4

“There’s a difference between worrying and finding errors in a final project,” I snapped.

“Go deal with whatever it is Grayson’s doing to piss you off today.”

You’re an asshole, I thought, knowing that Danny not finding errors on this project was the main reason I hadn’t even spoken with Alexander since he started making cuts. I was in this room, fixing this prick’s mistakes.

Here we were with a deadline, and I needed to speak with Alexander since he moved in and turned into Ebenezer Scrooge—Satan style. Too bad it wasn’t Christmas, so he could be paid a visit by three ghosts. I’m sure the third and final, grim reaper ghost could give him a run for his money.

“Bree,” Theo said. His voice was grim when it came from out of nowhere. “We need to talk.” My eyes were pulled away from Danny’s indifferent expression and turned toward my right-hand man, Theo.

Shit. My heart sank after seeing Theo’s grave expression. No need to wait for the holidays. I’d play the grim reaper spirit and strangle Grayson myself.

“Don’t tell me,” I said, tugging at his elbow and leading him out of the drafting room, “you got yourself a sweet little email from Mr. Grayson, and now you’re here to tell me that you’ve been replaced?” I opted to take the stairs up to Grayson’s floor instead of using the elevator.

“Breanne,” Theo said, keeping up with me as I took the steps two at a time.

“Let me guess,” I interrupted him, “since you didn’t tell me about this, and you haven’t talked to me all fucking week, you want me to take this all casually, right? Responsibly, right? Hell no. I’m done with Grayson, and I’m not losing you.”

“You’ve been working on Sphere, and it’s a long week. You know why we haven’t had two seconds to talk.”

“It’s been a shitty week, to say the least, Theo.” I looked at him as I approached the hall that led into the devil’s den. “Stay here, and we’ll talk when I’m finished dealing with this man.”

“Bree, I wanted to talk to you before he did—”

That was all that my vice president had to say. Grayson was mine. It was time he learned he was privileged to sit in that office and allow me to trust him on this end of this business. Now he was taking out Theo?

I pushed open the cracked door to Alexander’s office. A smiling and cheerful tiny blonde with soft red lips was the one to greet me. “Ms. Stone,” she said, shifting files to her left arm, “I’m Jacey. It is such an honor to meet you finally.”

“The pleasure is mine,” I said, maintaining my composure to the kind woman. “Would you mind allowing me a moment for a private meeting with Mr. Grayson?”

“Absolutely.” She nodded. “If he needs me, I’ll be next door.”

“Wonderful.”

Jacey closed the door behind her as I stood there and studied the tall man before me. Alex was on his phone. He had a hand casually slipped into his pocket as he stood facing the windows that overlooked the streets below our building. I was lying when I said his view would be an alley, but I wished it was. No. He would do better in the basement. That way, he could be closer to hell where his true throne likely was.

“That’s fine. Will the interns be placed on the Berkenshire after that?” he asked. “I want their fresh minds, just as I know you do. There’s a reason Brooks Firm in London is out there.”

I took a seat as I heard him casually laugh. The blazing heat was surging in my veins as anger pulsated through me. I needed this fire out, and the only way to make that happen was to handle the freak up here, handing everyone severance packages.

He ended the call and turned back to me. “Well, to what do I owe this honor of finally seeing my business partner?” he asked, sitting at his desk.

The once empty office had been transformed. It was immaculate with computer monitors and flat screens hanging on walls. He’d certainly brought in some high-tech stuff that made even me a tad bit envious.

“I thought you and I agreed that this would be a fair restructure, and you would be considering everything about where an employee’s talents were served best in this merge, Mr. Grayson.”

“We did. That’s exactly what I’ve been keeping in mind while I’ve been handling the restructuring. Is this why you’ve finally decided to grace me with your presence?” He tried to appease me with his charms.

Not today, Satan!

“Replacing nearly everyone who worked for Stone is not my idea of meeting in the middle on this merge.”

“I understand,” he said. “However, when you dropped all of the business side of Stone in my lap, I took charge. You, my darling, have let quite a bit slip through the cracks. I’m not even sure Mr. Mitchell or Mr. Monroe know the full details of these financial reports I’m seeing.”

“Why are you firing Theo? My VP was not good enough for you, I assume?” I snapped. “Is that Jacey woman your secretary? Is she serving him with his final—”

“Hold up,” he said, his face darkening, and goddamn if it didn’t make him look sexier. “Theo came to me, not the other way around.”

“Excuse me? Theo is practically my brother, so that is an outright lie.”

“I think you and I should probably take our lunch together today. We have quite a lot to discuss, and I’m honestly surprised it took you a solid week to enter this office to question my decisions.”

“I’ve been busy, and I don’t have time for lunch with you this afternoon. I have a ready proposal, and—”

“I’ll be going with you,” he interrupted. “Unless, of course, you’d trust me in your place on that job as well. Dare I say that me going alone with Danny, who is costing you that job, would not end well for him.”

“I will be there. How would you know about Danny costing us anything? Danny has done well with Sphere, and the bid is perfect. It’s the reason we’ll nail this deal today.”

“Interesting.” He eyed a paper on his desk. “Papers, numbers, and facts on spreadsheets all overrule your opinions about Danny and his bid for Sphere.”

“Opinions?” I nearly screeched. “If you must be there, we leave at noon. I’ll eat lunch and discuss business further with you after I secure that deal. So, yes, come along. By all means, I’d love to have your business mind there. Perhaps you’ll ax that deal along with Danny in front of me this time.”

“As partner,” he grinned that damn sexy smile again, “I will be coming along. Danny has a lot to explain in the mock-ups I’ve seen, and especially with a multi-million-dollar deal on the line for Stone.”

“Now that we’ve settled that,” I said, watching him study the computer and fidget with his fingers, “tell me what’s happening with Theo.”

“Theo has requested he speak with you about his future with Stone. I encouraged him to do so,” he answered. “I know you’ve only experienced a night of me roleplaying and not being my authentic self to you at that gala. I appreciate you being concerned for Theo, given this has been a week of me making executive decisions. In all of what you’re most likely hearing, I can see why you’re here and wondering about Theo’s future.”

“The way you said his name just now,” I said, “it’s almost as though I’m witnessing Mr. Ass-Suit himself feel bad about all these cuts he’s been making.”