Pink Springs Collection, page 2
His mistress and a bag of cocaine were found aboard, both of which I was unaware of. It was a scandal to say the least, but I worked hard to keep it quiet and to show that business as usual would go uninterrupted.
Since last summer the CEO position has been vacant, and I’ve done my best to show that I’m the one for the job. Not only am I the natural choice, but I’ve managed to double our production and profits in the ten years I’ve been working for Balman and Pierce.
The problem is the board doesn’t think I’ve put in enough time, but I believe it’s because I haven’t kissed enough ass. So if they want to hire strippers that give million-dollar blow jobs for their annual celebration, I don’t give a fuck.
Part of what Selma said is right, because initially this job was only for a paycheck—and a hefty one at that. But since then it’s become a race to the top, and I won’t stop until I win. Maybe I’m not the man I used to be, but I’ve had to grow up quickly here.
When I got her the job in accounting, she wasn’t questioning her six-figure salary or the perks that came along with it. But since we lost our mom, she’s been pushing back, and now she’s pushing in the wrong direction.
The last thing I need is her ruffling feathers, and although she’s right, I need to keep her quiet. All of this aside, she didn’t take much time off work after Mom died. Although to be fair, neither did I. I think we thought by throwing ourselves back into the company it would fill the void we were scared to face.
Selma needs some time off away from work, but suggesting it might just piss her off more. I need to think of something I can have her do to occupy her time and stay out of the board’s line of sight. The last thing I need is them using her as a reason to not promote me. She might not like my career path, but in the end it will benefit the both of us. That’s how I’m justifying what I do next.
I send an email to HR reminding them to double-check that all staff hired for the event needs to have their non-disclosure agreement signed before entering the building. I tell them that I want the pay doubled and security at the door after they enter. I meant what I said to Selma, that I’d never want a woman to do anything she doesn’t want to, but I’m not going to stop the ones that do. With the money they’re getting paid for the event, I have no doubt they’ll be lining up to be leered at.
After I hit send, I lean back in my chair. I don’t feel good about any of this, but I’ll feel better when it’s finished. Thankfully it’s only the board and a handful of department heads that will be in attendance at the party. Wives and girlfriends aren’t invited to attend this year since the theme is Gentlemen’s Club, but now I can see why after the invoices. I close my eyes and force myself to focus on what’s important here, and a waitress dressed as a bunny is the absolute least of my worries.
Chapter Three
Lux
I rub my eyes, still feeling beyond tired. If I could I’d pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep. I’m not used to the sounds of the city, and when the car alarm goes off outside my window I know it’s not going to happen anytime soon. Plus, I have an appointment with a temp agency in a few hours. My plan is to be an hour early so that for once I’m not late.
Tossing the blanket back, I crawl out of bed and almost trip over a pile of clothes before getting to my bedroom door. I pause when my phone starts to ring, and I glance over to the stack of boxes I put next to the bed as a side table. The only piece of furniture I have right now is a bed that was delivered late last night.
“Crap!” I yelp as I stub my toe on something and grab my phone. “Hello.”
“Why are you all breathy? Already meet some hottie out there?” Juno teases. I fall back onto my bed.
“I wish.” She snorts and I rub my foot. “I stubbed my toe.”
“Of course you did.” I can see her smiling face now. “So how's the new roommate? Should I be jealous? Is she stealing my best friend title?”
“No one could ever take your spot, but it’s okay, I guess. I still haven't met her.”
“What the hell?”
“The management office gave me a key to get in.”
I may have forgotten to mention to Cooper yesterday that I haven’t actually met Avery. When I came out here with Juno, the maintenance man showed us the place, saying Avery was in class. I did run a quick background check on her, and she’s in college, but I didn’t see a job listed. Going off the way the people in the management office talk, she’s some kind of model.
“Hmm. That’s twice she hasn't been there. I’m thinking she’s probably a drug dealer.”
“You know, if you’re that much in need of excitement, maybe it’s time to come back to the city,” I suggest.
“Maybe.”
I’m surprised by her response, but I don’t push. I’m going to let her settle into the idea because Juno can get scared easily, and I’m not trying to make her do something she doesn’t want to.
“I have to get ready. I have an appointment with a temp agency.”
“All right. Text me after because I want to know how it goes.”
“You know I will,” I tell her before we say our goodbyes.
I grab everything I need for a shower and head into the hallway. There’s only one bathroom, so we have to share. Everything is clean and put away, so that’s nice, but I have seen a few men’s items here and there. Especially in the bathroom.
Maybe Avery’s boyfriend stays over. I never thought about the possibility of one of us having a man over, and now I’m wondering if that would be awkward. No, this is what grownups do, and it’s totally normal stuff. If anyone can deal with a bunch of boys, it's me, and I’m determined to shake my small-town mentality and live the big city life.
I take my shower, making sure to clean up everything after myself. Once I’m finished I wrap my towel around myself before exiting the bathroom. As soon as I step through the door, I freeze. A guy about my age is standing at the end of the hallway and he looks up when he sees me. He’s got wavy blond hair, blue eyes, and looks like an Abercrombie and Fitch model.
