Chapter 26

Crissy

I had no idea what my father could’ve been getting into. I mean, I knew he’d been distracted lately, but was he distracted enough for his junior executives to take advantage of something like this? Something was going on right underneath our noses, and I wanted to figure out what it was.

Maybe he was just too distracted with Mel lately. They’d been arguing a bit more in the evenings whenever they thought Sissy and I were asleep. There was the possibility that his silence and hesitation was because he was going through a rough patch with Barbie.

I didn’t even get set up at my desk before an idea struck me. I looked back up and saw Grant turned toward the windows, so I charged back in and commanded his attention.

“I think I have an idea,” I said.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I refuse to believe my father’s doing something wrong, and I know that’s a personal opinion. However, I’d like the chance to prove it.”

“As your mentor, I’m supposed to tell you that your personal opinions have no weight in the matter with regard to business,” he said. “However, as your father’s best friend, I’m having a hard time thinking that as well.”

I was honestly shocked that he admitted something like that, and it took me a second to gather my thoughts. But once he turned around in his chair and faced me, I found my voice and continued.

“I’m concerned my father might have someone taking advantage of him,” I said.

“You did say he was a pushover,” Grant said, grinning. “How would you like to go about this plan you haven’t talked about yet?”

“We need information, and I think I can garner information from some of the junior executives.”

“No,” he said.

“Just hear me out,” I said. “I could try to feel out someone on the team. Dylan, possibly. He’s always up my father’s ass, and every single second he’s talking about work, it’s either about you or him. I could try to feel him out, see if he’s got any insight as to what’s going on. Maybe play dumb and ask him about this deal to see if he knows more than he should.”

“And you think you could do this without alerting anyone or getting yourself in trouble?” he asked.

“I know I can. It’s how I was able to miss so many class days in college without it affecting my grade.”

“How did you learn the material for your tests then?” he asked.

“You don’t have to be in class to read a book and regurgitate information,” I said. “I could be a mole you plant to get information. It would give you an inside look at things that you wouldn’t otherwise get because you’re the CEO.”

I waited for him to shoot me down. I saw how he bristled at Dylan’s name, but I knew I could do it. Boys like Dylan were suckers for idiotic women and big boobs. I could rein him in with some drinks, ask him a few dumb questions, and have his tongue flapping before he knew what hit him.

“All right,” he said. “I trust you.”

“Wait. What?”

“It’s your idea, and you seem confident, so go ahead,” Grant said. “I’ve been very impressed with the tasks you’ve taken on thus far, so I have no precedence that would tell me that this would somehow go south. This would be a good way to put those sly, manipulative practices to good use. It happens all the time in the business world. But you have to approve your plan through me. Sit.”

This was the part he wasn’t gonna like, but I was all in. I knew the best way to get information from guys like Dylan, and I wasn’t allowing some idiotic junior executives to take down my father or Grant.

“Plan. Go.”

“Well, we already know Dylan’s interested in me, and we’ve done a good job of concealing what we’re doing, so I’ll piggyback off those emotions,” I said.

I already saw his face hardening with jealousy, and a shock of electricity flowed through my system. Only men who gave a shit got jealous, and the thought of a man like Grant Jacobs actually caring about me set my heart thrumming in my chest.

“I’ll ask if he wants to meet for drinks, maybe chat a little bit, then I’ll turn on the ‘dumb Crissy’ charm. Giggle at his jokes, feed him a bit of strong alcohol, make him feel like he’s the smartest man in the room. Then I’ll start asking him questions about ‘some company buying shit.’ By that time, his ego will be so inflated that his mouth will do the rest of the work for me.”

I could tell he didn’t enjoy the idea of me cozying up to another guy. His eyes raked down my body, feeling me out to make sure I wasn’t too excited about this plan. His arms flexed, meaning his hands were balling into fists as he tried to keep his emotions at bay.

My, my, how wonderful jealousy looked in his stern, overbearing eyes.

“I’ll remember our rules; I promise,” I said, winking.

