by Tia Siren
“Everything’s fine,” I lied, wiping the tears from my eyes. “I’m ready to come back home for a little bit. I’m no longer a part of Burke Management, so I will need a place to stay for a little bit, if that’s okay.”
“You don’t even have to ask, Jo. You are always welcome to come back here for a little bit.”
“Thank you,” I said. “Get a pen and paper. I’ll tell you where to come get me.”
After rattling off the address and gate code, I jumped in the shower to wash away the entire night of cold and sore muscles. I packed up my things before heading down the stairs, where I spotted my mother’s minivan pulling up the snowy road to park in front of the barn next to the truck Bastian had left out from the other day.
I found Marcie folding a laundry basket of bed linens and towels in the laundry room adjacent to the dining room. She looked up in confusion when I set the computer and iPhone down on the counter next to her.
“I’m going home,” I told her. “I just wanted to make sure Bastian got these back.”
Marcie’s eyes flicked down to the items on the counter before setting the folded towel on the counter.
“Are you sure about this?” she asked. “I can’t guarantee that Mr. Burke will let you come back if you change your mind. He doesn’t take anyone leaving lightly.”
“He left me here,” I said. “This time I’m going to be the one doing it. Thank you for everything you’ve done, Marcie. I appreciate it.”
She embraced me with a sad smile before returning to the basket of linens. I took one last lingering glance at the mansion before stepping out the front door with my suitcases. My mother immediately emerged from the driver’s side of the minivan to help me pile them into the back. She hugged me tightly with tears glittering in her eyes.
“I’m so glad you’re coming home,” she said. “It’s much better for you. It won’t be toxic and manipulative.”
“I’m nearly thirty years old and I’m coming home to live with my parents again,” I said bitterly. “Does that tell you how fucked up things are in my life?”
She reached out to clasp me tightly on the shoulders. “It tells me that you have taken a beating and you need to get your feet back beneath you. There’s no shame in starting your life over.”
“Starting with a new job,” I said, stepping out from beneath her grasp. I walked over to the passenger door to open it. “I don’t know how I let myself get into this position. It’s like I’ve been on autopilot for the past five years and just crashed hard into something.”
“Well, you get to come home to be with me, to take a much-needed break. There is nothing wrong with that.”
I slipped into the front seat of the minivan with a sinking heart. I watched the log mansion grow distant through the foggy windows as my mother backed up from the barn, chatting away about how my father would be gone for another two weeks for work.
No matter how good it felt to be back in my mother’s company, away from the harsh reality of my life, I still couldn’t shake the dread lingering above my head. I felt exposed riding along the snowy road back in the direction of Salt Lake. I had no idea what was going to happen.
Chapter 27
Bastian
“I don’t know what to tell you, Bastian. This sexual harassment suit has the workers’ union up in a tizzy.”
Shelly flipped through a couple of pages with a sigh. She scooted them across the desk in my direction with a shake of her head. I snatched the files up impatiently to scan through them with narrowed eyes.
…Victim identified that Mr. Burke has made inappropriate sexual remarks about herself, but also about female coworkers as well. Victim further implied that Mr. Burke regularly has sexual interactions with female coworkers. A Joanna Lind was identified as a possible victim.
“Bullshit,” I spat out, tossing the pages down on my desk. “All of it, bullshit. Who the fuck is making up this crap? I have never made any comments to any of my female staff that work here in the office with me.”
“I realize that most of this is undoubtedly false,” Shelly said. “But it has validity to it, too. You’ve indicated that you’ve been intimate with Ms. Lind on occasion to me. That really complicates all of this.”
“How so?” I asked and flicked the pages in irritation. “What are they even trying to do? Go after some sort of settlement?”
“No. Money isn’t the problem here. It’s your reputation on the line.” Shelly leaned forward then to catch my gaze. She lowered her voice. “Did you take Joanna off your payroll?”
“As of this morning,” I said coolly. “I don’t see how taking her off the payroll doesn’t make me look guilty.”
“This isn’t about money,” Shelly said. “You said it yourself: the corrupt cop is at the center of this. These problems will all be gone the second he knows that Joanna is no longer with you and your company.”
“She is still with me, though. She’s living in Park City at my mansion right now until she is ready to tell whoever is in charge what has really been going on.”
“The point is that he will look at your payroll—whoever the person is that’s digging into this complaint—and realize that Joanna is no longer here. He might direct his attention somewhere else besides on your company.”
“Maybe,” I said, doubtful that it would happen. “Thanks, Shelly. Once you hear something moving forward, let me know.”
“Of course,” she said, nodding. “I will be in touch. Just keep what we talked about in mind.”
“Yeah, sure. I will.”
I watched as Shelly walked out of my office with her briefcase in hand. I still had no idea how to figure out who was reporting this “sexual harassment” in the workplace. All I knew from Roger was that a few representatives from the workers’ union would be dropping by to talk to my staff, but also to question me. Then there would be the police officers combing through my office as well.
Dark anger thrummed inside me. I didn’t care what Shelly was advising me to do. Nothing would make Sid go away from my life completely because I had no intention of letting go of Joanna. It was all up to her. She needed to speak up.
