Page 98 of The Craving

“Shit, no, please don’t interfere in my job. I can handle him.” I can only imagine what Theo has already been saying around the office, when they told them I wasn’t coming back in this week. I mean, I’m surprised it’s not my ass they want to fire. I’m supposed to be covering for my boss, and I’m not even there to do that. What a mess this whole situation has become.

“Not sure you could get him fired if you tried,” Forrest informs us. “His parents own half the shares in York and Webb. He is Warren Webb’s stepson.” I should be concerned by how he knows this, but it’s obvious they have done a full background check on me and anyone associated with me. It makes sense, considering what has been happening. So the horror I saw on their faces when Theo walked up was because they already knew who he was.

“What the fuck.” I can’t help dropping the F-word, even though I was trying so hard to be a proper lady for the night. I slap my hand over my mouth as it comes out, I look apologetically up at Nicholas who is finally smiling again.

“And there is my girl. Saying it like it is.” He guides me to my seat finally, and as I slide into it and Lou beside me, she can tell I’m in shellshock.

“So why am I his boss and everyone in the office makes jokes about him?” I ask. I’m so confused.

“Obviously because you are smarter than him, and he has been given a token job to keep him out of the parents’ hair.” Lou shuffles in her seat, trying to get comfortable and reaching for the glass of water that Forrest started pouring for everyone.

Things start clicking into place now, thinking back to what he was like those first few days. He will try anything to get a leg up in the company to please his parents but doesn’t want to have to work for it. He is all talk and no action.

“I think I need a drink a lot stronger than water,” I groan. “I mean, who drinks water anyway, you know what fish do in that?” Nicholas looks at me with the eyes that tell me he is worried to ask. “They shit in it. So, we are all drinking fish shit, people. Now if that doesn’t make you want to take a shot of tequila, I’d be surprised.” My anxiety about the night that I was keeping under control has totally broken free and my rambling has started.

“What the hell is in that head of yours?” Flynn asks. “They think I’m crazy, but woman, you beat me hands down.” He shakes his head at my confession. “You’re right, I think we all need a shot to start the night. Things can only get better from here, surely.”

I wince. “Now you’ve done it, put the hex on us. Look out, the night is about to go pear-shaped, and it’s Flynn’s fault.”

“It’s always Flynn’s fault, that’s a given.” Forrest takes a seat on the other side of Nicholas.

Rem returns to the table and gives Nicholas the chin lift, letting him know he has sorted out our little interruption.

“What did I miss?” he asks as he sits next to Flynn.

“Just Flynn jinxing us that the night can’t get any worse,” I proudly announce to him as Flynn gives me the death stare in a fun way.

“Christ, how can it get worse than that dickhead?”

No sooner have the words left Remington’s lips, and we all work it out.

“Good evening, everyone. Where am I sitting?”

“Jocelyn.” Nicholas stands like the gentleman he is and points to the seat that Forrest is also now up and pulling out next to him.

Oh, just light the fireworks now, because it won’t take long for the spectacle to begin.

Where’s that alcohol? I think I’ll need more than one shot!

ChapterTwenty-Two

NICHOLAS

When Rem told me we should have Jocelyn at this dinner, I almost choked. I have stood her down at work and taken all access away from her, and now he wants me to sit here with her tonight and pretend we are all one big happy family.

It’s bullshit!

To me we are sending the wrong message to her. I want her gone, not letting her think that her behavior has been forgiven.

She has been undermining me for years, and the last straw was her trying to get the board to dismiss me with a vote of no confidence. My grandfather would be devastated to see it has come to this. Even when he and his brother, Jocelyn’s grandfather, decided they couldn’t work together, they just amicably split. There was no backstabbing. Money changed hands, and it was done.

Instead, I’m working with a distant relative who I don’t trust one little bit!

She is holding secrets, I can tell, and is working behind my back, putting doubt in people’s minds on whether I can successfully run this company. Even though I’ve been doing it for years.

My distrust has me suspicious about these drugs planted in my car, considering it was at the same time a random photographer managed to be there at that moment I lost my restraint and chose to kiss Victoria. How did they even know I was in Rome with a woman? It was such a last-minute decision to take Victoria that only my office knew. Information Jocelyn would have had access to, being on the executive staff.

But the thing that is nagging at me the most is if I find out that she has anything to do with this drug suspicion hanging over me, I will more than fire her—I will destroy her.

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