Her jaw drops open, eyes widening. “I, uh, no, no, it’s all good. Jack and Nate are running a little behind getting back to the office, and I didn’t know you were still here, or I would have come to get you.”
The man glares at me. “Who the fuck are you to call me an asshole?”
Having had enough of this man, my tone is deadly when I say, “Get the fuck out of this office.”
He steps toward me, and I don’t hesitate to meet him step for step. I have about four inches and fifty pounds of muscle on this idiot.
“How dare you speak to me like that?”
He’s within inches of me as he pokes me in my chest. I instinctively grab his wrist and apply just enough pressure to get him to wince, but not enough to do any damage.
“Look, buddy, I don’t give a fuck who you are. You do not get to speak to either of us that way. Now, get?—”
As I’m mid-sentence, the elevator dings open, and Jack and Nate step out into the office. Both are eyeing me and the dickhead as they approach the desk. Nate circles us and puts a hand on my shoulder. But I give the man one last parting tweak to his wrist, causing him to let out a low whimper of pain. As I release him, he clasps his wrist to his chest and throws machetes my way with his gaze.
Jack tries to smooth over the situation as best he can. “Mr. Hamilton, sorry we’re late. Traffic was terrible today.”
Hamilton pivots on his heels and hightails it to the elevator, calling over his shoulder, “Sanders, a word of the wise, fire both of them and save yourself from losing business. And possibly even a lawsuit.”
With that, he steps into the elevator. I give him a little finger wave and a cocky sneer. He harrumphs as the door slides closed.
Jack goes to Ella and wraps his arms around her, kissing her on the lips. “Gisella. Are you okay?”
With her arms around his waist, she looks up at Jack with a small smile. “Yes, dear. I’m fine.”
He huffs out a laugh and gives her another quick kiss. When his gaze shifts to me, any pleasantness that was there when he was talking to Ella evaporates.
“You. In my office. Now.” He releases Ella and starts toward his office without another glance my way.
Ella winces at me. I shake my head at her, letting her know not to worry about me.
“Jack, Ian didn’t do anything wrong. That guy was beinga jerk!” she calls out after her fiancé, trying to reason with him in my defense.
Jack stops and turns back toward the reception desk. “I love you with all my heart. But not now, Gisella. Ian, my office. Nate, you too.”
Ella sighs beside me and pats my bicep. “Sorry, friend.”
“It’s all good. You know how he can get.”
She rolls her eyes with a laugh and sits back down at the front desk.
Jack and I have a lot in common. One of which is our less-than-sunny dispositions. He’s gotten better since meeting Ella, and I’ve had my ups and downs over the last year, especially. So, I can’t say I don’t understand his demeanor right now. Nate is much more easy-going and jovial than either of us. He and Tyler are a good balance to me and Jack.
While my surly attitude isn’t unusual, even I can admit that today, particularly, has been bad. I don’t think I realized how much worrying about Maggie testifying and being in danger is getting to me.
Jack’s settling behind his desk as the door closes behind us. He juts his chin at the chair in front of his desk, and Nate perches on the corner of his desk with his arms crossed.
“I feel like I’m in the principal’s office,” I mutter as I drop into the wingback chair.
“You kind of fucking are,” Jack bellows. “What the hell were you thinking? You could have broken a potential client’s wrist.”
My hands ball into fists. “That potential client was being a dick to your future wife. Was I supposed to just sit there and let him talk to her like that? Besides, he put his hands on me first, and I know how not to cause permanent damage.”
“Ian, that’s not acceptable.” His voice echoes around us.
My cheeks heat instantly. I wipe my hand aggressively across my lips as I try to form a coherent sentence that won’t cost me my job and my friendship. I can’t think of anything, so I go with the truth I’ve been holding in for way too long.
“You know what? Boss? Fuck you. I’ve worked my goddamn ass off for this company since I started. It was just the three of us and Alice for a really fucking long time. And what do I have to show for it? Being treated like some rookie. Some fucking peon. While you two act like you’re so fucking superior.”