I dialed the landline back in Park City only to have it go to voice mail. Frowning, I scrolled through my phone to call Joanna’s cell phone next. Nothing. Straight to voice mail.
Unease bubbled inside me as I tried to focus on the following meetings. I couldn’t shake it throughout the morning. After a long and tiring meeting with the representatives from the workers’ union, I stepped out of my office to get some fresh air. The cold winter air felt good against my flushed face as I strolled around the corner of the building to the small area of benches. I spotted Sabrina standing outside the building on her break.
She looked up from her phone when she heard me approach. “Afternoon, Mr. Burke.”
“Afternoon,” I returned coolly, still on edge about who the rat was in my office. I knew Joanna considered Sabrina a close friend, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that Sabrina knew something more than what she would let on.
“I, um, heard that there is some weird harassment thing going around,” she said. A blush filled her cheeks when I glanced at her sharply. “I mean, I have no idea who is doing it from inside the office, but I think both of us know who is responsible for it.”
“Maybe,” I said, fixing Sabrina with an intense stare. “Who might that be in your opinion?”
Sabrina gave me a strange look. “The same person you think it is—Sid.”
I nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. “I know it’s him pushing this. I just don’t know who he convinced to create a fake sexual harassment suit.”
“I can’t help you there.” Sabrina leaned in to whisper into my ear then. “Just know, Mr. Burke, that Sid has been stalking Joanna’s mom, too. He had another female call Joanna’s mom last week pretending to be me to try to get information about where Joanna is. Maybe she’s the same woman claiming all these things.”
“He was calling Joanna
’s mom, too?” I repeated in disbelief. “Seems a bit farfetched, but I suppose he’s desperate enough at this point.”
“Very desperate,” Sabrina said quietly. “I just think until Joanna does something, like stand up to him for once, it won’t ever stop. Sid thinks he can bully her back into his control.”
I shook my head at the thought of Joanna returning to that prick. I pictured those ugly dark bruises beneath her thick foundation. Never again. Not while Joanna lived inside my mansion back in Park City.
“She won’t do it, though.” Sabrina continued on in exasperation. “I’ve tried telling her that hiding isn’t going to be enough. She needs to put him behind bars for all the fucked-up shit he has done to her. It’s like—”
“Talking to a brick wall,” I finished solemnly. “Trust me, I know. I’ve tried to talk to her before about pressing charges against Sid. She doesn’t want to hear it.”
“I think it’s too painful for her to think that she was manipulated into that type of relationship. She was with him for such a long time.”
“Maybe,” I said, sighing. “It’s hard to tell what she is thinking sometimes.”
Sabrina turned to look directly at me. “Do you know where she really is? She wouldn’t ever tell me where she was, though I have my suspicions.”
“I can’t disclose her location,” I replied crisply. “It’s for her protection, but I can guarantee she is safe.”
Sabrina’s lips thinned. I could see that she wanted to ask more, but I twisted on my heel sharply to head back inside. I didn’t know who to trust just yet, but for the time being, I wanted to hear Joanna’s voice. I needed to hear her.
“Any messages?” I barked out to Roger when I passed by his desk.
“None, sir. None at all.”
I closed my office doors before dialing the landline in Park City. It rang a few times before going to voice mail again. Same thing with Joanna’s cell phone.
Smoothing a hand through my hair, I tried to calm my aggravation while I paced about the office for the next few hours. I couldn’t afford to leave work again in a rush after being back for one day. Not with the workers’ union all over my ass, and then expecting a police investigation to open up at any moment.
Ashton arrived at my office around four, a welcoming distraction from the unease building inside me. We talked over a few potential contracts that wanted our investment. I wanted to gather as many as I could, solidify them in contract, before the shit-storm came out.
“Have you talked to your lawyer about all of this bullshit going around about you?” Ashton asked while I closed up my office quickly. “It’s been a real fucking treat, answering all sorts of questions about whether or not I think you are capable of sexual harassment.”
“Who asked you questions?” I asked.
Ashton shrugged his shoulders. “Some police officer that called a few days ago. He wanted to verify if I had heard anything from any of the employees here about inappropriate work conduct.”
“Fucking prick,” I growled, rubbing at my aching temples. “This cop is determined to fish Joanna out of my life.”
“Maybe it’s a good idea to let her go then,” Ashton said. “I mean, this is your career. This is a business you built up yourself. I don’t think it would be a good idea to keep Joanna under your personal care while all of this is going on.”
“You’re saying that I should turn my back on her?” I twisted around to glare at Ashton, who immediately dropped his gaze to the floor to hide his guilty expression. “That’s what I thought. You can’t just turn your back on the people you love.”
“Love?” Ashton repeated, startled. “You’re in love with Joanna? Since when did this happen?”
Uncomfortable with the topic change, I adjusted the tie around my neck to loosen it. A lump formed in my throat because I didn’t like to say that word out loud to anyone. Not even to Joanna, who accepted the fleeting moments I did say it.