“Hey!” His smile is so big and his teeth are so white. “Sorry we’re only just meeting. Between shoots and classes my schedule can get crazy.” He walks down the hallway toward me and holds his hand out. “I’m Avery.”
What. The. Hell.
I’m going to be in so much trouble.
His eyes soften a little and he asks, “Are you hearing impaired?”
“No! Sorry.” I take his hand, realizing I’m being rude.
“Oh, okay. My mom is and wears hearing aids, so you just never know.” He releases my hand and then cocks his head to the side. “Is everything okay?”
“Honestly?”
“Yeah, I think if we’re going to be living together we should be honest with each other. If one of us has a problem we should put it out there.”
“I thought you were going to be a girl.” I’m really going to have to look back over that background check. How did I miss that? Juno is going to have a good laugh about this one, but my brothers won’t think it’s funny at all.
“Sorry to disappoint,” Avery chuckles.
“It’s fine,” I rush to say, and he lifts his eyebrows in disbelief. “Really it is. My brothers might flip, but other than that it's totally cool.” Why am I talking so loudly?
“Don't worry, sunshine. You’re not my type.” He winks at me before heading toward his bedroom.
“Sunshine?” I ask, and he turns back around to face me.
“Lux, it means light, right?”
“Right.” He shuts the door to his room, and I lean up against the wall. That went great for a first impression. An alarm on my phone goes off, reminding me to get moving. I’d set a few to be safe and keep me on task.
I’ll make it up to my new roommate later by ordering a pizza or something. Wait. Can models eat pizza? Everyone eats pizza, right? I think getting him a salad would be weird. I would assume the person thought I was chubby or something. I’ll have to ask Juno later.
“Shit.” I start pulling open boxes, realizing I’m not staying on task. I find a pair of wide-leg slacks and a button-up shirt before grabbing some strappy sandals. It never takes me long to do my hair and makeup, so I quickly braid my hair and put on lip gloss and mascara. Once I grab my phone and purse, I rush out the door.
Not wanting to get lost, I call for a Lyft. I’m still so new I’m sure it would take me twice as long to find the temp agency on my own. Once I learn my way around, I might feel better about driving in the city or even taking public transportation. I’ll explore later, but I should probably finish unpacking first.
“Lady.” Someone whistles loudly. I snap my head in the direction of the voice, seeing a man in his car.
“Are you catcalling me?”
“Did you call for a Lyft or not?” he asks dryly.
Oh. Heat rushes to my face and I realize I’m not starting out today with much grace. My first day in the city is going to be a bust if I don’t turn this around soon.
“Sorry!” I run over, open the back door, and hop in. He takes off so quickly that I go sliding across the seat and everything in my purse spills out.
“I charge a ten-dollar clean-up fee if you leave crap back there.”
“I’m not doing it on purpose.” I start tossing everything back into my bag as fast as I can. Thankfully the place isn't too far, and I let out a sigh when I see that I’m right on time.
After checking in at the front desk, I take a seat in the waiting room. As I look around, I wonder if I’m in the right building, but I have to be. I watched her check my name off the list, but this waiting room is filled with beautiful women. Maybe this temp agency does modeling too, or maybe the city is filled with gorgeous women.
When a woman calls my name, I hop up from my seat, eager to see what they’ve got for me. She motions for me to follow her and then points down the long hallway. “The door on your left.”
“Thank you,” I tell her. I enter the office and see a woman is sitting at her desk. She’s reading over a file with my name on it and doesn’t look up from it as I walk in.
“Come sit.” She points to the chair in front of her desk. “I’m Rebecca Simms.”
“I’m Lux.”
“I see that.” She picks up the folder. “You’ve got on here that you have serving experience.” She gets right to the point, and I like that she’s all business.
“Yep.” She looks up from the folder, and her eyes run up and down my body.
“You’re different, but sometimes that works.” I’m not sure how to respond to that, so I press my lips together. “All right, so the number one thing I tell all my girls is that if I call you for a job and you turn it down, you go to the bottom of the call list on the next job. So keep that in mind when you get an offer.”
“Okay. I completely understand.” Although it really sucks if I don’t want to take the job she’s offering, I'm desperate and this place pays immediately after a job is finished.
“Great. I’ve got a job for you then. It’s this Friday and I’ll need to know your sizes, waist and bra.” She tosses me a pen. “Write it here.”
“Okay.” I pause with the pen in my hand. “Can I ask why?”
“Uniform.”
“Right, of course.” I scribble it down for her and then hand the paper back.
“You’ll be serving at a cocktail party. I’ll email you all the information you’ll need.”
Oh wow. That was easier than I thought it would be. “Awesome.”
I leave the temp agency with a little pep in my step thinking that even though today might have started out weird, it’s already back on track. I’ll be a city girl by the end of the week.
With that thought in my heart, I miss the curb and fall right on my ass. I hear a few people laugh, including my Lyft driver that just pulled up. Okay, I’ll be a city girl by the end of the month. I just know it.
