Brad laughed off her comment. “My clients would beg to differ.”
Yeah, probably because you’re blackmailing them!
“Check out FameAndFortune.com,” he said, pointing at Mrs. Fontaine’s computer. “There are pictures of Sharleen and Emilio Morretti all over the internet. Kissing in front of her house, making out in his Escalade, draped all over each other in the airport VIP lounge...”
Sharleen frowned and cocked her head to the side. What’s Brad talking about? There were no pictures of me and Emilio at the airport. Unless... Realization dawned, and her eyes widened in surprise. The truth was staring her right in the face. She didn’t want to believe it, but it was Brad—not Francesca—who’d set her up to fall. “You’ve been spying on me!” she raged, anger pounding furiously through her veins. All the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle fell into place, and the devilish grin on Brad’s face confirmed her suspicions. “You took those pictures and sold them to humiliate me!”
“You humiliated yourself, toots, so don’t blame me for your problems.”
Mrs. Fontaine raised a hand to silence them, then addressed Brad seconds later. “I value the contributions you’ve made to Pathways, and I admire your drive and tenacity, but my decision is final. If you’d like to discuss this matter further, I can meet with you when I return from my book tour next—”
“Go home, save your marriage and forget about that stupid book tour,” Brad snapped, rudely cutting her off. “I can run the center in your absence.”
“Excuse me?” Mrs. Fontaine narrowed her eyes and gripped the arms of her leather chair.
“Jules is running around with other women, and you’re too busy promoting your new book to notice.” Brad shook his head as if he were admonishing a child. “He practically lives at the strip club. In fact, he’s at Club Onyx so much the owner gave him his own parking spot!”
Mrs. Fontaine stood and pointed at the door. “Brad, that’s enough. Please leave.”
“With pleasure, and I’ll be taking my celebrity contacts with me.”
Sharleen watched him swagger out of the office and was relieved to see him go. He was a loose cannon, and the center was better off without him. At least the pictures of Jocelyn—and the other women he’d been blackmailing—had been destroyed when he spilled coffee on his iPhone. But Sharleen wondered if Brad had any other tricks up his sleeve. He was out for revenge, but she wasn’t going down without a fight.
“I’m sorry Brad lashed out at you, but he’s going through a difficult time right now.”
“Yes, I can imagine. Having to program his new iPhone must be extremely stressful.”
Mrs. Fontaine gestured to the chair in front of her desk. Sharleen didn’t want to hear about what a great life coach Brad was, or about all the big names he’d signed over the years, but she sat down and crossed her legs. She was curious about the accusations Brad had made about Mrs. Fontaine’s husband, Jules, but didn’t dare ask the questions in her mind. It was none of her business, and she didn’t want to upset her boss.
“Brad’s wife walked out on him last year and took their three young sons with her. He hasn’t seen his boys in months, and it’s killing him inside. He’s angry at the world right now, and he’s taking his frustration out on everyone around him, especially women. I’m not making excuses for his behavior, but I do empathize with him.”
“I had no idea Brad was having personal problems, or that he had a wife and kids, but there’s no excuse for his behavior.”
“You’re right, and I’m working with the HR department to investigate the claims that have been brought to my attention,” she explained. “I’m disappointed with the choices Brad’s made, but he’s worked at Pathways since day one, and I feel compelled to help him find his children. They’re sweet little boys who need their father.”
Though she was angry at Brad for harassing Jocelyn, and spying on her, Sharleen understood why Mrs. Fontaine wanted to help him.
“By any chance, have you met Emilio’s brother Immanuel Morretti?”
“No, I haven’t,” Sharleen said. “They’ve been estranged from each other for years. Why?”
“Apparently, he’s one of the best private investigators in the business, and his agency, Mastermind Operations, recently opened offices in Atlanta. You’re fooling around with his kid brother, so I figured you could give me some additional information on him.”
Sharleen dropped her gaze to her lap. She couldn’t talk about Emilio without tearing up, and she knew if she didn’t change the subject she’d burst into tears. “Why did you give me the VP position?” she asked, her curiosity getting the best of her. “What was the deciding factor?”