Page 85 of Extradition (Mobsters + Billionaires 1)
The audience goes quiet, but it’s a different kind of silence. Thoughtful.
“And it turns out when a video of you taking down a CEO goes viral, they suddenly want to hear what you have to say.”
More laughter.
“So I did the Brooklyn thing and told him straight up what needed to happen to change the culture here at Wolfe Athletics.”
Carla from the AV team illuminates the big screen behind me with the simple list.
That nets a gasp from the audience. I’m guessing the first bullet, the one about giving everyone a market-based salary adjustment, is the biggest shocker.
“Now, let me tell you something. When I said these five things in Wolfe’s big fancy office, they nearly laughed my ass out of the room. Trust. But then they lost another half a billion dollars in value and stopped laughing.”
Heads nod throughout the auditorium.
I realize that the plan to have Rand just come in at the end is flawed. We need to present this to the team together so they can see the difference in him.
I turn to Rand, raising my brow. “You know what this means,” I say, not caring that the audience can hear me.
He shakes his head at me, biting back a smile.
I lean into the mic. “Look, I’m about to go off-script. I’m supposed to show you this presentation all by myself, but I think that makes it look like this was all my idea. And that’s just not the truth. I worked with a lot of people, including a lot of you. I think our CEO should join me on stage and help me out. Rand?”
The team shifts in their seats. It’s not a bad thing. I think they want to see what he has to say.
He glares at me, but there’s a playfulness that I’ve come to recognize in him. I beckon him with the slightest raise of my brow, and he walks out on stage, sheepishly waving to everyone in attendance.
“Real talk, I don’t think he was his best self during our confrontation. But, having worked closely with Rand for a while now, I can tell you that under all that posturing is a very good man. And I wouldn’t be here if that were not the case.”
I step to the side and let him take center stage. He looks out at this company he helped build and bows his head. Then lifts his chin and scans the audience, almost as if he wants to look everyone directly in the eye.
“Mr. Portelli here is correct. That last meeting was not a good day for me. But neither were the days and weeks and even years leading up to it. I didn’t realize I was stuck in an old way of doing things. And if there’s one thing I learned from Mr. Portelli, it’s that if Wolfe Athletics is to be competitive for years to come, I’ve got to be willing to challenge my perceptions.”
“I swear to Jesus, if you keep calling me Mr. Portelli, I’m gonna get whiplash looking for my dad.”
The company laughs, and so does Rand, shaking his head. “And that’s one thing I also want to change. The formality of our dress code puts a layer of distance between you and me. My name is Rand, and you’ll notice I’m not wearing a ridiculously expensive suit. We’re an athletics company, for Christ’s sake. Let’s act like it. And if we pass each other in the hallway, I would prefer it if you told me good morning, Rand or fuck off, Rand, instead of some insincere greeting to the lifeless Mr. Wolfe.”
Everyone laughs, slightly shocked.
“Yeah, Joe’s rubbed off on me, can you tell? Pretty sure my father is somewhere in the back having a heart attack because I just cursed in front of the entire team. But, even if this doesn’t mean anything for the bottom line, this just fucking feels better, you know?”
Everyone gets to their feet, clapping. Rand holds his hand to his heart and bows his head, his face beaming. I don’t think he’s ever felt like this before. I know I haven’t.
And in that moment, I’m struck with another truth.
He’s someone I could really fall for.
Hell, it’s already happening.
