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“It’s her job to assist me when issues like these arise.”
“Like doing the math.” I grabbed the report and tossed it so it slid across the table to stop in front of him. “Show me where the fix is.”
He picked up the papers, leafed through them. His face flushed as he fumbled. I waited.
“Just give me a moment,” he said.
“You can’t show me because you have no clue.”
He dropped the papers and rolled his shoulders back. “My assistant pulled the document together. Bridget!”
She slinked into the doorway but entered no further.
“Show Mr. James where the fix is in the report.”
With a hand raised, I stopped her. “No need. It’s clear who’s done the work on this project.”
Bridget looked up and her eyes widened. Her surprise made me realize her upset over lunch wasn’t because of Jimenez, but because of me. I’d backed the fucker when I’d tested him, only she didn’t know it was a test.
Shit. Knowing I’d made her weak was like a kick to the gut. The last thing I wanted was for her to hate me, or worse, lump me in with a fucker like Jason Jimenez.
That wasn’t going to happen because I wanted to see her smile. I wanted to be the one to make her do it. And so many other things. Jimenez was going to be on the next flight out of the valley and off my payroll. And as far away from Bridget as possible.
I stepped toward him, and he retreated. “It’s also clear that you haven’t taken the sexual harassment class that’s required annually for all employees,” I pushed, referring to the one I’d put in place the first week I took over the company after my father died, “because if you did, you’d know there’s a zero-tolerance policy for comments like yours. That shit doesn’t fly with me.”
I stepped around him, stopped in front of Bridget and winked. The only person who was going to think dirty thoughts about her was me. At the same time, I wanted to pull her into my arms, hug her and tell her she was safe from assholes, but she didn’t need a man touching her right now. Not me, at least not until I made things right.
“Excuse me, Jemma?” I called.
She stood from her desk and faced me. I could clearly see hope in her eyes. Yeah, she’d been fucked over by Jimenez too. I was sure of it.
“Can you please book Jason a flight today back to Denver?”
Her mouth dropped open, but she snapped it shut, then smiled. “My pleasure, Mr. James.”
I had no doubt that was true.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Jimenez shouted. “You’re firing me because these women can’t handle a little talk?” His arms flailed as he spoke, then wiped spit from his mouth with the back of his hand.
“I’m firing you because not only do you not do your job, you’re a little shit who has to demean women to make his dick seem big,” I said. It was really fucking hard not to toss him out, but I was the boss, and this was a James Corp office, no matter how small.
Jimenez pulled his arm back with a blatant haymaker I could see coming, and let it fly. I could have blocked it, but I didn’t. It glanced off my jaw and barely rocked my head back.
Bridget hadn’t moved from the doorway, but her hand was over her mouth watching the confrontation.
“You saw that, right?” I asked her, making sure it was clear who threw the first punch.
She nodded, her eyes wide behind her glasses.
Not eager to fight in front of her–because this side of me was the last version I wanted her to see–but I had no choice. I wouldn’t let this go. I couldn’t and I wanted her to know it. I fucking needed her to know I would protect her.
I gave Jimenez one quick jab in return. His head rocked back, and he fell to his ass. Secretly, the sound of his nose breaking gave me immense satisfaction.
Immediately, I turned to Bridget.
“Are you okay?” I asked. She seemed fine, but I had no idea how long this had been going on for or what he’d said or done in the past. Had it just been words, or had he touched her?
She nodded.
