I look around desperately, for a cubicle wall to dive behind. When I don’t see one, I wonder what my chances are if I dove out a window, from fifteen stories up.
Meanwhile, Mara tilts her head. “Juliet? You okay?”
Too late.
A second later, Olivia appears, fresh-faced and invigorated. She sweeps toward Caleb’s office, a number of department heads behind her, in V-formation, like migrating geese. As the brigade approaches, I hear her barking orders at random. Call this person. Get a press release drafted. We need to do this all ASAP.
Ignoring us, she goes right up to Caleb’s office and reaches for his gold nameplate on the door. Digging her finger underneath it, she lets it ping away, then fall to the ground with an unceremonious thud.
I stare at it, then at Mara, as they file into the office once belonging to Caleb.
Then they slam the door.
“Whoa,” Mara says, swallowing hard. “That was intense.”
I can’t help it. I creep closer and listen in. Olivia’s voice, louder than all the others, is clear as day. “I want this transition to be a smooth one. No blips. We must initiate damage control immediately and shape the narrative on the company, post-Caleb, right away. I want it on my desk right away.”
The company, post-Caleb.
My gut tangles. Do I want to work at Sterling Cross, post-Caleb?
No. I don’t want to be anywhere near this place. Ever again. The sooner I can get out, the better. I go back to my desk and hug Mara. Then I lift the cardboard box in my hands and prepare to leave, thinking that if I can leave in the next couple of minutes, I might be able to do so with my dignity intact.
But so much for a clean getaway.
Because before I can take a single step, Caleb stalks into the office, jaw set, eyes more intense than I’ve ever seen them. As he heads for his office, he doesn’t look at me—at least, I don’t think he does, until he thrusts a finger right at me.
“Don’t move,” he barks. “You’re not going anywhere.”
3
JULIET
This is not good.
Oh, this is so not good.
As much as I don’t want to do what Caleb’s ordering me to do—I have more dignity than to take dog commands, don’t I?—I can’t help it.
I’m rooted to the spot as Caleb stalks to the door. He glances at his nameplate, on the ground, and lets out a growl. He shoves the door open with a terrific crash. I hear Olivia shout, “Caleb!” and him begin, “What the fuck—”
Then the door slams closed with another terrific crash, the inside wall quaking.
More shouts. The sound of glass breaking. Is he throwing things? Are they coming to blows? What?
Oh, to be a fly on the wall…
I exchange a split-second, wide-eyed glance with Mara, and we both must have the same idea because we start to book it to the door to listen better.
But we both stop short when the door swings open again and he stands there, still turned to face Olivia and her team inside. “Get the fuck out. All of you.”
Through the shaded window, I see no movement. Props to them, because everything in his voice screams, Obey.
“Now.”
“But… You’re off the board.” Olivia blustered. “I’m taking this company back!” Even the cool, calm debutante seems a little ruffled. And who wouldn’t be? The man in front of her is a force of nature. No one would ever guess he’d spent an hour in the downtown jail last night. There’s something almost feral about him. He’s intense, controlled, masculine, magnificent, the leader of this pride. And he’s not taking any crap from anyone.
“Olivia. I’ve already called everyone, and whatever you thought was happening, isn’t. Everyone on the board is aware that I’m not being removed,” he says, schooling her, big-time.
As I stand there, swooning a bit, this force of nature swings his head and locks eyes with me.
My knees go weak. My breath catches.
He turns back to Olivia. “What did you say? Sounds like you just said I don’t have the authority to do this. Well, I have news for you. I do. And it’s done. So politely get your ass out of my office. Now.”
It’s a wonder the people on the receiving end of that gaze keep control of their bladders.
My heart flutters. I’d hate to be on his bad side.
Then I remember: You don’t know what I do to my enemies. But I swear to you, you’re about to find out.
Oh, right. I already am on his bad side.
The romantic fluttering in my heart dies.
It’s only then that I hear the people scrambling inside the office, chairs wheeling back, shadows moving inside. Then, Olivia appears in the doorway, head held high. She gives him a disdainful shake of her head, as if she isn’t worth his time, then her eyes lock on mine.
“You,” she breathes, her voice low. “You’re fired. A thousand times fired. You’ve reached the end of your usefulness, Juliet.”
“I—” I motion to the box, ready to tell her I was just on my way out.
Instead, Caleb growls, “She’s not going anywhere.” He flashes his superior gaze at me. “Stay here.”
His voice leaves me no other option but to obey. Like a marionette under his control, I do as I’m told. But really? He still wants me here? I can’t tell if he does want me to continue as his assistant, or he’s just doing it to get Olivia riled. Either way, it does get her riled. She rolls her eyes, her cheeks turning a shade of red I’ve never seen on her. “Your funeral.”
She stalks a few paces in her designer shoes that probably cost more than a year’s rent at my place in Chinatown, and then whirls on him. “Wipe that smug smile off your face. You haven’t won.”
He does have a smug smile on his face, and it goes nowhere. He simply crosses his arms and stands taller.
“I know you’re up to something, Caleb. Those accounts don’t lie. And whatever shady business you’ve been hiding, I’ll find it all. This isn’t over.” Then she flounces off, leaving me still rooted to the spot.
Thankfully, with one searing glance in my direction, Caleb turns and disappears into his office.
But he leaves the door open.
Is that an invitation?
I look at Mara, who has gnawed all the red gloss off her lower lip. “Uh—I think I should go,” she says, backing away like a girl who’s accidentally walked into the men’s restroom. She wiggles her thumbs at me and mouths, Text me.
Of course, everyone’s going to want to know the gossip on Caleb. What was that showdown with Olivia all about? Why did she try to have him removed from the board? What does this mean for the future of Sterling Cross?
The only thing I can say is, I don’t know.
Because while all of that might be the first thing on the mind of the gossip-hounds that work for Sterling Cross, it’s the last thing on mine.
I’m still here. He kept me.
Why, after all the underhanded tricks I pulled, did he keep me?
Could our relationship still be salvaged, after all?
I step quietly over to his office and peer inside.
He’s standing there, jacket off, hands behind his head, staring out onto the city below. He lets out a tortured breath, and for a moment, my heart aches for him. This is his family’s business. His pride and joy. His everything. He just watched it nearly slip through his fingers.