Page 149 of Relationship Goals

“Yeah,” I cheer, fist-pumping. If there was ever an occasion for too much fist-pumping, this was it. “Oh, by the way, I got the printers you recommended—I was able to rush the order through. It should be ready to pick up first thing tomorrow. Your people can make it happen, right? That’s enough time?”

She grins at me, then nods once. “It’s going to be fucking perfect.”

“Fuck yeah.”

•••

We walk intothe boardroom of the Aces club office, and John Pugilisi and Charles Treadwick glance up at us momentarily before resuming their boisterous conversation.

Michelle gives me a meaningful look as we sit across from the men.

Lacing my fingers through each other on the shiny top of the conference table, I clear my throat and wait.

One laughs at something the other has said before they finally turn to us.

“Ladies. Now, Michelle, why did you feel the need to call us in here on a Friday afternoon? I’m sure we all have better places to be. Ms. Abigail is probably busy charming the pants off everyone in Atlanta now that she’s a free agent.” Charles leers at me.

I grimace as his breath hits me. He reeks of bourbon.

I would very much like to vomit.

“Ew,” I say, giving him the nastiest look I can muster.

Judging from the way his cheeks turn ruddy, I’m positive it hit home.

I smile prettily at him. “Now that you’re done making suggestive and inappropriate comments, we have a few items to discuss.”

“Come on, girls,” Charles slurs slightly. “Why don’t we all go out and discuss this over dinner? Maybe somewhere private, with a nice bottle of wine.”

My nose wrinkles, and Michelle glares at them.

Oh shit. Michelle is about to rip them to shreds.

I lean back in the office chair, narrowly avoiding tipping the thing backward, and cross my arms over my chest. Yeah. Falling out of my chair would not have been my chosen way to begin the meaningful part of this meeting.

“While acting as director of operations with the Aces—”

“And we are so lucky to have a smart girl like you with us,” Charles interrupts.

Michelle gives him a look so full of distaste that he rears back.

Call her girl one more time, I dare you.I shouldn’t be so gleeful.

Oh well!

“Are you finished?” Michelle asks crisply.

There’s no answer, though Charles appears slightly apoplectic.

“Are you on blood pressure medication?” I ask him out of true concern. “You might want to take it.”

He makes a garbled sound of outrage, and I smile at him again, batting my eyelashes.

“As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted,” Michelle continues, “I’ve noticed various taxation discrepancies when it comes to certain write-offs for the business. I have also been made aware of a situation regarding Luke Wolfe, one that IT was only too happy to provide records of once I alerted them to possible legal and financial ramifications for the entire team.”

She opens up a black leather folio, producing several copies of printouts of emails she forwarded to me while I was in flight.

Emails between the two of them, outlining their plan to blackmail Luke, as well as discussing the increase in ticket sales after we were dating.