I exhale heavily. “You’re prosecuting me before I even commit a crime.”
“Am I?” She laughs, and her face twists in pain as she wraps her arms around herself. “You flew me to Aspen on a company jet for a date. You paid a designer who knows how much money for this dress. None of that was for business, Max. That was you living the high life. That’s shit Jenson would do. That’s corporate greed.”
“That you fucking enjoyed,” I roar, thrusting my hands through my hair and taking a step away from her. “I’m not going to feel bad for enjoying what I’ve worked hard to earn. Being this successful is what makes it possible for us to raise over a million dollars in scholarship for marginalized kids tonight.”
Her eyes fill with tears as she replies quickly, “But being at your level of success puts you in boardrooms next to greedy assholes like Jenson Hunsberger. What do you think will happen to you if you associate with someone like him on a regular basis?”
I look away in disgust. “There are greedy assholes in all socioeconomic brackets, Cassandra. You’re a smart girl, you should know that much.”
She inhales sharply. “And you sound just like him, Mr. Fletcher.”
I jerk back, feeling like she just slapped me. I move toward her to touch her, to apologize for my words, but she holds her hands up to stop me.
Tears fall down her face when she adds, “This is the last time I let any man in power have control over my mental health.”
My chest heaves with anxiety as I make a beeline back into the event center to get my cell phone so I can call a Lyft and get as far away from this night as I can. What started out as a night full of hope and dreams of the future and charity has quickly turned into my worst nightmare.
I swipe quickly at my cheeks, trying hard to fight the pain that’s enveloping me over the words I just exchanged with Max. We were doing so good. We had compartmentalized our lives so perfectly. I spent my days with Everly, and he spent his at the office. When we came together at night, neither of us discussed our work. We discussed literally everything but work. It was perfect. That balance in Max made me think this could be real between us. We could actually be happy together and not consumed by our vast differences. How could I be so blind?
Him partnering with Jenson of all people? The man whose name I can’t even say without shuddering. That is not something I can overlook.
I steel myself as I approach my former boss who’s still sitting at the table. Paisley lifts her hand to me with a small smile, but I ignore her, jutting my chin high and moving past her and Jenson with determination to grab my phone and handbag off the table. My eyes connect briefly with Wyatt’s that are full of so much concern, it makes my chin tremble.
Grabbing my bag and phone, I turn to leave before the waterworks start when a clammy hand wraps tightly around my elbow, sending chills down my spine. “What are you saying about me out there to Max?” Jenson’s voice is like nails on a chalkboard, bringing me back to the nights when his voice haunted my dreams.
“Nothing,” I snap, pulling my head back for some space away from Jenson’s putrid breath. I try to jerk my arm out of his hold, but his grip only tightens more.
“Bullshit,” he growls with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Don’t forget I was your boss for six years, Cassie. I can still tell when you’re lying.”
My knees feel weak, reminding me of how I always felt when I was around Jenson in the past. Insecure, rushed, scared of screwing up. I hated that girl. I’m not that girl anymore.
“I’m not discussing anything with you.” I attempt to free myself again only to have him yank me backward, causing my shoulder to fall into his chest. Out of the corner of my eye, I see all three of Max’s brothers stand in unison.
Jenson’s breath is hot in my ear when he rasps, “If you fuck this deal up for me because of one of your little panic attacks, I’ll make sure you never work in the industry ever again.”
His comment shocks me in the most unexpected way. Instead of breaking my will down further and causing my anxiety to flare up like it would have in the past, I actually throw my head back and laugh.
Jenson’s nostrils flare with irritation, and I notice Max’s brothers all staring at me in confusion.
“Cozy, you good?” Wyatt eyes me seriously, gifting me his very coveted words as his chin drops like a tiger waiting for the signal to attack.
“I’m great, Wyatt,” I answer as a euphoric sense of power settles over me. The strength and confidence I’ve regained since leaving the corporate world washes over me, and I take a cleansing breath at that wonderful realization.
I glance down at my ex-boss’s clammy hand still gripping me like he thinks he has an ounce of power over me. My eyes lift to his as I harden my glare. I push his chest hard enough that he has to take a step back and release my arm. “Jenson, I couldn’t give a flying fuck what you tell anyone in the industry about me. I’ve got a bright future making beautiful wooden cocks that I’m sure look nothing like yours.”
The corner of his mouth tips up into a sleazy smile eliciting the exact opposite reaction I was hoping for. Typical narcissist. His eyes fall to my chest as he leans in close, his hand cupping my hip when he says, “If I knew you sucked CEO cock, I might have offered mine up. I don’t mind being a chubby chaser every once in a while.”
Heat rushes through my body, setting my face on fire. I don’t think, I just react. I barely hear Paisley gasp as I rear my hand back, ready to slap him with everything I have.
My hand swipes the air in front of him as strong arms band around my waist, hauling me back against a rock-hard body.
“Touch her ever again, and it will be the last thing you fucking do,” Max growls, his neck veins bulging angrily as he shoves Jenson in the chest, causing him to fall back into his chair. His hand reaches back to hold me behind him as his body vibrates with rage.
My heart thunders in my chest watching Max react so violently for me. It’s part shocking, part inspiring, but mostly, it’s terrifying. This is Max’s future business partner, and he just…went off on him.
Jenson gapes up at us, his eyes a mixture of horror, anger, and humiliation. His nostrils flare as he sputters, “We were just talking, Max.”
“She is mine,” he seethes, the veins in his neck bulging angrily. “And you don’t speak to her, touch her, or even look at her ever again.” Max turns and slides his fingers into my hand, his eyes pools of darkness that I’ve never seen before as he states firmly, “I’m driving you home now.”
The car ride is painfully silent all the way from Denver to Boulder. Max’s knuckles are white on the steering wheel as his body vibrates with anger. Meanwhile, I’m over here, trying to figure out how the hell I can crawl out of this vehicle and go back in time.
Back in time to before I agreed to the date with Max, before I agreed to bang it out with him, before I wanted him to kiss me. Hell, I’d like to go back in time and never walk into that boardroom and interview for that job. All of this was a mistake. What started off as a favor to my sister and a way for me to dip my toe back into the real world has quickly turned into a nightmare of epic real-world proportions.