The Closer (18+) ✓

| 14.1 | closing the deal

❝Baby, you're so classic.❞

Chapter Fourteen:
Closing the Deal

Being in a position of power puts one in a very questionable place. Although most of the company transitioned quite fine with the change in leadership, the Board had a difficult time accepting that a young, budding employee like myself had taken over. The fact that I was a woman wasn't so easily accepted by the chauvinistic pricks either. Rumors were flying around that I was a temporary fix, that this was all a 'coalition phase' until they found someone more suited for the job. Those in the heart of the company knew that it was utter bullshit. I was here to stay, and I was doing hell of a good job.

Despite my rise to the Innovus throne, I refused to move out of my office. The only change I allowed was on the tech front. Like getting a company car (with Peter as my personal driver), a new phone and laptop. When they tried to scrape off my former designation on the wall and paint CEO in its place, I didn't allow them to. That was my starting point and I didn't want to forget it. A lot of people on the grapevine said I slept my way into the job, but none of those people belonged to my floor. Francesca, Tim, Jaden, Rina, Tracie and James...they'd become my family and I wasn't planning on leaving them anytime soon.

I'm not going to lie though; world domination crossed my mind a bunch of times, considering the resources I had at my disposal. But the idea shot out my head when I came home to the sight of Hans and Nozo cuddled up on the couch every night. Even being queen of the universe wouldn't grant me the happiness I had found in the cozy, little apartment I had come to consider home. I would be careful not to wake them when I shut the door and tip-toed over to wake Hans with a gentle kiss. It was sweet of him to wait up, especially considering how busy he had gotten himself.

With Jasper's help, Hans was getting closer and closer to achieving his dream. His best friend helped him to set up the record label, and although he provided a lot of assistance on that front, Jasper insisted that Hans run it independently at the end. It required a lot of business plans and meetings with distributors and artists, not to mention money. I could see that Hans was truly happy doing all of it as much energy as it took out of him. He was working toward his own goals and dreams now. But regardless of the number of times I told him not to wait up for me, he always did.

It was the little things that counted. Like waking up early in the morning to a breakfast tray already set on the night stand with a cute little hand-written note. Or sending and receiving texts at random intervals of the day when he knew I was on my break. Or having roses, my favorite flowers, delivered to my office by none other than Jaden with a suggestive grin on his face. We didn't have time for each other but that didn't mean we didn't care. I was busy, I was stressed and I was tired most of the time. But I was happy because at the end of the day coming back to that living room showed me it was all worth it.

It was one such day that promised a heavy workload. Upon my new designation, I made a new team of senior executives, most of whom were not only competent for the job but were friends too. Tim happened to be one of them. He took the promotion quite well, but he took the work that came with it even better. Plus, he'd made it a point of becoming my somewhat unofficial secretary which is why it never bothered me to walk in first thing in the morning and see him already in my office. However, this afternoon was quite different. For one, the reports and files I had left on my table to work on in the morning were all gone. And secondly, the laptop I'd left open to the new capital outlay for the year was shut. I narrowed my eyes at Tim who was leaning against the glass wall at the far end of the room, smiling at me in that innocent way of his.

"I had a fifteen minute lunch break," I spoke, calculatingly as I tightened my grip on my cup of fresh Starbucks coffee, "and there is no way you could've done all that for me in fifteen minutes."

Tim's smile transformed into a wolfish grin.

"That's because I didn't."

"Tim, enough of your tomfoolery, and give me back my files."

"I tossed them in the shredder."

The best way to give me a heart attack is to tell me something along those lines. Like, 'hey Tris, I just sliced and diced about a dozen contracts and terms from our biggest clients. No big deal!' I nearly stumbled back and collapsed but the burst of laughter that erupted from the overgrown teddy-man was both a life-saver, and absolutely enraging.

"That wasn't funny, Tim."

I made my way over to my desk. I plopped my butt down on my favorite leather rolling chair, practically sighing at the comfort of it. Ah, how I loved this chair. It almost, almost distracted me from wanting to kill Tim.

"You should have seen your face."

"You should see your face when I fire your ass," I growled.

Tim's grin widened.

"You love me too much to do that."

"You're right. I'll just get Rina to poison you instead." My threats came out useless as all Tim did was cock his head sideways and give me a shit-eating grin. Bastard loved messing with me. He had changed a lot since starting to date the prank-loving Rina and as much as I loved how he glowed with love and affection, I missed him being a 100% nice guy with me. Which meant no stupid jokes like this.

I sighed and brought a hand to my temples, rubbing them together. "Where are my files, Tim?"

"You need to let loose, Tris," Tim said, going all psychiatric mode on me. "You've been working way too much lately. When was the last time you took a break?"

I wasn't going to answer that question. Biting my lip, I turned away from Tim's look of concern and stared briefly at the gray overcast of my monitor. He had a point. Being a workaholic was one of my most distinctive traits but now that I had been promoted to the highest designation I could ever hope to achieve, the word 'workaholic' didn't even begin to cover me.

"I'm taking your silence in my favor and ordering you to take your phone, call Hans and then pick your ass up and go spend the day out with your boyfriend."

Tim saying all this didn't come as much of a surprise but to go to the extent of suggesting I leave the office to spend time with his mortal enemy was a sure cause for a heart attack. My eyebrows flew into my hairline as I stared up with my mouth hanging half-open.

"Did you just-"

"Yes, I did. Get over it," Tim murmured. He crossed his arms over his chest, and the fact that his hands were curled into tight fists didn't help the strain of his biceps through his shirt either. "I just want you to take the day off. And if that turd-wad is the one you want to spend it with, then it really isn't my business to come in between. Anymore."

Scooting my chair closer, I placed a hand on Tim's tensed arm and squeezed lightly.

"Those words must taste utterly vile coming out of your mouth but the fact that you're saying all this shows how desperate you are to get me out of here." With a deep sigh, I stood up. "Fine. You win. I'll go."

Tim's face broke out into a delighted grin. "Great!"

"But if Hans isn't free, I'm coming right back," I warned. "And I want to see those files back on my table when I do."

"Of course, your Highness."

I rolled my eyes and smacked my hand against the back of his head, earning a hearty laugh from Tim who didn't look the least bit in pain to my greatest disappointment. He escorted me downstairs to the lobby, more to reassure himself by seeing me physically exit the building than out of the kindness of his heart. On the way, Hans texted me and confirmed that he was free. As much as I posed to be annoyed, I was actually quite grateful that Tim was making me do this. I didn't realize just how much I needed to get away from the office until I stepped into the car and instructed a smiling Peter to take me to Hans.

"A day off, miss? That's rare," he commented, eyes crinkling up into a smile through the mirror.

"Oh, don't rub it in Peter," I groaned. The older man chuckled but didn't say much more, starting up the car to take me exactly where I needed to go.

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Song: Classic by MKTO

Squeezed in a faster update this time. ;) Hope you guys enjoy! There are only a few parts left, eep!!