Chapter 10
Maya's POV:
"Tell her I'm not available," Adam snapped, cutting off the assistant mid-sentence.
The young woman's eyes widened. "Oh. Yes, Mr. Sterling." She practically fled the room.
Adam turned back to me, his jaw tight.
I stood there, staring at him. At this cold, sharp-edged version of the man I used to know.
Where did he go? The sweet guy who'd buy me coffee and hold my hand in the rain. Who'd kiss my forehead when I was stressed.
Gone.
I forced myself to meet his eyes. "Mr. Sterling, I know you have... issues with me. But we're at work right now. We need to keep this professional."
His eyes narrowed. "You're saying I'm being unprofessional?"
Yes. Obviously.
"I'm saying we should focus on the business at hand," I said carefully.
"So you think I can't separate personal feelings from work?" His voice was dangerously quiet. "That I'm incapable of being objective?"
I opened my mouth to respond.
My phone rang.
Julian's name flashed on the screen.
I grabbed it. "Mr. Garrison."
"Where the hell are you?" Julian's voice was tight.
"I'm at Sterling Global. Delivering documents."
"What documents? Who told you to go there?"
"Your father called Sarah. She said—"
"Get back here. Now."
"I'm almost done. I just need to—"
A large hand snatched the phone from my grip.
Adam raised it to his ear. "Julian. Adam Sterling here." His voice was smooth, casual. "I'm still going over the proposal with Ms. Bennett. There are a few questions I need clarified. She'll head back when we're finished."
He hung up.
Before Julian could respond.
"What the hell are you doing?" I reached for my phone.
Adam held it out of reach. "We weren't done talking."
"Yes, we were."
"No." He set my phone on his desk. Far from me. "You were about to run off to take a personal call. During work hours. Seems like you're the one having trouble separating personal and professional, Maya."
Heat flooded my face. "That was my boss—"
"Your boss?" Adam's lip curled. "Is that what Julian is?"
"Yes."
"Just your boss?"
"What the hell else would he be?"
Adam's eyes bored into mine. "You tell me."
I grabbed my bag. "I'm leaving."
"No, you're not."
"Watch me."
I turned toward the door.
"Walk out that door, and I'll make sure Garrison Industries doesn't get the Sterling account."
I froze.
Slowly, I turned back. "Are you threatening me?"
"I'm giving you information." He leaned back against his desk, arms crossed. "Garrison's been trying to land this deal for weeks. His father's been personally pushing for it. But if you leave right now—before we've finished our discussion—I'll consider that a sign of disrespect. And I don't do business with people who disrespect me."
My hands clenched into fists. "Adam, you can't seriously—"
"It's Mr. Sterling."
My breath caught.
"And I'm completely serious," he continued. "Stay. Finish the conversation. Or leave, and explain to Julian—and his father—why Sterling Global pulled out."
Rage boiled in my chest. "You're threatening my job—"
"I'm exercising my right to choose who I work with."
"Adam—" My voice cracked. I hated that it did. "Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"This!" I gestured wildly between us. "Being... being fucking cruel."
Something flickered in his eyes. Too fast for me to read.
"People change, Maya." His voice softened. Just a fraction. "It's been five years. I'm not the same person I was in Cleveland."
"Mr. Sterling." I forced my voice to steady. "I understand there are unresolved issues between us. But I'm just a secretary. I don't have the authority or the expertise to negotiate business terms. If you have questions about Garrison's proposal, you should speak with Mr. Julian Garrison directly. Or request a meeting with Mr. Thomas Garrison."
"I want to speak with you."
"Fine," I said quietly. "What do you want to know about the proposal?"
"Nothing."
"Then what—"
"Have dinner with me."
I blinked. "What?"
"Tonight. Dinner. Just the two of us."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I have plans."
His eyes hardened. "With who?"
"That's none of your business."
"Cancel them."
"No."
"Maya—"
"I can't, Adam!" The words burst out of me. "I have something important. Something I can't cancel. So no, I can't have dinner with you."
"More important than saving Garrison Industries' biggest deal?"
"Yes."
I grabbed my bag and walked out.
---
The elevator doors opened. I walked through the lobby and pushed through the revolving doors.
The warm air hit my face. I sucked in a breath.
Get yourself together. You need to—
"Well, well. Look who it is."
I looked up.
A woman stood beside a bright orange McLaren parked illegally at the curb. Leopard print suit, Christian Louboutin heels, oversized sunglasses pushed up onto her head.
Victoria Garrison.
Oh, for fuck's sake.
"Ms. Garrison." I kept my voice neutral.
She looked me up and down. "What are you doing here?"
"Delivering documents. For work."
"Work." She smirked. "Right. You're Julian's little secretary, aren't you?"
"Executive assistant."
"Same thing." She sauntered closer. Her perfume was overwhelming. "Listen closely, sweetheart. I've got a message for you to take back to my dear brother."
I didn't respond.
"Tell Julian to get his ass back to Cleveland. Or better yet, disappear completely. He doesn't belong in Boston. He doesn't belong at Garrison Industries. And he sure as hell doesn't belong near my family."
My jaw tightened. "Ms. Garrison, with all due respect, Julian was called back by your father. If you have an issue with that, you should take it up with Mr. Thomas Garrison. Not with me."
Her eyes flashed. "Did you just talk back to me?"
"I'm just stating facts."
"Facts?" She laughed. It was sharp, ugly. "Here's a fact, honey. You're nobody. You're a secretary. A glorified coffee-fetcher. And you think you can tell me—me—what to do?"
"I didn't tell you what to do. I suggested—"
"I don't care what you suggested." She pulled out her phone. "You know what? I'm calling my father right now. I'm going to make sure you're fired by tomorrow morning."
"Ms. Garrison—"
"Don't 'Ms. Garrison' me." She jabbed a finger at me. "You're done. Julian's little pet is about to learn what happens when you disrespect the Garrison family."
I took a breath.
Walk away. Just walk away.
"Have a nice day, Ms. Garrison," I said quietly.
I turned and walked toward the T station.
Behind me, I heard her shouting into her phone.