Chapter 26
CHAPTER
TWENTY-SIX
HARRISON
The look on Olive’s face when she turned me away haunts me.
When I finally got off my conference call, I came out of my office expecting to see Olive waiting…
but she wasn’t. Deb returned from lunch and confirmed that she was here, waiting while she read on her phone.
Something she does anytime I’m caught up with work and can’t leave on time for whatever we are doing.
So, what happened between the time that Deb left and Olive left?
It takes me five minutes after I’m back at the office to know exactly what happened.
My newly installed security cameras show Vera talking to a clearly devastated Olive.
Vera leaves. Olive looks at my office doors with something like panic in her eyes before she gets up and practically runs to the elevator.
Now, I just need to find out what the fuck Vera said to her. I’m seconds from calling Vera into my office when my phone rings.
“What,” I bark.
“Sir, someone logged into your system while you were out.”
I let out a low growl. “Please tell me you know who it was.”
“I do. You’re not going to be happy.”
“Just tell me.”
“Sam Wilson and Vera Michaels.”
“What the fuck?”
“I told you that you wouldn’t be happy.”
“You’re dead right on that. Call the team… and the police. I want this shit dealt with now. Meet me in my office in ten.”
“Right away, sir.”
With barely contained rage, I call both Vera and Sam in for what they think will be a typical business meeting but will be anything but typical.
Vera is the first in the office. She saunters in like she owns the place, giving me a seductive smile. “Harrison, baby.”
“Don’t,” I growl, wanting nothing more than to slap that smile off her face.
“Tell me, what did you say to Olive? Why did she run off?”
Vera doesn’t even have the decency to look chagrined at being caught. “I just told her the truth.”
I narrow my gaze at her. “And what truth is that?”
“That she’s just another one of your little playthings.”
Rage unlike anything I’ve experienced courses through me at the thought of Olive thinking that she’s anything less than precious to me. Because she is. I may not have realized it or been ready to verbalize that even to myself yet, but she is. I can’t see my life without her in it.
“She’s not a plaything,” I snarl. “She’s everything.”
Vera looks as if I smacked her.
“You don’t mean that!” she shouts.
“I mean it more than I ever thought I could,” I reply honestly.
“You’re supposed to be with me.” Her hands tap on her chest. “You’re mine. Not hers. Mine!”
Just as I’m about to protest, Sam walks in, eyebrows raised at Vera’s psychotic rant. “Problems in romanceland?”
“Fuck you, Sam.”
Claude and the rest of the team I’ve gathered to find my money walk into the room behind Sam.
He looks around at the strange faces then back to me. “What’s going on here?”
“What’s going on?” I seethe. “What’s going on is that you’ve been caught, Sam. You and Vera have been stealing from me for over a year.”
“What are you talking about?” he blusters. I can see the wheels spinning in his mind as he tries to think of an excuse… a way out of the predicament he’s found himself in.
Vera gasps, “Sam, what did you do?”
“Can it, Vera. You’ve been caught red-handed.”
Claude turns the laptop in his hands towards the pair of thieves and plays the recording of them at my desk not an hour ago.
“That doesn’t prove anything,” Vera whines. “It wasn’t me.”
My brows raise in surprise that she’s still trying to deny it even though she’s on video participating in the crime.
Claude snorts. “If that isn’t enough, we were able to trace the most recent theft to the accounts you’re sending money to. My techs are good. Once we knew where to look… well, let’s just say Mr. James’s funds are back right where they belong.”
Sam’s eyes widen. “You can’t do that!”
“I can do more than that,” I growl as the police detective I’ve been in contact with walks in.
“Mr. James, I hear you’ve found your culprit,” Justin McIntyre says nonchalantly.
“Yes, Detective McIntyre. Meet Sam Wilson and Vera Michaels. The thieves who have been embezzling from my company.”
“Nice to make your acquaintance,” he says snidely to the pair before arresting them both.
Vera cries and begs me to forgive her and take her back.
She apologizes and does everything but throw herself on the ground in supplication.
All her pleas fall on deaf ears. Of the charges against her, sending Olive running is by far the worst. I could almost forgive the thievery…
breaking my Olive’s heart… not even a little forgiveness.
It’s been three days since Olive sent me away, and I’m about to go insane. She refuses my calls, sending me to voicemail every time. My texts go unanswered. I’ve tried going to her apartment, but her bulldog of a best friend has run me off every time. I won’t give up, though. I refuse.
I can’t imagine what Olive is thinking about me right now. I hate that she’s hurting and that I’m the cause. I have to fix this somehow, but I don’t know where to start. Time to suck it up and ask the professional—Rita.
The phone only rings twice before she answers with a friendly ‘hello.’
“Rita, I need your help.” I don’t beat around the bush; I dive straight into the reason I’m calling.
“What do you need?”
“Olive. I need Olive.”
“Tell me everything.”
So, I do. I tell her all about Vera and her plot to get between us and how it worked, and now Olive won’t even speak to me.
“Well, you’ve gotten yourself into quite a mess,” Rita says.
I swipe my hand down my face and let out a gusty sigh. “I know. Just help me fix it.”
“Tell me one thing. Do you love her?”
I don’t even have to think about my response. “Yes. I do.”
“Well, then you need to tell her that.”
“I’ve tried talking to her. She refuses to answer the phone or see me.”
Rita snorts. “Write her a letter. Win your match back.”
I think about what she says and start to see the possibilities. “What if she won’t read it?”
“You just leave that up to me. Write the letter, and I’ll handle the rest.”
I’m not sure what Rita’s going to do differently than what I’ve tried, but I’m going to put my trust in her. She’s never led me astray before.