Page 41 of Boss Level

Are you sure you can’t stay?I forced the question back. Of course she couldn’t. With the weight of tomorrow looming, she needed to be rested and so did Xander.

He stood and tugged her to her feet. “Are you set?”

“As set as I’m going to be.” Judith dressed quickly.

Until today I never would’ve described the act of putting on clothing asefficientbut she managed it. Within a few minutes, we were all clothed again, and she was on her way.

“Do you ever wish she could stay? Have you ever wanted that?” My question to Xander wasn’t subtle, but I needed a direct answer.

He gave a quick shake of his head. “For me? Yes. For her? No. Never.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant, and I wasn’t sure I wanted him to explain it.

15

judith

Last night, I wanted to stay with Xander and Dominic, and at the same time I hated the weakness in that thought. I didn’t have a problem admitting the sex was great, and so were the friendships I had with both men, but I never wavered on spending the night alone when I needed to.

Not that I’d slept. The idea of this meeting haunted me, and so did the fact that I couldn’t simply tell everyoneElliot is the best at what he does. Fuck the rules.

I was the boss. I was also far too well versed in the politics of investment and business and how letting one person slide meant consequences in other places.

In this case for instance, we’d let one person go about two years ago, for sexual harassment. We were probably about to fire a second for the same thing, and worse, they were friends, and Bryce was suing us for wrongful termination.

Letting Elliot stay could set a precedent and weaken our cases for firing both the assholes.

I’d do it anyway. I’d find a way. But if the board voted him out, what I wanted only went so far.

So much for being the boss.

When I got to the office, Ivan, our office manager, was already in. He was setting up coffee and bagels for our board members.

I was glad he’d gotten my message. “Elliot’s not here, is he?” I asked.

Ivan shook his head.

“Good. He’ll show up early. He’s not allowed anywhere but my office and the small conference room.”

“Ouch. Is it really that bad?”

I adopted the impassive face I’d need to wear the rest of the day, to survive. “With any luck, it’s nowhere near that bad.”

If I could sit at my desk and pick at my nails until everyone showed up, I would. The world was going on regardless of this drama, so instead I spent the next few hours immersing myself in work.

When Elliot walked into my office and dropped into the seat across from my desk, I didn’t look up. “I shouldn’t be seeing you.”

“Definitely not. I’m already in trouble for fucking one person in the office.”

Seeing. Dating. Fucking. Funny.

Not. I gave him a withering look. “Do you have that out of your system now?” Most days I didn’t care. Given what he was here for? The nature of the joke mattered. “You knew this was a rule. You said you understood.”

“You knew I was doing it.”

Fuck, he was right.

“That better not be your defense for the board,” I said.

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