Page 18

Chapter eighteen

T hursday morning was by far the most awkward morning Vic had experienced in a long time. Angela had made a point of walking into his office multiple times for next to no reason. She reached out and touched him twice. She smiled, laughed, and winked at him. As usual, she wore a low-cut top and short skirt to draw his attention. The display she was putting on repulsed him, but like Paris, he had to keep up appearances. He worried she’d notice he wasn’t getting into it. To save himself from further interruptions, he asked her to dinner that evening and told her he needed to head out for a one o'clock meeting. She blew him a kiss and retreated to her desk. As soon as she was out of sight, he locked his office door and headed for the boardroom.

He stopped at Paris’s office on the way. “Are you ready for this?” he asked.

“Not particularly, but what choice have we got? We need to make a stand for ourselves and the company, and I would love for nothing more than to see Angela and Tom go down in flames,” she replied in a hushed tone.

Vic cocked an eyebrow at her as they headed down the hall. “Sounds like you’re a little keyed up.”

“Damn straight, I’m keyed up! No human being should ever treat another so cruelly.”

“You mean like how you treated Mya?” asked Chase as he joined them.

“Yes. I agree, I treated Mya poorly, but I didn’t sleep with Mya to work my way up in the company. I didn’t throw myself at you to get an excellent report each week during this hellish ordeal,” she stated angrily.

“Chase!” shouted Mya. She had shown up just in time to hear him scolding Paris. “I’ve forgiven her. What Tom and Angela have done to Vic and Paris isn’t even close to the same level as what went on between Paris and me. Paris was hurting, and people often take their pain out on those who are closest to them. I don’t need you to stand up for me when it’s already done and over with,” she said.

“Okay, guys,” said Vic. “Let’s all take it down a notch. I’m sure we’re all feeling a little stressed right now,” he said as he stepped into the elevator. The rest of the group followed him. The elevator was silent for the rest of the ride.

Outside the elevator, Paris stopped and turned to Mya. “You have the recording, right?” Mya held up her phone in response. “Great. I figured you did, but like Vic said, I’m a little stressed out right now, and I want this to go smoothly.”

“It will,” she said and patted Paris on the arm. “You’ve got this.”

The board had already taken their seats when they entered the room. “Good morning,” said Vic. He wasted no time getting down to business. “We’ve called you all here today for an important reason. Over the past weeks, Paris and I have made some major changes in our lives. We’ve done our best to overcome our grief from the loss of Brody and Alli and to get back to living our lives more purposefully. In the middle of everything we ran into, for lack of a better way to word it, temptations of the flesh.”

“Oh, my God, Vic!” blurted Paris. Her face had turned crimson with embarrassment.

“Let him finish, my dear,” rebuked her mother.

Vic took a deep breath and continued. “Amid everything, Paris and I became close with our counterparts, Tom and Angela, which hurt us both quite a bit. Mya is going to play a recording for you, and then we can discuss it if there are questions.”

Mya pressed play on her phone. She placed it on the table in front of them so they could all hear. No one spoke a word while the recording played. As a matter of fact, no one spoke a word for at least two minutes once it had finished. Everyone appeared to be in shock, and then Nicola stood up. “Will you four please wait outside for a moment while we discuss something?” Silently, they filed out of the room and closed he door behind them.

“What do you suppose that’s about?” asked Paris. “Aren’t they angry? This isn’t the response I expected.”

“Me either,” replied Mya. “I thought there’d be an angry outcry of rage toward the situation. I never could have dreamt they’d be so quiet and then ask us to wait outside.”

“I’m sure they’re discussing the details of the situation and what the appropriate response should be,” said Chase.

“That’s probably it,” said Vic. “Who knows what’s going on behind the scenes these days?”

Paris fidgeted nervously. “I hate waiting.”

Chase paced back and forth. “Tell me about it. I’m too antsy for this sort of suspense.”

Vic leaned back against the wall and let his body slide to the floor. “I’ve seen this before. You may as well get comfortable. This could take a while.”

Paris joined him on the floor. “I don’t understand. What are they discussing? Do they think we’re to blame for this?”

