CHAPTER ELEVEN
MASON
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I step back into the meeting, and Ezra is almost at the end of the presentation, taking questions and leading like a boss.
He was an excellent hire and has been with Obsidian Nexus for almost five years. I wouldn’t have walked out and left him with Mark and the Harrow & Armstrong Engineering team, who could be the largest offshore client we’ve ever secured, if I didn’t trust him.
Ezra and Andy shoot me a look.
Yeah, disappearing is not something I do, but I’m not explaining myself.
I’m sure hearing I had to step out so I could fuck my PA on my desk isn’t what anyone wants to hear.
“Apologies, everyone,” I nod, and take my seat back at the head of the table.
This contract is important for our long-term growth internationally and balancing out a loss we sustained earlier in the year to a competitor.
That’s business.
You have ups and downs.
We’ve already put months of work into this agreement via early morning videoconferencing meetings, and now they’ve flown across the Atlantic to meet in person.
Mark gives me a nod, and an unreadable expression. He almost looks...sympathetic.
The hell?
I lower my brow, searching for envy but find none.
Is he a family friend?
Someone she worked with?
Church? Yeah, I can’t see Lexi going to church, so we can scratch that one off our bingo card.
Ezra pushes his chair back and smiles at me.
“Gentleman, I think we can probably leave it there for today. Did you have any other questions for Mason?”
Mark taps his pen, and glances at the documents printed in front of him.
“We’ll have some questions, but that can wait until Friday after we’ve had a time to chat, visit the rest of your sites and speak to our lawyers.”
I nod, glancing around the table.
On Wednesday, we have set the afternoon aside to sign the agreements, should everything go to plan.
“My team and I are available to you while you’re in the United States, so contact us at any point. I know Ezra and his team will look after you over the next few days.”
I stand, and everyone follows. Chairs are pushed back, papers and devices gathered up, and hands shaken.
“Thank you for coming, Mark,” I say when Mark Harrow heads toward me.
“It’s good to be here. Doing business in person is always better, don’t you think?”
“Absolutely.” I glance around at his team, whom I’ve found to be competent professionals.
“Let me—” I start.
“I see Lexi Grant has found her way into your organization.”
His comment startles me.
My brows shoot up, and I incline my head momentarily. “Yes.”
I’m not asking how they know one another. That would indicate I care.
I do care.
Surely he’s too old to be a former lover.
If he feels this is the right time to mention it, I’ll be pretty fucking disappointed. Then again, some men have no class. I might sleep with my share of women, but I don’t go around announcing it during business meetings.
Who she slept with in the past is not my business, even though with every second I feel my blood thundering through my veins wanting an answer.
Mark is a more than average-looking man. The start of that salt and pepper look starting to creep into his dark hair. He’s rich, successful and...fuck, am I jealous?
I’ve staked my claim.
Craig, Terrance, Mark...they can all fuck off.
Then I see what he’s been hiding. A flash of anger.
Did she reject him?
I’m not unhappy about that.
Then I recall the way Lexi hightailed it out of the boardroom, and my brows lower, wondering what I’d do if I find out he’s hurt her in any way.
“I’m not surprised she didn’t give my name for a reference,” Mark says. “If she had, I’d have warned you to run, unless you want trouble following your fortune.”
What?
The calm, post-orgasmic bliss I was enjoying vanishes, replaced by my good old friend paranoia.
I fucking told you so!
You should have listened.
“Lexi worked for you?” I ask, feeling my face pale as my heart beats a little harder, and anger starts to appear.
How dare she not tell me.
I asked her if she had fucked him. A simple answer would have sufficed, but oh no, she lied to me.
He shakes his head regretfully. “Lexi was a good employee. Until...look, she’s got a knack for getting close to the top, but don’t trust her, Kingsley. She’s charming and beautiful, I get it. A single man like you. Just consider yourself forewarned.”
Jesus Christ.
I wasn’t forewarned.
I employed her. I’ve fucked her twice.
I never goddamn reference checked her.
We told you.
Great, now I have a team of paranoid voices in my head.
Still, Mark’s words are a little vague. I need to understand what he’s talking about before I go accusing her of whatever he’s trying to insinuate.
I am not going to hurt her a second time.
For all I know, he’s a former lover himself.
You know he’s not.
“If you have something to tell me, I’m all ears,” I grind out, conscious this man is the CEO of the organization I’m wanting to sign an eight-figure deal within a few days.
“Legally, I can’t. You understand.”
No, I don’t.
I don’t understand at all.
Look, she’s got a knack for getting close to the top, but don’t trust her, Kingsley.
Jesus.
“Just a friendly warning.” We shake hands, and I force myself to remain professional. “See you Wednesday.”
Mark walks out with my team and the rest of the visitors as my blood turns cold, and I rub my jaw, trying to work out what to do with this new information.
Harrow has been a professional and decent guy during our interactions, never giving me the indication he’s a gossiper or prone to comments like he just made.
She was his employee.
I can’t make her wrong for not telling me that when I never asked for a resume or references.
Christ, do I need to pull my lawyer and HR team in?
I just fucked her on my desk.
I pace the meeting room, rubbing the back of my head.
Think, think, think.
Clearly, Mark’s hands are tied in regard to sharing the details, but it looks like I’ve hired someone who can’t be trusted, and I sure as hell can’t take this any further.
No more sex.
Dinner is off.
I’d have warned you to run, unless you want trouble following your fortune.
What the hell does that mean?
This is not good. Not good at all.
I could fire her, but I don’t have any grounds, and she’s Emily’s best friend. Their bridesmaid.
I have to do this carefully.
“Well, that went well,” Ezra says as he walks back into the meeting room.
“Yes,” I mumble, collecting up my things and walking past him and down the hall. “I’ll call you later, I have something I have to deal with.”
When I reach Lexi’s desk, she is fumbling with her sore hand, dropping something and cursing. My immediate reaction is to help her.
“Here,” I snap, and her eyes shoot up to mine.
“Mason—”
“Go home, Lexi.” My voice is rough and low, my control only just in check.
“Please let me explain, Mason. I—”
I walk away because I don’t know if I want to kiss her or wring her neck.
“Go home, Ms. Grant. And the name is Mr. Kingsley.”
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LEXI
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Oh, shit.
He’s going to fire me.