Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 56294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56294 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 281(@200wpm)___ 225(@250wpm)___ 188(@300wpm)
“Stop trying to cheer me up,” he grumbles. “This new, happy version of Mr. Kennison freaks me out.”
I chuckle. “Maybe I just know how much you love talking about the stock.”
“The stock skyrocketed because everybody saw a certain madman in a certain lobby take on another madman,” Tyrone says, grinning despite himself. “People love a hero, and what other CEO can say he practices what he preaches? You were a real-life advertisement for our martial arts programs and equipment.”
“Maybe I’ll do a bike race next,” I say, grinning. “The documentary is going to be more interesting now, too. I came west to be here for my friend, ended up falling for his sister, almost getting assassinated, and causing a PR shitstorm. Should make for some good viewing.”
Tyrone almost smiles again, but then there’s a knock at the door to the conference room. It’s an assistant introducing Mark and Lisa, the so-called eco-warriors. They shuffle in, both of them sneering, both of them gray and dreary, both of them representing the opposite of what the company will be from now on.
“Thanks for joining me,” I say. “I’ll keep this brief. I spoke to a police officer today, a charming man. He informed me that my assaulter had finally cracked. He gave the name of the man who hired him, who then gave us your names. We’ve also acquired security footage of the meeting.”
They’re both stuttering, outraged, trying to find their turn to speak, but I push on.
“Also, and completely coincidentally, the cyber hacking group known as Nobodies has accessed several of your personal emails. It turns out you were running a classic pump-and-dump stock scam that got all tangled up with an extramarital affair for you, Mark, and a crack habit for you, Lisa, which you hid very, very well, I must say.”
They’re both turning red now. They know it’s the end. They can’t even say anything. The best part is the absolute disbelief on their faces. They’re looking at me like they can’t believe I was able to get the better of them. Their arrogance is clearly readable. They thought they could outmaneuver me. They thought I was in over my head.
“You, Lisa,” I snap, thinking of the file the hacking group showed me after I paid them an absurd fee. “Were involved in a young woman overdosing. You helped to hide the body. Just think, both of you, just think…”
I walk right up to the camera, letting them see the cuts and bruises on my face, the physical reminder that there’s only one fighter in this exchange. “You could’ve kept your little habit secret, Lisa. Your marriage wouldn’t be ruined, Mark. Neither of you would be going to prison, but you had to get greedy. Worst of all, you had to try to hurt my woman by taking such a personal video from her computer. That was your biggest mistake.”
Right on cue, two police officers appear at the conference room’s door.
I turn off the video feed, humming as I walk across the office and take out my cell phone. I have a text from Sophie. It’s been two days since the standoff at Paul’s rented house, the bombshell about Paul and Gwen, and our agreement to do our best to make this work.
Gwen and Paul are ready for a family. He talked about it last night with a faraway look and a smile I haven’t seen since childhood. “For us, it was kids right away. We talked about it on that first walk. I thought she’d think I was crazy.”
I clapped him on the arm, shocked he let me, shocked we’re still able to be friends despite everything. We share a unique connection now, both of us falling for the younger, off-limits woman and living with the fear of tearing everything apart. Though I only lived with it for days, for Paul, it was months.
“That’s because you are,” I told him. “I knew I wanted Sophie. I had no doubt about it, but it was all such a whirlwind. I didn’t even think about family.”
Not until I forgot to wear a condom, but I didn’t add that part. Sophie’s text reads, Are we still on for later?
I reach into my pocket, feel the object, feel its significance. It’s like Paul and Gwen have inspired me. There are thoughts in my head that weren’t there before. I know they would’ve come eventually and wouldn’t have taken long. This feeling and certainty are better than anything my old life could’ve given me.
I wouldn’t miss it for the world, I reply.
“Everybody at college thinks I’m a hero,” Sophie says as I drive through the hills. She’s wearing the denim overalls she wore to class, along with an orange T-shirt, kooky, stylish. I’m not much of a fashion man, but I like the way it hugs her hips and how I could tear it all off in one second flat. “Even the lacrosse girls started cheering when I walked into the cafeteria. It’s surreal.”