The SUV cruised smoothly down the highway, the late morning sun casting warm streaks of light across the seats.
Roman kept one hand on the wheel, the other curled around Blair’s fingers resting on the center console. Keira and Sutton sat in the back, the latter scrolling through her phone while Keira hummed along to whatever pop track was playing softly through the speakers.
She was so glad that her sisters liked Roman. It made everything so much easier. She wasn’t looking forward to today, but with Roman and her sisters by her side, she would get through it. But when this was over, she wouldn’t be helping her aunt and uncle out anymore. They could only take gratitude so far, and she was all out.
After the way they had treated Sutton when she had come home pregnant, but their total acceptance of Laura’s pregnancy and the fact that they had said Laura couldn’t help falling in love with Blair’s fiancé… The lies people told themselves to make it okay. Her cousin was a slut.
Blair glanced at Sutton through the mirror again. She was still on her phone. “You okay back there? You’ve been frowning at your screen for ten minutes straight.”
Sutton exhaled sharply and locked her phone. “Yeah, just work stuff. Or rather, work stupidity. I know it’s Saturday and I should just let it go, but there is so much happening.”
“Wanna elaborate?” Keira asked, shifting to face her sister with interest.
“My company got bought out,” Sutton said, rubbing her temple. “New owner is coming in next week, and they’ve already shuffled things around. I’m still stuck on reception so that hasn’t changed. I’ve been doing front desk work for months, even though I have better training than most of the idiots they have put in tech positions and I’ve submitted, like, six transfer requests. But I’m missing one important thing… I don’t have a dick.”
Keira started laughing. Normally, the smartass comments came from her.
Blair winced. “I’m sorry, Sutton, but I think you should leave.”
“What is the point? I’m pregnant. Who is going to hire a woman six months pregnant? I’m hoping this new owner is better. The company currently has a reputation as a boy’s club. You know, one of those places where the coffee machine gets more respect than the women do and better jobs.”
Roman glanced at her in the mirror. “They’re not recognizing your qualifications?” He knew this, Blair had told him, but he couldn’t say anything about Luca buying Cyber10 until it was announced.
“Nope. Apparently, this new owner is all about ‘streamlining operations, so he sent in a team early to ‘evaluate talent. So far, evaluating means ignoring me, but I shouldn’t have expected anything different. The woman Nicole he put in charge? She is a piece of work.”
“Do you know who the new owner is?” Blair asked.
“Nope. No names. Nothing. Just some vague reference to ‘he‘ arriving next week. It’s all very mysterious CEO–level cloak and dagger. If he walks in wearing aviators and calls everyone ‘kid,’ I’m walking out. But if Nicole is any indication of what the CEO is like, then I’m not impressed”
Keira snorted. “So, every man in upper management, basically”
“Hey,” Roman said from behind the wheel.
They laughed. “Present company excluded, of course,” Keira said.
“Exactly,” Sutton muttered. “Still, I’m hoping he’s different. Maybe he’ll shake things up for real. Because right now? It’s a joke.”
1/2
༥༣93།
Chapter 57
Roman said nothing, but his jaw tightened slightly. Blair felt his thumb twitch against hers.
“Isn’t that the company Roman uses for software security?” Keira asked suddenly, leaning forward.
Sutton perked up. “Wait, that’s right…you do. I’m sorry for speaking out of school.”
“We had our own issues with Cyber10, remember,” Roman replied carefully. “I’m hoping the new owner improves things as well.”
Sutton frowned. “Well, let’s hope their leadership overhaul extends to the whole company. I’ll find out who the new guy is next week. Should be interesting.”
Blair glanced at Roman again, noting the subtle tension in his shoulders. He knew something, she could feel it, but now wasn’t the time to press.
Keira stretched her legs out. “Speaking of annoying men, my boss is back from Monaco.”
“The prince?” Blair asked, grinning.
“The very same. Prince Asshole. Still looks like he walked out of a cologne ad. Still terrifyingly efficient and cold. Wanker. Has me running after him like I’m his personal slave. I don’t think he remembers we have no slavery in this country. ‘Keira, coffee!‘ I’m not sure the man knows what ‘please‘ is.”
Sutton raised an eyebrow. “So, what you’re saying is, you’re secretly his royal barista?”
“Exactly. With a side of diplomacy and billion–euro mergers.”
Blair chuckled. “Honestly, it sounds like a Netflix drama.”
Keira smirked. “If only. Then maybe I’d be paid what I’m worth.”
The mood in the car lightened with laughter. For a moment, the party they were heading to felt like a distant problem.
But Blair still had a knot in her stomach, and she wasn’t sure if it was from seeing Dan and Laura… But she had Roman and her family.
She looked out the window, watching the countryside blur past, the nerves in her gut twisting a little tighter with each mile. “Just think,” she muttered under her breath, “we could’ve been doing something fun today. Like taxes. Or dental surgery.”
Keira leaned forward between the seats. “Hey, at least there’ll be free booze. And I plan to drink my body weight in champagne while smiling sweetly at every fake bitch in that room.”
Sutton gave a soft laugh. “As long as nobody ends up arrested, I’ll consider the day a success.”
Blair smiled faintly, grateful for the company, for the shared sarcasm that made everything seem just a little more bearable. Whatever the day held, she knew one thing for certain: she wouldn’t be facing it alone.
2/2
