“Easier said than done, but we need to ignore them. For now, at least,” Mason says.
“Why are you so calm about this?” I ask as I put my truck in park.
“I’m not sure,” he says. “I’m angry. Probably more angry than I have been in a long time, but I’ve stayed pretty level-headed about it.”
“At least there isn’t a video of me fucking you on the balcony,” Dean says, and I laugh.
“They are looking at us,” I say.
“Let’s go inside,” Dean says. “Let us open your door, please.” I nod and wait for Mason to open my door before I get out. TodayI am wearing black slacks, black heels, and a deep red blouse. Getting out of the truck, I suddenly feel like I am underdressed. I’m already being called a whore, and I don’t want to add to the claim.
“Hey. Stop it,” Mason says, lifting my chin so I’ll stop looking at my outfit. “You look amazing, Little Demon. Don’t let their awful words make you think you are anything less than perfect.” He kisses me softly, and I relax, even though I know the vultures are watching.
We turn, and Lance goes to my other side while Dean walks behind me. I’ve noticed that Dean is the most physically protective. They are all protective, but Dean has taken it to an entirely different level. Maybe it’s just because he always looks like he’s going to chew someone’s face off.
We get closer to the crowd, and the very first question thrown at us as we step past them pisses me off. “Is she your assistant?” a man shouts from directly behind me.
“Sadie,” Todd says from the doorway. He shakes his head at me, but I ignore him and turn around. Dean smirks and steps out of my way.
“I’m sorry… Can you repeat that for me?” I ask. The man looks confident in himself, like he didn’t just make the most sexist assumption.
“Are you their assistant? There are rumors that…”
“I am one offourowners of QuadTech. Quad means four. Dean Thompson, Mason Campbell, and Lance Hudson are the other three owners. I have known them since we were five years old. They have been my best friends since before we knew what sexism was, let alone how ignorant people could be,” I say firmly. “Do you have any more sexist questions, or can we skip to the part where our privacy was violated and is still being violated by you standing in my parking lot harassing me?”
The man doesn’t say anything, nor does anyone else, so I turn back to Todd and walk into the building. I scan my badge at security before turning to Todd.
“Sorry,” I say.
“It’s okay. You handled it well,” he says. “At least you didn’t cuss them out.”
“He’s lucky I didn’t punch him in the throat,” I say as I smash the elevator button. “Fucking asshole.”
“I thought sex was supposed to relax you or something,” Todd says as we step into the elevator.
“Bite me,” I frown.
“One of these days, you are going to say that and actually get bitten by someone,” Mason says.
“Oh? Are you going to bite me?”
“I just might,” he smirks.
“Can you wait until I’m out of the elevator? I don’t want to be in the next video,” Todd says. I punch him in the arm, and he laughs as he rubs the spot.
“That was rude,” I say, failing to hide my smile.
“But funny,” Todd says with a grin.
“I am not looking forward to this meeting,” I say. “Most of our investors already look down on me and dismiss me every chance they get.”
“We’ll be okay,” he says as the door opens. When we step out, all our investors are standing in front of Marlina’s desk.
“Seriously?” I say loud enough for everyone to hear me. They all turn, and most of them frown. “Leave our assistant alone and go to the conference room. Really, anywhere that isn’t directly in front of her desk.”
“We all need to…” one of the men starts.
“I know what you need, George,” I say kindly. “Give us more than five seconds to set our stuff down and talk to Marlina, and we will be down there. Okay?” George nods and is the first one to break away and go down the hall to the conference room.