Chapter Four
Bastian
As I walk out of my office, I get a text from Selma letting me know that she’s still against this party tonight, but she wishes me good luck anyway. I text her back and tuck my phone into my jacket as I make my way to the elevators.
The party is being held at a cigar bar up the street, and I plan on walking. It’s spring in Atlanta, and although the humidity has already begun, I don’t mind the heat after being cooped up in my office. When I see my driver at the curb, I wave him off and make my way to The Cellar.
The heavy wooden doors are opened for me as soon as I arrive, and I nod to the security at the door. I’m thankful HR listened to my requests, and I’m hopeful tonight can go off without a hitch. I wish I could make an appearance and then leave, but I want to be seen as a team player, and that includes joining in on what they consider fun.
Honestly, I’d rather be back in my office working, or home watching basketball. This kind of party holds no interest for me because it’s a bunch of old assholes, just like Selma called them, patting themselves on the back for a job well done.
When in reality most of them got their jobs decades ago because of who their fathers were and haven’t contributed to the company beyond voting in as many years. But I can’t say those things out loud. All I can do is position myself to be CEO and hope that when the time comes, the board agrees that I’m the best candidate for the job.
The Cellar is set up underground, so after I walk through the doors I take the stairs that are straight ahead. The walls are lined in red velvet and the lighting is low. Everything about this place screams secretive meeting, and it truly is the perfect backdrop for a gentlemen’s club. Once I’m at the bottom of the stairs I scan the room to see who else has arrived.
The board consists of a dozen members, and it looks like they’re all present. I hate being the last to arrive, but being held up due to landing another contract with the state will make for a good conversation topic tonight.
There are red velvet couches around the room along with oversized chairs and dark wood furniture. The scent of cigars is in the air, but it’s surprisingly not overpowering. I was told the place was well ventilated for this reason and that it wouldn’t be an issue for people who don’t smoke. I like an occasional cigar every now and then, but I don’t like to sit in the stench of it after I’m finished. The air in here reminds me of incense and wood, so it’s not as bothersome as I’d feared.
Another quick glance around, and I see catering has already begun and there are several bunnies around the room.
“Bastian,” Richard Seymore calls, grabbing my attention.
“Sorry I’m late.” I hold out my hand, and he takes it. “I sent off the final contract for the state on our Peach Street bid. We got it.” I smile as I release his hand, and he beams. Mostly because this means a bonus to the board, and not that I successfully negotiated a multi-million-dollar deal in less than twenty-four hours.
“Excellent news, son.” He pats me on the back, and I try not to cringe. “Let’s have a drink to celebrate.”
Richard is the head of the board and the leader of the pack in all ways. Whatever he votes, everyone else will fall in line behind him. It’s really him I have to impress, and I can’t say I like the guy even a little bit. He’s never been outright rude to me, but I’ve seen the way he looks at Selma. He doesn’t care for women in the workplace, and the second I’m CEO, I’m handing him his retirement paperwork.
I nod to the bartender and give him my order. Richard talks about the upcoming vote and how our shareholders need to be protected and that he’s tired of filling in as interim CEO. I want to laugh because even though he says this, I would be willing to bet all the zeros in my bank account that if he could have his way he’d take the job. Only then he’d lose his voting power on the board, and there’s no way he’d give that up.
While the CEO wouldn’t necessarily be able to sway a board, it can pick and choose who stays on it. From his current seat as head of the board, he’s got the sway for every decision to go his way. I’m sure he’s thought this through just as much as I have, because he’s already turned down the offer to take it.
I listen and nod at all the right points as he goes on and on about numbers and profits. All of which I’ve memorized so he doesn’t really need to tell me. but instead of saying that, I just smile and sip my whiskey as he speaks.
A waitress dressed as a bunny walks over and sidles up close to him. She holds out a silver tray with a few appetizers on them and turns her big blue eyes up at Richard.
“Can I interest you in anything?” She bats her long fake lashes at him and tilts her head so that her hair falls over one shoulder, showing off her bare skin.
Damn, she’s good, because he licks his lips and swallows hard as he nods. Richard has been married for more years than I’ve been alive, but the man is a dirtbag. Another reason I can’t wait to get rid of him. This waitress is probably his granddaughter's age, but she sees his Rolex and his custom suit, and she’s not messing around.
She’s pretty enough with long red hair, and even longer legs, but there’s something hollow in her eyes when she looks at him that makes my insides cold. I don’t judge someone for getting what they want in life, and it’s not my business how they get it, but I could never have a woman under me that only wanted to fuck my wallet.
Red moves closer to Richard and whispers something in his ear that makes his smile turn sinister. I take this as my cue and quietly step away.
As I look around the space, I see groups of men talking to bunnies and some of the women sitting in their laps. I remind myself that everyone here agreed to this and they’re being paid well. It doesn’t stop my skin from crawling, but I do it anyway.
I’m the youngest one in here, but every bunny passes me by. They probably think that the older guys will have the bigger bank accounts, or that maybe they’re an easier target. They’re not wrong about being easier to trap. I’ve got more money than I could spend in a lifetime, but these old men reek of desperation. One slip, and they’ve got a mistress for the next eighteen years.
