Page 1 of Painfully Merry

Prologue

Sabrina

November

I keep going over the numbers, and something is off. I can’t quite place my finger on it. There is no way the company can lose two million in half a year. That’s why I hired the best financial team. My grandpa didn’t leave Chocolate Halo so I could burn it to the ground. We aren’t known around the world for nothing.

Our busiest time of the year is coming, and I can’t have the added stress. I throw the paper across the office, this is turning into a shit show. I storm toward the office door. There is no point in calling my assistant; this is a face-to-face conversation. Let the entire office hear. They need to remember their place.

As always, she’s typing away on her cell phone. Too busy talking with her boyfriend to do her work. If I didn’t need her, I would fire her. Everyone stops talking as I stand behind her, waiting for her to notice me. She doesn’t even try to hide her phone.

“Emma, can you discuss the size of your boyfriend’s dick when you get home.”

She slams her phone to her chest, tilting her head back, cheeks turning crimson. “Miss Black. I didn’t hear you.”

I raise an eyebrow, blinking slowly. “Emma, do you know why I keep you around?”

She clears her throat, rotating her seat. She perks her chest high. “Um, because you need me to grab your coffee?”

Wow. Okay. If I wanted some attitude, I would call my five-year-old niece. “No, Emma. It’s so you can view files, make phone calls, and schedule meetings. We went over this when I hired you. It’s not for you to make personal phone calls with your boyfriend.”

“S-sorry, it won’t happen again.”

I rub my temple, feeling a headache settling in. “Can you call Parker for me? I need his ass in my office pronto.”

Her fingers stumble to pick up the receiver; it’s too painful to watch. I turn to leave, catching looks from the rest of the staff. If they don’t watch it, I’ll fire them all. I wish my uncle still worked here. It was a lot easier when he whipped their asses into shape. Now I’m the bad guy.

I step to my office's windows and stare down the street. The business district doesn’t look very cheery for the holidays. The worst thing about working in downtown Toronto is its money or nothing; I’m ashamed that I fall into that category.

As a child, I always looked forward to Christmas, and then it slowly slipped away the older I became. The spirit is no longer there; all that is left is greed. That reminds me of my family. A family that I haven’t seen in years. I don’t see why I have to drop everything and go to them. They can come to me for once. Putting the kibosh on that years ago hasn’t worked out in my favour.

The knock on my door pulls me away from my thoughts.

“Come in,” I call out. I move back to my seat as Parker enters.

Dressed in his dark navy suit, it shows off his muscular thighs as he walks. He drops into the seat across from me, staring at me with those deep green eyes. I’ll hand it to Parker; he’s blessed in many areas, but in one place, he isn’t.

“Parker, do you know why I called you here?” I fold my hands on top of my desk, leaning forward. His eyes glance down to where a small amount of cleavage shows.

Parker’s eyes meet mine, and smirks. “No, ma’am. Should I?”

“You are aware of the term embezzling, correct?”

He runs his hand through his jet-black hair, and his eyes shift, looking at everything but me. “I’ve heard of it. Why?”

“Well, considering you are my financial advisor, it should be your job to catch the finer details before I do, correct?”

“That’s correct.”

“I will ask you one more time before I take this to the board. Have you been stealing from me?”

He lets out a nervous laugh. “Sabrina, I would never steal from you. This job means everything to me. Working for Chocolate Halo is everything. Whoever is stealing from you isn’t me.”

I watch his reaction closely. I’ve been around snakes for half my life, and they can still be hidden in plain sight. Until I weasel it out, I’m not sure what to do.

I point to the door, excusing him. “I’ll let you know what the board decides.”

“Are you kidding me? This is bullshit.”

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