Authors: Kelly Favor
“You know, I never particularly cared about the stories you people ran. You said all kinds of things—some true, some lies—but none of it mattered to me.” Red looked at Nicole. “But then I met someone who changed my life.”
Anderson couldn’t contain a mocking snort.
Red glowered at the man. “It might seem funny to you, but I take my relationship with my fiancé very, very seriously. Today, for the first time, I stopped finding your stories cute and funny.”
“I’m sorry for that,” Anderson said, not sounding particularly sorry.
“When something bothers me, I usually take action,” Red continued, as if the other man hadn’t spoken. “So I did the easiest thing. I bought your magazine.”
Anderson stared at him, stunned. “You did no such thing.”
“I said you’d need that drink.”
The older man gulped it down swiftly, his whole body trembling. “Please tell me you’re joking.”
“No.” Red shook his head. “And I think you know I have the money to do it. In fact, your company has been losing money the last three quarters, so I think I got a bargain. But I would have made the deal anyway.”
“I suppose this is your elaborate way of telling me I’m fired?”
“Actually, no.” Red shook his head. “You were only doing your job, which was to write stories that the public wants to read. I don’t mind a man earning a living, like I said.”
“Then what? Why am I here?”
“Two things,” Red told him. “Firstly, I don’t appreciate that you contacted Nicole and tried to turn her against me. What was the point?”
Anderson shrugged. “Relationship building, we call it. I start off giving information, proving that I can be a resource to the person in question. Eventually, the target—errr—person I’m building a relationship with, will start to speak to me like I’m a friend. And soon I’m just listening to the story and they’re telling me everything they know.”
Red nodded, and there was a glimmer of respect there. “I admire your tenacity but in this case it was a mistake.”
“Clearly,” Anderson said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Onto the second thing I want to resolve. I’m your boss now,” Red told him.
“And as your boss, I want to know who leaked those stories to you. The ones about my previous engagements and the plans to change my image by dating an average girl.”
Anderson hesitated. “I need confirmation first, that you actually bought my magazine.”
Red shrugged. “Call your editor.”
Anderson pulled out his cell phone and quickly made the call. A few seconds later he was speaking to someone. “Well, I bet you’ll never guess where I am,” he said, his voice trembling. Pause. “Red Jameson’s office…yes….yes.” Longer pause. “It’s real then. He bought us out?” Another long pause. “Okay. Okay. Thanks.” The older man hung up and stared at his cell phone as if it had betrayed him.
“I’m an honest guy,” Red said.
Nicole truly felt sorry for Anderson now. He looked beaten. All of the condescension and creepiness seemed to have been knocked out of him by the realization that he was at Red Jameson’s mercy.
“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you,” Anderson said.
Red smiled. “Hey, you had to have confirmation. I understand. And now it’s time to tell me what I want to know.” His expression darkened and he looked positively frightening. “If you don’t tell me who leaked those stories, I’ll make you wish you’d never heard my name. Firing you will be the easiest part. Making sure you never work again—anywhere—will be the fun part for me. By the time I’m done, you’ll be lucky to get a job shoveling yak shit in Afghanistan.”
“I don’t need to be convinced,” Anderson said, guzzling the last of the vodka. “It was Talia Ferring. And
she
contacted me,” he finished.
Red was positively beaming. He moved from his desk to where Anderson was standing, simultaneously taking the empty glass from one hand and shaking the other.
“You’ve done well,” he said, ushering him toward the door. “Now go home and try to get some rest. I want you up and working on a new story—preferably about Justin Timberlake or Brittney Spears. Just stay away from my fiancé.”
Anderson groveled a little about how happy he was to be working for someone like Red, as Red kicked him out. And then the door closed and Red was back, grinning like a kid who just stole the cookie from the cookie jar without getting caught.
“Aren’t you pleased with yourself?” Nicole laughed.
“Sort of. That felt good, I admit.” He took her by the shoulders and looked in her eyes. “I’m not going to let anyone hurt you ever again.”
“I’m not a delicate flower, I can take it.”
He smiled. “I know. That’s what I love about you. Among many other things.”
And then he was kissing her again and it was heat, so much heat and she was lost in it for a long time. The way Red’s hands moved on her body, touched her just right. She wanted him all over again.
She loved that he was protective of her.
When they broke the kiss off, he was suddenly all business again. “I want to show you something, just so you know your trust in me is well founded.” He took her by the hand and brought her to his computer, had her sit right next to him as he navigated through his email.
It took him a minute or two and then he found what he was looking for. It was an email from him to Talia, dated well over ten months ago. It said:
Hey, T.
I’ve been thinking about that image makeover idea we discussed yesterday. It
was a funny little thought, but last night I slept on it and actually it’s a pretty tacky
gimmick. I can’t let myself get caught up in the expectations game. I’ll just be myself
and let the media do what it does. Hope you weren’t too far down the road with planning
anything. Let’s just focus on the Jameson brand and not worry so much about the dope
who runs the place.
-R
He turned to Nicole and smiled. “I might be an idiot, but I’ve never been that big an idiot.”
“You were just a little confused,” she said.
