Just One Night, Part 3_ Binding Agreement(23)

I rise from the bed with a new, more primitive energy. Robert watches without saying a word as I make my way to the master bath. I think I smell Genevieve’s perfume on my skin, the bass player’s cologne . . . a menagerie of lovers. They possessed me but, then again, they themselves are possessed. One word from me could have stopped them. One word from me could destroy them.

I wash them off of me under the warm streaming water of Robert’s shower. My head is clearing. I know how today needs to begin.

Robert doesn’t join me in the shower. Somehow he senses it wouldn’t be right. When I return to his bedroom, I see that there are garment bags with new clothes in them for me. Nothing too revealing. A one-hook off-white blazer with matching relaxed trouser. A deep blue camisole makes it pop. It’s all perfectly appropriate; the only thing that makes it out of the ordinary is the attitude of the woman who will wear it. I see it when I put the suit on. When I look in the mirror, the vision I see is one of determination. In my off-white suit and conservatively cut trousers I am anything but conservative.

When I go upstairs, Robert hands me a travel mug of coffee, kisses me gently on the cheek. “My board has decided to contract your firm for further consulting.”

It’s a misleading statement. The decision was always Robert’s. In the end the board will always follow his lead. But I know that in this instance there was no argument or resentment. My ideas were sound; the path I had pointed them toward, a good one.

“Have you had any problems with anyone else at your work?” he asks. “Did getting rid of Tom bring the rest of them in line?”

I think of Mr. Costin. We could destroy him, too. And Asha? Will she be a problem? Regardless, I should tell Robert that everything is fine. I should play fair.

I sip my coffee and smile. “We’ll see how it goes today,” I say vaguely. “If there’s a problem, I’ll let you know.”

As I gather up my things it occurs to me that I mean it. If necessary, I’ll tell him about the people who try to undermine me, let the chips fall where they may.

* * *

WHEN I ARRIVE at my firm, I don’t go straight to my office. Instead I go to Mr. Costin. His assistant tries to stop me, tells me to wait but she has no power over me. No one does, except Robert Dade.

That thought sits with me funny; in raises my fur, intensifies my need to flex my muscles, flaunt my strength. I throw open the door to Mr. Costin’s office, catching him with his teeth half submerged in a jelly donut. His eyes widen with rage as he registers my impertinence.

I slam the door behind me as he drops the donut onto a paper plate.

“You have no right—” he begins but I have no patience for his admonishments.

“You don’t want me here,” I say coolly. “Not in your office, not in this building, and certainly not in my new job.”

“Tom’s job,” Mr. Costin growls. “Mr. Love to you.”

“No,” I say with a shake of my head. “It was his job, now it’s mine. And you know what? In the end this firm will be stronger for my rise. You don’t have to like it but the innuendo and disrespect will stop.”

Mr. Costin leans back in his chair. “Or what?”

“Or you will regret it every day of your life.” I walk around the desk, reach forward, and brush some powdered sugar from his lapel. “Please don’t misjudge this situation. What happened to Tom wasn’t a fluke; it was a warning.”

“What are you saying? Are you asking me to fear you?” Mr. Costin asks. He means the words to be challenging but there’s a slight crack in his voice that reveals everything I need to know.

“I don’t have to ask for what I already have,” I say simply. “You’re still the boss. I will follow your directives. But remember, the way Tom treated me was unacceptable. I could have sued him for sexual harassment and I’m sure I’m not the only one. There was no lawsuit, only the threat of one. You should be grateful for that. You should be grateful that I haven’t brought you down, too. At least not yet.”

“You would bring down this whole company just to serve your own interests!”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” I calmly walk back around the desk and sit opposite him. “As long as I have this job, my best interests and the company’s best interests are synonymous. It’s you who compromises the company when you deliberately try to undermine my effectiveness. You say your choices were taken away but that’s not really true, is it? You could have offered this job to someone else. It would have been a huge risk but you could have done it. You didn’t. And now I’m here. You can’t erase me. You no longer have that power.”