Do you really think she’ll love you now?)
“No,” Nicholas said again. He stood up and began to pace. “Not Jun.”
Arthur let out a rough breath. “We have to agree onsomebody.”
“How did Jay’s interview go?” he asked abruptly.
The lines on Arthur’s face seemed to sag; it was as if invisible strings holding his face in that usual good-natured state had all been cut.He’s been waiting for this, Nicholas thought, watching him through narrowed eyes.He knew I’d ask and he doesn’t like it.
“She’s a very bright and talented young woman who doesn’t have much experience. And if we were to give her the role, it would be hard to create a story that doesn’t smack of nepotism.”
(Give me the evidence and I’ll clean up your mistakes)
Nicholas shook his head. “I can’t. But you can. It’s your job to create the stories, Hartwell. I’ve wiped my hands clean of it.”
“Have you?” Arthur asked mildly. “Then why are we even having this conversation?”
Nicholas turned towards the tinted glass windows that looked out at the people buzzing like ants below the mezzanine. All of them were under his employe, which ostensibly meant that they had to do what he ordered them to. But he had been letting the system run on its own momentum for so long that he had never really put that to the test.
Five years ago, they had called him a wunderkind. He’d found the idea of that a little insulting, even though the attention had brought in cash flow and fresh talent, and youth had allowed him to cruelly surprise some would-be opportunists. Little games of loyalty had been more his father’s domain, because unlike his father, he didn’t need their fear or admiration.
As Nicholas looked down at those unsuspecting white-collar hipsters, with their Uniqlo button-downs and Lodis bags, he felt a wave of scorn.They look entirely too comfortable.
It made him understand for the first time why his father might have indulged in the games he had. Nobody was calling him anything except for favors, and now here he was, being toldno.
“I’ve never seen anyone work as hard as she does, and get so little back for it.” He folded his arms behind his back as he spun away from the window. “I don’t want that to happen to her here.”
“Jay is an incredible woman,” Arthur agreed. “But shedoeslack experience.”
“Pick whoever you think best then.” He gave a sardonic, insincere smile. “I know you’ll make the right call. That’s why I promotedyou.”
It sounded like a threat even to his own ears. Perhaps it was.
Served Hartwell right.
His CFO’s disapproval followed him all the way back to his desk. What did he expect, though? When he’d casuallyannounced his engagement to Jay the other day, the first thing that man said after he’d recollected himself was, “Congratulations. You’re a lucky man. Have you notified HR?”
Always by the book, he thought. Which was what Jay wanted.
But no matter how properly they conducted themselves, some people would insist that this went beyond decorum. They hadn’t lived those nine empty, soulless years—but he had. Every day, for over three thousand days, he had endured the chafe of his own sharp edges until he felt like he might bleed out from the continual abrasion of his own wicked soul.
It wasn’t just that Jay made him happy when he was around her. She made him feel at home in his own skin.
On the ride home she kept glancing over at him worriedly. She had her legs crossed in that fitted black skirt, making it ride up high enough to make it clear that she was wearing tights instead of stockings, and the flashes of skin beneath her white eyelet blouse were giving him ideas.
“Are you okay?” she asked hesitantly, raising her voice to be heard over the music.
“I’m fine,” he said gruffly, and then paused. “I’m not angry with you.”
“Do you want to hear about my interview?”
He lowered the volume dial. “I thought that was a conflict of interest.”
“Well.” She gave him a wry look. “You’ll just ask Arthur, anyway, right?”
Her tone was light but thinking about Arthur made his mood darken further. But when her smile dimmed, he managed, with effort, to shove some of that irritation away.
“Tell me about your interview, blue jay.”
