Read The Sandstone Affair (An Erotic Romance Novel) Online
Authors: Priscilla West
The Sandstone Affair (An Erotic Romance Novel)
The
Sandstone Affair
by
Priscilla
West
Copyright
© 2013
All rights reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by
any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical
methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the
case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other
noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Copyright
© 2013
All characters appearing in this work are
fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely
coincidental.
Warning: This work contains scenes of graphic
sexual nature and it is written for adults only(18+). All characters depicted
in this story are over 18 years of age.
Table of Contents
“Honey, we should talk about some options.”
Dad’s weary eyes searched for mine.
“Stop it. Just stop it. You’re starting to
sound like them.” My eyes wandered across the room, settling on the quietly
beeping heart rate monitor next to the bed. I couldn’t look at him, especially
when he started talking like this.
“You can’t keep going on like this, throwing
away your money on an old man.”
“Dr. Vatel thinks the new treatment will
work.”
“He said there was a possibility it
could
work, Julia.”
I studied the pattern on the linoleum tiles,
trying to calm myself down. Every so often he’d bring this up again, and it
never ceased to rile me up all the same. I think it was when the pain got bad
for him. I tried to ask the doctors to increase the dosage on the morphine
drip, but they said it was too dangerous.
“Stop talking like that. I’m not going to lose
you like we lost Mom. I’m going to continue paying for Glenvale and that’s
final!” I stared down at my hands, trembling slightly. I gripped the plastic
handle on the hospital bed, my vision starting to blur with wetness.
I needed to be strong. I needed to be strong
for Dad. Mom made me promise that to her when she was in the hospital, when she
had lain in that antiseptic room just waiting for the disease to take her. It
was hard on both of us, but Dad took the worst of it. I was too busy building
up Lynx, the magazine company I founded, to have much time to think about her
passing. Every day I would rush over to the hospital after work to check on
her, but Dad was with her all the time. He practically slept in that hospital
room. We tried every treatment that the insurance covered, but it wasn’t enough
to save her in the end.
And now it’s happening all over again.
No. This time it’s different. Lynx is no
longer the scrappy magazine operating out of a basement apartment. It doesn’t
matter if Dad’s insurance won’t cover the new experimental treatments. Now, I
can make sure he has the best treatment that money can buy.
“You were always so headstrong.” Dad chuckled
lightly, realizing that he wasn’t going to win this argument. “So how’s your
world?”
Thank God, he’s finally dropping the subject.
“Good Daddy, everything is good.”
“How’s the big story? Ready to go to press?”
“Soon, there are a few more things to sort
out, but it’s getting there.”
“What about that handsome young man? Blake.”
His eyes twinkled at me.
“You mean Mark? He’s the only one you met.
He’s fine I guess, I don’t see him around that much. He’s been getting on my
case, but at least he doesn’t hold the fact that they own the majority stake in
the company over my head constantly.”
“You owe them a lot you know. Especially
Mark.”
“I know.”
Blake and Mark Stone of Sandstone Ventures had
saved Lynx in 2008 with an injection of capital, when the recession pretty much
froze the news stands. No one was buying magazines. It was the right decision
at the time to take their offer, but I couldn’t help but regret losing full
control over Lynx. It was my company, my child, my life.
Even though Mark had never been heavy handed
when giving me “advice”, I knew that ultimately they could force the company to
go in whichever direction they wanted. I followed Mark’s advice when it made
sense, but sometimes I had to ignore him.
Mark had never been able to convince me to
give up my feud with the larger and more popular Ladies World. I knew that
Sandstone Ventures had a stake in Ladies World, but that didn’t stop me from
undercutting them, scooping the heck out of their reporters, and calling them
out on their vapid articles.
I knew I should have given him a break,
especially since he got my father into Glenvale when the hospital director had
claimed that all of the beds were full.
“Mark’s a good man, Julia. Why doesn’t he come
around anymore?”
“He’s very busy Dad, he was just being polite
when he came to visit.”
Truth was, Mark had been adamant about
visiting my father with me and insisted on speaking to the hospital director to
make sure that Dad had the best doctor on his case. It was one of the only
times in recent memory that he hadn’t hounded me about leaving Ladies World
alone.
“Oh please, Julia, I saw the way you two
looked at each other last time he was here. He can’t be so busy that he doesn’t
have time for my lovely daughter.”
