CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

There's a part of me that wants to ignore the world and christen every inch of Wyn's office with her cum, but my receptionist is persistent.

And a little scary.

She stares at me, her lips pursed like she knows what Wyn and I were up to.

Finally, she indicates to my closed door.

"Mr. Fitzherbert is waiting for you."

"Lawrence?"

"Yes."

"Right. Ok, thank you, Marcie."

I enter my office to find my corporate lawyer standing by the windows overlooking the city.

He turns and sees me, a grimace forming on his face.

To be fair, his lips are usually pinched into line as if he's perpetually tasting something foul.

But today, he looks like he's bitten into a rotten lemon.

"Bad news, Bash," he starts without preamble and drops a folder onto my desk.

The sound echoes around the room like a gunshot.

"Two words: Tara Declan."

"Who?"

My mind races, but I don't recall the name anywhere.

"A woman connected to Wyn—who has pictures of the two of you together."

Unease spreads through me.

"So? I already informed HR. It's been documented."

"And you just promoted Ms. Archer as co-CEO of the company. How do you think that looks?"

"No one knows, and I plan on marrying Wyn long before word gets out."

"Oh, word will get out before that, my friend—all thanks to this Tara Declan."

"Who is she to Wyn?"

The thought of someone hurting my sawolkeh infuriates me.

"This took me a while to undig—but Ms. Declan is Wyn's ex-wife."

I suck in a breath. "And what does she want?"

Lawrence snorts. "What people in this position always want—money."

Anger roils within me, but I tamp it back since an enraged Boggart is the last thing my lawyer needs to deal with.

"Fine. Give her money then."

"It's more complicated. It turns out that Ms. Archer gives Ms. Declan a substantial amount of money every month—nearly her whole paycheck."

Suddenly, everything clicks into place, and I realize this is what Wyn didn't want to tell me about.

Why she never seems to have enough money.

"Like a type of alimony? That doesn't even make any sense—Wyn has custody of their son."

"Not alimony, Bash, but blackmail. Ms. Declan knows about Ms. Archer's past before she—"

"Don't finish the sentence. We're not talking about Wyn's past because it's none of our business."

"With all due respect, it's her past that Ms. Declan is now threatening you with."

"What? How? I give a fuck about who Wyn was before we met."

"Be that as it may, Ms. Declan is threatening to tell everyone about Wyn if you don't give her money. Worse, she's saying you took advantage of an employee and sexually harassed Ms. Archer."

A scoff bursts past my lips. "Wyn would clear those charges."

"Maybe, if she hasn't withdrawn from being made a spectacle of because of her gender, but even then, the damage will be done. It will take years, if not decades, to reestablish the integrity of Boggleworks—not to mention the emotional upheaval this will cause Ms. Archer, spilling over to her son."

An image of Jake, teary-eyed and confused as Wyn sobs on her couch comes to mind.

"Fuck!"

"My sentiments exactly."

"Well, I already agreed to give this woman money. Do whatever it takes to keep her quiet, but make sure she signs an air-tight contract—zero wiggle room."

"Bash, she wants Wyn gone. It's one of her stipulations."

"Gone?"

"Yes. Ms. Declan wants you to fire Wyn and cease any and all contact or she goes to the press. I get the impression she's going to play the victim card hard and paint not only you as the villain, but Ms. Archer as well. The little boy might get caught in the backlash."

"Why does Wyn's ex care if she continues to work here or see me if the awful woman gets her money?"

"My guess—to hurt both you and Wyn while ensuring her ex can never be happy. It's a tactic people use to feel like they're in control."

"No. The answer is ‘no'. I am not giving up Wyn—she's my mate."

"Bash, there's a good chance Boggleworks collapses under the weight of judgment passed if Ms. Declan sells her story well enough, regardless that it's a lie. If she gets people behind her, the company is screwed. We can only do so much damage control."

"So you're saying I have to choose between the woman of my dreams or the company I built from the ground up to prove to myself—to all Boggarts—that we're more than just shadows and nightmares?"

"I'm sorry, Bash, I really am. If I thought there was another way, I would do it, but we're running borrowed time before Ms. Declan tells all."

"What a disaster. I need to talk to Wyn—"

"No. You need to address the Board of Directors. You might be CEO and Chairman, but these are the people who funded Boggleworks. Their money is on the line, too. They deserve to know what's happening. This way, you can make an informed decision."

"I've already made one, but call an emergency meeting. We can assemble in your building."

"Good. Be there in thirty minutes."

Lawrence leaves, and I storm into Wyn's office to find her gone.

"Marcie! Where's Wyn?"

"She left with Sarah to get lunch."

"Did she say where?"

"No, sir. Is everything alright?"

"Yep. I have an emergency meeting with the Board of Directors in Lawrence's building. Cancel anything on the books for today, please."

I stride to the stairs, choosing them over the elevator as I try to call Wyn.

There's no reception but when I burst out into the lobby, all my bars appear.

Frantically, I call Wyn, but it just goes straight to voicemail—as well as the fifty other times I try.

Lawrence sends me a text that everyone is already at his conference room.

That was fast.

Once more, I take the stairs, my long legs gobbling them up as I rush to meet my Board.

My lawyer is prepping everyone when I walk in, and the ten individuals who make up my Board stare at me like they've never seen me before.

Bathilda, a Hellhound, is the first to recover and speak.

"Bash, you've done so much for monsters fighting to get a foothold in this city—in this market—and you're going to risk it all for an office fling?"

I glare at Lawrence.

"Did you mention that Wyn is my sawolkeh?"

The five humans, including my lawyer, furrow their brows, but all the other monsters in the room gasp.

They understand—mates are forever.

"Forgive me, old friend. I didn't realize," Bathilda apologizes.

"We need to figure out how to silence this woman without giving her a dime," a Vrykolakas declares.

"What? No! Lawrence just said the best thing to do is to give her the money and make her sign a contract!" a human man sputters.

I slam my fist on the table, causing everyone to jump.

"Enough! I understand a lot is on the line—including your money—but I will not choose it over love, over Wyn. If I have to, I will let this company burn to the ground before anything hurts her."

"Bash—"

"No, Lawrence! I am not hurting Wyn—I won't let anyone hurt her. Either everyone in this room is with me, or they aren't. Yes, you gave me money, and I'm grateful for your investment, but I'm the one who quadrupled that stock in under a year. You all need me, but I need Wyn."

Bathilda stands. "I'm with you."

The Vrykolakas copies her. "And I'm with you."

Soon, everyone is standing, to Lawrence's shock, siding with me.

"B-b-but Ms. Declan will destroy our good name!"

Smoke shoots from Bathilda's nostrils when she snorts.

"We are not going to let some heinous excuse for a person smear Bash or our company. Are you a lawyer, or are you not—it's your job to keep Declan from talking! We're not letting her blackmail us. Giving her money is the easy way out. Grow a backbone, Lawrence."

He stutters out a reply, but I don't hear. All I can do is smile at my Board.

"Thank you, everyone."

"We're a team, Bash, and we have your back."

"You're all the best, but I really need to talk to Wyn."

"Go get your mate."

The room erupts into cheers at Bathilda's order.

Lawrence throws his hands in the air, but I trust him to be able to take care of Ms. Declan.

I sprint back to my building to where I'm parked, jumping into my Porsche before pulling into traffic.

Wyn still doesn't answer her phone, and my stomach knots as I continue to try.

My brain imagines all kinds of terrible things, but when I finally make it to Wyn's apartment, I'm not prepared for what I walk into.

A nightmare come to life.