Page 115 of Something Cheeky

“This is my theater. I’m in charge!” spat Greg. “I should’ve never allowed Derek to hire you.”

“You told me I had final say on everything aboutThe Brocaded Slipper,” Derek countered.

“As long as you did what I wanted,” the man shot back.

“We’re changing everything back to the way it was originally written,” Derek demanded. He should’ve stood up to the man much, much sooner.

“This is all your fault. You poisoned him against me,” Greg accused Zoe. “If only you’d come to my office after hours like I suggested, we could’ve avoided all this.”

“Wait, what?” Derek turned to Zoe. “He sexually harassed you?”

Derek’s hands balled into fists, ready to punch Greg.

“He’s not worth it.” Zoe pulled him back.

“He came on to me, too,” Katie Mai cried out as she stepped forward. “He told me if I didn’t get ‘cozy’ with him, he’d make up a reason for Derek to fire me. I don’t even like men.”

Katie Mai pulled Th?o in for a deep kiss. The crowd tittered.

“He tried the same with me,” said another actress and then another.

“Did you catch that everyone?” Zoe asked the reporters and people live streaming.

“Loud and clear!” replied a Black woman standing next to them as she kept her phone camera on Greg.

“Lies!” Greg sputtered. “They came on to me because they wanted preferential treatment.”

Derek’s nostrils flared as he unclenched his hands and clenched them back into fists. Hitting a white man in front of so many witnesses was never a good idea. Not that Derek wanted to resort to violence. He could put up with Greg’s numerous microaggressions disguised as feedback for the musical. But now the man had harassed his friendsandthe woman he loved.

Enough. He’d let the artistic director get away with too much already. His resolve to undo Greg’s suggestions were now cemented. Derek wouldn’t compromise on anything the man asked.

“How dare you accuse me of this nonsense,” Greg continued as spit flew out of his mouth. His face was purple with rage as he pointed to the women who had spoken up about what he’d done to them.

“Shut up, Greg!” Derek commanded.

All the stress and anxiety that had been weighing him down dissipated with those words. He stood taller. He would no longer allow this man to bully him or anyone he cared for.

Chapter 49

Zoe’s heart pounded in her chest. She’d never heard Derek sound so definitive, so sure of himself.

“For a man who loves to hear himself talk, you’re not very smart,” Derek continued. “You publicly admitted to sexually harassing my friendsandmy girlfriend.”

Derek was standing up for her—in front of what must be at least a hundred people now. She grabbed his hand and pulled him closer to her. He smiled wryly at her.

“I hope you’ll be my girlfriend again,” he whispered. “I’m sorry it took so long for me to stand up to Greg.”

“You’re doing it now and that’s what matters.” Zoe handed him the microphone. “Keep going.”

Derek nodded and squared his shoulders as if ready for battle.

“It’s time that the community knows you for the bully you are,” Derek said as he turned to the crowd.

Greg’s red face had lost all color. He shook his head at Derek, as if daring him to continue. Derek glared back at him until Greg looked away. Zoe smirked at the artistic director’s discomfort. Finally he was getting a taste of what he’d given to her and probably everyone he’d ever worked with.

“This man was supposed to be my mentor. Instead he sabotaged rehearsals ofThe Brocaded Slipper. I changed all the Vietnamese to English only because Greg threatened to fire me and take overif I didn’t.” Derek swallowed hard. “I couldn’t let him ruin what we’ve worked so hard for.”

Zoe gasped along with everyone else. Greg had been overbearing, but to take away Derek’s dream show from him was even more villainous than she could have imagined.

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