Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 23753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
“It is my family’s legacy.”
“Yes, well…” She looks over at the board members who are nodding their heads, and the floor drops out from under me. My chest tightens, heat claws up my neck, and the roar of my pulse nearly drowns her out as I realize I’ve been hosting my own execution. For once, my father’s sermon about “family values” being a shield instead of a weakness rings true—and I hate that he might’ve been right.
“Who the hell are you thinking about bringing on to replace me?” I ask—as if my dismissal is even an option. “How exactly are you going to put together their sign-on offer and bonus package without me being involved?”
“We’ve been hoping you would be involved.”
Been hoping… Past tense…
I keep my face stoic. I’ve never been blindsided quite like this, and I’m regretting ever inviting them anywhere near my family this weekend.
“Let’s start over.” She holds up her hands in a slight surrender. “Look, Lucian—”
“We’re no longer on a first name basis…”
“Fine, Mr. Pearson,” she says. “You brought us on years ago to help you guide this company to ultimate success and this is the best way to get to that destination. It’s not personal, and—”
“It’s more than fucking personal.”
Kendall’s voice cuts through the room like a blade. She strides in, eyes blazing.
“Miss Clarke, with all due respect…”
“Don’t use big words like that when you don’t know what they mean.” She moves closer, planting herself between me and Penelope like she belongs there. Then she glances between us, daring her to lie.
“It was you, wasn’t it?”
“Mr. Pearson,” Penelope says, shaking her head, “can you kindly ask Miss Kendall to return outside until we finish this private conversation?”
“She can stay.”
“I could never figure out where the additional board fees were going, or why it varied so much from month to month, but…the numbers are more than clear now. It was you—all of you—socking away Mr. Pearson’s company money to hire a new CEO and put together a bonus package behind his back.”
Her words aren’t a question, and her accusation sucks all the air from the room.
“Increments of sixteen thousand, twenty-four thousand, thirty-six thousand…” Kendall shakes her head, her voice cutting sharper with each number. “It should be up to three million if you stashed it away in a money market account, right?”
“This matter really doesn’t concern you, Miss Clarke.” Penelope looks at me for help, but I don’t offer her any.
“So, it’s not enough for you to get paid six figures a month for merely consulting,” Kendall goes on, relentless now. “You want to take the company public, cash in on all your shares, and bring in someone who will let you funnel even more money out in kickbacks. That’s not strategy—it’s theft dressed up in designer suits.”
“We’re doing what’s best for Pearson Industries.” Penelope hisses.
“Then tell him the truth,” Kendall snaps. “Tell him he doesn’t need to go public at all. He’ll make the same amount staying private and making acquisitions instead. It’ll just take three years longer—and you don’t want to wait that long, do you?”
What the…
“I’ll return to talk to you—along with the rest of the board—when we don’t have an intern spouting her opinion.”
“Miss Clarke is not an intern.” I can’t keep the venom out of my voice as I grip Kendall’s hips, grounding myself on her presence. “Answer her question.”
“No.” Penelope shakes her head. “I only answer to you.”
“I’m telling you to answer her questions.”
Silence.
“So it is true…” I shake my head, letting go of Kendall’s waist.
“I’ll speak to you in a minute, Miss Clarke.”
She storms out, her heels snapping against the floor, her fury echoing long after she’s gone.
And I’m left staring down a board that’s been plotting my downfall under my own roof, in my family’s house, while the woman they call an intern just fought harder for me than anyone else in this room.
THE ACCOUNTANT
KENDALL
If I wasn’t fired before, I will be now.
Not wanting to make a scene or pull Myra away from having fun, I’m in my suite lining up our suitcases.
One packed, one to go…
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Lucian’s voice makes me look up.
“Home,” I say. “After I pack up the rest of me and Myra’s things. I’ll get us an Uber so you don’t have to worry about bothering one of the drivers.”
“Hmmm.” He shuts the door. “Why?”
“Because I’m sure you’re pissed at me for getting involved at a level where I don’t belong, and you need time to process things, so—” My sentence ends on his lips.
As his mouth claims mine, he pushes the luggage handle from my hand, sending the suitcase to the floor.
The kiss deepens, wild and consuming, and then his hand slides up my thigh, pulling my skirt higher until there’s nothing between us but heat.
“Lucian—” I start, but the rest dissolves into a gasp as his mouth trails down my neck, his teeth grazing my skin. His fingers slip beneath my lace, teasing, testing, until my body arches against his touch.