Page 113 of Stanton Unconditional

CHAPTER 18

Adrian

8.30 am and I sit in the small corner office at the job we start today at Broadtec. I have arrived early to prepare for the day ahead. It’s a poky space with no view, a usual prerequisite of ours when working. I go for a quick walk around the office as I try to locate the kitchen or a coffee machine. This place is a nightmare, how am I supposed to be productive with no caffeine?

Six years ago, Joshua designed this company’s software for them as one of his first jobs and he signed a contract stating he would be the one to upgrade the systems. Back then signing a contract for future work sounded like a smart choice. Little did he know that he would own a multimillion-dollar company today and that this job would be a massive pain in the ass. It has been on our diary for six months, but I couldn’t get Joshua to come to Australia after the Natasha debacle. Now we are here for his grandmother and it seems

like a good time to cross it off the list. It should take about six to eight weeks if all goes to plan. I start to go through my emails and my phone rings. I look at the screen and the name lights up.

Nicholas Anastas

Shit, what does he want? I haven’t heard from him in six months, since I last avoided his calls. I stare at the ringing phone on my desk for a moment, I frown and press decline. I keep reading my emails as I scratch my head in frustration. I open one from Frank which reads:

Hi Murph

This was in the company email inbox from a Mrs. Jones. Not sure what to make of it but I thought I should forward it on to you. The attachment is very interesting!

Keep me posted.

Frank

Frank is one of my PAs in LA. I have three. He liaises with the public and social network platforms and then filters anything onto me that I need to address. The workload is just too great for me to handle alone and Joshua wants nothing to do with it. He has no desire to be the successful millionaire or dominate the world, but his brain has ensured that he does it effortlessly anyway. I deal with the staff, the clients, the workload and Joshua takes care of the tech side of things. He doesn’t mix with the clients or make friendships outside of his close circle. It works well between us, that is except when he breaks up with his girlfriend and then goes AWOL for a month. That is a total nightmare for all concerned.

My phone rings again and I look at the screen.

Nicholas Anastas

I roll my eyes and push reject again. Take a hint. I blow out a breath as I click the email open. It reads

‘Contact me at [email protected] or the wife gets the lot.’

Shit, my heart sinks. I click on the attachment.

It’s jumbled and the camera is shaking around. I lean in to the screen to listen to the audio. I can barely hear it. It looks as though the camera is attached to something she is carrying. I can see two sets of legs, one obviously hers but the other? It can’t be Joshua; he would never wear track pants around a woman. I press pause as I try to study the screen; is it even Stanton? I narrow my eyes and lean in close as I try to get my bearings. I pick up my phone and ring Ben.

“Hey,” he answers.

“Hi, can you come up here please?” I ask.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“I’m not sure,” I answer as I sit back in my seat in concentration.

“See you in a minute,” he sighs.

Ben and the security team have an office on the second floor. They moonlight as computer techs as a cover because the seven of them can’t be in our office with us. It’s just too small. We ensure Joshua has one guard with him at all times. Ben has come in early with me this morning to go over the security of the building. My phone beeps with a text and I pick it up and read it, Nicholas Anastas.

I hear you are in Sydney. I want to see you tonight.

Not now, asshole. I click off the message in annoyance. I press play again. They seem to go into a room, and I screw up my face in question. What the hell is this?

Ben walks in. “Hi. What’s up?”

I sit back on my chair as I flick my pen around in annoyance. “Not sure. I think Stanton fucked up.”

He crosses his arms in front of him as he rolls his eyes. “Play it,” he snaps.

We watch the two sets of legs start to go upstairs. Ben leans in and turns up the volume so we can hear the sound.