“We did nothing illegal,” replied Vic. “I don’t see how they could blame us. They’re probably discussing the best way to handle Tom and Angela, and they don’t want us present while they figure out the legal aspects and what to do about the jobs they currently occupy. Who knows? There could be many factors we’re unaware of.”

“Like what?” asked Paris.

“The future they want for the company,” said Chase.

Paris turned to Mya. “Is that what they’re discussing? What do you know?”

“I’m not at liberty to discuss this,” she replied. “I’m sorry, Paris. Chase shouldn’t have said that.”

“Mya! What aren’t you telling us?” demanded Paris.

Vic placed his hand on Paris’s chin and turned her to face him. “Listen, you need to let her be. She can’t help it if the board asked her to maintain confidentiality regarding the company’s future. We can wait this out. I’m sure everything will be revealed soon enough.”

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right, but I didn’t think they’d give her and Chase that type of information and leave us in the dark.”

Vic shook his head. “Can you blame them? They didn’t know if we’d pull our shit together for this company or not.”

“I know, but we have,” Paris said.

The foursome waited for thirty-five minutes before the door finally opened again. Paris bounced up from the floor and hoisted Vic to his feet.

“You may come back in,” said Dom. “Sorry that took so long.”

The group filed back into the room and took their seats at the table.

“This whole situation comes as a shock to us,” commented Nicola. Shaking her head, she continued, “We’re deeply saddened by the realization that two of our own would stoop to such lows to hurt you. As you know, Angela and Tom have been with the company for many years. We’re ashamed that such an incident has taken place under ADG’s roof.”

Pulling at the corner of his mustache, Mikel said, “We debated whether to give you the option to press charges, but in the end, we’ve decided ADG must move forward with the strictest of action. We can’t let word get out that our company would allow such misconduct to go unpunished.”

“Furthermore,” said Cristo, “we’d like to extend our deepest apologies for what’s happened here, and to offer you the next week off with pay, so that you may process. That said, take as much time as needed to deal with this terrible ordeal.”

“We’re also offering counseling to help you sort through the emotional strain Tom and Angela have put you through,” added Jessamine. “I strongly suggest you explore how this may have affected you and your peer relationships.”

“Thank you,” replied Paris. “I think I speak for us both when I say the extra time won’t be necessary.” She turned to look at Vic, who nodded in response. “But we will take you up on the counseling, as we’re both learning that it’s better to get our feelings out, rather than to hold them in.”

Turning her attention to the board, Jessamine’s face contorted into a frown and she said, “On a similar subject, ADG has never had a rule that its employees couldn’t date since two sets of couples formed the company. Do we need to explore this concept more thoroughly and create strict boundaries regarding deterring future misconduct within our company?”

“No,” replied Cristo. “I don’t think it’s necessary. This is an isolated incident, and it’s so heinous that I can’t imagine it would ever happen again within company walls.”

“Hold on,” said Dom. “Maybe it’s not a bad idea to set some boundaries to protect employee relationships. Our company is all about people and their lives. Living and loving. I think it makes sense to discuss things further at a later date.”

“Agreed,” said Nikola. “We’ll table it until our next board meeting.”

Turning back to the foursome, Dom said, “Thank you all for bringing the situation with Angela and Tom to our attention. We want you to know that we stand behind you one hundred percent. Regarding your positions within the company, we intend to give you further information at our meeting next Monday. Until then, please take care of yourselves, and reach out if you need to discuss anything further.”

Getting up from his chair, Vic said, “Thank you.” His friends nodded and followed him out of the room.

The door had barely closed behind them, and Chase let out a silent scream. “Does anyone else feel like they’re about to freak out?” he asked.

“A little,” said Mya. “I’m glad that’s over.”

“I can’t even think about it. I’m still upset,” said Paris. “I need to head back to my office to grab some files, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Tom and Angela escorted from the building.”

“Me too,” replied Vic. He grinned like a jackal. He couldn’t wait to see them ousted.

“I have another meeting up the hall,” added Mya. “I’ll catch up with you all later.”

“I’m going to sort through some things in my office,” said Chase. “Whoever wants to may come to my place this evening for a drink. We can let off some steam. Maybe discuss the future.”

