WIFE WANTED (A Billionaire Bad Boy Romance) (17 page)

“Ah yes, Ms. Baron,” Yancey said on the other end, “I need to see you in my office.”

“What for, sir?” Her gut clenched as her other hand gripped the edge of her desk.

“We have a few things we need to discuss. New protocols for the filing system.”

She glanced around, trying to think of an excuse, but nothing came to mind. “Right now, sir?” she asked pathetically.

“Yes, Ms. Baron, unless you are no longer adequate to keep track of our data and I need to hire someone else. I expect you up here in less than five minutes.” He hung up before she could say another word.

Phoebe set the phone down and quickly saved the data she’d been entering, then headed for the door. The ride up to Yancey’s office seemed to take forever, her heart thudding in her ears as she tried to figure out if he’d seen what she was up to. Or worse. Did he know that she’d been poking around the same documents he’d been switching out? He could fire her on the spot, and she couldn’t do a thing about it. Could he have her arrested? What if he was trying to pin this all on her?

When the doors dinged open, Phoebe was white as a sheet, and her steps were shaky as she waded through the busy cubicles with the techs working away. None of them even glanced at her as she walked by. Hardly anyone knew who she was. They wouldn’t even raise an eyebrow if Yancey got rid of her.

Her feet froze a few feet from his assistant’s desk. What if he did try to get rid of her?

“Ms. Baron, are you all right?” the blonde assistant asked. Phoebe couldn’t even remember her name. “Ms. Baron?”

“Yes, I’m sorry. I just…forgot something back in my office.”

“Well, Mr. Yancey is ready to see you,” she said. “And you know he does not like to be kept waiting.”

“No…no, he doesn’t.” Phoebe took a deep breath, smoothed a hand through her hair, and forced a smile onto her face as she opened the heavy metal office door. “Mr. Yancey?”

“Ah, Ms. Baron, please come in and have a seat.”

She glanced up at him. He was dressed to the nines, as always, but he wasn’t alone. There was a red-headed woman sitting on the corner of his desk. Her black skirt was hiked almost all the way up to her hip, and Phoebe blushed at the blatant show of skin. That, and when the woman turned, she eyed Phoebe up and down with a look of contempt. Granted, Phoebe did not own the best clothes in the world, but she thought her navy-blue pantsuit was just fine. She readjusted her jacket as she sat down, and the woman smirked. A diamond necklace hung around her neck and down towards the cleavage protruding from her blouse. Matching earrings and bracelet, too. Phoebe knew they had to cost a pretty penny. Figured. She got called into the office to deal with the boss and his new bimbo.

“Ms. Baron, I’d like you to meet my new consultant and soon to be partner, Ms. Diane Chandler. She is going to be helping us with some new guidelines for my company.”

“Nice to meet you,” Phoebe said and held out a hand, which the woman ignored with a slight huff. “Does that mean the filing system is being updated, too?” she asked as her hand fell lamely back at her side.

Yancey nodded as Diane hopped down from his desk. “Yes, she will be overseeing the new system for the next few weeks. Make sure everything is in place that needs to be and that the new rules are being followed correctly.”

“Well then, I look forward to the changes,” Phoebe said, trying to keep the smile on her face as her mind started racing. She was going to have to work with this woman? It was going to be a nightmare. She hoped that was all he was going to tell her, but Yancey didn’t say she could leave. He just sat there, staring at her like a hawk. “Is there something else?”

“Yes. I’m afraid, due to the new system, certain files are now going to be blocked from your access. It’s just how the new security is going to work. You understand?”

She frowned. “How am I supposed to organize and keep the archives up to date if I can’t access them?”

“That’s where I come in,” Diane said, still smirking as she played with her diamond pendant.

“I don’t understand.”

“She’s not here just to train you. She’ll be in charge of all the highly classified files.”

“Does the board know about this?” Phoebe asked before she could stop herself.

