Chapter Sixteen
Joslyn
I’m so damn nervous, my hands are shaking. The meeting with Bill is scheduled for this afternoon at four. It’s been weighing on my mind all day, and I’m a ball of anxiety. Maybe it won’t be as bad as I think.
Damon’s been my saving grace today, thankfully. He knows I’m dreading it, and he’s doing everything he can to subtly reassure me. It’s pretty damn adorable.
This morning, he stopped by with my favorite coffee, because, of course, he knew my order.
He shared a few stories from his player days, hilarious practical jokes he’d been a part of.
He had me laughing for at least half an hour.
It was a fantastic stress reliever. I managed to keep my nerves in check until lunchtime.
Then, he was there again, helping me get a workout in.
Well, he was nagging me to get a workout in, which was precisely what I needed.
He even made sure we stopped by the cafeteria for food after our workout.
It was everything I needed today. It was so strange to have that kind of support, but I’ll admit it made my day much less stressful than it could have been.
I’m still reeling a bit from our conversation the other week at the diner.
He’s the only man with whom I’ve felt comfortable sharing personal aspects of my life.
I’ve been a bit emotionally unavailable with men since Kurt.
My therapist says it’s a defense mechanism.
I’m sure it is, but for the first time, I don’t feel like I need one, which is all Damon.
He’s so honest and straightforward. I’ve never had a friendship with a man before, and I find myself enjoying it immensely.
Um, yeah, it’s attraction, girl.
It makes me want to work out with him every day, instead of only when I’m stressed.
It would undoubtedly be more fun. And yeah, I did go a little harder in the gym because he was there.
I’m also fairly certain I saw him checking me out on the sly.
I’m not going to lie, I was one hundred percent checking him out.
Admit it. You were totally trying to impress him.
My inner voice is a jerk, and I’m ignoring her.
Finally, it’s almost four. Go time. I take a deep breath and gather my things for the meeting. Damon appears as I’m headed for the door.
“Want to head in together, boss?” He smiles and gestures down the hall.
It’s sweet. He hasn’t mentioned anything about our diner conversation, but he’s been entirely professional yet attentive.
I’ve never had this kind of support, and it feels incredible.
For the first time, I’m heading into a confrontation with a man, and I feel safe.
That’s a huge win in my book. We make a damn fine team.
You’d make a great team outside of the office, too.
Nope, not even going there right now, not even in my head.
We arrive at the conference room a little early, but Bill isn’t there yet.
I’ve already asked security to stay by the elevator until they see him heading this way.
They’ll lock his office and bring his laptop to our IT guys.
I instructed them to hang around near the conference room until we’re done with the meeting, just in case.
I’m hoping he won’t notice them, but at this point, it doesn’t matter if he does.
Damon and I set up at one end of the table, leaving the other side for Bill.
A few minutes later, our HR representative, Debra, comes in and sits to my right.
We haven’t talked much, and she’s been a bit unfriendly, but I’m ignoring it today.
That’s Jacob’s department to deal with. We’re as ready as we’ll ever be.
Bill shows up a few minutes late, complaining as he walks through the door. Typical Bill.
“Why are we even having a meeting this late in the afternoon? I had to reschedule my tee time. This better be important.”
Oh, Bill, it’s definitely important.
I know, as the owner, I have to take the lead on this, but damn, do I miss Jacob.
“Bill, would you shut the door before we get started?”
I speak with confidence and calm, all traces of my earlier anxiety buried deep.
He rolls his eyes but does what I ask. I give him a minute to sit down, and then I hand out copies of the audit reports. I don’t want to give him time to go on the attack, so I jump in right away.
“We had an audit team come in and review some discrepancies while you were on vacation.”
I don’t give him time to interrupt. I just keep talking.
“It seems we’ve been paying some consulting expenses to a company that not only doesn’t exist but isn’t providing us with any actual consulting services. Since you authorized the payment, I’m hoping you can give us some clarification.”
Now I’ll allow him to speak.
He looks startled at first, but as he looks through the papers, you can see the panic register on his face. It’s glorious. Finally, the asshole is getting what he deserves.
“Um… I, uh, don’t remember what these were for off the top of my head. I… I, uh… need to talk to my accountants and maybe pull some files. I need some time to take a look at this. Maybe I can get back to you later in the week.”
He starts to look more confident, still thinking he’s in control here, and that’s when he goes for the attack. It was Kurt’s favorite tactic; if you don’t have a good defense, go on the offensive.
“What the hell, Joslyn? Why would an audit be scheduled when I’m out of the office? I talked to the auditors before I left, and no one mentioned a timeline change. You need to remember that I am the CFO, not you, young lady. This is beyond disrespectful.”
He’s standing now, trying to be physically intimidating. It might have worked on me if Damon hadn’t been in the room. I’m low-key loving that Damon is considerably taller than him.
Who’s intimidating now, asshole?
I look at Damon and nod. We both stand, and my voice is ice cold when I reply.
“Take a seat, Bill. We aren’t finished.”
The steel in my voice startles him. I’ve never used this tone at the office before, but now is the perfect time to start.
“Here’s how this is going to play out. You will be going on an unpaid leave of absence.
During that time, we will do an official investigation into this matter.
Once it’s complete, Jacob and I, as the owners of this organization, will decide how to proceed.
If we find evidence of fraud, which I believe we will, all pertinent information will be turned over to the authorities for a criminal investigation. Do you understand?”
I’ve put every ounce of authority and confidence possible into my voice. I can’t falter now. His face has gone sheet white, and at some point during my speech, he sinks back down into his chair. This is the critical point. If there’s an explosion of anger, it’s going to happen now or never.
No one says anything for a few moments. Then, Bill’s face turns red. Compressing his lips into a thin line, his hands fists at his sides.
“You fucking bitch! Who the fuck do you think you are? I put in the work here, and you’ve done nothing but have babies and look pretty. You and that pussy son of Tad’s don’t have the balls or the brains to run an organization like this.” His voice is loud and cutting, vibrating with resentment.
He stands, fists still clenched at his sides, then he strides around the table like he’s coming at us, and I instinctively take a step back.
I can’t help it—male anger still affects me, no matter how safe I feel.
In my mind, I’m back in the past, backing away from an abusive husband.
I can feel myself start to crumble, but I hold on with everything I’ve got, reminding myself that he doesn’t get the satisfaction of seeing me scared.
I straighten my back, even though I feel like I might faint.
He opens his mouth to continue his tirade as he starts toward us, but Damon is there, blocking his access to me.
He grabs him by the arm, saying nothing as he maneuvers him to the door.
I’m relieved, but my heart continues to race, my breathing heavy.
Fortunately, as soon as the door opens, the security guys are there to take over.
“This isn’t over, bitch! I’m going to sue the fuck out of you. I’ll take everything you own.”
He keeps swearing as the security guards walk him toward the elevator. I’ve instructed them to keep an eye on him until his car leaves the parking lot.
When he’s finally escorted out of view, I collapse on the nearest chair, my legs wobbly and my breathing shallow. I can’t seem to catch my breath. My heart races as sweat trickles down my spine. Why can’t I breathe?