She jumped out of the chair and ran out of her office when she saw her boss coming in, stopping for a second to exchange a few words with his secretary.
“Mr. Goldman, I need to talk to you. It’s urgent.”
He turned to her, and his smile vanished. He already knew what it was all about.
“Ms. Walton, I’m sure it can wait. This is not the time, nor the place.”
He made to walk past her, but she stood her ground and stepped between him and the door to his office.
“I don’t care if this is inconvenient to you,” she said through gritted teeth. “You either talk to me, or I’ll consider myself free to do what I want… about the issue.”
Goldman pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply.
“Alright, Penny. Let’s go for a drive.”
Of course he wouldn’t want to have this kind of conversation at work, where anyone could overhear them, so Penny followed him to the elevator, then into the parking lot, where they got into his car. As he drove aimlessly, Penny could feel the silence and tension between them weigh heavily on her shoulders. She didn’t know where to begin. The speech she had prepared all night seemed stupid now. It seemed righteous and naïve. As if she could convince a powerful man like him to stop doing what he was doing because it was wrong…
“What did you want to talk about, Penelope? I don’t have all day.”
His low, harsh voice made her stomach flip uncomfortably. It was the first time ever when Richard Goldman addressed her with such disdain and impatience. Until now, he had treated her as if she were his daughter. The change in behavior shocked her to the core.
“Juniper and Thorn,” she said in a small voice. “You didn’t adopt them because you wanted to save them from a life of misery. You did it because they’re sheep-shifters, and you want to… I don’t even know what you want with them. Or, maybe I do… I’m just too disgusted to say it out loud.”
He grinned. “You’re right. See? That’s why I hired you, Penny. You’re young, bright, enthusiastic, you want to climb up the ladder, and you know what needs to be done to overcome your current condition… your parents’ condition.”
She looked at him as if it was the first time she saw him in her life.
“Is that what you think about me, Richard?”
“Isn’t that what you think about yourself?”
She shook her head. “You don’t know me at all.”
“I think I do, little lady. Stop lying to yourself. You knew something was off the day you met the twins. Also, I know you’re sleeping with Enzo Salvador, so don’t act all saintly with me.”
“That’s my business.”
“Not when your boyfriend has just joined my club. He’s exactly like me and my friends. He owns a shifter, too, did you know that? Don’t tell me you’re that naïve, Penny. You’re making me lose my faith in you.”
“Okay, stop! Yes, I went out with Enzo twice, and no, I had no idea he’s a kidnapping bastard. Just like before yesterday evening, I didn’t know you were a kidnapping bastard, either. If that makes me naïve, so be it. I guess I still believe the world can’t possibly be this rotten.”
He parked the car in front of a diner and turned to her.
“Don’t get your panties in a twist, Penny. Nothing here is rotten. Shifters are not like us. This is the first thing you have to remember: they’re different. However they came to be, they’re in the minority, and the only reason why they still live and breathe among us is because we, humans, allow them to. In a perfect world, they wouldn’t have rights at all. However, this is not a perfect world yet, so those of us who know how things should be, and who have the power and the resources to make the needed changes within our families and communities, have taken it upon ourselves to treat shifters the way they should be treated: as an inferior race. For now, our movement is small, but it’s growing. Look at it this way: a Spanish businessman has just joined us! And he owns a bear-shifter, not a pathetic cat-shifter, dog-shifter, or sheep-shifter. Yes, I know my two shifters are pathetic. They will grow strong in a few years, but who knows? Enzo is giving me hope. If he can subdue a bear-shifter, then why can’t I? This is the future, Penny. Be a smart girl, as you always are, and join us, the pioneers. You’re already on the right track. Scoring a man like Enzo Salvador is no easy feat for a woman.”
She couldn’t believe her ears. She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it. She tried again, but no words came out. She was paralyzed. The aberrations her boss had just spilled made her sick to her stomach. Suddenly, she wanted out of the car. She couldn’t stand to be so close to him for a second longer, to breathe the same air he was breathing.
“I’m going to walk,” she said as she opened the car door.
He grabbed her wrist and made her look into his eyes.
“Don’t do anything stupid, darling. You’ve been of great help to me so far. Juniper and Thorn love you, and your presence in the house does them good. Just stick to your duties, and everything will be fine. I promise.”
“You’re going to throw Thorn into a fighting ring in a few years, maybe sooner! You’re going to trade Juniper for favors, contracts, and money!”
He shrugged. “They’re not like us. If shifters get hurt, they heal immediately. No doctors needed. It won’t be that bad for them. They’ll still live in luxury and get good food, expensive clothes, jewelry… whatever they want. Don’t forget where they came from. A poor orphanage in Bulgaria. If you ask me, they’re getting a pretty damn good deal.”
“I… I… I can’t believe you. This is not who you are, Richard!”