Both of them glared at her, and she shifted in her chair, wanting nothing more than to bolt out the door. Instead, she tried to apologize for being out of line, but Yancey held up his hand to stop her muttering.

“You will do as you are told and not ask questions about things that are above you,” he snapped. “Otherwise, you will find yourself quickly without a job. I’m sure your mother would understand, seeing as how you are her sole caretaker.”

Phoebe blanched as if she’d been slapped in the face. “You…you’re bringing my mother’s illness into this?”

“I don’t think you understand. I will do whatever it takes to protect the well-being of this company, so yes, Ms. Baron, I will use whatever means necessary to keep my company’s secrets safe from everyone, inside and outside of these walls,” he said, standing as he spoke. “Is that clear? Or do you need a harsher reminder?”

She shook her head, clasping her hands together to keep them from shaking.

“Good. Then Diane will see you first thing tomorrow to start the new system. I expect you to treat her well, or you will have to answer to me. Now, be a good employee and get the hell out of my office.”

She didn’t need to be told twice as he stared down at her with bared teeth. The redhead smirked wider as Phoebe scampered out the door, almost smacking herself in the face with it, she pulled it so hard. The woman barked a laugh, and Phoebe felt her cheeks flush as she hurried past the assistant’s desk and all the way to the stairs, not wanting to wait for the elevator. It was hard to breathe when she finally reached her office, her chest clenched tight. What the hell was happening to her life? She never got involved in things like this or pushed the boundaries. Yet here she was, digging around where she didn’t need to be.

To have him threaten her like that, to use her mother… She couldn’t go to anyone. No one would believe her, and he’d find a way around it like he always did. He’d gotten away with everything else so far.

No, maybe Phoebe’s best option was to back out of this. Go back to keeping her head down and doing her work. The less she knew, the less danger she was in, right? Somehow, she didn’t think that would save her. She’d already seen too much.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she pulled it out to check. There was a message from Mitch, confirming their dinner plans. Her finger hovered over the ignore button, but she texted him back and said she was looking forward to it. She just hoped she could make herself believe the lie and get through the evening without any problems.

***

Mitch watched Phoebe rush out of Yancey’s office and gritted his teeth. What the hell did that man do now? He’d had everything under control. There was no need to threaten the poor girl. She was in way over her head, and she was starting to realize it. She’d been up to something over the weekend, but Mitch hadn’t figured out what yet. The text about her being sick was bull.

What he wasn’t sure about was what bothered him more: the fact that she might have been with another guy, or the fact that she’d tried to hide it from him. Not that he cared. It wasn’t his business. It was only his job to distract her and keep her out of the way.

“And what a fine job you’re doing, you idiot,” he muttered as he headed into Yancey’s office.

“…think about it? Really, William, sometimes you’re just a blind fool,” Diane snapped as Mitch walked in. “What is he doing here?”

“I called him here. So, what exactly did she find over the weekend? Did she talk to anyone?”

“Not that I’m aware of, but then again, I didn’t talk to her all weekend,” he said as he picked the glass paperweight off Yancey’s desk and tossed it from hand to hand, smirking as the man’s eyes followed it closely. “Said she was sick.”

Yancey gritted his teeth when Mitch almost dropped the paperweight. “And you don’t believe her? Will you please put that down? It was very expensive.”

“As is everything else you own,” Mitch leered but set the weight down. “And no, I don’t believe her. Think she might have been avoiding me.”

Diane laughed. “Not so good with the ladies, after all.”

“She likes me just fine. But there’s something else going on.”

Yancey got to his feet and crossed to the drinks table in the corner. “I am paying you a pretty penny to keep an eye on our little detective. She is the only loose end at the moment. Don’t make me hire someone else to take care of the issue.”

Mitch’s hand curled into a fist. “You don’t need to go to the extreme.”

“Prove it. Make sure she does not turn into a liability. When are you seeing her next?”