I had always been attracted to Mark, and he
really went out of his way to help me out so he must have felt something for me
too, but neither of us ever acted on those impulses. I guess he always seemed
so composed and distant. Thinking about Mark’s square chin and piercing eyes
was sending uncomfortable waves of heat between my thighs and I wasn’t quite
ready for those feelings again. Nor did I want to have to justify my
relationship status to Dad yet again.
“Listen Dad, I have to get to work. I’ll be
around to visit later tonight okay?”
“Okay, bye honey.”
“Love you, Daddy.”
Something’s different today. I can tell the
second I walk in the door to the office. Instead of the usual noise and chatter
of reporters and designers brainstorming and teasing one another, or the
frantic scurry of interns running photos to various cubicles, there is a hushed
and focused pall across the room. I see Jeff mouth, “She’s here” to the layout
manager.
Crossing the room in silence, acutely aware of
the absence of clicking keyboards, I push this morning’s conversation with
Daddy out of my head and put on my business face.
Janice stands up as I approach. That’s not normal.
“You need to wait here,” Janice says in a
quiet but heavy voice. I try to push past her.
“Why would I do that? I need to be in my
office.”
“Julia. Stop!” Janice jumps between me and the
door. “Just stop a moment.”
“What on earth?” I try to control my confused
reaction. Janice has been my administrative assistant since the first issue of
Lynx went to press. She’s a good employee and an even better friend. When we’re
at yoga, lunch or anywhere else she calls me Julia. But in all these years
inside this office I have always been “Miss Sharp.”
“Julia, I don’t know what’s going on, but some
lawyer from Sandstone came in today with security guards. They’ve been going
through the stuff in your office all morning, I tried to stop them but—”
“Janice, what the hell is—”
“I’m sorry Julia, I have to let them know that
you’re here.”
“Miss Sharp has arrived,” Janice says into the
intercom and sits down looking at the desk. Before I can get a grasp on what
any of this means, two armed security guards emerge from my office. One reaches
out toward me and motions me into the door.
“Did something happen here?” I ask the somber
guard. “Have I been robbed?”
“Oh, someone was robbed, Miss Sharp,” the oily
voice I recognize at once calls from the inner office. “But, it wasn’t you.”
“Mr. Allen.” I shudder when I say his name. As
one of Sandstone Venture’s attorneys, and the personal lawyer of Blake Stone,
Kenneth Allen is more of a pompous bully than an officer of the court. He’s
been insufferable ever since I turned down his clumsy attempts at courtship.
“How nice of you to visit. What brings you
here, and why have you commandeered my property?”
“You’re wrong on all counts, Miss Sharp,”
Kenneth drawls, his voice thick with superiority. “This is neither nice nor a
visit, and nothing here is your property. This magazine and this office are the
property of Sandstone Ventures. Of course, if you had known that we wouldn’t
need the added security.”
Kenneth is standing behind my desk, his meaty
paws thumbing through folders he has pulled out of my drawers and placed all
over. Red tags cover my computer, my file cabinet and even my lunchbox left
over from yesterday. I pull at a tag to see the word “EVIDENCE” written across
it.
“Evidence? Evidence of what?”
“I’m sure if you search your soul deep enough,
you’ll figure it out,” Kenneth says. He talks to me like I’m three years old
and it always sends me into a tailspin.
“Drop the act and tell me what is going on or
get the hell out of my office.”
I hear the click of the office door as the
security guard closes it, shutting out the prying eyes and ears of my entire
staff. Mr. Allen reaches into his briefcase and brings out three legal sized
manila folders, placing them in a line. The last folder is red.
“We’ve been watching Lynx for some time, Miss
Sharp. Or, should I call you, ‘Miss Shark?’ That’s what your staff calls you.
We saw it all over their inter-office instant messaging. We also saw some…
shall we say… irregularities in the account management. We aren’t sure what
we’re looking at yet, but if it’s anything serious you will be the first person
we notify.”
“Irregularities? That’s bullshit. Where’s
Mark? Why isn’t he here telling this to my face?”
I can see the gloating fire behind Kenneth’s
eyes. “Mark is no longer in charge of your accounts. He turned all the
necessary documentation over to Blake last week.”
Another news flash that hits me between the
eyes.
“Why would he do that?” It’s like trying to
put together a puzzle where none of the pieces match in any way. I’m drowning
in new information and none of it makes any sense.