“Count me in,” replied Paris.

“Yeah, me too,” said Vic, but the tone in his voice wavered.

“And me!” called Mya as she wandered off toward her next meeting. “I’ll be there!”

Mya was happy to be out of the boardroom but nervous for her next appointment, especially with Jessamine’s mention about dating within the company. Breezing into the room, she came to an abrupt halt when she saw Cristo already seated at the conference room table.

“Come on in,” he said. “You may shut the door behind you.” His tone was all business.

Mya turned and closed the door. Stepping forward, she approached the table. She didn’t want to sit. “I don’t know if I can do this,” she said, her voice squeaking.

“Do what?” asked Cristo. “End this? Walk away? Call it quits and move on?” He couldn’t stop himself from putting words into her mouth. He feared what would come next. Normally, he was a strong and confident man, but today he was at her mercy. She was his only weakness.

“Stop! You need to listen.”

“I don’t want to listen if you’re going to end what we have. I enjoy those moments with you, crazy as they are.”

“That’s the thing. So do I. I enjoy them very much, and that’s why I’m afraid to say what I must, but the words are stuck.”

“Tell me. What do you want?” Mya looked as if she might burst into tears at any moment. Cristo’s heart felt like it might break. It took everything in him to sit there and wait for what was coming next. He didn’t do waiting very well. He was a hot-blooded and impatient man.

“I—” she took a deep gulp of air. “I want more!” she blurted. “I need more than this.”

“What?” Cristo was dumbfounded. He’d never expected her to say she wanted more. Every word out of her mouth regarding their situation had been about boundaries and not getting close. It was only sex. He stared at her in disbelief. Did she really say she wanted more?

“Say something,” she prodded. “Anything.”

“I’m speechless,” he replied, then continued to stare at her for a moment. “You want more? What does that mean in Mya language?”

“It means that I’m falling for you. I never planned for this or wanted it. Lord knows you are not my usual type, but I want more. I want to go on dates and to cuddle and talk after sex. I want to hold your hand and experience life as a couple. I don’t want to hide from your family. Cristo, I’m falling in love with you, and I need more.”

“Wow, Mya. Are you sure?” It took every ounce of energy he had to contain himself and not burst from the excitement he felt.

“Of course, I’m sure! I’ve been battling it out in my mind for weeks. I finally told Paris last night. She said I needed to see this conversation through, so here I am. I’m telling you I love you, Cristo. I don’t care about the games. I just want us to be together in whatever way possible.”

“God, Mya, I’ve waited forever to hear you say those words. I never thought I’d see the day. I love you too,” he replied. “Now get over here!”.

Mya leaped up onto the table and crawled into his arms. He pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers. She kissed him back with the hunger of a thousand lifetimes.

“You have made me so happy,” said Cristo.

“You don’t know how much that pleases me,” replied Mya.

“So, what’s next?”

“Take me to dinner tonight? I want to get to know your interests outside of work and in the bedroom.”

“It would be my pleasure,” said Cristo as he squeezed her tight.

Back at Paris's office, Vic and Paris waited impatiently, peering through the office window. Security hadn’t shown up yet. They’d closed themselves in her office under the guise that they were in a meeting and wished not to be disturbed. Neither wanted to be approached by Angela or Tom.

“How long do you think this will take?” asked Vic. He paced the floor as they waited.

“It's been half an hour. I thought for sure they’d deal with the situation right away.”

A knock sounded at the door, and they both jumped.

“Who do you think it is?” asked Vic.

“I don’t know. More importantly, how did we miss someone approaching the door? What if it's one of them?”

“It's not,” stated Vic. “It can't be. They’d have both passed by the windows to get to your door. Just answer it.”

“Why don't you answer it?” she hissed.

“Because it's not my office, so whoever it is, is most likely here for you,” he said.

“I suppose you've got me on that one,” she replied. Grabbing the door handle, she cracked it open. Both Mya and Chase were waiting outside. “You two scared us half to death. Get in here before anyone else comes along.” She grabbed Mya's wrist and pulled her inside.

