Strict (Part Eight) by Hannah Ford
Author:Hannah Ford [Ford, Hannah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-09-03T18:30:00+00:00
Chapter 3
GAGE
My foot taps quickly against the floor of the conference room, my body filled with a nervous energy Iâm not used to. My phone is next to me on the table, face up, and I glance it every few seconds, waiting for a text from Chloe.
âRiver would like extra advisory shares,â says Riverâs lawyer, some prick named McLean Arthur, whose hair plugs need a serious upgrade. But Iâm barely listening.
The most important meeting of my career -- of my life, actually, since Iâm this close to taking control of Genovin and running it into the ground as my ultimate revenge against River -- and all I can think about is Chloe.
Why hasnât she texted me back?
All Iâve gotten is a single message, letting me know that the interview is done. When I asked her how it went, she went silent.
âExcuse me,â I say curtly, almost enjoying the look of annoyance that passes over McLean Arthurâs face. Who the fuck gives their child a last name as a first name, especially when their last name is already a first name? âI have to make a call.â
McLean starts to open his mouth to object, but River murmurs something to him in a soothing tone, and he shuts up.
I donât have a lawyer here. Lawyers are bullshit in meetings like this. To look over a contract before you sign it, sure. To negotiate for you? Fuck that.
Once Iâm out in the hallway, I dial Chloeâs number, but it goes to voicemail.
I call her back.
Again.
And again.
Still, no answer.
So I leave a voicemail, which I hate doing.
âChloe. Itâs me. Call me back immediately.â I jam at my phone, annoyed at her for not staying in touch like I ordered her to do, and annoyed at myself for caring so much.
Where the fuck is she?
I turn to head back to the conference room, and almost collide with Willow.
âJesus Christ,â I mutter, trying to keep control of my temper.
âWas that Chloe?â Willow asks. Sheâs looking remarkably well for someone who was just coked up out of her mind. She of course refused to stay at a rehab â it would have been her third one, and she didnât think it would help.
I argued with her, but she wouldnât budge.
âNo,â I say, impatiently. âNo, it wasnât Chloe.â
âHave you talked to her?â
âNo.â I go to push by her and back into the conference room, but she speaks again.
âSo you didnât hear what happened?â
âWhat?â I say, turning around and taking two huge steps back toward her. âWhat happened?â
âSheâ¦she had her meeting with Nicholas. Apparently he told her he would hire her, but only if she used her personal relationship with River to bring Nick into Genovin.â
My stomach turns. Of course Nicholas wanted Chloe for her connection to River â Iâd told Chloe that. What I hadnât considered was that he would be so blatant as to put it right out there.
And then something else occurs to me. This is why she isnât getting back to me â sheâs decided that the internship is more important than our relationship.
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