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Tristan and Xavier get off the elevator a minute or two after I do, and we gather in front of the conference room.
They both look as confused as I feel, which is something of a relief. At least I’m not the only one out of the loop here.
“Nothing about ‘emergency board meeting’ sounds good,” Xavier says. “These things usually come with a lot more notice. And a lot more fanfare. I don’t like this.”
“I want to know what the emergency is,” I mutter.
“One way to find out,” Tristan replies, nodding to the door.
We walk in together, an unconscious show of force that probably won’t do anything to either impress or intimidate the board. We might be the CEOs of this company, but they’re the shadowy force behind it all, pulling strings and reminding us constantly to think about the investors and the shareholders. We had more wiggle room when we had our own companies that were smaller, with less oversight. But now it feels like we’re always answering to the fucking board.
All four of them are sitting around the table when we walk in, dressed up in their fancy business clothes, trying to intimidate us right back.
“Good morning,” Xavier says, walking around the table to take a seat. He’s all good humor, smiling as he settles in. “To what do we owe the honor of this sudden meeting?”
Stephan, the older of the four of them, the one with the most weight to throw around, clears his throat. “We decided it was finally time for us to make our concerns known,” he says.
“Concerns about what?” I ask, dropping into a chair with a frown. “It can’t be with the work. We’re doing the work, and our clients are happy.”
“Happy clients aren’t the whole picture of a successful company,” Oliver, one of the others says. He smooths his fingers over his mustache. “There are also the investors to think of.”
I can see Xavier fighting the urge to roll his eyes, and he just turns his smile up a notch to compensate. Tristan’s face is as unreadable as ever, and he doesn’t say anything, arms folded as he watches the board from across the table.
“Are the investors complaining?” I ask.
“Not as yet,” Stephan replies. “But they have noticed your constant battles for dominance.”
Spoken like a Beta, trying to pigeonhole us with stereotypes about Alphas.
“We don’t do dominance battles. And especially not in the office,” I grit out, trying not to sound as agitated as I feel.
“You clash.” Bridget, an older woman with her hair pulled back into a severe bun, speaks up. “You argue often, and it has been noticed. By us and by the investors. The three of you nearly got into a screaming match at the last fundraiser.”
“That’s an exaggeration,” Tristan says.
The four of them exchange a glance. “Barely,” Oliver shoots back. “The point is this merger is about more than three companies coming together. The three of you need to be seen as a unit. Stronger together. More profitable together. Otherwise the investors will put their money elsewhere.”
Xavier leans forward, making eye contact with Oliver. “It’s been an adjustment, I’ll admit that. But that comes with the territory. You can’t expect three people with headstrong personalities and three different ideas about how to do the job to just magically become a cohesive unit. We’re working on it and getting better every day. That has to be enough for the investors.”
Neither Tristan or I say anything about the fight that we just had this morning, but I know we’re both thinking about it.
“It isn’t,” Bridget says bluntly. “And frankly, whatever progress you’re making isn’t being made fast enough. The investors aren’t going to wait around for you to work out your issues. They need reassurance that this company isn’t going to fold and they’ll lose all their money in the process. You are not working hard enough to give them that reassurance.”
“Then what do you want us to do?” I demand. “What will be enough to?—”
Get you off our fucking backs? I finish internally. But I don’t say that. Instead, I take a breath and ask, “What will be enough to convince them we’re serious about this merger?”
Peter, the last member of the board, finally clears his throat and joins the conversation. “You are, for all intents and purposes, a pack now, whether you wanted to be or not. And you need something to bond you. Something that will show everyone that you are serious about working together. Like a mate, for instance.”
I frown, feeling like I am not going to enjoy where this is going. “What are you suggesting?”
Oliver smiles, and that’s the final nail in the fucking coffin. “We’re suggesting you get married.”
Chapter 6
Penelope
Two and a half weeks into the job, and I still don’t really feel like I’ve settled into the rhythm of things. It’s hard work, and I work even harder, pushing myself to make sure that I’m doing the best I can. I want to succeed here, both because I need the job and because I want to prove that I can do it and do it well.