When I’ve gathered my composure, I continue. “I went to the bathroom, and when I came out, he was there. He pushed me back into the cubicle, grabbed my breast through my blouse, and slammed his vile lips down on mine. I bit him and kneed him in the balls, and then I ran.”
“He’s a fucking dead man,” Mav calmly says.
“As much as I’m tempted to tell you to end that scum, that is not the way to resolve issues. Murder cannot become the go-to response.” The Anderson men are all super possessive with a dollop of dark on the side. Except for Harley, maybe. He’s the brother I’m least close to because he lives so far away, and we don’t see him often.
“He put his hands on you, and that is unacceptable.”
“Yes, it is, but I’ll handle this my way.”
“That fucker should have heeded my warning.”
I flipped at Mav when he told me he’d confronted my boss—who also happens to be one of the partners at the management consultancy firm I work at—and warned him to quit the sleazy innuendos. I knew it would only make things worse. Renford is a narcissistic, misogynistic prick who thinks his shit doesn’t stink. He has no clue about Maverick’s lineage or his association with the Elite. To him, Mav is an overprotective husband and a challenge. But stating this won’t help, and I don’t want Mav to feel bad about his prior actions when he was only trying to protect me, so I simply agree. “Yes, he should have.”
“Are you sure I can’t kill him because I really fucking want to.”
Flipping our hands over, I face his palms upward. I run the tip of one finger carefully up and down his hands. “These hands heal. They do not kill.”
“They do for you.”
“I love how protective you are, but you’re not to interfere, Mav. I’m going to deal with this officially and then I’ll resign. I had to force myself back to the office once everyone had returned from lunch, and I spent the remainder of the afternoon working on the report with him with the door wide-open. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but I did it because I’m going to handle this my way.”
“You did what?” His eyes almost bug out of his head. “Why the hell did you go back?”
“Because I’m a professional and that’s what professionals do! If I didn’t return, he’d have grounds to report me, and I’m not letting him damage my reputation because he can’t keep his pervy hands to himself.” Anger replaces the fear coursing through my veins, and I latch on to it. “I took precautions. I told him his conduct was completely unacceptable and if he touched me again I was going straight to HR. I worked at a separate desk with the door open onto a busy floor. I told Natalie so someone was aware of what happened.”
“You should have reported it to HR immediately.”
“In an ideal world, yes.”
“What does that mean?” His troubled eyes search mine.
“It means he’s their star employee. He’s brought in double the new business of any other partner or employee. He can do no wrong in their eyes. To them, I’d be the problem, not him, which is why I couldn’t react without thinking it through.” I was way too emotional to think logically, so I had to compartmentalize and push it aside to get through the rest of the day. I brace myself for this next admission because my husband will not like it one little bit. I wet my lips and admit the rest of the ugly truth. “He threatened me. Said if I went to HR he’d ruin me, make it so I never worked in the industry again.”
“That’s it.” Mav takes out his cell.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling Kai. We’re dealing with this fucker our way.”
“Put that down.” I slap his phone away. “You are not involving Kai or doing anything.”
“The hell I’m not.” Mav jumps up, grabbing fistfuls of his hair. “He touched you. Threatened you. And you expect me to just let that go? Fuck no, Shandra. That’s not how this is playing out.”
“Mav.” I stand and softly clasp his wrists, pulling his hands down from his hair. “I’m not going to let anything go. I want that bastard to pay but not with his life. We’re not God, Mav. We don’t get to decide who dies and who lives. And I need to handle this. It has to be me.” I thump a hand over my chest. “I’m the one who’s been wronged, and it’ll be me seeking vengeance because it’s the only way I can eradicate this sick feeling deep in the pit of my stomach.I needto take this prick down. If you love me, you’ll step aside and let me deal with this.”
“That goes against every facet of who I am, love.”
“I know.” I palm his cheek. “Please let me do this my way. Please.”
Torment is etched across his handsome face, and I know it’s killing him. I know he wants to wipe that scum from the face of the Earth and maybe I should let him, butIneed to regain control because this has rattled me more than I thought it would.
“What is your plan?” he asks after a few beats.
“Natalie said I should just resign and go work someplace else, but fuck no. I’m not slinking off and letting him get away with it. Not just for me but for others too. Who knows how many women he might’ve done this to before? Maybe he’s done worse, or he will in the future if he’s not stopped.”
“If it gets out, and it most likely will, it will damage your reputation. You might not get another job. It’s fucking unfair, but it’s the way of the world.”
“I know, and I’m prepared to make that sacrifice. I’ve been thinking of setting up my own consultancy anyway. This might be the push I need.”
