I returned to my desk, my feet like lead. Well, too late now. Unless you wanna go and get it back. Except I wasn’t about to do that. This was the only solution, and I knew it.
As I pulled out my chair to sit, I spied Dean en route to the restroom. Just the sight of his self-satisfied grin made my blood boil. I followed him in there.
Dean glanced over his shoulder as he stood at the urinal. “Morning.” Then he finished peeing and flushed.
“Morning?” I glared at him as he crossed the tiled floor to the sink. “That’s all you have to say for yourself?”
He blinked, then nodded knowingly. “Ah. So he told you. When was that? In bed last night?” That smile was so fucking smug, and I longed to wipe it off his face. Preferably with my fist.
He finished drying his hands, then stood there, smirking. “Well, are you gonna let me get past you so I can go to my desk? We can’t all be the boss’s little pet. Some of us have to work for a living.”
“You’re not going anywhere until I’ve had my say.” I was doing my best to keep a hold on my temper, but damn, it was hard.
“Sorry,” Dean said with a grin. “Not interested.” He tried to push past me, and I saw red. I shoved him back, sending him tumbling to the floor, his jaw connecting with the sink on the way down.
Dean glared at me from the floor. “What the fuck?” He rubbed his jaw. “Where do you get off shoving me like that? What’s your problem?”
I gaped. “Are you fucking for real? You just tried to blackmail the boss.”
Dean got to his feet, still holding his jaw and wincing. “Look, we all know you’re not gonna lose out here. He’s not gonna jeopardize his company. I’ll get what I want, and he’ll get what he wants, which I presume is your ass on tap. Everybody’s happy.”
I curled my hand into a fist and he flinched. I guess he thought I was going to hit him. I took a deep breath. “You know fuck all about what’s really going on here.” Not trusting myself to say another word, I stormed out of there, heading for the main door. I was so done.
The best place I could be right then was home, where I could start looking for another job.
Stu
I shook Hugh Peters’s hand. “Thanks again for coming in early. And again, my apologies for calling you at home last night. I promise I won’t make a habit of it.”
Hugh smiled. “No problem. And I’m glad we were able to sort things out.”
I chuckled. “Well, I know a lot more about HR than I did this time yesterday, that’s for sure.” Seeing as I’d spent the evening reading all the policies…
Shame flushed through me. It was my company, for Christ’s sake. I should have made it my business to know about everything, not just leave it to others.
Hugh cleared his throat. “Glad to hear it. I’ll write up this meeting and email a copy to you. I’ll CC Chandler too, once he’s paid me a visit.” He gave me a speculative glance. “He’ll be in to see me today, right?”
“Of course.” I’d tell Chandler as soon as Hugh had gone. “Thank you.” I walked with him to the door, and as he spoke with Fiona, I noticed Dean in the background. Of course he’s early today. I went to my desk and got things ready. I knew it wouldn’t be long.
Chandler could wait. I had Dean to deal with first.
Sure enough, barely five minutes elapsed before my phone buzzed. “Mr. Ganford? Dean Porter to see you.”
“Send him right in.”
Dean still wore that same self-satisfied expression. He didn’t sit, but stood in front of my desk. I gave him a cursory glance, noting the darkened skin on his jaw. “Are you all right?” I gestured to his face.
“It’s nothing. I fell.” He stared at me. “So… do we have an understanding?”
I laced my hands together on my desk. “There’s still something that requires clarification.”
“And what would that be?”
“Well, you’ve asked for a promotion in return for your silence, correct?”
“Correct. But don’t forget I want a raise too.”
“How do I know that would be the end of it? What’s to stop you from demanding another wage increase? Another promotion?”
“You’re just gonna have to trust me on that.” Dean grinned. “Look, you’re getting what you want, right? I’ll keep my mouth shut about you and Chandler as long as my career here stays on an even keel. I’m not a greedy man. Just make sure when the annual bonuses are announced that my name is on the list, and we’ll be sweet.”
Thank God Dean was not the sharpest knife in the drawer.
I leaned back, stretching out my legs under the desk. “Have you ever read this company’s HR policy, Mr. Porter?”
“Nope.” He looked like he couldn’t have cared less.
“Well, you should have, before you made your demands. Particularly the section on relationships between staff.” A section I was now thoroughly aware of.
Dean snorted. “Relationships? Isn’t that a bit grand for describing your arrangement?”
“On the contrary. It describes the situation perfectly. So when I met this morning with Hugh Peters from HR, to disclose the fact that Chandler Mitchell and I are in a relationship, he made note of it.”
“You’re… you’re dating him?”
I opened my eyes wide. “Why, yes. Of course, if you’d read the policy, you’d know it’s not against company rules for a boss to date an employee. Consensual relationships do occur in the workplace, after all. Where it becomes a little… trickier is when you have a romantic or sexual relationship between co-workers where one individual has influence or control over the other’s conditions of employment. We can’t have concerns being raised about favoritism, bias, ethics, or conflicts of interest, can we?”
“Exactly! You’re his boss.”
I nodded. “Which is why I disclosed the relationship. I then gave Hugh assurances that Chandler’s line manager would no longer be myself, but Bev Tyndale. All that’s required now is for Chandler to make his disclosures, and everything is then above board, out in the open.”
Dean’s face fell. “I see.”
I leaned forward, hands back on the desk. “Which takes away your ability to blackmail me, doesn’t it? It does, however, leave us with another issue, that of your continued employment within this company.”
Dean paled. “But… you just said it… I can’t blackmail you if I’ve got nothing to hold over you.”
“But you did attempt blackmail, Mr. Porter, and I’m not going to stand for that.” I picked up my phone that was lying on my desk beneath a sheet of paper. “And here is my proof. I’ve been recording this conversation.” I stopped the recording and placed the phone in my drawer.
“That’s illegal,” Dean ground out.
I wagged one finger. “A conversation can be recorded as long as one party is aware. That would be me.” I picked up the handset. “Fiona, would you call Security and have them come to my office, please? …Yes, immediately… They’re to escort Mr. Porter to HR where he’ll turn in his badge and keys, plus any company property he has in his possession…. Then could you…? Oh, thank you.” I replaced the handset, then gave Dean my full attention. “Security will watch you clear your desk, then they’ll escort you from the building. Fiona will have your letter of dismissal typed up and ready for you by the time you leave.”