“This isn’t going to end well for you,” Ashton said. “I hate to say this, but it’s bordering the Sierra ordeal.”
“How could you say that?” I asked and powered my computer down before gathering my winter coat from the closet. “Sierra is a gold-digging whore. She only cares about her alimony check that she gets every month in the mail. How is Joanna even comparable?”
“Because she’s causing havoc in your life.” He held up a hand when I opened my mouth to reply to that. “Granted, it’s not intentional. I realize that half of this isn’t her fault by any means, but maybe temporarily taking a step back might help the situation out here. You’re a bit blinded at the moment.”
I finished the last button of my coat before nodding curtly at Ashton. “Thanks for the concern, but I think I will be okay. I’ve handled PR-related things before. This isn’t any different.”
“The only difference is that you are actually guilty of sleeping with an employee who collects a paycheck here,” Ashton said pointedly. “Just keep that in mind as you’re handling all of this, because that will come out.”
I didn’t even bother with a response. I tried to call Joanna again, but to no avail. It was Marcie who ended up answering the landline when I tried that again.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Burke,” she said. “I have been running errands outside the house today. What is it that I can do for you?”
“Joanna,” I said irritably. “I need to speak to her. She hasn’t picked up the phone the entire day.”
Thick silence followed that.
My heart joined that lump in my throat as I climbed behind the steering wheel of my SUV. I turned the engine on to fight the cold, but I didn’t dare put it into drive yet.
“What is it?” I asked. “Marcie, what do you know?”
“I was so sure that you would’ve known by now. Joanna left this morning. She left her phone and computer here for you to have back.”
I clutched the steering wheel tightly with my free hand until the knuckles went white. Hurt flashed through me while I stared across the parking garage. What the hell was she thinking?
“Did she give you any reason for why she left?”
“Nothing,” Marcie said. “I don’t know who picked her up either. She just said that she needed to leave. I’m sorry, Mr. Burke. I tried to get more out of her, but she didn’t want to say anything else.”
“Thank you, Marcie. I’ll be at the penthouse tonight, so don’t bother with dinner there.”
I tossed my phone angrily into the passenger seat next to me. If she’d left on her own will or not, I needed to know. There were only a handful of people who knew where Joanna was, so I started in the direction of the one place I suspected she could be.
Chapter 28
Joanna
The smell of bacon and waffles filled my room when I woke after another night of tossing and turning. Miserable from the headache pounding in my head, I kicked away the blankets and sheets in search of some Tylenol. As usual, my mother was already dressed and ready for the rest of the day. I couldn’t recall a day in my life that my mother ever spent the morning dressed in a pair of sweatpants without her hair or faced washed.
This morning was no exception when I walked in to find her cooking breakfast. She wore a pair of nice pants, short boots, and a nice blouse with her blond hair curled and sprayed into place. It didn’t matter if the world was crashing down on her shoulders—she insisted on looking her best at all times.
“Morning,” she said cheerfully. “I figured you could use a home-cooked meal. You look a bit starved in my opinion.”
“I’m not starved,” I replied, rubbing at my aching head. “I’ve been eating fine. Just some coffee if you haven’t made another pot.”
She nodded to the coffee maker. “There’s a fresh pot. Does your head hurt?”
“Everything hurts,” I muttered cynically. “I’m seriously not hungry, Mom. You didn’t have to do any of this for me.”
“Of course I did,” she said. “You’re my daughter. I love you. It’s o
bvious that you need the help right now.”
“I don’t need that type of help. I don’t have an eating disorder.”
“I wasn’t talking about that sort of help, Joanna. I meant that it’s obvious you haven’t been taking care of yourself.” She turned away while I poured myself a cup of coffee. “It’s obvious that this boss of yours wasn’t feeding you properly.”
I rolled my eyes as I sipped my coffee before dumping myself into a chair at the dining room table, resigned to the fact that I would have to force myself to eat despite my queasy stomach.
“He took care of me fine,” I said. “I don’t know why you’re so keen on trying to break him down. He gave me a sanctuary to get away from it all.”
“He also used you,” she pointed out and pulled out a waffle from the waffle maker. “Try to remember that part, too.”
“He didn’t use me, though. It was—”
“Oh, for goodness’ sake, Joanna!” She turned to face me in exasperation. “He took advantage of the situation because he knew that you would be vulnerable. Why can’t you see that?”
“Because it isn’t true,” I snapped, shaking my head at her. “I’m not going to give in to your idea of what happened because you have no idea what happened.”
“I’m not oblivious to what happened. I get that Mr. Burke is an attractive man, but he’s also a very calculated one. He knows how to get what he wants. His entire life is about making those types of choices, and he’s good at it. I’ll give him that.”
Confusion cut through my defenses while my mother settled a plate full of food in front of me. The sight of it brought on another wave of queasiness. I couldn’t handle the thought of taking a bite of food right now when my entire world had flipped itself over.
I waited for her to settle down in the chair across from me before I pushed the plate away. It had troubled me since the moment my mother had started trying to push me as far away from Bastian as possible. She had been practically gloating in the van the entire drive back to Salt Lake.
