Twelve Days The Beginning - By Jade Reyner Page 0,11
Director and sending me totally improper e-mails-not to mention taking advantage of Olivia. Excuse me if we don’t have a meeting, but I think that I need - no wait - deserve, an explanation.” Stopping, she watched and waited; waiting for him to say something, anything.
Vaughn continued to regard her steadily and appeared to show little emotion to her outburst. The seconds ticked by as he seemed to consider his answer and as Elise waited, the silence in the small office became heavier – charged.
Finally he spoke, breaking the atmosphere with his ridiculously sexy voice and Elise was glad that the silence had been eventually broken.
“Last night and this morning I am one and the same person,” he said “and the fact that you weren’t aware of my position within the Company is because no one at ground level was. Last night was an.....error of judgement. However, I have never taken advantage of anyone and I can assure you that last night, Olivia was more than happy to go along with my plans.” He paused, regarding her coolly now. “I have bought into the Company and am now in a position of some power. I know your last name because I employ you and, whilst I appreciate my appearance last night may have indicated to the contrary, I am not and never have been a letch, as you so delicately put it.”
“Unfortunately for you, perhaps,” he continued, “my new ‘power’ gives me the freedom to work wherever I choose in the company. Since I have always enjoyed the cut and thrust of the sales environment, I have decided to work out in the field, taking charge of the sales force at conferences and venues and picking up leads from ‘off site’, hence the title. My buy-in to the company has given me the largest single shareholding stake, which means that I am in a position of unquestionable seniority. Consequently for you, Miss Grayson, that means that I am now your boss.”
Elise took a moment to digest this information, trying to make sense of what was happening. With all the difficulties in her personal life, Cole and Andrews & Andrews had been the two things that she could count on to remain the same and now it seemed that this rug was being pulled out from underneath her. She could not continue to work the conferences and venues with this man - he was insufferable, arrogant, conceited and far too good looking for his own good. She knew his type; wealthy and beautiful, a player, love ‘em and leave ‘em. Olivia, it would seem, was already testament to that. She refused to consider why it should bother her so much; she just knew that no good could come of continuing this ‘game’. He held all the power and, whilst that rankled, she knew better than to take issue with it and decided that her only plan was to bow out gracefully. Well, as gracefully as Elise Geraldine Grayson ever bowed out of anything.
“Mr Granger,” - Two could play at this constant use of last names - “Whilst I don’t pretend to understand the intricacies of this situation and I am at a complete loss as to why someone with your ‘power’ would feel the need to get steaming drunk and prey on a young and innocent employee last night, I know that my...working.. for you will not play out well for either of us and I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that I will be speaking to Cole...um, Mr Andrews, to arrange to withdraw from the off-site sales team with immediate effect. There will be no need for us to maintain any type of relationship and therefore the fact that we don’t have a ‘meeting’ is entirely irrelevant!” There – that should make him realise that she wasn’t to be messed with. She would miss the conferences and off site work, no two ways about it, but she would not compromise her standards to work with someone who appeared to have so little regard for anyone else.
“Mmmm..” he responded, the glimmer of a smile hovering around his eyes, “You make your point well and whilst I must admit that your argument has its merits, my problem is this: Technically I am not only your boss, but I am also Cole Andrew’s boss which means I get to override any decisions he may deem suitable.” His eyes, now almost black, held her gaze steadily and she tried to