Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 30399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 152(@200wpm)___ 122(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 152(@200wpm)___ 122(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
“I want a ten figure settlement,” he announces.
Color me unsurprised. I figured he was going this route. “For what?” I ask, pretending like I don’t know.
“For not going to the press about how you’re harassing young female staff. You’ll probably have to resign.”
“And what will you tell the press?”
“I know what I saw, plus there will be corroborating witnesses from the club. Everyone saw you flirting with Sanchez in the lunchroom. I have so much evidence you don’t even know.”
“If everyone saw all of these things, then why would I need to pay you for your silence?”
Kevin’s dumbfounded for a second. How did we ever end up hiring a guy who isn’t competent enough to blackmail a toddler caught eating cookies for breakfast?
“If you had any evidence of this, Kevin, maybe I would feel concerned, but since you’ve got nothing, I’m sorry that you wasted your thirty minutes with me.” I wave my fingers toward the door. “You should go now. Stop at Monica’s desk, though, she’ll have some paperwork for you.”
The mention of paperwork perks him up. “Oh, so I’m going to add unlawful termination and retaliation to my lawsuit against you.”
“Who says I’m firing you? Haven’t you heard? All terminations and hirings are now done by your peers. I hope your coworkers like you, Kev, otherwise I don’t know if your job will be here after you get out of prison.” I reach over and stop the recording.
“Prison?” His brows beetle together.
“For attempted extortion.” The doors open and in marches my assistants along with two detectives—all of whom had been listening in on the conversation. “You know my assistants, so let me introduce you to detectives Tarantino and Hervy from the fraud and burglary division. They have some questions for you.”
“I’m the one that was wronged,” Kevin shouts, backing away. “I’m a whistleblower. I have rights! I want a lawyer!”
“Yeah. Yeah. Come and blow the whistle down at the station. We’ll be all ears,” says Hervy. “Congrats on your engagement,” he calls over his shoulder as he escorts an unhappy and still shouting Kevin out the door.
I cock my head toward Lucky. “You shared the good news, huh?”
“I did.” She smiles and this time the smugness doesn’t irritate me. Instead, it turns me on.
I stay seated but swing my legs around and pat my lap. “Come over here. We’re getting married this weekend,” I tell Cesar and Monica.
“They know. I already told them.” Lucky slides an arm around my shoulders and settles into my lap. “Cesar is mad that he isn’t coming.”
“You should have it here where we can all go!” he cries. “This isn’t fair. I love weddings.”
“I hate them,” Monica replies.
“So don’t go,” Cesar retorts. While the two start squabbling, Lucky dips her head into my neck.
“I love you,” she says.
“I love you, too, but we’re getting married this weekend in Vegas. Look.” I swing the monitor around. “I’ve booked us a chapel.”
“We might have to take Cesar.”
“I’ll give him a bonus to stay here.”
“Sounds perfect.”
“You’re perfect.” I grab her hair and pull her down for a kiss. Our tongues tangle and my heart soars. I wasn’t in the market for a woman, but I guess I was ready for a bride.
Epilogue
Lucia
“Where are you?” I hold the phone to my ear with my shoulder as I juggle my folders into one hand. I’d just gotten them in the order I’d wanted them so I can’t mess them up now. I’ve been a little obsessive about the new hires. I just want everything to go right.
“Hey. I called you. I ask the questions.” B.J. barks back. Someone is in a mood today. How can you wake up on the wrong side of the bed when every bed you wake up in is at a five star resort or hotel?
“Okay. Ask away.” I make my way back toward my office. Okay. Finn and my office. I’d fought this issue for a few weeks after we got married. I should have known it was a battle I'd never win. It was a hard loss on day three when he was moving his desk out next to mine and moving Monica's and Cesar’s into his office. I took one for the team. They didn’t need to witness my husband’s wandering hands and often dirty talk. We needed the door.
“Oh. Well, that was easy.” I snort a laugh as I step into the lunchroom. Anne sees me coming and hands me a brownie. I mouth a thank you. “If you don’t call me the second you find out the sex of the babies I will murder your husband. He already made me miss the wedding. I’ll end him.” I have no doubt Marco would fuel up his private jet and fly her back at the drop of a hat if she so much as asked.