Page 45 of Boss Level

Oliver leaned back in his chair and crossed one ankle over the other knee. “This investment was a mistake, and we all need to recognize that. It was iffy before, but since launch it’s crashed multiple times, and the press keeps getting worse. Our name is associated with that, and so is our money.”

Red danced at the edges of my vision.

“Most games crash multiple times at launch time. Every game—every app—we’ve ever backed has had an issue or two.” Jonathan sounded rational. Reasonable.

I wouldn’t be so level headed when I opened my mouth. The only reason I stayed silent was because violence was a bad career move.

“The vote won’t go through until Wade is back to cast a tie-breaker vote,” Liz said. “We reverse our decision now, and this goes back to fine.”

Oliver let out a barking laugh. “Why would we do that? This is our chance to be done with AcesPlayed.”

“We’d do that, because it’s an incredible company worth what we’ve put into it.” I could do this. I could be as surface-calm as everyone else. “Getting rid of their management means disrupting the things that make it good. Look at the numbers for anyone else we’re backing, and the data isn’t as promising as it is here. AcesPlayed has industry veterans who are high profile and known for excelling at their craft. MMOs don’t run on servers in garages, and having people in charge who know their jobs is a bonus for us. Elliot knows what he’s doing. Judith knows—”

“How you feel fucking her?” Oliver jumped so far over the line of appropriate, it vanished.

Nope. I’m done. I was on my feet in a flash, crossing the room and hauling him to his feet.

“Enough.” It was rare for Liz to take center stage, but her tone implied she’d step between us if she had to. “You.” She pointed at Oliver. “Walk away. From the office. And you.” She turned to me. “Don’t do something you’re going to regret.”

Like putting my fist through a wall? Through Oliver?

I wouldn’t help anyone by Hulking out, as much as I’d love to believe otherwise. “I’m good. And if he wants out, I’ll buy him out.”

“No.” Oliver paused in the doorway. “You won’t reverse the vote, and this is an all or nothing proposition. Either we pull out as a company, or Elliot Howard does.”

I was ready to lunge again when Kandace rested a hand on my arm.

The pause let a sliver of reason leak into my thoughts. If Oliver was doing this, he was playing the Boss’s Brother card. I hated this situation, but I loved this company we’d built.

Oliver wiggled his fingers in a wave, and walked out of the room, leaving me furious that he’d gotten the last word in.

And in a way he had. Wade was off the grid until next week, but when he got back, when he cast his vote, odds were nearly nothing that he’d vote against his brother.

“What now?” Liz asked.

I leaned against the nearest wall and crossed my arms. “Anyone know someone who breaks knees?”

“Not funny.” Kandace glared at me.

Liz shrugged. “Kind of funny.”

“We spend the week keeping you away from Oliver, and trying to change his mind,” Jonathan said. “The data is there, and he’s doing the one thing he’s not supposed to—making this decision personal.”

Swell. I both loved and hated the solution.

When I got back to my office, I closed the door and called Judith.

“Hey.” She sounded stressed.

I got that. “Hey. How’re you doing?”

“Eh. You know.”

I did. “I wish I could give you good news.”

“I know.” She sighed.

Damn it. Of all the things I could do for her, this one wasn’t on the list. While the decision impacted Elliot, it took choices away from Judith. It stopped her from running her company her way. That was one of the things she’d wanted more than anything—to show the world she could do this.

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