Page 125 of Famous Last Words
“Shower with me,” is all he says, his tone low and deliciously demanding as he helps me up to my wobbly, unstable legs.
I lean up and kiss his lips, and then I allow him to lead me down the hallway and through to his bedroom for a much-needed shower and hopefully a lot more of what we just did.
CHAPTER 49
FRAN
Iam unacceptably late to the office. Late and dressed down in jeans and one of Robbie’s button downs, my hair piled high on my head, mussed after a night of Robbie’s hands grabbing it.
As I walk through the sales floor, I can’t help but feel most eyes on me, hear the whispers as I pass. But I keep my chin held high, a small, secretive smile ghosting my lips as anticipation swirls in my belly.
With my to-go cup of coffee in one hand, my laptop tucked under my arm, and with total disregard, I enter myself into the morning sales meeting fifteen minutes late, forcing Tony to pause mid-presentation, all heads turning to me.
Normally I would never be this audacious. Especially not in front of Tony Carlton. But this morning everything is different, and I offer an unapologetic smile as I slap my laptop and coffee onto the table with a thud before flopping down in the only available chair with a dramatic sigh.
It’s at that very moment I meet Tadd’s eyes from across the table. His gaze is hard and full of warning, like he can’t believe my nerve. My lips curl into a smirk, and I flash him aslow wink, causing him to blanch, his shoulders tensing as he sits up a little straighter, likely wondering what the fuck is going on.Oh, don’t worry. You’ll find out soon enough, I try to tell him through my unwavering gaze.
“Well, Fran, how nice of you to join us,” Tony finally says, his words dripping with sarcasm. “We were just discussing the Columbus Circle penthouse.” He pins me with a hard, almost accusatory gaze. “I understand your…boyfriendwas at the broker open.”
My skin crawls at the way he says boyfriend, with complete derision and contempt, and it takes all I have not to throw my searing hot Americano in his overly tan face.
Tony clears his throat as he continues, “I want you to know he’s no longer welcome at any Carlton Myers events in future. We don’t want the company name tarnished.”
My gaze flits to Tadd then to see a smug grin tug at the corners of his lips, but when I meet his grin with a daring smirk of my own, his face pales again.
Tony continues, suddenly all business, “Fran, we’re going to film a video at the penthouse this afternoon, and I need you to?—”
“No,” I say, interrupting whatever it is he was about to say.
Tony’s mouth snaps shut, his eyes widening like he can’t tell if I actually just did that or not.
I offer him a reassuring smile as I continue. “No. I won’t.”
“I-I… I beg your pardon?” he stammers, looking around the room with a scoff, clearly taken aback.
I use the moment to turn my attention to Tony’s executive assistant. “Celeste, I sent you an email a few minutes ago,” I say with an encouraging smile. “Can you please bring it up on the screen, open the attachment, and press play?”
Celeste’s eyes are wide and full of apprehension as she glances from me to Tony and back again, before hesitantly doing as I asked.
Silence falls over theroom as the damning footage from The Exchange starts to play on the screen, a few audible gasps echoing throughout. The video plays over and over again on repeat, and I look at Tadd from the corner of my eye, finding his face fraught with both panic and disbelief, his body seemingly frozen.
Tony looks from what’s playing on the screen to Tadd, his lips pressed together in a firm line as he spears me with an incredulous look as ifI'mthe bad guy in this messed up equation.
I stand from my chair, collecting my things and biting back my smug smile. “Frankly, Tony, I refuse to work not only withthatman—” I indicate Tadd, still sitting shocked, unmoving. “But I refuse to work for a company that not only supports but encourages and rewards behavior of men exactly likehim.”
At that, Tadd stands with such ferocity, his chair falls back with a clutter. He slams his hands against the shiny boardroom table, seething as his gaze settles on me.
I blink, waiting for whatever it is he feels he needs to say.
“You would benothingwithout me,” he splutters, his words steely and laced with venom. “I fuckingmadeyou. And now what? You run off to be some… some hockeywhore?”
It’s more than a little difficult, trust me, but I manage to avoid responding, instead looking at Tony with anI-told-you-sosmile. “I quit.”
And Tony could easily concede, be the bigger man, and let me go, but of course he doesn’t; he and Tadd really are kindred spirits.
“And where do you think you’re going to go?” Tony sneers, smirk patronizing. “I’ll make sure youneverwork in another agency in this city. You know that right?”
I refrain from rolling my eyes because the narcissism in the room is stifling. Instead, with a casual smile, like I haven’t just been called a whore and threatened by two grown-ass men, I’m professional in my response. “Actually, I’m going to be heading up a real estate division at one of the top sports management companies on the east coast.”
