Page 44 of Power
I frowned. “This afternoon. Evidently, this morning is jam-packed with this announcement.” Anxiety churned in my stomach. “Feels like I have to fight for my job twice as hard now. Once because of Grabby Hands saying God knows what before I have a chance, and again because whoever this new owner is, they might walk on that stage and fire all of us.”
“That would never happen.”
“Wouldn’t it?” I arched my brow.
“Okay, it does happen sometimes, but I’m sure you’re fine.”
“I bet you’ve never been happier that your social media side hustle turned into an empire.” I nudged her shoulder.
Dakota was putting in her resignation by the end of the year, waiting until her influencer career “stuck.” She was a marketing genius who had amassed millions of followers in a short time. When the brand deals started rolling in, earning her more than her salary here, I’d once asked her why she hadn’t already quit. Her answer was pure Dakota: “You don’t jump off the train at the first glimpse of success. You time it to make sure the train doesn’t crash.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention.” A redhead in a pristine white suit stepped up to the microphone.
I’d never seen her before. Probably from the new company.
“I still cannot believe this is happening,” I whispered. “I hadto Google the termhostile takeover. I can’t believe a company can be bought against its will.”
Our current owners didn’t want to sell, but it turned out, that didn’t matter. Some new owner swept in and stole the company right out from under them.
“I mean, what kind of a terrible person does that? Purchases a company that doesn’t want to be sold?” I couldn’t imagine a bigger dick in the world. Like the corporate equivalent of the Grinch himself.
“I don’t know, but whoever this guy is, I heard that he’s a major bosshole. Legend has it that if he smiles, global warming will end.”
I shot her a look.
While the new owner had successfully kept his name hidden behind an impenetrable wall of NDAs, his reputation apparently preceded him. Rich, obviously. Powerful, clearly. And one other nugget of intel women wouldn’t shut up about: At every company he’d acquired, women fell at his feet, only to be rejected and turned away. That told me he was probably hot, but also that he thought no one was good enough for him.
Either way, it was time to meet our “god.”
His silhouette emerged behind the lights, and as he stepped to the podium, he straightened his jacket until finally, the light hit his face.
“Holy shit,” Dakota non-whispered.
Everyone in our row turned to look, but I barely noticed, too busy watching my weekend of freedom crash and burn.
Because there, standing at the podium in an impeccable suit, those green eyes scanning the crowd, was Jace. The man who’d spent the weekend making me feel powerful, in control, and free … was, undoubtedly, the one thing I feared most:
My boss.
21
JACE
The marble floors of the room echoed with each of my measured steps. Another acquisition, another company to turn around. This was what I did best.
“This acquisition has to go flawlessly.” Marcus ran a hand through his salt-and-pepper-tinted hair, his usual composed demeanor fractured. In all our years of friendship, I’d never seen him this rattled.
“The paperwork’s signed,” I said, adjusting my cuff links. Why wasn’t he as relieved as I was that the guy had signed that missing page an hour ago? “What’s got you looking like you just shot espresso straight into your veins?”
“You heard what he said when he signed. He’ll be watching. Closely. We already have enough pressure from our investors and the board. We convinced them the leverage was worth it, but they backed it on the condition everything runs smoothly.” Marcus pulled me aside, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper. “And with that morality clause?—”
I clenched my jaw. “Which has been in other contracts.”
“Not like this one.” He glanced around the empty hallway. “The seller’s out for blood, Jace. They’re looking for any excuse toblow this deal up. So is the board for that matter; they didn’t want this one.”
“We’ve taken on low-profit projections before.”
“If anything happens …” He swallowed hard. “The board will replace you. The company you built from nothing will be gone.”
