“Why are we even having a meeting this late in the afternoon? I had to reschedule my tee time. This better be important.”
Oh, Bill, it’s definitely important.
I know, as the owner, I have to take the lead on this, but damn, do I miss Jacob.
“Bill, would you shut the door before we get started?”
I speak with confidence and calm, all traces of my earlier anxiety buried deep.
He rolls his eyes but does what I ask. I give him a minute to sit down, and then I hand out copies of the audit reports. I don’t want to give him time to go on the attack, so I jump in right away.
“We had an audit team come in and review some discrepancies while you were on vacation.”
I don’t give him time to interrupt. I just keep talking.
“It seems we’ve been paying some consulting expenses to a company that not only doesn’t exist but isn’t providing us with any actual consulting services. Since you authorized the payment, I’m hoping you can give us some clarification.”
Now I’ll allow him to speak.
He looks startled at first, but as he looks through the papers, you can see the panic register on his face. It’s glorious. Finally, the asshole is getting what he deserves.
“Um… I, uh, don’t remember what these were for off the top of my head. I… I, uh… need to talk to my accountants and maybe pull some files. I need some time to take a look at this. Maybe I can get back to you later in the week.”
He starts to look more confident, still thinking he’s in control here, and that’s when he goes for the attack. It was Kurt’s favorite tactic; if you don’t have a good defense, go on the offensive.
“What the hell, Joslyn? Why would an audit be scheduled when I’m out of the office? I talked to the auditors before I left, and no one mentioned a timeline change. You need to remember that I am the CFO, not you, young lady. This is beyond disrespectful.”
He’s standing now, trying to be physically intimidating. It might have worked on me if Damon hadn’t been in the room. I’m low-key loving that Damon is considerably taller than him.
Who’s intimidating now, asshole?
I look at Damon and nod. We both stand, and my voice is ice cold when I reply.
“Take a seat, Bill. We aren’t finished.”
The steel in my voice startles him. I’ve never used this tone at the office before, but now is the perfect time to start.
“Here’s how this is going to play out. You will be going on an unpaid leave of absence. During that time, we will do an official investigation into this matter. Once it’s complete, Jacob and I, as the owners of this organization, will decide how to proceed. If we find evidence of fraud, which I believe we will, all pertinent information will be turned over to the authorities for a criminal investigation. Do you understand?”
I’ve put every ounce of authority and confidence possible into my voice. I can’t falter now. His face has gone sheet white, and at some point during my speech, he sinks back down into his chair. This is the critical point. If there’s an explosion of anger, it’s going to happen now or never.
No one says anything for a few moments. Then, Bill’s face turns red. Compressing his lips into a thin line, his hands fists at his sides.
“You fucking bitch! Who the fuck do you think you are? I put in the work here, and you’ve done nothing but have babies and look pretty. You and that pussy son of Tad’s don’t have the balls or the brains to run an organization like this.” His voice is loud and cutting, vibrating with resentment.
He stands, fists still clenched at his sides, then he strides around the table like he’s coming at us, and I instinctively take a step back. I can’t help it—male anger still affects me, no matter how safe I feel. In my mind, I’m back in the past, backing away from an abusive husband. I can feel myself start to crumble, but I hold on with everything I’ve got, reminding myself that he doesn’t get the satisfaction of seeing me scared. I straighten my back, even though I feel like I might faint.
He opens his mouth to continue his tirade as he starts toward us, but Damon is there, blocking his access to me. He grabs him by the arm, saying nothing as he maneuvers him to the door. I’m relieved, but my heart continues to race, my breathing heavy. Fortunately, as soon as the door opens, the security guys are there to take over.
“This isn’t over, bitch! I’m going to sue the fuck out of you. I’ll take everything you own.”
He keeps swearing as the security guards walk him toward the elevator. I’ve instructed them to keep an eye on him until his car leaves the parking lot.
When he’s finally escorted out of view, I collapse on the nearest chair, my legs wobbly and my breathing shallow. I can’t seem to catch my breath. My heart races as sweat trickles down my spine. Why can’t I breathe?
Chapter Seventeen
Damon
