Lured In (Dark Paradise, #1) (13 page)

I was livid with her. “I’ll take something stronger when you start taking something stronger. No mother would ever side against her child the way you have me.” I gathered myself, asked Gabe to gather my daughter, and left.

Gabe said his good-byes and met me outside with Gabi. He kissed and hugged Gabi and told her that he loved her very much. He turned and looked at me, and I put my right hand up. It was a shut-the-hell-up-and-leave-me-alone gesture. He promptly ignored it.

“Abi?”

“What, Gabriel?” I yelled, still fuming from the altercation with Lauren and my mother.

“You handled yourself well, considering the circumstances. Lauren had no business calling you out like that. She hit below the belt.” I nodded my head in agreement, and Gabe smiled. “Hey, congratulations on the promotion. You really deserve it. And…um. Um…you. You…Um. You look…really, really good, Abi. You look damn good, babe.” He got really close to me, put his hand on my face, and said, “Mmm mmm mmm,” looking me up and down. He smiled at me the way he used to. I backed away from him, only to give him a view of the backside as I walked around the car to open the door on the driver’s side.

“Mm. Damn, baby. I know it’s still good,” he mumbled under his breath. I only smiled. “Let me help you with the door,” he said, seizing the moment to put his hand extremely low on my back.

“Thanks, Gabe.”

Now you like what you see? Now you want to taste? Eat your heart out, Gabe. Eat your heart out!

“Hey, I um…I promised Gab a movie. How about we go and catch one now and head back home later?” He elevated his brows suggestively and walked close to me so I could feel how his nature had risen. “I’m sure Gab would love that. Right, Gab?” he asked through the open car door.

“Yes. That would be super! Can we, Mom?” Gabi asked. Gabe led her on with his eyes and head.

“Thanks, Gabe. But I need to get going.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, lowering his hand down to my ass and feeling me up—groping and fondling.

Now he’s feeling up my ass. You don’t stand a chance, Gabe.

“I’m sure,” I responded, removing his hand from my ass and sliding into my car.

He stepped back, disheartened, and waved us off.

During the drive back, Gabi asked me a ton of questions, including why I had a fight with her Auntie Lauren. I explained to her that Auntie Lauren had said some things to me that were very cruel and hurtful, which had resulted in the physical confrontation, which she should always avoid when possible. We got home and watched TV together. Gabi went to bed at 8:45 p.m., and I was right behind her as I called it a night at 9:15 p.m.

I woke up Monday morning feeling well rested, but I knew I had to go into the office and see Lauren,
my
dad,
my
stepdad, and Zach. I was not ready to confront any of them, especially Zach, who had ignored all of
my
attempts to contact him.

I dropped Gabi off at school and headed over to the office. When I got there, it was 8:48 a.m., and everyone was in a meeting that I had conveniently not been informed of. All relevant personnel from both practices were gathered, including Zach, who scowled me as I walked in.

“Lateness will not be tolerated. That goes for executives as well. Explain why you finally decided to bless us with your presence forty-eight minutes late, Ms. Winterfield.”

Attitude, huh? I’m the one who should have the fucking attitude.

“Had I known about the meeting I would’ve been here on time.”

“No. This isn’t the first meeting you’ve been late to, and everyone got the memo. I sent the message to Lauren last night, and she forwarded it to all employees.” I cut my eyes over at Lauren.

“I didn’t get the memo,” I countered with equal grit in my voice.

“So you say, Ms. Winterfield,” he responded.

That son of a bitch. How dare he take that tone and attitude with me? I guess it was all about the sex with him. And me freaking out was a perfect way for him to make his escape. Damn, I am so stupid. I knew he was only after one thing. I hate him. Hate yourself for giving in to him so soon and without knowing him.

“Page thirty-three, and don’t worry about him. I heard he’s some kind of demanding control freak—a real jerk,” Timmie whispered when I sat down beside him so that only I could hear. Timmie was one of the administrative assistants. He had an athletic build and a medium stature. He was perfectly tanned, with brown hair and blue-gray eyes, and was very bi.