“Fine,” he said. “But you’ll message me before the date and then again when you get home. I want to make sure you’re all right.”

“Dylan won’t harm me,” I said.

“Agree, or it’s a no,” he said.

“Okay, okay. I’ll do it. Yikes.”

I got up from my chair and started for the door. I wanted to get Dylan talking as soon as possible. I looked back at Grant, whose eyes were wholly connected to my body, and I blew him a kiss before I left his office. I looked at the clock, which was already ticking toward four thirty, and I knew if I could hurry and shut things down, I could position myself outside the junior executives’ office.

So, I closed out everything, logged out, grabbed my stuff, and headed for the elevator.

I stood by the door as I watched the clock tick down, and the moment five o’clock rolled around, I bent over to fiddle with my sandal strap. I shoved my tits closer together with my arms, grunting a bit as I worked with my shoe, and no sooner had I started than I heard a familiar voice beside my ear.

“Need a bit of help?” Dylan asked.

“I had something in my shoe, and now I can’t get the strap right,” I said.

“Here. Let me help.”

I rose and locked eyes with him before he bent down and helped untwist the sandal strap I’d purposely twisted. I smiled down at him, making sure to crinkle my eyes before he slowly stood back up. My back pressed against the wall as he leaned forward, his hand landing beside my head, and I looked down and snickered just to play up the self-conscious girl act.

“Fancy seeing you down here,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if I’d ever see you again given the rules Mr. Jacobs rained down on us.”

“Well, I guess I missed you a bit,” I said.

“I’m glad you paid us a visit,” he said. “The workday’s over, though. You do realize that.”

“I do, actually. I guess I just…wanted to see you.”

Dylan looked around, searching for Grant before he stepped a bit closer. I could tell his senses were on guard, on the lookout for anyone who would rat on him for what he was doing. He had the type of demeanor that screamed “guilt,” and I knew I was already on the right path. If this man was taking advantage of my father, I would destroy him. My father was many things, but a thief he was not.

“You look a bit frazzled,” I said as I traced my fingertip down his tie. “Long day?”

“I suppose you could say that,” he said as he cleared his throat. “Listen, would you like to get out of here maybe?”

“Actually, I was thinking maybe I could get your number and we could text later. You know, when I’m lying around or whatnot.”

He grinned as his hand meandered to his pocket. He pulled out his phone and handed it to me, but I saw it was locked. I giggled, handing it back to him so he could type in his password. Then he leaned into me as I typed in my number. I stood next to him, taking a picture of the both of us before I set it as his contact photo. Then I handed it back to him as he called my number.

My phone rang with his number, and I picked it up. He smiled at me before he hung up the call, and I acted as if I was saving it into my phone. I didn’t want this asshole’s number, but I needed it in order to set up our date.

So, I decided I’d slather on the cheekiness and shoot him a message while we were standing there.

Got any plans for tomorrow night?

He looked at his phone before his eyebrows hiked up his forehead. Some people were chattering and coming around the corner, causing Dylan to take a massive step backward as they walked between us. I smiled, hiding the flush upon my cheeks as I tried to keep up the ruse just a bit longer. I felt like a spy, like I was somehow fighting for Grant’s honor, and I had to admit I was a bit turned on by the entire thing. I’d gather all this information and take it back to him, and I just knew he would reward me with whatever I wanted.

The thought made me shiver.

Dylan texted back. I’m wide open for you. What did you have in mind?

I looked down at the message Dylan sent before I fluttered my gaze back up to him. He stayed on the other side of the hallway, his hand in his pocket as his eyes grazed up and down my body. I could just vomit at the idea of him mentally undressing me, but I reminded myself why I was doing this.

The thought alone enabled me to send another message back.

Hound Dogs? Eight o’clock tomorrow evening?

The devilish grin that crossed his face when my message rang out on his phone set a fire in my stomach. I’d corner him like the bug he was before I squashed him, and all the while, he’d be drooling over every inch of me.

See you then.