Page 30 of Entwined
“You didn’t,” he taunted. “Did you know Archie Bass is about to be arrested for sexual assault? Apparently, he made some unwanted advances toward his daughter’s nanny.”
I sucked in a breath, my heart pounding in my chest. “No,” I gasped, my voice barely a whisper. “You’re lying.”
If Archie Bass were arrested, it would be splashed across every news outlet in the country. The merger would be dead in the water, and Bass Banking’s stock would plummet, making it a worthless investment.
“I’m not,” Vaughn replied, his voice dripping with satisfaction. “Colson had private investigators on payroll for this very reason. I kept them on because I won’t allow a merger without a full profile of those running the companies we plan to acquire.”
My hand flew to my mouth, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps. “I checked everything.”
“This was hush-hush,” he said, his tone almost mocking. “Archie’s been keeping it quiet, waiting for the merger to go through before his arrest. He’s got friends in the department and the DA’s office. He plans to offer the nanny a large sum to keep her mouth shut, and I doubt she’ll turn it down. It would help her family.”
“Vaughn…” I whimpered, the water bottle slipping from my fingers and hitting the floor with a dull thud. I leaned forward, pressing my forehead against the cool cabinet, the weight of my failure crashing down on me.
Vaughn set his glass down on the shelf and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. His scent—clean, masculine—was intoxicating, and despite everything, I found myself sinking into his embrace.
“Colson didn’t teach you everything,” he murmured against my ear. “Sometimes you need to be ruthless to advance.”
I clung to him, feeling the warmth of his body against mine. It felt good—too good—to have a man’s arms around me, but I knew better. Vaughn was a snake, and this moment of comfort would come at a price. He would never let me live this down. He would use it against me, maybe even to push me out of my position and take control as sole CEO.
“What do I do?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
“We withdraw the offer,” Vaughn said, his tone firm and decisive. “I’ll handle it. Archie’s in for a rude awakening if he thinks he’s going to take advantage.”
“Vaughn…”
He tightened his hold on me, silencing my protest. “Shh. I got you.”
He had me—but for how long? The fear gnawed at me. Would he blackmail me? This was huge, and the board could easily remove me for such a colossal oversight. The realization of how much power Vaughn now held over me was terrifying, and I knew I couldn’t afford to underestimate him ever again.
I spent the night in my room at the mansion, the weight of my failure pressing down on me like a stone. When I heard Easton’s door open, I couldn’t hold back any longer. I slipped through the connecting closet and entered his room, my heart pounding. The moment I saw him, the dam broke, and I burst into tears. I knew Vaughn wouldn’t have told him about my colossal mistake—Easton wasn’t one to involve himself in the company’s inner workings, preferring to steer clear of the drama that often swirled around Ashworth Financial. As Vice President of Sales, his focus was elsewhere, but right now, I needed him.
“Joey, what’s wrong?” he asked, concern etched in his features as he immediately wrapped his arms around me.
“I—I fucked up,” I choked out, my voice trembling with the weight of my guilt.
“How?” he asked gently, guiding me to his bed. He sat me down and took my hand in his, his touch steady and reassuring.
I took a shaky breath and began to tell him everything—the merger, the revelation about Archie Bass, Vaughn’s knowledgeof it all. Easton listened quietly, his expression softening into sympathy as I stumbled through the details.
“It could’ve happened to anyone, Joey,” he said softly when I finally finished. “You didn’t know.”
“Vaughn did,” I muttered, wiping away the tears that wouldn’t stop falling.
Easton stroked my hair, his touch soothing. “He’s had more experience. Do you know he’s been working with my father since he was fifteen? Summers in the office, handling things when my father was traveling. Vaughn was his eyes and ears.”
I looked up at him, surprised. I hadn’t known any of that. To me, Vaughn had always been a looming presence, someone who seemed to be everywhere I was—walking the gardens, swimming in the pool. I used to think he was just lurking, but now I realized he had been absorbing everything. He had been obsessed with me for years, and now he held my career in his hands.
“I’m unfit to run the company,” I whispered, the words tasting bitter on my tongue. “I want to turn it over to Vaughn.”
“No,” Easton said firmly, shaking his head. “You can’t do that. This is just one mistake.”
I bit my lip, doubt gnawing at me. “It was a big one. I think I need some time.”
Easton frowned, his grip on my hand tightening. “What kind of time?”
“To be alone,” I said, the words coming out in a rush. “I’ve spent my days buried in the office and my nights crying over Colson. I don’t think I’ve taken the time to really grieve, to process everything. I’m sad, Easton. I’m so damn sad.”
He looked at me, his eyes filled with a mix of understanding and worry. “Joey, you don’t have to do this alone.”