“I’m sorry. It looks like Ms. Winterfield and Mr. Goldstein are having their own meeting. Care to discuss what you two are talking about while I’m trying to head a meeting here?” Zach demanded.

Timmie frantically tried to tell him that he just gave me the page number, while I said nothing. I stared at him and rolled my eyes.

“Mr. Goldstein, you are excused from this meeting. And do leave your employee badge with security after you clean your desk. Ms. Winterfield, do I have your attention now? And don’t roll your eyes at me again. It’s childish and something that you should’ve left at the playgrounds of your elementary school years ago.”

He just fired Timmie to prove a point to me! You evil bastard
.

“How dare you fire him for telling me a damn page number? What the hell is the matter with you?” I yelled at him, jumping from my seat. Everyone gasped as I stood to take on Zach McConnallay. My dad came over and tried to make me sit back down, but that didn’t help. My mind had been made. I was going to defend Timmie.

“Ms. Winterfield, are you being insubordinate? You are the president of this company and should carry yourself as such. Or did I make a poor decision when I promoted you?”

“Did you make a poor decision in promoting me? Hell, yeah, you did, especially if you think I’m going to sit back and allow you to fire someone for telling me a damn page number.”

“Enough, Abigail,” my dad whispered angrily in my ear.

“You know this shit isn’t fair,” I said to him, loud enough for Zach to hear.

“What’s that, Ms. Winterfield?” Zach looked at me wrathfully.

“Do you stand behind your bullshit position to relieve Mr. Goldstein of his position? For mentioning a goddamn page number?” I moved directly in front of Zach. He remained seated with his right leg over his left and both index fingers brought together, forming a triangle over his lips.

“Yes, I do,” he answered, shifting the triangle to the left of his lips and looking up at me.

Sitting there with that smug-ass look
.

“Fine. That’s hogwash, just like you, and you know it. You spew what you are. I guess you won’t mind having this one as well.” I took off my badge, dropped it in the middle of his lap, where his penis was, and turned quickly on my heels.

My dad and stepdad ran out after me. “Have you lost your damn mind?” my dad asked.

Uncle Ernie was quick behind them, yelling loud enough that everyone in the conference room could hear us. “Do you know he can liquidate every goddamn thing we worked hard for in a matter of seconds? Get back in there and apologize to him.”

In an equally loud tone, so that everyone could hear, I responded, “You should know me better than that by now, Uncle Ernie. I will not apologize for standing up to that asshole prick. He fired Timmie for no damn reason. For telling me to turn to page thirty-three. Come on now. I have standards, and I believe in what I just did. And if either of you think that hogwash-spewing jerk of a douche bag deserves to have his ass kissed to prevent him from liquidating the hell out of the company, then you can have my lip gloss and do it yourself!” I reached into my handbag and held up my lip gloss. Tossing it to Uncle Ernie, I turned away to get on the elevator, yelling, “Feel free to kiss away, gentlemen.”

I went down to the office where Timmie was cleaning his desk. I apologized to him and asked him to help me clean my desk as well.

“Abigail, what did you do? Why do I need to help you clean your desk?” Tim asked with narrowed eyebrows, following me into my office.

“I quit. I’m not going to sit back and let him fire you for no damn reason. Fucking asshole. He did it to get back at me.”

“No, Abi. You shouldn’t have. I can find work anywhere.”

“And what, I can’t?”

“I’m not saying it like that. This is your family’s business, and you worked damn hard to get it to where it is today. That’s all I’m saying.”

“My dad and stepdad should’ve never merged with him. He’s a fucking asshole!” I blurted again. When I looked up, Zach was there.

Zach looked intensely at me and then over at Timmie, who was trying to back out of the office.

“Goldstein, you still here?” Zach asked.

Tim turned and left my office to finish cleaning his desk. I stood there face-to-face with Zach and looked at him abhorrently. He slammed the door, closed the chocolate-brown linen blinds that hung on the wraparound glass wall, and came close to me.

