Her CEO - Flora Ferrari Page 0,22
an eye on Alyson while I step out. I can trust him, I know that much.
You can’t keep her wrapped in cotton wool Eric.
It’s called protecting the woman I love, not keeping her prisoner. I need to make sure she’s safe at all times, that’s all. Angelo’s, like my hotel suite is safe enough. But it’s still so new to me, I don’t want her out of my sights for even a second.
If I could take her to the bathroom with me, I would. Actually… I think she’d be more than happy to hold it while I go, but that would only lead to…
My phone pings while I wash my hands, and it takes a minute before I can check it. My mind already racing, hoping that Alyson is still safe, that nobody’s bothering her.
I need to learn to hold it better. I won’t leave her alone again. It’s not right.
I hurry to get a clear view of her again, she’s fine. I think. She has a strange look on her face, but at this distance I could be wrong.
I give her a wave as I dial a return call, she waves back but seems a little distant.
Or maybe I really do need glasses.
I’ve brushed off my Chairman, Dave Cowper a couple of times in the past twenty-four hours, I figure I should touch base, keep him up to speed. He picks up straight away, expecting my call.
“I think we need to have an urgent meeting, Mr. Chambers… some of the board, myself included feel…”
He’s whining.
But the way a fat cat millionaire whines. He wants things to go his own way, so does every member of the board. They’re always looking for that way in to try and push me out, even from my own company.
It’s pathetic, but it's how these people operate. It’s all they know. I still get regular vote requests to sell the whole operation, or split it up. For me to resign and be bought off like some moron.
It’s why I retain absolute control of the whole company. If these guys had their way, it wouldn’t be the same company, products or people I worked so hard to create.
So why don’t I just scrap the board and start over?
That's where Alyson’s gonna come in real useful, I can just tell.
By the time I regain focus, after having got closer and started watching Alyson again, imagining her without that new outfit on, sitting on my face instead of that chair, I can hear Cowper in my ear.
“…Did you hear me, Mr. Chambers? It’s potentially scandalous, we need to have your personal assurances that this new… woman has no bearing on the proposed direction for Chambers Inc.”
Apparently I didn’t hear him, but I am salivating at the thought, the memory of Alyson in my mouth.
“Wait a minute?” I ask, hearing the edge of aggression in my voice, “You want to hold a meeting with the board to discuss…?” I leave the question open for him to repeat himself.
“The young woman you hired yesterday, after demoting a long serving executive of twenty-five years and firing a perfectly qualified receptionist of five!” he barks, then starts to backpedal as soon as he picks up on my silence.
I thought it might take them a little longer before they got their knives out, but rumors and gossip, plans and schemes to topple people like me grow faster than anything I can act on myself in just one day.
Like finding and falling in love with the woman of my dreams.
“This is not boardroom material, Dave. If you’ve got a flea in your ear, then out with it. Don’t waste my time with a-”
But he cuts me off.
“I’ve watched you build this company, Eric. I respect you and will back you one hundred percent on most things but taking up with a… with some girl! It’s the kind of behavior that could see confidence in your position-”
It’s my turn to interrupt. My voice low and snarling now.
“I’ll see you at your meeting Dave, keep the door open too. There’ll be a few more folks going home early, for good too I think.”
He gulps and then huffs. I can picture his fish mouth popping open and closing, finally speechless for once as I hang up, trying not to let my anger show as I get back to Alyson.
“Everything alright?” I ask her, but her eyes don’t tell the same story as her mouth.
“Fine,” she says, straining a smile. “Can we go though? I have a