Free The Billionaire's Triplets (A Steamy Contemporary Romance Novel) by Mia Caldwell Page B

His reaction would determine her course of action. Letting him know meant she was walking a bit of a tightrope, and that made her feel more aroused than the night with Julio.
    # # #
     
    Seeing the smile on Tina’s face was a big tip-off. It was a smug, superior, self-satisfied look that broadcast all manner of sinister intentions. The fact that she made no attempt to hide the look told Lissa that something nasty was afoot.
    Lissa had already made up her mind to confront her, to sit her down and talk through what she suspected and what she knew. Then Tina’s reaction would tell her what she needed to do. She’d just discovered that Tina had broken off with several of her small clients. Keeping her on, where she interacted with clients and had access to privileged information, was certainly a bad idea. Rather than letting things fester and giving Tina a chance to do more damage, she wanted to take matters in hand.
    “Can you come into my office?” she asked.
    Tina grinned at her. “Sure. As a matter of fact, I wanted to have a talk myself.”
    When she’d shut the door and they were sitting, facing each other, Tina was the first to speak. “I’m giving notice.”
    That wasn’t the start to the conversation Lissa had expected. “Really?”
    She nodded. “It’s really getting impossible to continue the way we are. You and I have different ways of working, perhaps even different goals.”
    “But it’s my company.”
    “Yes it is. The thing is that while you were in the hospital, I got a taste of what’s possible when I get to do things my own way. Going back to being your number two isn’t going to work for me.”
    “I noticed that. You certainly didn’t even attempt to do things the way I asked you to do them.”
    She waved her hand. “I kept the business going. Okay, I dumped some of the smaller clients without telling you. But we never should have taken them on in the first place—they aren’t doing anything that will be noticed, and the cash flow they generate means they are hardly worth the effort.”
    “That might be a reasonable analysis if it were your company and not mine. I asked you to work along with those clients because I believe in them. It’s a matter of growing the company. As they get big, the returns will be worth what we’ve invested.”
    Tina waved her hand in dismissal. “That assumes they keep us on and don’t go over to a competitor. Hell, Lissa, they weren’t even interesting people. But our disagreement is exactly the problem—just the tip of the iceberg. You run a stodgy, functional business, with no élan, no class. You emphasize the grunt work and not the creative aspect.”
    “If you understood the core of what we really do, you might not see it that way.”
    “I understand the core of what I want to do, and it isn’t this. So I’m starting my own firm.”
    “I see. And you have clients?”
    “A few.”
    Lissa chuckled. “My guess is that I might recognize a few of their names.”
    “Some of your clients might want to go with me if they appreciate what I offer.”
    “And they must admire your sense of loyalty too.”
    “They can see the conditions; the restrictions I’ve been working under. They are intrigued by how things might be and want to give it a try.”
    “Well then, since you have used your time on my payroll to ingratiate yourself to them, I don’t suppose you’ll need my good wishes.”
    “Don’t be snarky. There’s no reason we can’t part amicably.”
    “There isn’t? You’ve lied to me about how you were looking out for my business. I’ve heard about the rumors you spread in an attempt to ruin my reputation. I assume that was part of the effort to steal my clients to fund your own business. And now you think I should be a good sport?”
    “Your reputation? You are a great number cruncher and are known to crusty academics as brilliant. Nothing more.”
    “Then why was it necessary to start rumors that I was a drug addict?”
    Tina