Chapter 9
HUNTER
I read Dorothy’s text for the tenth time.
Beauty: I’m staying at the hospital with Jami, so I won’t be in today. I’m going home to sleep when the additional security team arrives. Can you come by my loft once your work is done for the day?
Me: Of course. His team should be there within the hour. Get some rest, and I’ll see you later today.
I place my phone on my desk and rub my temples. At least she quit dodging her security detail.
I don’t think she’s slept more than a couple of hours at a time since Jamison was shot. I’m hoping that’s what her distance has been about, but that’s not likely.
“Hunter.” Jonah snags my attention. “Any idea why we’re being summoned to an emergency board meeting?”
I raise my head and glance his way. “The only thing I can think of is the shooting.”
He slides his hands into his pants pockets. “You don’t look so good. ”
“I don’t feel so good either.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“I can’t get Dorothy to leave the hospital. She thinks if she stays there with Jamison, he’s safe from further harm because her security detail can watch over both of them until his own team gets stationed there.”
Jonah steps further into my office. “She’s got a point.”
“Yeah, I know. That’s not what has me worried.”
“No? Then what does?”
“I’m out of my league, Jonah. Even the private investigator I have looking into this is coming up empty. I don’t know what to do. Nothing makes sense anymore.”
“Let’s talk about it after the board meeting. They’re all downstairs waiting for us.”
I stand and grab my phone, trying to ignore the simmering panic in my blood. “Since there’s no agenda, I’m leaving my laptop.”
“Yeah, me too. I don’t think we’re going to need anything. Something tells me this is a surprise meeting for a reason.”
“It’s good to know I’m not the only one getting the ominous vibe.”
“Considering this has never happened, there’s no doubt this is unfavorable.” He gestures to the door.
I follow him out and down to the conference room. The board members are already spread around the table.
My dad is at the head, his eyes peeled on a large manilla envelope sitting before our bylaws coordinator, Cindy.
A zap of unease blankets me, causing my stomach to spew acid. Jonah and I take our seats at the other end and wait for someone to call the meeting to order.
Cindy starts. “Thank you all for coming on short notice, but this issue is of utmost importance. The company is in a perilous situation.”
She opens the packet and dumps out a stack of smaller envelopes. My mind spins as I try to piece together what she’s talking about. She stands and hands the contents out but skips me.
My heart’s frantic rhythm hammers in my chest. I do not have a good feeling about this.
The board members open their envelopes and sift through a stack of papers one by one. I can’t see anything they’re looking at.
Jonah tosses the contents of his packet onto the conference table. I glance down as the papers slide out of order—they’re copies of the pictures of Dorothy and me. My gaze shoots toward my dad.
Fuck.
We don’t have all the backing to get Dorothy’s clause removed yet. We thought we had another week. My adrenaline races, but I know better than to say anything yet.
Cindy addresses the room. “As you can see, Hunter and Miss Fisher have been in a secret affair for months. She has breached her contract. And it’s come to my attention that she’s also involved with Jamison Stone.”
My dad’s head whips up, and he holds her gaze. “What’s this about her being involved with Jamison Stone?”
Now I’m even more fucked. I purposely left their connection out of any conversations with him for fear he’d think they were trying to take down the company.
I’m losing control of this playing out the way I planned. My insides blow up with the grenade Cindy pulled the pin on and rolled out before the board.
Cindy keeps delivering bombs. “Miss Fisher and Jamison Stone were seen coming out of a room together at the launch. They were clearly engaged in something of a personal nature. The last picture in that stack will explain what I mean.”
The board members flip to the last picture. Jonah reaches for his stack and pulls out the photo.
He holds it out low so I can see it. Jamison and Dorothy are going into the closet holding hands—something I didn’t know.
Instantly, I grow lightheaded. I loosen my tie and desperately try to come up with an excuse. For the first time in my career, I’m at a loss for words. I have no idea how to handle this.
My feelings for Dorothy cloud all my rational thoughts. I’m afraid I’ll only say something that will worsen the situation. My stomach cramps as the weight of the situation takes hold.
Gerald and Douglas exchange confused looks with my dad. A cold dread settles over them.
Each glance they share tells a chilling premonition of what was to come. I peer over at Jonah, begging him with my eyes to help paint her in a better light.
