and then reminded Malcom that confirming identification isn’t optional. I’m pretty sure Malcom thought I was going to fire him.”
They slowed their pace as they approached the office building.
Alex turned and hugged Max. “Thanks for coming, and your support.”
“Anytime.”
Chase shook his brother’s hand. “I’ll let you know when this security meeting happens.”
“The only day this week that isn’t good is Thursday. Next week I’m completely open.”
Chase’s and Max’s eyes caught, both of them had smirks on their faces.
Alex had zero clue.