Free Feel (Sovereign Book 3) by BJ Harvey

 
     
     
    After I snuck out of Barrett’s bed, my world turned upside down.
    I sat at my desk going over the cover proof for the new magazine when I was interrupted by loud voices arguing outside my office. I lifted my head in time to see my assistant, Carrie, rushing through the door with Gavin and two of the company’s security guards following behind him.
    “Ms. Jacobs, I tried to stop them but—” she said, but was interrupted by Gavin.
    He stood in front of my desk and crossed his arms, a look of satisfaction on his face. “You’re no longer CEO of Jacobs Publishing,” he said, looking at me, before turning to Carrie and saying, “And you’re fired.”
    I shot to my feet, my anger shooting straight to boiling point. “Gavin, you cannot waltz on in here and fire anyone. I’m the CEO, not you.”
    “You were, Alyssa, but as of an hour ago, you are not.”
    Carrie gasped in shock, and my mouth dropped open as my body went still.
    “What are you talking about?” I whispered loudly.
    “My wife and I share assets, which means what is hers is mine. Therefore, I now have the power to take over operational responsibility of Jacobs Publishing which I am doing, effective immediately.”
    “You can’t—”
    “You know, Alyssa, that this is absolutely possible—and legal.”
    I grabbed hold of my desk and held on tight, my body vibrating with anger as I desperately tried to stave off the shock threatening to overwhelm me.
    I reached over to grab my phone. “I’m going to call my mother. Just see what she—”
    The dial tone went silent, and I looked up to see Gavin’s fingers pressed down on the base unit.
    “Your mother won’t help you, Alyssa. I explained to her that you are young, too young to have such a responsibility weighing heavy on your shoulders,” he explained condescendingly. “This is a good business decision. You’d hate to disappoint her, especially since you said yourself that you’d never seen her so happy. You even gave me your blessing to marry her, remember?” His smile was wolfish and not at all friendly.
    “So you’re just taking over?”
    “I think it’s for the best. You can stay on, of course. Maybe you’d consider moving to the editorial department.” He crossed his arms and smirked at me, and I struggled to tamp down the desire to slap him on the face.
    I shut my laptop and picked it up but he interrupted. “No need for that. We’ll send any personal belongings to your new office.”
    “You’re gonna pay for this,” I warned as the two security guards moved toward me.
    “Oh believe me, I’ve already paid my dues. This is my reward.”
    “What?” I frowned at him, confused.
    “And Alyssa, just so you know, your forty-nine percent stake in the company is safe for now. But the minute you make any moves against me, I’ll see to it that your stake is so diluted you’ll be worth nothing.” He paused, lifting his hand to his chin and rubbing it. “Or I could just buy you out.”
    With that parting note, he spun around and walked out the door, and I was led out of my office and into the elevator by the security guards with nothing but my purse.
    I stood in shock outside the tall glass building that had my name—my father’s name—on it, and wondered what I was supposed to do. My father’s legacy had just been swept out from under my feet by a man who had—in the space of just over a month—alienated me from my only surviving parent.
    I pulled out my cellphone and dialed my mom’s number, tears gathering in my eyes when it went through to voicemail. At the sound of the tone, I spoke. “Mom, I need to speak with you. It’s urgent . . .” My voice cracked and I swallowed down the lump in my throat and continued, “Gavin has just taken over and told me he has your blessing. I don’t believe you’d do that so can you please . . . please call me back.”
    I hung up the phone and walked forward but stopped when the hairs on the back of my neck prickled, and