Page 5 of Left of the Slash
“He was in information technology,” I answer, which is only a partial lie.
“I see,” Olivia says. “Is that how you knew about the virus with so little information?”
“Well, a DAV is pretty standard,” I explain after letting out a sigh of relief that she moved on from the topic of my dad. “The way you described what happened made it clear what you were talking about. I was more confused by how such a simple thing could do so much damage. Something like that should've never gotten past the protocol.”
She nods her head and leans forward, putting both forearms on her desk. “My thoughts exactly, which is the second reason why I wanted to speak to you privately.”
I mirror her and lean forward, loving that it makes us closer.
“This company was my father's life’s work,” Olivia says. “He built this place from scratch and took pride in being a Spanish man who came to America and founded a successful business of his own, especially one that requires so much brain power. He shined in the face of racism and doubt, and he did it as a widow and single dad in the heart of a place as tough as Wilmington, Delaware. My mom died giving birth to me, and all I ever knew my dad to do was work and take care of me. So, now that he's gone, the last thing I want is to watch everything he worked for sink beneath the waves he did such an incredible job of navigating while he was alive.
“People expect us to fail now, and having a breach like this as soon as I come onboard is an incredibly bad look. We’re going to lose clients, and if we lose too many without replacing them, Obsidian will tank. I can't let that happen. So, I have a new mission as the leader of this company. We have to find out what the fuck happened with Judge Knight’s server and build our fortress bigger and stronger than ever. Then, we have to start bringing in new, more lucrative clientele. We need contracts in the millions, because I want to build Obsidian into the empire my father dreamed it could be … and I need your help to do it.”
My eyebrows elevate again. “Myhelp? I'm brand new up here.”
“I know, and that’s why I trust you,” Olivia says. “Well,that, and the fact that you went against the grain in the meeting. Jon has a lot of support up here, so making him an enemy means having the entire executive wing against you. It was a bold move, and it’s that kind of boldness that I need in my corner.”
“So what exactly do you want me to do?” I ask, truly intrigued by where this conversation is going.
“I want you to quietly find out what the hell happened with the judge’s server,” she answers. “Tell me what happened and how we can prevent it from happening again, and then I want you to use your expertise to help me bring in new companies. The fact that you've been promoted into the position of CSE at just twenty-seven years old is not lost upon me, Quinn. You're smart, you're fearless, and you're not afraid to speak up in the face of adversity. Those are qualities this company needs. Plus, you're a man. Being a woman in this industry doesn't work in my favor because misogyny is rampant at this level. The other CEOs are even worse than Jon and his band of merry men down the hall.”
“Well, with all due respect, I’m a Black man in a heavily white industry, and you're a Hispanic woman. The top dogs in this industry won't want to rock with either one of us.”
Olivia grins. “Maybe that’s true, which is why I want us to do it together.”
“Ah. Are we stronger with our powers combined?” I ask with a smile.
“Well, this isn't Captain Planet, but I think we could be,” she answers, giggling to herself. “If we work together, I think all the hate in the world wouldn't be able to stop us.”
“But Jon is the CISO. Wouldn't I be stepping on his toes by doing this?”
Olivia scoffs. “Fuck Jon. The only two people I trust right now are you and Eden. Everyone else has work to do as far as I'mconcerned. So, what do you say, Quinn? You want to be my secret partner in crime?”
The idea is crazy. If Jon found out I was bypassing him and working directly for the CEO, he’d lose his shit and I’d probably be fired. But how do you turn down the CEO of your company? Jon is my boss, but Olivia is Jon’s boss. She’severybody’sboss. So, I don't even have a choice. Plus, there's something about the idea of working closely with Olivia that makes my insides tingle. Iwantto be near her even though I know nothing can happen between us. It’s all good to me because I want to get to know her more. Iwantto protect her from the motherfuckers down the hall. So I'm down. One hundred percent.
“I got you,” I reply, smiling.
Olivia flashes a second full-faced smile, and I'm just as floored by it as I was the first time.
“Good,” she says. “I'm so glad to hear that, and I’ll owe you one, Quinn. If you need anything, just ask.”
I nod my head. “Understood. Thanks for having faith in me, Miss Lucero.”
She raises a hand as if to stop me. “Just call me Olivia.”
It takes tightening my entire body to keep from smiling. “Okay. Thanks for having faith in me, Olivia. I appreciate you.”
“It’s my pleasure,” she replies. “We’ll talk soon.”
“Okay.”
I lift myself out of the chair and turn my back to Olivia, and I feel like my entire world just began to shine brighter. I can't believe all of this has happened on the first day. I may have made an enemy out of Jon and the good ole boys, but I have the backing of the CEO. I'm untouchable now.
I step over the threshold of Olivia’s office and walk past her assistant’s desk, who’s smiling at me with a satisfied look on her face.
“Welcome aboard, Quinn,” she says, nodding her head.
We make eye contact and it’s like I can tell from the look in her eyes what she's thinking. She and Olivia have probably had countless conversations about what it has been like working with Jon and his minions. Olivia tragically lost her father, then she had to come here and swim in a dark sea of resentment and toxic masculinity. The two of them have had to deal with the ridiculous fact that even if a woman is the CEO of a company, some men still won’t respect her simply because she's a woman. I'm the first guy to walk in here with no ego to stroke—a man who respects women no matter what position they're in, and doesn't let my so-called manhood keep me from being a good person. The men here have set the bar so low that simply being decent makes me exceptional. It’s sad, but I'm glad to be on the right side of it all. So I nod at Eden and return a smile.
