Page 13 of Punish Me

“You should be.”

Her chest rises and falls to a count of six times before she speaks.

“Why won’t you investigate the allegations?”

“Because I believe your claims are unfounded.”

“And I believe that you’re biased. What I want to know is why?”

“Is this another attempt to stop the staff cuts? Because if so, I can assure you that you’re wasting your time.”

“Maybe if you’d look further into this, you would see that our bottom line is healthier than you realize.”

“I know the bottom line is healthy. That’s not the point, but they expect it to improve by twenty percent.”

“If they’re following the auditors' suggestions, I understand why. It’s not the company I’m questioning, Ambrose; it’s the auditors. They are rumored to have mob connections.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “What’s wrong, Bryn? Too many late nights with Netflix or Crime TV?”

“Don’t worry about what I do with my nights,” she says, moving away from me and walking to the door, and I’m right on her ass.

“I once used to occupy your nights,” I whisper, standing closely behind her.

Brynlee tenses at my words. Inhaling her cinnamon scent, I wish that I could hold her again.

She spins around, glaring angrily at me. “That was a long time ago, Ambrose. I told you no more references to our past.”

“I don’t give a shit what you told me,” I rumble.

“I’m no longer that foolish girl you once played.”

She turns back toward the door, and I grab her hand. “I never meant to play you. I swear.”

Bryn jerks her hand free and turns again. “What is it that you want from me?”

“Forgive me. I fucked up, Bryn. I can’t take that back, although I wish I could. Fame, money, and all that shit went to my head. I never cheated on you. Not intentionally. There’s so much more to that story, but you never gave me a chance to explain. Being so far away from you...I lost my focus and trusted people I shouldn’t have.”

“Yeah, well, you lost me too,” she says, turning and storming out of my office.

I can only be pissed at myself. I’m the one who hurt her and turned her from the angel she once was to the bitter, closed-off woman she is today.

Pushing those thoughts from my mind, I return to my desk and grab the papers that she’d brought to my attention. I think about another meeting that I’ve accepted, and though reluctant to admit it, she does have good grounds for believing the company could have mob connections, directly or indirectly. I’m willing to investigate her claims even if I won’t admit it to her.

If everything falls down, the house of cards will fall around me. John Cape is no longer here to clean up the mess.

I sit back behind my desk and press a button on my phone.

“Hi, Mr. Charles.”

“Hi, Sandra. Would you please set up a meeting with Canton and Fischer?” I ask, referencing a reputable small auditing firm.

“Sure, Mr. Charles.”

Ending the call, I massage my temples and turn to my computer to begin responding to emails. I glance at the clock when someone knocks at my door. Just over an hour has passed. It’s after five, and Sandra’s gone for the day.

“Come in,” I grumble.

The door opens, and in storms, my sulking pre-teen, Cee-Cee.

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