Please, Jonah.
Save her from this mess.
He clears his throat. “I know Dori and Jamison outside of work. They’re not in a relationship.”
“Can you be sure of that?” Cindy asks.
Jonah can’t tell them all he knows without jeopardizing Dorothy even more. We’re stuck. Dorothy has a relationship with Jamison and didn’t come to work today because she refuses to leave his side.
That fact reminds me they were all over the news together when he was shot. It looks terrible. Jonah subtly shakes his head as his eyes drop to the table.
Cindy nods. “According to our bylaws, we must take action immediately and terminate Miss Fisher’s contract before she can harm the company.”
My dad stands. “I think we are jumping to conclusions and should have her called to this meeting to explain.”
And now I know she’s fucked, which makes me fucked as well .
With my mouth dry as dust, I swallow and square my shoulders. “She’s not in today.”
“Where is she?” The tone in my dad’s voice is full of warning.
I stare into his eyes, trying to send him pleading messages of understanding.
His expression grows dark. “Hunter, do you know where she is?”
I glance at Jonah, and he lowers his head. There’s no way out of this debacle.
I brace myself and pretend to be made of iron. “She’s at the hospital.”
The board members gasp when they realize why she’s not here at work. A memo went out to the company late Friday, asking for everyone to hold Jamison in their thoughts as he was fighting for his life from a gunshot wound.
I have no leg to stand on, and Dorothy’s fate is sealed. Her position in the company is stripped within five minutes of the realization. Jonah’s given the task of delivering the news as I drown in hopeless doom.
How did this get so out of my control?
I’m half waiting for someone to suggest they vote me out of the business, but it doesn’t come. That’s my only reprieve.
When the meeting comes to a close, I’m a beaten, sweaty mess. My insides are weakened to the core.
My dad is so upset he doesn’t even take a minute to discuss the situation with me before he leaves. Jonah excuses himself, telling me he has to prepare himself mentally to fire Dorothy.
How did this happen?
It’s just one more reminder that someone has it out for Dorothy. I’m so far from understanding the rules of the game that’s being played that I’m terrified of finding out what’s in store.
The room clears, but I stay where I am with my head buried in my hands while trying to figure out how to get my life back on track. I’m already worried I’m losing her, and this is the nail in the coffin.
A cold emptiness spreads through my chest as my heart collapses, a heavy weight settling within me. I don’t know what I feel worse about. Her losing her dream job or me losing my dream woman.
I stand and get ready to return to my office, feeling the size of a speck of dust. As I step forward, Isabella slides into the room and shuts the door behind her.
“I warned you, Hunter. I’m not fucking around. The sooner you realize that, the better your life will be.”
With a sickening gut punch, all the evilness falls into place, and the puzzle pieces click together.
I laugh at my stupidity. “How did you get the pictures?”
“They were anonymously delivered to me over the weekend.”
“Sure they were.” My eyes burn into hers, a furious glare that speaks volumes without a word. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but you won’t win.”
“Don’t be so sure.” She tilts her head with a spiteful gleam in her eyes. “I’m not the one toying with you. I simply did you a favor before you blew yourself up.”
She’s too sure of herself, so I take the bait. “How so?”
“Dori and Jamison have been together for months. They’ve been playing you for a fool for some time now.”
I ball my hands into fists. I fucking hate Isabella’s confidence, so I dig deeper. “And you know this how?”
“I went out to dinner with them. They disappeared into one of the back bathrooms for quite a while. Let’s just say they seemed much more relaxed when they rejoined Melanie and me at the table.”
“Sure they did.” My sarcasm is evident.
She brings her nails to her face and inspects them. “You can ask Melanie if you don’t believe me. ”
My stomach spits out bile. If there is another witness, Isabella isn’t lying. My insides twist.
I sent Jamison there to keep Dorothy and Isabella apart. He did that by seducing Dorothy in the restroom.
That information clears up a lot for me. I grit my teeth, remembering that was the night she told me she thought she wanted to be with Jamison. It all makes sense now.
Before Dorothy found out about his son and Lauren, she was ready to leave me and settle down with him. I couldn’t figure out how she felt so close to him when she claimed they were barely talking.
That wasn’t long ago. My heart folds into a pretzel, and my hands go numb.
How many other times have they been together?