Cynthia closed her eyes in disbelief when Laurel didn’t respond. What could she say? That she was scared shitless her entire life was about to change, and she could lose the person she was before she met Smith? She wasn’t even sure she remembered who Laurel Calanthe was before meeting Smith Gallo. Focusing on her career had been much easier than the crossroads she currently found herself at today.
“In my defense, Catherine Greenlee sought Smith out in my office before I could formulate an appropriate response,” Laurel said, stretching the truth just a bit. She leaned forward in the chair to justify her reasoning. “I’m not about to confess my undying love in an office building with Catherine Greenlee in attendance to disapprovingly witness a private moment that should be cherished.”
“So you do love the infamous Smith Gallo?” Cynthia tilted her head just so, allowing the black strands of her hair to frame her heart-shaped face. Her blue eyes practically glistened with satisfaction. “It’s about damned time you realized that. Hold on. I think I won the pool. I’ll have to check my ticket. Let’s face it, that man has done everything short of renting a private plane and flying you to Paris to get you to see the light.”
Cynthia set her reading glasses on one of the numerous files on her desk before standing and walking her way around so that she joined Laurel in one of the two guest chairs.
“Laurel, it’s clear that he loves you for who you are. He took you home to his family, he’s practically moved you into his apartment, and it’s evident that he sees you as an equal in business and life. Only you see yourself on another level that technically doesn’t really even exist. So my advice?” Cynthia reached over the arm of the chair to pat Laurel’s knee. “Don’t throw away what he’s offering you because of self-doubt. You’ve come too far to cheat yourself out of every young girl’s fantasy. You can have it all, Laurel. That is, if you can work it out to get out of your own damned way.”
Laurel didn’t get to respond. A small commotion came down the hallway, with fellow employees leaving their offices to see what was taking place. She and Cynthia shared a look of concern before joining the others in the corridor, but it was the significant police presence in the large foyer that held everyone’s attention.
Laurel immediately sought out Smith, who was coming out of the conference room behind Paul and Catherine. His gaze searched the crowd, displaying relief when he found her.
“What’s going on here?” Paul asked, most likely having been summoned by Marilyn. The older woman was standing behind her desk with her fingers pressed to her lips in shock. “Detective Nielsen, I asked a question.”
“Where is Grace Dorrance?”
“I’m sure she’s in her—”
“I’m right here.” Grace came around the corner of the trading room, a look of skepticism and fear written across her pale features. “What happened?”
“Grace Dorrance, you’re under arrest for the murder of Brad Manon.” Detective Nielson nodded toward one of the two officers who’d accompanied him into the building. “You have the right to remain…”
“I’ll go call Rye Marshall,” Cynthia muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. “It’s all his fault that she’s in this predicament to begin with.”
That was most likely true, but Detective Nielsen didn’t seem the type of officer to arrest someone without evidence.
What had the police found to link Grace to Brad?
Laurel closed the distance to Smith as she watched on in horror as the officer turned Grace around so that he could put her in handcuffs. This somehow seemed even more surreal than walking into Brad’s office and finding him with his throat slashed.
“Smith, we have to do something.” Laurel understood that Meg couldn’t represent the entire office, but Josh had been given someone just as reputable. “I can’t believe this is happening. I need to go with her.”
“Good luck with that,” Catherine Greenlee stated in a tone that was feigned sympathy. She even straightened her shoulders as if her comment gave her strength. “It seems I’m pulling my money out at just the right time, now, doesn’t it? I’m sure Smith will have a better handle on his collection of employees when he opens his firm.”
Laurel wanted to get into the woman’s surgically enhanced face and tell her to shove her precious money up her own ass, but Smith’s hand resting on her lower back prevented her from stooping to that level.
Somehow, in this very moment, everything became crystal clear.
Money wasn’t the root of all evil.
People had a choice on whether to live their lives with good intentions. Manon Investments had a lot of clients who used their wealth for the good of humanity around the world—Gareth Nicollet being just one of them. She’d even heard Smith on the phone arranging various donations to some of the community centers around the city, though he requested his contributions remain anonymous. He wasn’t seeking attention for himself, but rather doing his part to build a better community—her community.
“What’s the saying?” Laurel murmured to Smith, who already had his car keys in hand. He was going to go with her to the police station. That small gesture caused her to believe that everything was going to be okay. First, there was something she needed to take care of before leaving the building. She was going to hell, anyway. She might as well enjoy the trip. “It’s better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.”
Catherine was still watching Grace being led away in handcuffs and escorted into the elevator when Laurel stood in front of the woman so that nothing she said could be misunderstood.
It was common knowledge that Manon Investments couldn’t survive without Brad Manon to run the ship. Hedge funds were only as good as the portfolio manager. Normally, there would be a no-compete clause for anyone who chose to leave a firm such as this one, but that directive was no longer in play under the circumstances.
Catherine Greenlee no doubt assumed that she had a home for the money she’d placed into Manon Investments.
Well, that was no longer the case.
“Catherine, I don’t believe Gallo Capital Management will be the right fit for you.” Laurel genuinely smiled at the woman’s confusion. Catherine even glanced toward Smith, as if to say he should do something about his lover. “I suggest taking your money and investing it into some etiquette classes or maybe a charm school, seeing as there are just some things money can’t buy.”
Smith mouth tilted at the corner, having understood exactly what Laurel had been referring to about forgiveness. After all, she’d just cost his new firm around four hundred million dollars.
“It seems as if you’ll have to look elsewhere for your investments, Catherine. Now, if you’ll excuse us, a friend of ours is in need.”