He sighed and rapped his knuckles on the desk. “Unfortunately, now I need to take care of some housecleaning in the marketing department.”
“Are you going to fire her? Talia?”
Red stood up and buttoned his suit coat. “You bet your sweet ass.”
“I want to do it.” Nicole got up and swept her hair over to one shoulder and put her hands on her hips. “I’ve got a little score to settle with that bitch.”
Red’s eyes widened with surprise. “You’re serious? You want to fire her?”
“Do I have the authority?”
“Not really. But I’ll give it to you, if you want.”
“I do.”
“Well, then. By the power invested in me as founder and CEO of Jameson International, you—Nicole Masters—may go to the marketing department and fire that bitch.”
“Good.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be back in a jiff.”
She walked out of the office and went to the fourth floor, where the marketing department was located. Nicole hadn’t thought anything out—she just knew that this was something she wanted to do. Remembering how Talia had called her a hobo and humiliated her in the hallway not long ago—not to mention leaked those horrible stories—made Nicole want to fight.
And if she was going to fight, she damn sure well wanted to win.
The marketing department was fairly big and she walked down a few hallways before she finally saw the nameplate outside the door of one of the corner offices. Talia Ferring.
The door was open already, and Nicole could see the beautiful blond at her computer, on her desk phone talking and laughing. “…I know. Did you see that awful picture though? The two of them? You’ve got to be kidding me…”
Nicole knocked on the door loudly, twice.
When Talia glanced up and saw who it was, her face went almost white. “I’m on the phone,” she said, covering the receiver with one hand. “Can you try back tomorrow?”
“No.” Nicole crossed her arms and stood there.
Talia sighed and took her hand off the receiver. “I’m sorry, something just came up,” she said into the phone. “Can I call you in a few?” And then she hung up.
Nicole entered the office and shut the door. “I’m going to need just a moment of your time,” she said.
Talia leaned back in her chair. “Do I know you?”
“I think you do.”
The woman snapped her fingers. “That’s right! You’re the wrinkly little hobo that was sleeping in the hallway outside our CEO’s office.”
“Right,” Nicole said, smiling back at her. “And you must be the idiot who leaked stories about me and Red to the tabloids.”
Talia’s face really did turn white now. “Excuse me?”
“I think you heard me.”
“Don’t accuse me of things in my office, you little twerp. Believe me, I’ll have you fired so fast your little head will spin.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so.” Nicole leaned back against the door. “In fact, I think I’m going to fire you instead.”
“Just get out. Get out before I call security. I’m vice president of marketing and you’re a little nobody. Just because Red’s sleeping with you, doesn’t give you the authority to fire me. You couldn’t fire our caterer.”
Nicole wanted to pull her hair and slap that bitchy look off her face. But then she got herself under control. Either way, Talia was out of a job. She didn’t have to believe Nicole—she’d find out soon enough.
“Enjoy your last day,” Nicole said, opening the door to leave.
“And you enjoy giving Red blowjobs in exchange for pocket money, hon,” the woman called after her.
Just then, Nicole saw two security guards heading her way. They didn’t look very happy, either. When they got to Talia’s office, they stopped.
“Thank god,” Talia said to them. “This girl’s disrupting my work and being incredibly rude and unprofessional. I want her escorted out of the building, please.”
“Ma’am, we have orders to escort
you
out,” one of them said.
“What?” Talia’s jaw dropped.
“You’re to take only your personal belongings. Please do not touch your computer, any files or items from your desk.”
“I don’t understand. Please call Red Jameson and let him know what’s going on.
He’ll explain to you—“
“Red called us personally and told us, ma’am.” They moved into her office and stood over her, watching every movement she made.
“Good luck, Talia,” Nicole said. “I’m sure you’ll have no problem getting another job in advertising after this. You know Red, he’s a very forgiving guy.”
Talia was gathering her things and tears had begun streaming down her face.
That was enough revenge for one day, Nicole thought, leaving the scene.
***
That night, Red and Nicole were on the couch at their home in Connecticut. It felt strange to call it their home, but it was. And Nicole was starting to feel that—more importantly—Red was her home.
As long as he was there, she knew she’d be safe and taken care of.
“I still need to call my parents and tell them the wedding’s on,” she said, lying on his chest. His easy breathing was a sign of just how relaxed he was tonight.
“You want me to do it?”
“Call my parents?” she laughed.
“I’ll do it. What’s the worst that can happen?”
Nicole thought about it. “You have no idea.” Then she climbed up and kissed him on the lips.
The sparks became a bonfire and then a raging inferno. They were starting to tear each other’s clothes off. “Wait, just one thing,” she told him.
“What?” he asked.
“Promise me that no matter what, we’ll never let anyone get between us.”
“I promise,” he said, looking into her eyes.
“I can’t wait to be your wife.”
“Give me your phone,” he said. “I’m calling your parents right now.”
“We’re half-naked!” she cried.
“Good. They’ll never know the difference. I always talk to people while I’m naked.”
“Red, please!”
He tried to grab her phone but she wouldn’t let him and soon he’d stopped trying.
He was busy putting his hands other places.
And the fire raged on.
THE END
LOOK FOR BOOK THREE OF THE SERIES, COMING IN JULY!