“Geez, paranoid much?” asked Chase as he trailed behind her. “You don't need to hide. They’re screwed either way.

“I don't want to create a scene,” replied Paris.

“Those two are so wrapped up in themselves that they probably wouldn't even notice you’re acting differently,” said Chase.

Vic nodded in agreement. “He has a point. Perhaps we’re being paranoid? They have no idea what's coming. Even if they knew, who cares? They deserve what they get.”

“Amen to that!” Mya agreed.

The group sat and watched for another twenty minutes, and then it happened. Mikel and Dom marched past Paris's office with four security guards in tow. Their stonelike faces staring ahead as they walked. What Paris wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall of Tom's office when he was told his services would no longer be needed at Sense of Adventure. She wished she could give him a nice kick to the yarbles as well for the emotional pain and suffering he’d caused her. At some point, she knew this story would spread like wildfire. She didn’t know if ADG could contain the situation or not.

“Well, shall we stay in here or go out and catch the show?” asked Chase, with a grin.

“Do we really want to witness this?” asked Mya.

“I think this is their shot to stand up for themselves and see this thing through to the end,” replied Chase. “If you have something to say, now’s your chance. Within reason, of course.”

“Let's do it,” said Vic. “Let's show them they can't hurt us. We’re standing our ground.”

“Okay,” said Paris with hesitation in her voice. “If you think it won't make things worse.”

“Don't say anything inflammatory, and you should be fine,” said Chase.

Vic reached out and grabbed Paris's hand. “What do you say? I’ll be right there beside you. We don't have to say anything if we don't want to.”

“Okay,” she said, “Let's do this.” She pulled her hand out of Vic's and marched over to the door. Throwing it open, she proceeded into the hall, followed by the rest of the group. Angela and Tom were in a nearby meeting room with Mikel and his entourage. The door was closed, and she couldn’t hear anything. “Let's take a seat in the common area and wait.”

“Sounds good,” replied Vic. They sat down at the closest table. “I wonder what he's saying to them?” Mikel’s face was red, and he made several hand gestures as he spoke. Now and then, he’d look at Dom, and Dom would chip in with a few of his own words. At one point, Vic saw his father slam his fist down on the table. Angela and Tom sat on the opposite side, and both of them jumped. Mikel reached out and put a calming hand on Dom's shoulder, and Dom stepped back from the table.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen them so mad,” said Mya.

“I’m not surprised,” replied Chase. “Two of their top employees have done unspeakable things to not only their other employees but their children. This is personal for them on several levels.”

Vic winced at Chase's statement. He hated being considered a victim and didn’t want anyone's pity. He’d allowed himself to be played by Angela. Vic felt he should’ve been more vigilant. How stupid he was for falling for her bait. At the same time, he never intended for their relationship to be anything but sexual, though he preferred not to sleep with the enemy.

“Paris, are you okay?” asked Mya. Paris had a tear running down her cheek.

“I feel like an idiot. How could we have been so stupid?” she asked Vic.

“We were vulnerable, and they hit at the most opportune time. It is what it is,” he replied. “Now we have to move beyond it and grow stronger, okay? You can do this,” he encouraged. “You’re tough, and you will not let this break you, right? Get mad. This is a point when anger is warranted.”

“He's right,” added Chase. “You should be pissed. Don't feel sorry for yourself. Feel angry toward them for taking advantage of your genuine feelings. No one deserves to be treated that way.”

“You're right!” said Paris, jumping up from her seat and stomping her heel. “This is not my fault. They took advantage of me! I will not be the victim. I’m going to march up to them and tell them they deserve what they get and that I will see this trial through to the end to make sure they never hurt anyone again.”

Paris had no more than made her statement when the door to the office opened, and Angela and Tom emerged flanked by security. Paris stepped forward, confronting them both.

“You thought you were clever, didn’t you? I hope it was worth it. I’ll see you in court. I guarantee you won’t be getting a slap on the wrist, and I won’t lose any sleep over you.”

“I’m backing her one-hundred percent,” added Vic. “What you did was despicable. When we’re through with you, it’ll be tough to find a job anywhere.”