Laurel would have relished having Smith escort her through the glass doors and toward the elevator, but her purse was still in her office. She didn’t look back to see if Catherine was trying to speak with Paul or if she’d stormed out of the foyer in anger. The woman was no longer a blip on Laurel’s radar. Out of sight, out of mind.
“You are hell on fashionable heels, my little minx.” Smith pulled her into his arms the moment they were in private, kissing her passionately. After a minute, he finally allowed both of them to come up for air. “Does this mean you’re going to be a part of Gallo Capital Management?”
“Yes,” Laurel answered, a weight coming off her shoulders. It was freeing to finally shed all the doubts and insecurities that had plagued her for so long. “Yes, I’ll take the position. Yes, I want to be an initial shareholder. Yes, I love you, Smith Gallo. And not necessarily in that order.”
Laurel laughed when Smith wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her high heels off the ground. The prospects for their future were endless, and the exhilaration made her want to call it a day and head back to his place. She would have loved to curl up in his bed, spending the afternoon reveling in what should have been a celebratory moment.
“Grace will be fine,” Smith assured when her laughte
r faded and reality began to intrude. “Grab your purse, and we’ll head down to the station. I’ll give Meg a call to see if she can recommend a criminal attorney who can handle something of this magnitude.”
She couldn’t imagine what Grace was going through at the moment. Brad’s murder had touched everyone in some way or other, but this arrest made it more than personal. Someone close to Laurel was about to have her life turned upside down. That was unacceptable.
“Smith?” Laurel stopped him from turning toward the door after he’d collected her purse. “Grace isn’t a murderer. She isn’t. We need to find out who killed Brad before Grace is blamed for a murder she didn’t commit.”
“We’ll talk about this on the way to the station.”
Smith had already pulled out his phone and would have placed a call if Laurel hadn’t taken the device from his hands. There was one more loose end she needed to tie up.
“Once we get things settled with Grace, I’d like to make a stop before we go home.” Smith gave Laurel an inquisitive look. He was most likely expecting her request to have something to do with Grace, but this was a matter close to her heart and long overdue. “It’s time for you to meet my mother, Harvard boy.”
~ THE END ~
Thank you so much for reading the first book in the Office Roulette series! Grace and Rye’s story continues in Motive, and you won’t want to miss the next installment of this trilogy…
CLICK HERE
The Office Roulette trilogy continues with an epic battle between blame and forgiveness…
Rye Marshall had it all—wealth, prominence, and the love of his life. But nothing lasts forever, and his perfect world came crashing down around him. When the dust settled, he found himself alone and starting from a clean slate.
Grace Dorrance had made many mistakes in her life, but one stood out above the rest—an epic ending to a complex and passionate relationship. She left her former lover’s life in complete ruins and tried her best never to look back at the wreckage.
Seconds chances are hard to come by, but even more difficult when Grace is arrested for a murder she didn’t commit. This gives Rye the perfect motive to forgive and forget, allowing for new beginnings. Unfortunately, someone’s playing a game of office roulette with everyone’s lives.
Books by Kennedy Layne
Office Roulette Series
Means (Office Roulette, Book One)
Motive (Office Roulette, Book Two)
Opportunity (Office Roulette, Book Three)
Keys to Love Series
Unlocking Fear (Keys to Love, Book One)
Unlocking Secrets (Keys to Love, Book Two)
Unlocking Lies (Keys to Love, Book Three)
Unlocking Shadows (Keys to Love, Book Four)
Unlocking Darkness (Keys to Love, Book Five)
Surviving Ashes Series
Essential Beginnings (Surviving Ashes, Book One)
Hidden Ashes (Surviving Ashes, Book Two)
Buried Flames (Surviving Ashes, Book Three)
Endless Flames (Surviving Ashes, Book Four)
Rising Flames (Surviving Ashes, Book Five)
CSA Case Files Series
Captured Innocence (CSA Case Files 1)
Sinful Resurrection (CSA Case Files 2)
Renewed Faith (CSA Case Files 3)
Campaign of Desire (CSA Case Files 4)
Internal Temptation (CSA Case Files 5)
Radiant Surrender (CSA Case Files 6)
Redeem My Heart (CSA Case Files 7)
Red Starr Series
Starr’s Awakening(Red Starr, Book One)
Hearths of Fire (Red Starr, Book Two)
Targets Entangled (Red Starr, Book Three)
Igniting Passion (Red Starr, Book Four)
Untold Devotion (Red Starr, Book Five)
Fulfilling Promises (Red Starr, Book Six)
Fated Identity (Red Starr, Book Seven)
Red’s Salvation (Red Starr, Book Eight)
The Safeguard Series
Brutal Obsession (The Safeguard Series, Book One)
Faithful Addiction (The Safeguard Series, Book Two)
Distant Illusions (The Safeguard Series, Book Three)
Casual Impressions (The Safeguard Series, Book Four)
Honest Intentions (The Safeguard Series, Book Five)
Deadly Premonitions (The Safeguard Series, Book Six)
About the Author
First and foremost, I love life. I love that I’m a wife, mother, daughter, sister… and a writer.
I am one of the lucky women in this world who gets to do what makes them happy. As long as I have a cup of coffee (maybe two or three) and my laptop, the stories evolve themselves and I try to do them justice. I draw my inspiration from a retired Marine Master Sergeant that swept me off of my feet and has drawn me into a world that fulfills all of my deepest and darkest desires. Erotic romance, military men, intrigue, with a little bit of kinky chili pepper (his recipe), fill my head and there is nothing more satisfying than making the hero and heroine fulfill their destinies.
Thank you for having joined me on their journeys…
Email:
[email protected]
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facebook.com/kennedy.layne.94
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twitter.com/KennedyL_Author
Website:
www.kennedylayne.com
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www.kennedylayne.com/newslettertext.html
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