Stop. Calm down, Julia. Breathe. You need to
think.
“Because Mark is in charge of functioning
properties, and this magazine no longer meets the criteria. Blake is in charge
of acquisitions, transfers, mergers and–in your case–closures.”
A surge of fury and something else, betrayal,
clenches in my stomach.
“Closures? You’re closing Lynx? You can’t do
that! I still own forty-nine percent of this company, damn it. You can’t just
come in here with some bullshit charge and then shut us down! I have some time
for legal recourse.” This can’t be happening.
Kenneth opens the first folder. “You’re right,
Miss Sharp. Of course, you’re always right, aren’t you? Enclosed is a copy of
the injunction barring Lynx Magazine from any independent publication, action
or pursuit until the terms of closure are finalized. The magazine can function
only
under the direction of Blake Stone until your time for rejoinder is finished.”
I stare at the stack of legal nonsense in
front of me. I need to sit down but the only chair in the room has a box filled
with files in it. I grip the back to steady myself as Kenneth opens the second
folder.
What? There’s more? I’m trying to clear my
vision.
“What you see in this document is the closure
of Lynx Magazine, and transfer of contracts, staff, projects in development and
all resources to another of Sandstone’s properties.”
Kenneth smiles like a hungry alligator.
“Everything here, except for one element, will
be transferred to Ladies World under the direction of Valerie James. And
finally,” Kenneth clears his throat, smiling broadly as he opens the red
folder. He pretends to offer it to me then pulls it back. The security guard
has both my arms behind my back so he knew I couldn’t take it in the first
place. “Well, I can see you’re upset. I’ll just read it.”
“Yes, please do,” I snarl.
“Julia Sharp, by executive order of Blake
Stone, Co-President of Sandstone Ventures, due to the pending closure of Lynx
and transfer of its resources to a magazine that already has an
editor-in-chief, your position has been declared redundant and your services
are no longer required. Pursuant to contract section V paragraph 3A–you are
hereby terminated from your position.”
He hands the folder to a guard and sits down
behind my desk while his superior smile still gleams. I look around the silent
room, struggling to hold back the fire that I feel building up in the pit of my
stomach. A loud throbbing noise fills my ears as I try to contain it. The
flames build in intensity until they sear a hole through my chest, surging forth
in an uncontrollable torrent.
“I built this company from nothing! This is my
company.
I
landed those stories while eating ramen in a basement!
I
stalked those celebrities to get those interviews.
I
hustled my ass off
to sign on those advertisers! And you think that Valerie James over at Ladies
World will know what to do with it? You can’t just come in here with some
trumped up bullshit and get rid of me!”
Kenneth nods and the guard starts tugging at
my arm.
“These gentlemen will walk you to your car.
Good day, Miss Sharp.”
I struggle against the guard’s grip, trying to
get away. “This isn’t over, if you think it’s going to be that easy to take
Lynx away from me, you’re wrong!”
I’m rushed through the door and look to see
the entire staff, some with mouths hanging open, watching me being escorted
from the building like a petty thief. The guards don’t let me go until I’ve
been deposited in the front seat of my car.
I slam my hands against the steering wheel.
What the hell just happened in there? Why was there no warning of this? It
didn’t make any sense! Mark made no mention of this when I last saw him. Those
goddamn wolves. Was this the plan all along? String me along with promises of
independent governance and then send me out the door with some bullshit, so
they could have Lynx to themselves?
No. It can’t end like this. Maybe it would’ve
been better if we had gone bankrupt in 2008, I could have taken that. We would
have fought the fair fight and lost. But this, this is something else.
I look at the red folder the guard gently
placed in the passenger seat on top of my old mail and Daddy’s hospital bills.
Shit. How am I going to pay for Glenvale now? There’s no way insurance is going
to cover a private hospital like that. I feel the first hot tears begin to pour
down my cheek. Daddy. I can’t lose him too. Not when I had missed so many of
Mom’s last days because I was caring for my struggling company. No. I need to
be strong for Dad.
I’m pretty sure Kenneth Allen is watching me
from my own office window. I want to flip him off and drive out in a show of
bravado, but I can’t seem to get my arms to move. I grip the steering wheel
until my knuckles are white, imagining my hands around the throat of Kenneth.
The tears keep coming, one after another until
I put my head on the steering wheel and collapse in a heap of breathy, heaving
sobs.
Oh my god. What am I going to do?
