“Me. It may have escaped your notice since you’re never here, but you are not the president of this organization. You are not a leader at all. If anything, you’re a waste of a paycheck and a misogynistic pig. I have zero tolerance for your bullshit.”
He snorts. “Please. What are you going to do without a general counsel? This place runs on contracts. In case you missed it, your rookie almost ruined this organization by getting arrested.”
“I didn’t miss it. And since you apparently also suffer from memory issues, let me remind you that instead of handling that situation as you should, you berated a member of the staff, endedher time off, and belittled her in a room full of people when she dared to do your job.”
His brows shoot up in surprise. “Gabrielle?” He scoffs, waving me off. “She’s so far up those player’s asses she won’t know how to run that department.”
My nostrils flare. This guy. His narcissistic attitude is unparalleled. I took a deeper dive into the legal operations since Taylor told me how good Gabby is at her job, and she’s been running the department for the better part of her three years here. Mark was merely a figurehead. One we don’t need.
“She’s more capable than you. Unless you’d like to go ahead and sign the documents now, I’m going to have to ask you to get the fuck out of my office building.”
Mark rips the papers off my desk and reads them over quickly. “I’ll have some changes to these, so no I will not sign them. You can find me in my office.”
“Paul,” I call out to the security officer I made sure would be outside the door.
The door cracks open and Paul steps inside, clasping his hands together in front of him. “Sir?” he asks.
I lean back in my chair, gesturing to Mark, who is still clutching the papers despite his resistance to signing them. “Please escort Mark off the premises. If he causes problems, call the police department. He is no longer welcome in the building. IT has already wiped his badge and credentials.”
Turning back to Mark, I say, “Mark, it’s been a real displeasure. Here’s the information for the Stella corporate legal office.” I toss the little white business card across the desk at him. He eyes it before looking up to glare at me. “They’ll be taking it from here. Your belongings will be packed and shipped to your address on file.”
“You’ll regret this,” Mark threatens. He pushes back the chair and stands. Paul reaches out to direct him out of the office, but Mark jolts away from him. “Get the fuck off me. I’ll sue you for assault.” I stand and watch them walk to the elevator, Markcussing up a storm, before closing the door and pouring myself a drink.
A small part of me had hoped he would’ve signed the papers and this mess would be over today, but I should’ve known better. I’ll need to give Leah a heads up and make sure Taylor doesn’t say anything to Gabby yet. I don’t want her to know until I can say he’s gone for good and offer her the position.
I smile to myself when I realize Ben and I are the only male executives on the Music City leadership team. As Taylor would often tell me, the future of sport is female, and I’m happy to advance that narrative.
My business in Los Angeles wrapped up shortly after Grant texted me last week about firing Mark, and instead of flying back to Nashville, I had the pilot fly me to New York because I’m avoiding Grant. After our dinner together, my walls were lowering and I freaked out. It didn’t help that he not only arranged for his personal pilot to fly me to LA but also set me up in a suite at the Hollywood Baker Hotel and arranged a car service for all my meetings. Everything was comped too, so I didn’t pay for anything. He was infuriatingly considerate, and I couldn’t decide how I felt about that, so I did what any self-respecting woman would do in that situation and I avoided him like the plague. If I wasn’t in Nashville, I wouldn’t have to see him.
My time was running out, though, because horse patrol night at the Troubadours game was next week, which means I would be flying back soon. Andthatmeant seeing him at the office, and also potentially at the hotel since he owned and lived at my favorite hotel in the city. I could stay with one of the girls, but I’d gotten comfortable in my own space and I felt at home at the Baker.
Hitting send on the email I was drafting, I grab my phone to check in with Gabby. We had a status meeting earlier for Chase’s image rehab and I had to jump into something else so I haven’t had the chance to touch base with her yet.
She’s already texted and what she sent has me doing a happy dance in my chair.
GABBY
Dickardo’s gone.
IVORY
ME
Ding dong, the dick of the west is dead.
IVORY
So, what does this mean?
GABBY
Mark was let go too.
ME
You’re too polite. He was canned.
IVORY
