Christian

"I'm thinking we hit up Maverick's Corp about potential long term investments. Give them the same sort of offer, but throw in some compensation. We'll give them a portion of our cut from the next Gala, as well as promote their new front line fitness products in our gym's." Brad spoke.

He was currently sitting comfortably in the office chair across from mine. My desk was covered in files and contracts as Brad desperately did everything he could to save the millions of dollars we were about to loose with Larington.

I was currently paying him zero attention.

"With this little contribution, you're very soon going to run this company into the ground, Christian." Brad finally cracked when he noticed me shooting a quick text under my desk.

I gave him a sigh. "I'm sorry, man. Something's been on my mind."

"What's up?" He asked. I gave him a shrug.

It was sort of hard for me to get into words.

"Hypothetically speaking, what would you do if you walked in on a private conversation where one of your employees was saying some less than polite shit about you and your company... hypothetically speaking."

"Someone said something about you, and they're still breathing?" Brad asked in too serious a tone.

"Hypothetically speaking. Hypothetically."

He rolled his eyes at me.

"I think it would all depend on the person. If they prove to be a valuable asset to the company, I would sit down with them and have a very real conversation. If they're expendable, then I wouldn't really go the distance. I wouldn't necessarily lose sleep over a janitor saying some things about you, Christian."

He wasn't exactly a janitor, I thought to myself. My teeth clamped down harder on the insides of my cheek.

After a little while longer, I nodded.

"I'm more surprised by the amount of thought that you've put into this. You're usually not one too... Well.. Not one to think before acting." Brad said those words as if, at any moment, he could choke on them.

"You're totally right. This is what's bothering me, man. Like why do I care so damn much? If it was anyone else, They would have been fired on the spot."

"I think you're just not used to overhearing people say anything about you." Brad replied. I rolled my eyes at him. "You don't handle criticism well, Christian. Like at all. So you don't have anyone there to push you." He continued.

"I have you."

"I'm also your brother. I'm not sure that even counts." I couldn't help but tense up at those words.

"You're admitting that far more often than you should be. Let's not forget the consequences of people finding out about that, Brad." I reminded him.

"I thought hell would freeze over before a word like consequences ever left your mouth." Brad joked, but I shot him a look.

The one thing I cared about more than anything, was family.

And protecting it.

"Seriously, Brad. If that information got out..."

"It won't." Brad replied... and we left it at that.

-

I pulled the laptop closer to the edge of the desk so I could get a better look at the employee files.

Alexander Hamilton...

Odd name.

Wasn't he a founding father or some shit?

In the picture that was shown, Alex looked a little younger. It made me wonder when he had started with the company... Only took a few more scrolls down the page to answer that question.

"He's been working here for three years?!" I couldn't help but blurt out loud.

How had I never seen him before?

"You didn't know who the front desk rep was until last week... when she accidentally let Bridget in." Brad reminded me. I couldn't help but laugh a little uncomfortably at those words cause he was right. I barely knew anyone that worked for me.

Up until now, that hadn't bothered me.

"Let's not even talk about Bridget right now. I was in a decent mood up until you brought her up." 

"Why don't you just break up with her? No one is pushing for you two to be together besides mom." Brad reminded me.

"You know she's absolutely batshit crazy. That woman is something else, I swear. She thinks I'm going to die alone or something."

"We all do." Brad countered. I punched him in the arm.

"I'm just picky with who I want to spend the rest of my life with."

Brad looked at me skeptically.

"I think we're overlooking the fact that every woman you've been with, has left you. Bridget is just a gold digger who's willing to withstand all your bullshit for a payout."

Brad was probably right. I treated Bridge like shit cause she was god awful annoying, but one shopping trip and all was forgiven again.

Luckily, she had left for Paris's fashion week and wouldn't be back for another few weeks.

"I need you to set something up for me, Brad."

"What's up?"

"Could you get Alex in here before the end of the day?"

Brad looked at me for a few seconds in complete utter disbelief.

"It's great how I went to school for 8 years to become a lawyer, but instead of doing actual law shit, I'm over here managing your personal life. I'm not your assistant, Christian." He reminded me. I gave him a grin.

"But you're so good at it."

Alex

It was steadily approaching the end of my shift. And fuck I couldn't wait to get the hell out of here. Joan had ever so nicely massaged my temples to help relieve some of the hangover... she also expertly patted my back while I was throwing up my insides.

That happened a lot today.

Just like clockwork, as soon as 5:50 rolled around, I already had all my stuff packed.

Today had been a slow day, mostly thanks to Derek.

He sent a mass email out on the first, second, third, and fourth floor- letting them know that a day may come where their computers or company phones may need fixing... but today was not that day. He delivered this as expertly as Aragon did at The Black Gate in Lord of The Rings.

My desk phone only rang twice.

Once was for a update on an ongoing open ticket, the other was Joan checking up on me to make sure I was still breathing down here. The rest of the day was left for me to fix the laptop and recover.

So as I slung my messenger bag across my body, and slipped my personal phone off the charger, you could imagine the feelings I received when my desk phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered into the line.

"Hello." An all too familiar voice replied.

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