Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 85593 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85593 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
“Uh, I’m not sure exactly,” I said.
“I was talking,” Farhad said pointedly. “Anyway, if Kirk wants to suck Gregor’s dick, that’s his perogative,” Farhad said. “But if he’s going to be this obnoxious, I’ll start working alone.”
Polly grinned. “I used to work with Gregor, actually. That’s where Dominic got me from. I was doing HR for a company he runs out of New Jersey. He’d spend a few weeks in the office and then rotate his time around other companies across the country. There were a few people like that every time. The Kirks, I mean. They kiss up and hope he’ll swoop them off to his main headquarters in California with the cushy pay and the big offices. If it’s any consolation, those people always relaxed once he was out of the office again.”
Elizabeth was idly braiding a strand of her blue hair, clearly annoyed to have to wait to get her ears on whatever gossip I was holding. “Okay, okay. Now let Darcy tell us what happened in there.”
“Okay, I’m about to tell you guys something I really shouldn’t. Me and Domin–Mr. Lockwood–have sort of started seeing a little bit of each other after work, but you can’t tell anyone.”
“I fucking knew it!” Elizabeth jumped, fist pumped, and then leaned back with her knees bent like she was firing two finger pistols into the sky in an Old Western town. She was in juicy gossip bliss.
Polly was standing closest to her and she took a few cautious step backwards, probably wisely. If Elizabeth got any more excited she might put someone’s eyes out with those finger guns.
Farhad sighed and walked over, handing Elizabeth a twenty dollar bill.
“Thank you, thank you,” Elizabeth said.
“You guys bet on this?” I asked.
“Of course we did.”
“I didn’t,” Polly said.
“You specifically said you weren’t going to bet because you didn’t have any cash on you. Don’t play little miss innocent now.”
Polly’s cheeks went red.
“But don’t turn this around on us!” Elizabeth approached, jabbing her finger at me. “You’re the one who was sneaking around with intimiate knowledge about Mr. Lockwood’s cock, body hair situation, and sexual preferences. And you dare to keep that from us?”
I was trying not to smile because I wasn’t completely sure Elizabeth was kidding, but my expression cracked into amusement. “I still don’t plan to talk about any of that. I’m only telling you about this at all because I think his dad knows. I think that’s what Gregor is here to do–to check on Dominic and look for reasons to… I don’t know.”
“Gregor is the one who put him here in the first place,” Polly said. “Why would he look for reasons to sabotage Dominic?”
“Because Dominic said there’s this weird power struggle between them. His dad has never wanted to admit he’ll be replaced some day. He just wants Dominic to be beneath him for eternity or something. So if Dominic comes in here and proves he can actually succeed, it’ll be impossible for Gregor to keep thinking Dominic needs him.”
“Well,” Farhad said. “To be fair, I think getting handed a company to run qualifies as getting more than a little help from dear old daddy.”
“Yeah, sure, but I don’t think either of them are worried about that part. Gregor just doesn’t think Dominic can do what he does, or he doesn’t want to believe he can. So he gave him our magazine, which he probably thought had so little potential that Dominic was doomed to fail. At best, he’d just eek out a little more profit, but The Squawker was always going to be some local magazine earning pennies compared to his other companies.”
“So he shows up now because he’s worried Dominic is actually going to prove him wrong?” Farhad said. His arms were crossed and he looked thoughtful. “You’re thinking he’s going to try to sabotage him now?”
“Yes. And when he called me in there just now, he made it obvious to all of us that he knew we were together. He basically threatened to fire me to lure Dominic into defending me.”
“Are you asking us to band together to help stop Mr. Lockwood’s dad from screwing him over?” Elizabeth asked.
“I didn’t think I was asking you guys anything,” I said. “I’m just thinking out loud.”
“I’m in!” Elizabeth said. “And when we successfully stop his evil dad from ruining his budding business, he can reward Tristan with his selection of a woman from the office. Obviously, he’ll choose me because I’ll make sure to flash a little cleavage his way between now and the rescue.”
“Elizabeth,” I said. “No offense, but you’re like an A cup. And probabloy not even a capital A. How are you going to show cleavage?”
“Some guys are into that, asshole.” Elizabeth put both hands to her chest and adjusted… what she had. “I’m just saying I’ll make sure Tristan knows I’m ready, willing, wet, and–”