Page 104 of The Passion

Flynn: Because I did it for her.

Harper: I don’t give second chances to men, so you better not make me regret this.

Flynn: I’ve fucked up, I know that. Get me into that meeting so I can fix this.

The message is left on read and no reply, so I can only hope like hell that she is going to help me and not make this worse.

I’m already yanking my seatbelt off as we pull into the driveway to The Shard building. Rem jumps out of the car behind me, followed closely by Nic and Forrest. Christ, it looks like we are here to storm the building. Getting into the elevator and to her floor is easy. But the moment we step out into the reception area, security there looks like they are protecting the crown jewels.

My phone vibrates with a message from Harper, luckily before any of us open our mouths.

Harper: Tell reception you are Mr. Richard Head and his associates, here for the meeting in boardroom 2. I know the boys will be with you to hold your hand. DON’T FUCK THIS UP, DICKHEAD!

I almost want to burst out laughing but need to look like a businessman who has a booked appointment.

I walk up to the desk, with the guys hanging back behind me slightly.

Trying to sound calmer than I am, I clear my throat. “Good morning. I’m Richard Head here to meet with Ms. Kentwall, thank you.” Saying the name out loud, it dawns on me the name Harper has given me. She has named me Dick Head for short. Oh, well played, Harper, well played. This woman has boldness, I’ll give her that, and my kind of sense of humor. We could be dangerous friends together in the future.

I hear a few sniggers and coughs from behind me; they got the joke too.

“Yes, Mr. Head, through those doors and turn right down the corridor to boardroom two, please. Ms. Kentwall’s PA will meet you there,” the woman on the desk very politely replies, but I can tell she knows who I am. Every person who works in this office should know who we are, yet security ignores us and lets us walk straight past.

I don’t know if that’s Harper’s doing or they just don’t care. Either way, if they were on our team, they would be fired on the spot for letting us in under an alias.

This is why Ewan shouldn’t be running this company anymore. He has lost touch with reality and things that are important. Like keeping his daughter safe.

Striding down the corridor on a mission, I can’t wait to see Felisha. I need to wrap her in my arms and not let her go until she listens to everything I need to tell her.

That won’t happen, I know, she is more likely to slap me across the face the moment I walk in, and I will totally deserve it.

I push the door open, and the room is empty.

“Where are they?” I growl and turn to storm back out. This room should be full of people waiting for the meeting by now.

“You aren’t leaving this room,” Rem says, blocking my way. “Harper just messaged and told me you have to sit tight until she comes to get you. I have a feeling no one else knows we are here except her. However, she did tell me how to connect the speaker system here, to be able to hear what is happening in boardroom one.” Rem starts using a machine in the corner while Forrest locks the door so no one can get in here while we are listening in—or to keep me from getting out.

“I don’t want to fucking listen. I need to be in there to stop this in its tracks.” I’m sick of being told what to do this morning, and I’m not one to take instructions from others easily. Obviously, because if I had, I wouldn’t be in this situation.

The noise of a group of people talking amongst themselves comes through the speakers, and Rem turns it down low and manages to isolate it to just come out one speaker in front of us, cutting down the risk of people outside the room hearing it.

Forrest shoves me down into a chair, and the look on his face reminds me of our father when I was little. “You need to do as you are told for once in your life. Sit the fuck down in that chair and don’t move.” I want to stand up and tell him to back off, but I don’t.

My knee is bouncing in the seat, and I have crumpled up the envelope in my hands that contains the contract signing over everything to Felisha, several times, and it looks a mess, but it doesn’t matter.

Hearing Ewan’s voice calling everyone to order has my skin crawling, and I might not walk out the door, but I can’t sit still.

He is waffling on and trying to sound like some sweet old man, apologizing for calling them all in on such short notice.

There are muffled murmurs, and I just want to be able to see what is happening.

“As you all know, there has been some unrest in the leadership of this company, and I have done my best to carry us forward and limit the damage. However, I’m afraid this time my daughter has sadly gone too far. Trading secrets with the man she is sleeping with has allowed him to take advantage of her and attack our company, trying to take it out from under us…”

“I’ll kill that bastard!”

Storming across the room, no amount of force that Forrest has on my arm can stop me from going through the door. I don’t even have to guess where the room is because I can hear all the shocked voices talking at once.

Bursting into the room, I see Felisha trying to hold back the tears in her eyes and the look of sheer evil in her father’s.

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