Page 24 of All That We Keep
We make our way through the hallways, the whispers and pointing becoming more obvious with every step. I can feel eyes on me from every direction, colleagues I've worked with for years now looking at me like I'm some kind of criminal.
Someone must have fabricated documents or started a rumor but it can’t be all that baseless if it’s made its way to the executives and probably some of the nosier investors at this point. The boardroom doors are open when we arrive, several executives already seated around the long conference table. Luther is there too, his expression carefully neutral as he watches me enter. But it's the unfamiliar man at the head of the table who draws my attention, a thick file folder spread open in front of him.
I recognize him as one of our biggest investors, though I've never dealt with him directly. His presence here, combined with the formal setup of this meeting, tells me this is serious.
"Please, take a seat," the investor says, gesturing to the chair directly across from Luther.
I sit down slowly, my mind racing as I try to understand what's happening. The other executives file into their own seats, their expressions ranging from curious to uncomfortable. No doubt many of them are confused on why they were called in for an emergency meeting so close to a game launch.
"I may be new to you. I’m Gerald Hoffster, the main investor in Keller Industries and so it doesn't come to me lightly to have to bring this to the board," the Alpha begins, his voice carrying the weight of formal authority.
"Why is this the first time I'm hearing about whatever this is?" I interrupt, my confusion and growing anger making it impossible to stay quiet. "Why wouldn't you bring concerns to me first?"
His expression doesn't change as he meets my gaze. "Because it involves the health of this company, and so close to a game launch, we can't afford mistakes." He pauses, flipping through some papers in his folder. "With our CEO out on sick leave or wherever he is these days, as we've said multiple times an Omega shouldn't be able to run a company, we need to makesure Luther Keller makes the right decisions and that it's not just his heart."
Rage flashes through me at his casual dismissal of Blake, but before I can respond, Luther's voice cuts across the room.
"I don't even know why this meeting was called."
Gerald looks directly at Luther as he speaks, obviously challenging his authority. "I called an emergency meeting to vote Grayson out immediately. We have several financial documents that support the fact that he's been skimming money from the company." His gaze shifts back to me. "I don't know what kind of relationship you two have or don't have, but those funds being misappropriated is a problem. Now, the board has full power to fire any of the employees here, just as Luther has full power to veto our decision regardless of whether our decision is unanimous. But the documents here don't lie."
I push back from the table and move closer to Luther, needing to see whatever evidence they think they have against me. The folder is thick with what appears to be bank statements and transaction records, and as I scan the pages, I can see my name and credit card information attached to several purchases.
But I don't recognize many of the transactions. Dinners at expensive restaurants I've never been to, art supplies from vendors I've never used, conference fees for events I never attended.
"Where did you get these?" I ask, my voice coming out strained.
Gerald’s expression remains neutral. "Did you forget that all this is public? Blake made sure that all transactions on the company accounts were made public to the board. It was done for the sake of transparency."
I'm about to fight back, to demand explanations and proof of authenticity, when one of the other executives gasps audibly. "Wait, this dinner would have been from a year ago. Graysonalways said he paid for these things with his own money. He used the company's art fund? What a scumbag!"
"I didn't!" The words tear from my throat, desperation and fury making my voice crack. "I've never even been to that restaurant!"
Gerald just shakes his head, his expression morphing into one of pity. "It's all there in the papers, Grayson. You can't deny that. And I wanted to bring it to everyone's attention immediately before we're out more money. Your spending is out of control."
Luther leans forward, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. "How exactly did you come by this information?"
"One of your employees, actually," Gerald replies smoothly. "They're a good soul and sent me an email when one of the payments I made for the ads bounced. It seems that your mate has been skimming for quite a while."
Luther's jaw tightens, and I can see him processing this information with the same growing suspicion that's building in my own chest. Someone inside the company is feeding false information to our investors, trying to destroy me professionally and personally. Luther reaches out and gently pats my arm to keep me from fighting back further, his calm only serving to infuriate me.
In the long run, I know that he’s making the right decision but that doesn’t make it any easier to stand here and have my reputation trashed. Luther lets out a heavy sigh as he pushes to his feet. "Thank you, Gerard. Let me at least have the decency to walk my mate out, and then I'll continue this meeting."
The room falls silent as Luther’s hand finds the small of my back and guides me toward the door. The walk to the parking lot feels endless, every step echoing in my head as my world crumbles around me. Luther presses his car keys into my hands, his touch gentle despite the formal distance he maintained in the boardroom.
"You have to believe me," I say, my voice breaking as I meet his eyes. "I didn't do any of those things. I wouldn't steal from the company, from Blake's company."
Luther steps closer, his hands framing my face as he forces me to keep his gaze. "Grayson, look at me. I love you and I know you. I know you wouldn't do this, but I also know that someone doesn't want us to thrive." His thumbs brush across my cheekbones, grounding me in his touch. "Go home. Relax. Tell Maceo to hold you, and then we'll talk when I get back."
"But..." I start to protest, but Luther silences me with a kiss.
I relax into him despite everything, my body responding to his Alpha presence even as my mind races with panic and confusion. When he pulls back, his fingers thread through my hair before running across the bond mark across my shoulder.
"I've got this," he states. "Maceo has all the financials from the company. No doubt your access has been revoked, but he'll be able to compare everything and see what really happened." His expression hardens as he continues. "I'm going to go back upstairs and figure out exactly what's going on."
I nod numbly, unable to trust my voice as I climb into his car. The drive home passes in a blur of rage and disbelief, my hands shaking on the steering wheel as I replay the meeting over and over in my mind. There’s no fucking reason it should have been that easy for them to push me out and yet, all it took was a few well-placed documents for our most important investor to believe it.
I barely make it through the front door before Maceo is pulling me into his arms as I fall apart against his chest. "I didn't do it," I say, the words muffled against his shirt. No doubt Luther called him and debriefed him on what happened and I instantly love having another mate to anchor me in moments like this.
