Page 10 of A Merry Invitation
“What about the other clubs?” Ridge asked while reading the document.
“I plan to call a virtual manager’s summit after the first of the year to propose its use in the other facilities. I’ll need approval from fifteen percent of the combined group to apply to the Delegation for an amendment to the onboarding package.”
Ridge raised his gaze to Slay once more. “But you have the authority to put this in place here?”
“I do,” Slay replied. “My member was involved, my facility’s privacy jeopardized by my staff member. It’s my call how to handle it unless my actions will adversely affect the club worldwide. Then I’d have to go directly to the Delegation and advisory board for guidance.”
“The NDA is a legal and binding agreement,” Jus said.
“But the things you’re threatening to do if someone breaks this agreement aren’t legal,” Ridge said.
“In here they are,” Slay replied. “And if anybody wants to go outside of the club to seek action against us, there are enough members with connections in enough places worldwide to make that shit disappear.”
“We should make sure Meldrick’s partner doesn’t know anything,” Sage said. “I already got a copy of Meldrick’s file from my contact at the department. Aside from that interview with Ridge, there was nothing else in any of his reports or handwritten notes about this place. But I don’t want to leave any loose ends.”
Que, with his twin’s rich dark skin but cool gray eyes, came to stand beside Jus. “I’ll get someone to bring him to our offices for debriefing,” he told his Jus. “You can question him since I’ve been to so many public functions with Roark and his wife Tamika. I don’t want to risk him connecting this interrogation to the Donovans.”
Jus nodded. “Got it.”
“We’ll make sure nothing like this ever happens again, Ridge,” Slay said.
His friend leaned forward dropping the document on Slay’s desk before he stood. “I trust you will,” Ridge said as Sage came to her feet beside him. “I’ve got to get back to Talaya. She’s meeting with the owner of the agency she worked at and I don’t want her to have to face any uncomfortable questions about her murdering supervisor alone.”
Luckily, this discussion had quickly squashed his previous arousal, so Slay stood and circled around his desk to stop at Ridge’s other side. “Look at you, all coupled up now. Guess we won’t be seeing you around here much.”
Ridge gave him a half smile and shrug. “Probably not, but I’m still concerned about the overall privacy of the club. This place helped bring me through a pretty dark time in my life. People need somewhere safe to go when what they require to stay whole and receive pleasure is outside the boundaries of society’s rigid views.”
Slay totally agreed and nodded before shaking Ridge’s hand. “I get it, man. You know this place was a lifeline for me after I’d lost everything. So, I’m gonna make sure it remains standing and that people think twice before testing our patience again.”
“That’s good to hear,” Ridge told him as they walked toward the door.
Jus, Que and Sage walked behind them.
“Hey, how’s Trent doing? I know when you called yesterday you were leaving the hospital he’d been taken to the in the States,” Slay said.
“He’s good. Same trash-talkin’ Trent as usual despite the through-and-through bullet wound they’d had to stitch up to keep him from bleeding to death,” Ridge replied with a grin that didn’t exactly reach his eyes.
Slay knew that Ridge’s family was close even though the bulk of them lived in the States. When Jus told him about the shooting the minute Slay had climbed into his truck the day after Christmas, Slay had known the family would be shaken-up.
“But seriously,” Ridge continued. “We were all on edge when the doctors were initially talking about nerve and muscle damage to his right shoulder and arm from the way the bullet had ripped through him. He’s got some rehabilitative therapy ahead of him, that he’s already bitchin’ about, but Tia’s firm he’ll complete it. As long as he’s got her by his side, he’ll do fine. She and his kids are his life.”
Slay knew that sentiment well. Ebony and Cyan had been his life at one point. And then, they were gone. Just like his job at the NFL. All of it had evaporated in the span of sixty days and he’d been devastated.
“Well, send them my best,” he said on a deep inhale. The past was in the past, he wasn’t about to relive it now.
“Will do. And keep me posted on how this new NDA implementation goes. I’m sure Jus will stay on top of it,” Ridge told him.
“I will,” Jus spoke up. “We’ll get things under control here. And Que will continue to keep you and your family safe.”
“You mean he’ll keep bossing us around like a drill sergeant,” Sage added with a roll of her eyes.
“Not my fault some of you need more supervision than others,” Que added with a shrug. That garnered another eye roll from Sage as she moved between Ridge and Slay, to enter the hallway first.
With a barely perceptible nod she signaled for Ridge to move forward and after another quick handshake with Slay, he did so. Que followed them.
“I’m gonna walk them down and I’ll be back,” Jus told him.
Slay nodded and then closed his office door behind them. He took a trip to the bathroom, did his business, washed his hands and splashed some water on his face. He’d been anticipating that meeting since he’d known how pissed off Ridge was about this entire situation. But it had gone well and just as he’d told his friend, he was positive he would get a handle on things here.
