Page 19 of Violent Little Thing

And remain hirable, since that had also been one of Chris’s threats.

Him blocking me from ever working anywhere else in this area.

I wasn’t sure if he had the pull, but I wasn’t willing to chance it.

“Ohh, who do you have there?”

I looked at Nicole, the head of HR, and smiled.

“This is my fiancé.”

That’d been one of the conditions that I’d laid out.

Court had to pretend to be my fiancé.

It was something that would help in both my quitting and dealing with Seraphina.

One, Chris wouldn’t harass me if Court was here to shield me.

I’d turn in my resignation, I’d have witnesses to his behavior if there was any, and I’d get to leave without him following me as he had the last time.

With Seraphina, there was one person in this world that she hated beyond all others—me.

If I was there, and she thought Court was mine, she would lose her shit.

Which, per Beau, Court’s, and my brainstorming session, was the best course of action.

Get her to act.

Controlling the board also meant that we’d get to bring matters to the board’s attention.

One of those matters was Seraphina’s and Benedict’s continued participation in the day-to-day operations of the two teams.

A silent partner that collected a paycheck? That was okay. A partner that continuously situated herself into the running of the operation, with no care to how it affected said operation? That we could not have.

Because at the end of the day, this was a business.

One that we intended to make successful.

The only obstacle was Seraphina.

She had to go. And I was going to be the one to make her.

“Nice to meet you.” Nicole smiled at Court. “Is he helping you bring something in?”

“Actually helping me bring stuff out.” I took a deep breath. “I’m resigning.”

Nicole blinked. “You’re what?”

“We’re starting a new business venture. We bought out a friend, and we’re now the majority owners of the Condors and the Cowgirls.”

Nicole’s mouth dropped open. “What? Wow!”

Court draped his muscled arm over my shoulders, and I had to resist the urge to throw it off.

It wasn’t that I didn’t like Court.

I did.