Page 47 of Sensual Games

Now that it was out, I couldn’t hold back the words. “She is the most exceptional person I’ve ever met. I didn’t think there were people like her in the world. Shouldering the kind of burden that was left on her. Does she sit around and feel sorry for herself? Hell no. She gets out there and kicks ass, but she fights all alone. I can’t protect her. It fucking kills me, to be honest. I’ve never felt…”

I’d already said too much. He was looking at me like I’d grown another head. I should have known this was a waste of time, but no, I had to try one more time to get through to him and make an asshole out of myself.

“Finish the thought,” he implored in a low voice. “Go ahead. Get it all out.”

“I can’t help her. She won’t let me help her. This job was all she had. Not only because of the money and paying her mom’s bills but because she loves it. She loves her people. That’s what she calls them. She’s like the den mother, looking after everybody, helping them become who they want to be. That one girl, Molly, who hurt herself during the retreat, Ivy convinced her to go back to school at night and helped her get into a program. She’s constantly playing peacemaker, constantly working to get better at what she does. How can you throw a person like that away?”

He rubbed his jaw, wearing a sheepish expression. “I hear you.” His hand dropped and slid into his pocket as he asked, “What about you?”

“What about me?“

“Did she help you become who you want to be?”

He would have to ask a question like that since his favorite hobby was putting me on the spot. There was no time to play dumb and pretend I didn’t understand what he meant. “I know who I want to be, and it is because of her. She opened my eyes to the world, the real world, not the one you gave me. I know how lucky I am. I don’t take it for granted. I did, but not anymore. And I have her to thank for that too. I didn’t plan on this,” I admitted, laughing at myself while my soul threatened to shred. “But that’s how it is.”

“Nobody ever plans on this,” he pointed out, slowly walking across the room, stopping in front of the windows overlooking the city. “What to do?”

I decided to jump on the question regardless of whether or not he meant it. “You can start by finding room for the Jones people here. If there’s no room in digital media, fair enough. What about all of the other departments on the other floors in this fucking building? You can’t find something for them here? Give them a choice, at least. If they want to take their severance and run, they can go ahead. I hate to see them kicked out on their asses. They did work hard.”

When he left me hanging for much too long, I threw my shoulders back, standing. “They’re my people too. Not just Ivy’s. I want what’s best for all of them.”

“What did you say?” He looked over his shoulder, his brows drawn together over narrowed eyes.

“You heard me. They’re my people.” Saying it again solidified it in my head. It felt right. “And I want what’s best for all of them. The other divisions can do whatever they want. I don’t give a shit. This ismydivision.”

“All of a sudden?” He eyed the box on my desk. “It doesn’t look like you give much of a shit right now.”

“I’m revising my terms,” I offered with a shrug. “Take it or leave it. If you want me to stay, they’re staying… if they want to. And I will work with them to find the right position in the company. We’ll restructure our division if we have to. There are areas where we could expand.”

“You drive a hard bargain.” He turned, his mouth twitching as he looked me up and down. “I have to say, I’m surprised. This is a side of you I didn’t expect to meet.”

“I would tell you who you have to thank for that, but I’m sure you already know.”

His face fell, lines deepening between his eyes. “You know I don’t approve of this.”

“You know I don’t care.”

A laugh blurted out of him. “I know. That’s the worst part.” He inclined his head, adding, “You might not believe it, but I gave a lot of thought to what you said a couple of days ago. How a man my age should understand there’s more to a person than where they were born and who they were born to. I have to admit, as much as it pains me to say it, you made a good point. When I look at it that way, I have to apologize for underestimating Ivy. Clearly, if she could have this effect on you, she is a special person.”

“I’m glad to hear you come around, though it’s not like it matters anymore,” I admit. It wasn’t easy to confess my defeat. I was not practiced at it, but there’s no sense in avoiding reality, no matter how crushing it might be. “As far as she’s concerned, I never existed.”

“I find that hard to believe. She may act that way now, but I doubt she’s really given up.”

Were we having this conversation? This wasn’t our relationship. Surprisingly, I didn’t hate it. There was something comforting about opening up. Even if it was him I was opening up to.

“If she wants the job,“ he suggested, speaking slowly like the words were too heavy. “I don’t see any problem with the two of you being co-vice presidents. It’s a little unusual. We’ve never done it before, but there’s a first time for everything.”

I had to be hearing things. The man was not suggesting this. I could count all the times he’d compromised in my life on one hand and still have fingers left over. “You’re sure that would work?”

He snickered. “I’m the fucking CEO. It will work.”

I could also count on one hand the number of times I was genuinely glad to shake his hand. Today was one of them. I crossed the room and clasped his hand, smiling in gratitude. “Thanks, Dad.”

“Don’t make me regret this,” he warned, cracking a grin.

“You won’t.” Was I telling the truth? I would do my damnedest to make it so.

First and foremost, it meant finding a way to show Ivy how I felt. I would have to take a chance and risk her throwing the gesture in my face, but I needed to try.

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