Angela had tears streaming down her face when she replied, “It was all his idea. He came up with the plan. I wanted nothing to do with it, but he pushed and pushed, and I gave in. It was all him!”

“Oh, well then, perhaps you should be pardoned? I mean, obviously, if Tom put you in that position, we can hardly blame you for it, right?” asked Chase. “He did put a gun to your head and force you to have unbridled sex with Vic in his office, correct?” Chase laughed. “No one forced you, honey. You did this to yourself. You make me sick. Playing with anyone's emotions simply to climb the corporate ladder is completely twisted, and such indiscretions deserve the maximum punishment.”

“Amen to that,” said Mya. “Angela, you'll get what you deserve, as will Tom.”

“This is bullshit!” expelled Tom. “There’s no law against sleeping with people without having genuine feelings.”

“No, there's not,” stated Mikel, “but you signed your name on the line and broke your contract with Sense of Adventure when you manipulated your coworkers for corporate gain. Not to mention the other charges, which will come with replaying the recording of what you intended to do to Paris and Vic. That’s definitely illegal.”

“Wow, you two are royally screwed,” said Chase. “Good luck with that.”

Mikel looked at Paris and Vic. “I think we've all said enough at this point.” Turning to security, he said, “Please escort Tom and Angela off the property. As of now, they are no longer allowed access to anything on ADG grounds, including their apartments. We’ll forward your belongings to a location of your choice tomorrow. You’ll be hearing from our lawyers.”

Mikel and Dom followed the guards to the elevator, then headed back to their offices. Vic and Paris watched them go. Paris felt a wave of relief but also a bit of panic, knowing they’d have to testify about what happened to them, and how much they’d be judged for it. She still felt stupid for allowing herself to let her guard down enough to believe that Tom had suddenly taken an interest in her.

“I can see the wheels in your head spinning,” said Mya. She gently put her hand on Paris's shoulder. “You can’t beat yourself up over this. You carried a torch for the man for years. Had I been in your situation, I would have done the same thing. Most anyone would have. He played your heartstrings. It was wrong, and he knew it was wrong. The only thing left to do is to work on healing. I’m here for you if you need to talk.” She gave Paris a gentle smile. “You’re okay. Like Vic said, you’ll get past this.”

“Thanks, Mya,” she replied.

“Let’s get out of here,” said Vic. “I want to go home and forget this day ever happened.”

“Yeah, me too,” said Paris. “Chase, we’ll see you at your place this evening for that drink.”

“Okay, guys, take it easy,” he smiled. “Later, we can toast to a brighter future.”

“I hear you on that,” said Vic.

Late in the evening, Paris and Mya walked together over to Chase's apartment for the drink they’d agreed upon. The mood was much lighter than the past twenty-four hours. Paris felt as if a weight had lifted, and she could let her guard down some. Mya chattered away about the recent developments between her and Cristo. Paris was happy for her friend. She would have never guessed that genuine feelings would develop between them, but as long as they were happy, she was happy.

“I'm glad you two worked out your issues. How was your dinner date?”

“Awesome!” gushed Mya. “It was nice to get dressed up and go out in public without the guise of a business-related event. We have more in common than I could have imagined. I’m going over to his place after Chase’s.”

“That's great. I truly am happy for you.”

“Thanks,” she replied

When they arrived at Chase's, Paris was surprised to find that Vic was not there. Mya wasted no time in demanding to know where he was.

“He's not coming,” said Chase. “He said he was tired and wanted to get a good night’s sleep. Something about an interview.”

“What interview?” asked Paris.

“I don’t know,” replied Chase. “He didn’t elaborate.”

“Is he leaving Sense of Adventure?” asked Paris.

Chase shook his head. “He hasn’t told me a thing.”

“You need to talk to him,” said Mya. “Make sure he’s not leaving because you’re too stubborn to work through your issues.”

“Me? I’m the stubborn one?” asked Paris.

“Yeah,” said Chase. “He keeps trying to talk to you, and you keep shutting down.”

“You should go over there and talk to him right now,” said Mya. “Before it’s too late.”

“Fine,” huffed Paris. “I’ll call him in a bit. Now, where’s that damn drink we came here for?”