“Tonight. I’ll see if I can’t convince her that if she tells anyone, she’ll be starting something that she won’t be able to get out of easily.”

“Good, then get to it. Your next payment will be transferred into your account tonight,” Yancey said, then waved him away as he turned to Diane. Mitch headed slowly to the door. “What did you bring me from Marston’s place?”

Mitch heard files slap onto the glass desk surface. “More research to back up your claims.”

“No one noticed?”

“’Course not. I’m quiet, cover my tracks well. No one will figure it out until it’s too late.”

Mitch let the door close behind him on her words. “Careful, bitch, I know more than you think.”

Chapter 18

Phoebe heard the knock from her bedroom and jumped. Mitch. She had invited him over and thought it would be fine, but after spending the weekend with Ben, she wasn’t sure what to do anymore. Her heart was torn in so many directions, she wondered why it hadn’t just completely shattered yet. She could always tell Ben the truth, but then, where would that get her? She needed the money for her mother’s surgery, no matter what.

She would just have to tell Ben the truth and break it off before she got too attached. Mitch Harper was her future.

“Coming,” she called out, hoping her voice didn’t sound as shaky as it felt.

By the time she reached the front door, she had steeled herself and put a smile on her face as she pulled it open. “Hey,” Mitch said, holding up a bottle of wine. “Hope red was okay. Maybe this time you won’t throw it on me.”

Phoebe found herself laughing at his silly grin as he stepped inside. “Can’t make any promises.”

“Smells great,” he said. “What did you cook?”

“Ha! Me cook on a Monday? No, that would be takeout from the local Italian place,” she told him, pointing towards the pasta dishes already prepared and steaming hot. “Delivered just a few minutes ago.”

“Well, either way, I think it’s great.” He asked her where the glasses were and went to pour the wine as she set the plates out at her tiny table along with the silverware. Then, with his help, started to carry over the dishes. “So, was your Monday a bad Monday or a good Monday?” he asked, once they were settled and he’d slid her the glass of dark red wine.

She took a long sip and let it sit on her tongue, enjoying the fruity taste before it slid down her throat. “Depends on how I look at it, really. I still have a job.”

“Did you almost lose it?”

“Apparently I have an attitude problem…that, and I think Yancey is on to me.”

“Did he realize you took the files?”

“No, not yet, at least, but he’s just hired some new consultant lady,” she snapped, feeling her cheeks flush from the wine and her anger. “I no longer have full access to the company’s records, so she has to be brought in to do what I can’t.”

Mitch frowned as he chewed the ravioli and swallowed. “That’s bullshit.”

“That’s pretty much what I said. And then my job got threatened,” she said, twirling her fork through her spaghetti. All she did was find some weird files, and now she had the CEO watching her like a hawk, and this woman was going to be around constantly. She wouldn’t be able to think half the time, let alone get any real work done.

Maybe it was a sign she should quit after all. Then again…she glanced sideways at Mitch. If she did marry a rich man like him, she wouldn’t have to work anymore. Did she take the risk and quit, hoping he’d hold up his end of the deal? Her stomach roiled at the idea, and she almost lost what little dinner she’d eaten. Having no solid source of income was not where she wanted to be. Or solely dependent on someone else. She’d never lived like that and didn’t want to start now. Even if she did marry him, she’d be bored all the time if she didn’t work. There would be time to take care of her mom, but even then, what would she do with her time?
The foster kids
. She’d have time for them again, being there to help guide them. Maybe this arrangement wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“You seem awful thoughtful right now,” Mitch said, giving her a little nudge with his elbow. “Come on, what are you thinking about?”

She smiled and glanced past him into the living room where, just yesterday morning, she’d been on the floor beside a naked man, talking and chatting and making love until they’d finally made their way back into her bedroom. She’d opened up in his arms. The smile fell from her face, and she cleared her throat, trying to hide the sadness weighing her down.