“Please step away from me,” I said.

Zach stepped back and sat on the corner of the desk. “Abigail?” he called out in a mild tone.

“That’s Ms. Winterfield to you, sir,” I snapped.

“OK. Ms. Winterfield. Look here, we have business to discuss.”

“Which part of ‘I quit’ don’t you understand? If you want an official resignation, then I’ll forward one to you this evening, via Lauren. Really, there’s nothing here to discuss.” I turned my back to him and began removing my belonging from the cabinet.

He sighed deeply and seemed to be thinking hard about what to say next.

“Abigail, sit down.”

“Excuse me?” I snapped, turning to face him.

“Sit your stubborn ass down. My God, you are so goddamn stubborn, Abigail,” he gritted through his teeth.

“I told you it’s Ms. Wint—”

He cut me off. “Yeah, yeah. I know, it’s Ms. Winterfield. Note well taken.”

“You don’t know a thing about me to call me stubborn or address me as Abigail.”

He sat back down on the corner of my desk with an impish grin, shaking his head. I wanted nothing more than to slap that grin off his face.

“I bet you want to slap my face, don’t you, Abi…um…Ms. Winterfield?” he asked devilishly.

I ignored him and asked, “Are you done?”

Sensing I was serious, he pressed the intercom on my phone to Timmie’s desk.

“Goldstein, you still here?” he shouted into the intercom.

“Yes, sir. I’m almost done and out of your hair.”

“Get in here, now,” he said, looking intently at me, as I returned his gaze quizzically.

Tim walked in and looked at Zach, waiting for instructions. Zach ignored him and whipped out his cell phone while still staring me intently. Speaking to the person on the other end, he stated, “Timothy Goldstein is rehired and is now assistant to Ms. Abigail Winterfield. His position is secured for as long as Ms. Winterfield stays employed. Salary is …” He removed the phone from his ear and shrugged his shoulders, silently asking me to give a figure. I stood there shocked. I looked at Timmie, who was just as shocked as I was, and shrugged my shoulders in response.

“Executive assistant, same administrative benefits as Lauren, three weeks paid vacation, and sixty-five thousand—no, seventy thousand per year with quarterly bonuses,” I demanded, eyebrows raised.

“Executive benefits, salary seventy thousand, quarterly bonuses, three weeks paid vacation, and title of executive assistant to the president. We will also cover all costs of any administrative workshops, seminars, and any professional renewals. Get this over to Matt so he can draft the contract for Mr. Goldstein to sign today.” Zach ended the call and put his phone down on the desk.

“So, Mr. Goldstein, your employment here is indefinite until either you or Ms. Winterfield resigns. I hope the offer was generous enough,” he said, holding out his right hand to Timmie.

“Sir, thank you so much. I am more than pleased with the offer. Thank you.” Timmie shook Zach’s hand.

“Don’t thank me. Thank Ms. Winterfield, who decided not to quit as long as you were rehired.”

I looked at Zach, as he had just pulled a fast one on me. By rehiring Timmie, he had cornered me into staying. Timmie hugged and thanked me, and Zach directed him to Joan, who would provide details about his position and have his new employee ID issued.

Zach closed the door behind Timmie, walked over to me, and whispered in my ear, “Better, baby?” He kissed me gently on my neck.

I pushed him away. “You son of a bitch. Don’t you ever touch me like that again. You’ll give Timmie his job back, and it’s secured, only if I stay on board? How dare you toy around with people like that? If it isn’t business related, don’t talk to me. You got that?” The words barely made it through my gritted teeth.

I grabbed my handbag and tried to leave, when Zach stopped me by grabbing my left elbow.

“What’s the matter now, Abi?” he asked, staring me down intensely.

“Are you serious, Zach?” I raised my voice in disbelief. “You know what? This is neither the place nor the time. Let’s keep it strictly business. OK?”

Zach looked at me with narrowed eyebrows and asked, “Strictly business?”