Page 18 of Hard Boss

You’ll regret this.

I’m sorry? I’m a bit confused. We have a meeting at noon. What am I going to regret?

Have your fun. Soon, everyone will know the truth.

Which is?

That Wilder Dumont is a predator. I know you are probably too scared to go against him so you are defending him. He is cruel and the world deserves to know the sick things he does to us.

One, the only predator here is you. Two, you have been offered severance pay to end your contractearly several times. Just this morning, you were offered again. If you feel so strongly, I urge you to take the offer and move on. Lastly, Wilder Dumont is not a predator. He is not cruel. You are a manipulative bitch who has gotten away with using his mental health against him for far too long. I am the buffer now because he deserves peace, and you bring him nothing but chaos and pain. I am not the one to fuck with, Tina. I assure you. I will fight back.

I toss my phone in my bag and roll my eyes. Wilder just shakes his head and lays back on the bed. “What’s on your mind?” I ask, standing between his legs.

“I don’t know,” he says, rubbing his hands down his face. “I’m worried, but I trust you.”

“I have everything under control,” I say. “She will probably end up crying rape, but you will not go to jail. We will do a press conference and give them everything.”

“I have nothing, Macie. I have no proof,” Wilder says.

“Mmm. You have an overprotective and slightly creepy little sister,” I say.

“What?” Wilder asks, sitting up. “What do you mean?”

“She… put cameras in your office,” I say, and his mouth falls open. “About six months ago.”

“Oh my God… She… Have you seen it?”

“No, and Arden hadn’t looked until now. She said they were there just in case, but said she would look at the footage and send me anything relevant,” I say. “Wanna call her?”

“Uh… yeah,” he says. Wilder pulls his phone out and calls Arden.

“Hey, big bro,” Arden answers.

“You bugged my office?” he deadpans.

“Sure did,” she says proudly. “You have a giant wiener, by the way.”

“Jesus, Arden,” Wilder sighs and lays back. I move to straddle him and sit on his lap.

“What did you find?” I ask.

“First, you never answered me. Are you two dating?” she asks.

“Yes,” I say.

“Sweet,” she says. “So, I found… a lot.”

“I don’t like this,” Wilder mutters.

“Wilder,” Arden says. “I love you so fucking much. I know you feel embarrassed and emasculated, but this is your trauma. Youhave done absolutely nothing wrong and I will fight to the ends of the earth for you.”

“So?” I ask.

“So, a few times a week, she basically restrains him to his office chair and tortures him. He was always late getting out because she would keep him there and force him to come at least a dozen times. Once, she left him there and he got loose on his own. Every day, though, she corners him in his office. The last two weeks, he’s been in his office all day and doesn’t leave unless he has a meeting. She never comes in and the few times she has been in there, it’s been during a meeting. So, taking her key card seemed to keep her away from him, but he’s basically hiding in his office now.”

“Oh hell,” I sigh.

“What?” Arden asks.

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