Things at Naton Corp were progressing under Elle's management. More
contracts for software were coming in. She authorised HR to hire temporary
staff to fluctuate between jobs. She revamped the entire flow of the company
to reflect positive movement. Nate was proud. The end of her trial period
was approaching, he was nervous. When they were working, she treated
him like her boss. When they were alone, he was the focal point of her
affections. He decided he would approach the topic of her family and go
from there.
Elle was Chairing a meeting with potential clients. Her voice was calm,
confident and sexy. She didn't realise she sounded that way because it was
her natural voice.
Nate listened but he kept his eyes on the men in the room. He was getting
annoyed, the testosterone in the room was rising and he felt he would
jeopardise the contracts if he didn't get a handle on his jealousy. Elle
glanced at Nate every chance she got, and she could see he was getting
angry.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have concluded the first part of this morning's
meeting, refreshments are available in the reception area. We will convene
in 45 mins."
Everyone got up and left their folders on the table and headed out of the
board room. Elle looked at Nate and left. Nate quickly followed. He could
see she was upset. He couldn't help how he felt. She was his woman!
Elle went to her own office, sat at her desk and waited.
Nate rolled in, closed and locked the door. When he turned to face Elle, he
knew he was going to get it.
"I'm sorry."
"I know you are but my question is, why be sorry for who you are?"
"As of today I will no longer take the meetings with you, you are capable of
handling them on your own."
"Fine."
"You don't see men the way I do Elle, they get ideas without provocation."
"I know men Nate, I have a brother and cousins and I have you. I know how
to handle men, it's your reaction to them I can't handle. Do I growl at women
when they blatantly stare at you? Do I bark at them when they lust visibly at
you?"
"No."
"Then stop it."
A few hours later, Elle was wrapping up the meeting. She had secured
contracts with four of the six and she was pleased. The other two needed a
bit more time. She left the board room and was standing in the reception
area, mingling with some of the guests.
One man in particular, came over and spoke softly.
"Can I take you out to dinner Elle?"
"Thank you for the invitation but I'm involved."
"With that cripple? I've seen the way you two look at each other. Pity you
want to waste yourself with someone as useless as him. I can do things to
you he wouldn't even dream of."
Elle gasped and moved away.
"Mr. Windham, I would appreciate it if you kept those thoughts to yourself, it
is definitely not appropriate."
"I've seen you at the club dancing."
Elle gasped. She was afraid of this day.
"What you think you could hide forever? Nate wants our money, I am willing
to buy the software if you spend a night with me." John Windham reached
out and attempted to run his finger down her arm.
"Sir, please do not touch me, I am not interested in you." Elle tried to move
farther away without arousing suspicion.
"That cripple can't satisfy you, I can."
Elle sighed.
"If you don't spend the night with me bitch, I will make sure you regret it."
John's voice was demonic, and it made Elle's skin crawl.
She began to get a little afraid, to the others in the room, it looked like she
was simply having a conversation with a potential client. What she did not
know was that the man in her life, was listening to the conversation from his
office.
"Myk."
"Sir."
"I need the file on John Windham."
Myk walked over to the filing cabinet and pulled the file. She handed it to
Nate and stepped back. The look on his face meant someone would either
die, lose their job or have so many broken bones there would be no recovery.
"Call Mark, tell him leak any dirt we have on Windham."
"Sir."
Back in Reception
"I'm tired of this Mr. Windham, I won't be sleeping with you, please leave me
alone."
"Don't be shy all of a sudden, I see how you spread your legs on stage,
inviting men to do things to you. I won't hurt you but I bet I'm bigger than the
cripple, you will feel me for a week. Give it a try."
Elle turned to walk away. Windham grabbed her hand and yanked it. Elle
tried not to let out a sound, but her hand hurt.
"Let go!"
In the next moment, John Windham was flat on his back, sporting a busted
lip. Myk propped up on a wall as if nothing happened. Nate wheeled slowly
over to Elle.
"Honey, are you okay?" Normally he would not use terms of endearment at
work but he needed to let people know she was his. Whispers and murmurs
could be heard but he didn't care.
"My hand hurts other than that I'm fine." Nate reached for her hand and
realised she was holding it in a funny way.
"Myk, get Greg." Elle's hand was bruised where John had pulled it.
Myk pulled out her cell and made the call.
"Ten minutes sir."
"Now, Mr. Windham, you are no longer welcome at Naton Corp. Whether
my fiancée is willing to press assault charges, that is entirely up to her." He
looked up at Elle. She shook her head.
Some of the clients and staff murmured. She was his fiancée?
"As you can see, Elle is unwilling to take this any further."
"Fiancée?" John screeched.
"You have known me for over twenty-years Nate, and you are willing to go
against me for this bitch?"
Myk stood straight as Nate reached under his chair. She rested her hand on
his shoulder, reminding him they were at his office.
"John…" Nate warned.
"What Nate? She worked in one of your clubs, that's how you found her!
She isn't qualified to be the VP here. Are you blind? Let me have her for a
few days, we can share." John grinned wickedly from the floor.
"Everyone, I apologise for this gentleman's behaviour." Nate said firmly and
nodded to Kim.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please take what's left of the refreshments and head
out." Kim said nervously. She knew Nate was controlling his anger but the
moment the guests were gone, she would be hiding behind her desk. She
knew about her two bosses but when Nate said it out loud, her respect for
him soared.
When the last person left the area. Nate glanced at Elle. Greg had just
strolled through the door with his bag.
"Hey guys what's the emergency?" Greg was a handsome Doctor, but he
was fierce when it came to his patients. He was on call for Nate as he was
the only one Nate allowed to perform surgery on him.
"Myk, take Elle and Greg to my lounge."
"Greg, take Elle to Nate's lounge." Myk said.
"Myk."
"Not leaving you here sir." She replied.
"Fine. Greg, Elle, get going."
Myk and Nate waited until the office door was closed with Greg and Elle on
the other side of it.
"John, I know your reputation for sleeping with anyone who is willing, but my
woman is off limits, especially since she refused you more than once, I will
not say this again."
"You have lost it Nate; I remember the days when we used to run shit
together and all of a sudden you are shacking up with some black bitch from
one of your clubs? Come on man, let me have her or I will take her from you
and throw her back when I get tired."
John didn't understand how his words affected Nate. When he did get the
picture, Greg was standing over him with a strange look on his face.
"What happened?" John asked Greg as he struggled to sit up.
"I was told to wait here until you woke up. Damn, they messed you up good
John. Why would you mouth off to Nate of all people? You know what he is
capable of!"
"Man, she looks good and she would look better bouncing on my…" John
never got the words out. When he woke up for the second time, he was in
an alleyway in the heart of Bridgetown, surrounded by four men. Greg had
punched him and left. Two of Nate's bodyguards took him out to a car and
drove him away from Naton Corp.
The next day, the headline read, John Windham, CEO of Wind Man &
Associates caught with his pants down.
"Oh gosh Nate, what did they do to him?" Elle asked as she curled up with
him on the sofa. Her wrist was wrapped in a light bandage.
"Oh I dunno, a rectal exam maybe? He dared to threaten my woman." Nate
said as he reached across, took her wrist and kissed it.