Page 108 of Not Safe For Work

“What are you talking about?”

“I know this thing with Olivia is all for show. I don’t care what you do with everyone else, but you can stop lying to me about it.”

“What?” It’s all I can say because I’m completely caught off guard. How would he know it was fake? And does it even matter anymore? Because there is nothing fake about our relationship now.

“I’ve known for weeks. I was hoping you’d just tell me what the deal is at some point, but apparently, you’re planning on keeping up the lie forever. What the fuck?”

“What do you mean you’ve known for weeks? Did someone say something to you?”

“I saw a text she sent Andie a while ago. Something about not needing you at an event because no one from work would be there. So are you gonna tell me what the hell is going on?”

“What did Andie tell you?” I ask. Because Andie knows everything. Does that mean Daanesh does too? Even as I think it, I know he doesn’t. He’d never stay quiet knowing what Mitch was up to.

“Nothing. She told me I misread it, but I know what I saw. Look, I know we don’t really talk about relationships, but you work for me. Olivia works for me. If there’s some scheme happening within my company, with one of my best friends, I’d like to know what’s going on.”

“It’s not a scheme,” I tell him. “And you know I wouldn’t lie to you unless I had to, right? I was just trying to protect Liv.”

He picks up the cue, but it looks like it’s just for something to do with his hands. Our game is on pause until I come clean.

So I do. Every detail from the moment I found Olivia barely breathing in the stairwell. From the moment I knew I couldn’t stay away from her anymore.

“Why the hell wouldn’t you come to me? You should have called me that night. You really don’t think I would have helped her?”

“I mean, yeah, but, it just felt kind of similar to the Davide thing, and?—”

“You know where I stood there.”

“I know whereyoustood. But what about Vaughn? The board? I honestly wasn’t sure what would happen.”

“Davide’s a board member. It’s different. I couldn’t overrule him on my own. Mitch can be replaced like that.” He snaps his fingers, his tone still full of quiet rage.

“Liv’s asshole ex is on the fucking board!” I yell. “This whole thing is fucked, okay? Maybe I screwed it up even worse but there was no easy way out. And Liv didn’t want to go to you, or HR, so it wasn’t my decision anyway.”

It looks like he’s about to say something else but changes his mind, his mouth still open. Instead, he shakes his head and kicks the leg of the pool table. “Fuck.”

“Hurt yourself?” I ask.

“Fuck off.”

“I really am sorry about lying to you. And for what it’s worth, Liv and I are together now. It’s not just for show.”

He looks up at me. “Yeah? Well, at least something good came out of this. Too bad I’m disgusted by my own company.”

“A few bad apples don’t make an entire company, Daan. It’s still a great place to work.”

“If a single employee doesn’t feel like they can speak up against their boss, even just to go to HR, then it’s all to shit. I have to fix this. Mitch is gone.”

Part of me is ready to fist bump Daanesh. I’d love nothing more than to watch Mitch get the axe. But then I think about my conversation earlier today with Olivia. I promised I’d let her handle this her way.

“Is there any way I could convince you to, umm, hold off on that for a bit?” I ask.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” He actually huffs this time.

“Just let me talk to Liv first. There’s a reason this all started, remember? This isn’t how she wants to solve this.”

“That isn’t her decision, Gav. I have to speak with her about it.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

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