A few days ago, I saw an ad when doom scrolling, and I ordered a few toys, hoping my vanilla boyfriend might give them a chance. It wasn’t anything crazy. Maybe trying these different products would be good for Jack and me to reconnect.
A smirk spread across my face at the places my mind took me to. I mean, good girls get rewards, right? I intended to use these, with or without my dear boyfriend.
“Good morning, Lucy,” Dante said, leaning over the wall of my cubicle and startling me from my current task.
Please don’t ask what’s in the box.
His muscles flexed against his shirt as he stepped back, crossing his arms over his chest. The buttons practically groaned in pain from trying to hold them closed, and I quietly laughed to myself at the thought. He was attractive and charismatic. Most of the women in the office swooned over him, and he hated it. It was a great working relationship because I only ever had my eyes on one person.
“Good morning, Dante. Anything I can do for you?”
“I took a walk because somebody is ignoring my emails this morning, and I wanted to see what was more important.”
Shit.
He looked distressed, and there was something deeply unsettling in those eyes. I opened my mouth to reply, but he cut me off. “Can you meet me in my office, please? We need to talk.”
“Actually, that's perfect because I need to bring something to your attention.”
With a nod, he spun around on his heel and took off down the hall. I spent the next few minutes trying to figure out how I was going to tell him what I’d found. I would need to tread carefully and show him all of the calculations I’d been making.
With a deep breath, I left my cubicle, heading for the elevator. Dante had the top-floor office, and from the moment I’d pushed the call button, my stomach was in knots.
“That was fast,” he swallowed. “Why don’t you take a seat?”
Something is up. I can feel it.
I faced him as I sat in the chair across from his desk, my sweaty palms resting against the wood of the chair as I waited for him to speak.
“So, I am speaking with you first, because this will become public at some point, and I may need help with damage control.”
“That is my expertise. What’s going on, Dante? You and I have worked together since the beginning. I know when something is wrong.”
His jaw clenched, and the next words that left him sent a wave of uncertainty crashing through me.
“The deal fell through, and I recently found out that someone has been funneling profits. Because of that, we have no choice but to release some people across the board, and your role has been impacted.”
What?
“Are you saying what I think you're saying?”
The world spun around me, and his voice sounded muffled in my ears as I panicked.
“Lucy, off record, I am so fucking sorry. This is why I wanted to be the one to tell you. I wanted Corrine gone.”
“But your brother would never allow it.”
He shook his head, drumming his fingers against the desk. I shouldn’t, but I would help them and leave with dignity. The hesitation was evident as he gripped the edge of his desk and attempted to stand.
“Email me what you need, and in the meantime, I will be working from home if that's alright,” I said when it became clear he wasn’t going to answer.
“Before you go, I need to know that you will be safe when you leave us.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Lucy,” he sighed.
Silence encased the room, and I couldn’t help but laugh at his accusation. Yes, Jack had anger issues, but he was working on it. In time, things would get better. We had all worked together long enough to know which lines could be crossed, and this wasn't one of them.
