Page 89 of Falling for Them
My finger hovers over thedeclinebutton.But maybe she has info on where Ella is, and how Bash and I can get to her faster.
“I have to take this,” I say to Bash.
He frowns.“Don’t you dare.We have one major issue to deal with—finding Ella.”
“Just wait a second,” I say.
“Fuck you, I’m not waiting,” he says, turning around and marching out of my office.
Then he’s gone.
Asshole thinks I’m taking a work call, at a time like this?I answer Melinda.“Kingston here.I know about the video.”
Her voice is hard and cold as ice.“Tell me why I shouldn’t drag your company through the mud.”
She could do it, too.She might not have the biggest, most profitable company in San Esteban, but she’s more influential than the richest CEOs put together.
So I answer her honestly.“You’re well within your rights to do that, and maybe I would deserve it.But you should know, I’m doing everything in my power to stop this immediately.”
“For a maid?”she says.
“Yes.”
“Because you want her for yourself.”
“I would do it for anyone,” I say.“I already have tech working on it.None of our internal communication is up right now.”
“You shut things down in the interim?”she asks, sounding shocked.She can probably guess how much money a company like mine will lose when it shuts everything down.
“Of course.I am not letting shit like that fly.”
“Do you know who posted the video?”She must know it was my son, but she’s not saying so.
“I do.”
“Does he still have a job?”
“Not for long.”I clear my throat.“I guess you’ve spoken with Ella?”
“You know,” Melinda says thoughtfully, “a few days ago, I asked her why she wanted to stop working in your building.It’s one of the best in the rotation.I wanted to make sure no one had hurt her there.She didn’t squeal on your son, although I can see now that what he was doing was highly inappropriate.I’m not excusing her behavior—she shouldn’t have been messing around with someone at a building where she worked, either.But I have a feeling she was still doing her job, at least.”
“She was.We had no complaints about the work she did.”
“Ultimately, it comes down to power, and who abused it.”The chill is back in Melinda’s tone.
“I agree.”
“I think you’re a good man, Kingston.I wish I could say the same for your son.”
So do I.But I don’t want to talk about Joel.I don’t even want to think about him.My priority right now is my little girl.
“Is Ella with you now?”I ask.
Melinda snorts, her professional veneer cracking.“As if I would tell you one way or the other.You lost your in with me.Find her in some other way.I’m not a part of this any longer.”
She ends the call.
I’m already walking out of my office, following in Bash’s angry footsteps.He’s nowhere in sight, but I’ll catch up with him.
