Page 3 of Unleashed

The world tilted. My heart stopped. My hands clenched into fists under the table. Around me, applause erupted as if on cue. I pasted a smile on my face, though my stomach churned with rage. My eyes found Slade, who sat a few chairs down, and he gave me a look of sympathy, his brow furrowed.

I forced myself to clap, but inside, I was ready to scream. Thomas Marsden? Are you fucking kidding me? He was nothing but an ass-kisser. I seethed, my jaw tight, thinking about howoften he brown-nosed his way through meetings. If Thomas thought I was going to work under him, he was delusional.

The moment the applause died down, I slipped out of the conference room, my heels clicking sharply against the floor as I hurried toward my office.

“Morgan!” Slade called from behind me.

I spun on my heel, glaring at him as he jogged to catch up. “Thomas Marsden?” I spat. “He’s hardly qualified. He’s been here four years! I’ve been here for almost seven!”

Slade sighed, grabbing my elbow gently but firmly as he steered me into my office. Once the door shut behind us, he spoke in a low, calming tone.

“My father felt he was the better fit,” he said.

“Better fit than me?!” I hissed, yanking my arm free and sinking into my chair, feeling the weight of defeat crush my chest. “This is bullshit, Slade.”

“Don’t do this, Morgan,” he said, his tone pleading. “Your time will come.”

I leaned forward, glaring at him. “Will it? When? How many more years do I have to be passed over before I’m allowed to say enough is enough?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “But you’re good. You’ll get your due.”

I snorted, bitterness curling my lip. “When I grow a pair of balls? Because that’s apparently what it takes around here.”

Slade winced, but I wasn’t done.

“Maybe it’s time I start looking elsewhere. I’ve got enough experience, and I’m sure there are companies out there that would actually appreciate what I bring to the table.”

He took a step closer, his brow creasing. “You offer plenty here. You’ve gotten great reviews and raises. Why do you need a supervisory position?”

I narrowed my eyes. “Leverage. This place is rife with harassment, Slade. You think I don’t hear the comments? The guys here talk about my ass, about what they think I’m like in bed.”

And it was. The good, old boys’ club. I don’t know how many times I came up on a conversation about me and not in a good way. The disgusting things they said they wanted to do to me.

Slade’s face turned pale, his soft brown eyes widening. “Who? Who the fuck is saying that? We have policies?—”

I cut him off with a bitter laugh. “Policies? Sure. And if I report it, I’ll just be the bitch who wants to castrate her co-workers. I’d rather just ignore it.”

“I’m not condoning that behavior, Morgan, and neither should you.” His voice sharpened with anger. “Tell me who it is. I’ll make sure it stops.”

I leaned back, folding my arms over my chest. “And make the situation worse? No, thanks. It’s easier to leave.”

Slade’s jaw clenched. “To go where?”

“You think I haven’t had offers? Headhunters have been calling. I’ve turned them down, but maybe that was a mistake.”

“Abbott doesn’t want to lose you,” he said softly. “You’re valuable.”

“Not valuable enough,” I muttered.

Slade stared at me for a moment, something shifting in his expression. “If it were up to me, it would’ve been you.”

I looked away, the sting of disappointment burning in my throat. I pressed my lips together and took a breath, struggling to keep my voice steady. "The die has been cast. Your father and the other executives made their choice."

Slade took a step closer, his voice soft but determined. "Let me talk to my father."

"Why bother?" I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. "I’m just a pretty face to him."

His brow furrowed as he shook his head. "You’re so much more than that. You have a brilliant mind."

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