Chapter 8: Mr. Clean
Thank you all once again! I'm on vacation so I'm in a different time zone so a earlier upload this week lol. Special thanks to commonflower for the song suggestion! Hope you all enjoy!
I hate you, and if I get the chance, I'll fuck up your life. A smart blue suit by the Jam
The rest of the week had been long and grueling. The days where okay staying busy but the nights were tortuous. Spending all day with Gillian conducting interviews and night after night dreaming of her, seizing his guts. Teasing him with his deepest wants and desires, only to rip them away by the morning when he woke up alone.
By the time Friday came along, he felt like the walking dead. Stuck in a vicious cycle all week, he hoped this weekend he could finally get some restful sleep. Sitting in the cube with their final interview of the week, finishing up with Mrs. Christensen. An older woman with gray hair and glasses. She was one of Lavis's seamstresses. She had worked with the company since its founding.
"Mrs. Christensen We are almost done here. Just a few more questions, and we will get out of your hair. Have you ever taken money from the company?"
"No, never, Doctor Lightman." Truth, she continued. "Mr. Lavigne is very particular about who he hires and who he trusts. He has fired employees that he felt were distrustful, even if nothing came to light. He and Elizabeth are very…. meticulous; I couldn't imagine anyone would steel."
Catching something when she said the name Elizabeth; was that possible contempt? He pressed her.
"How is Elizabeth as an employer?"
"she's fantastic" Looking to Gillian sitting on the other side of the cube, who shook her head slightly, knowing what she meant by that look.
"How would you describe Elizabeth and Perry's relationship outside of the business?"
"They are extremely close… An unbreakable bond. They have known each other for a very long time. She discovered him in Paris when he was 18 and going to school for fashion. His family was not… the greatest, and she sort of rescued him from what his life could have become. That and getting the school scholarship of course-"
"How was his family?" interrupting her before she could add more. Looking to Gillian, who had gotten up and left the room, returning his focus back to the woman. Where is running off to in such a rush?
Breathing in before looking up and back at him. "His mother had some mental health issues. She would lash out at him as a child…. She was a violent woman. his father was out of the picture at a very young age." He could see the sadness in her eyes at the mention of the abuse.
"Is his mother still in the picture?"
"She is alive, yes, but they have no communication as far as I'm aware."
A knock at the door broke the conversation. Getting up to get the door Gillian entered looking flustered.
"Mrs. Christensen, that will be it for today. Thank you so much for coming down. We will let you know if we have any more questions for you." Looking at Cal, her eyes showed apprehension and worry. "You need to come with me," she said, grabbing his arm and leading him out of the room in a rush.
"What's going on? We might have been onto something with that last bit before you interrupted " With a biting tone, he was annoyed with the interruption, being exhausted on top of it, causing his harsh reaction. Gillian didn't speak; she just led him straight to her office. The TV was playing as they entered.
"Trouble in the water for Perry Lavigne and Lavi? Embezzlement at Lavi is causing quite the stir before fashion week."
The TV anchor announced as Gillian sat on top of her desk, remote in hand.
"We are so screwed," he said, taking a seat next to her as they continued watching. Hearing a loud commotion out front and yelling, they turned, looking at each other. Gillian closed her eyes in apprehension.
"Think your designer watches the news, darling?" he whispered lightly.
Hearing a very loud "Lightman!" being yelled at the entrance of The Lightman Group. Slapping his hands at his legs before getting up to exit, Gillian followed behind.
Approaching them was a very aggravated Perry Levigne in a dark blue suit, Zoe in tow, trying her best to calm his anger.
"How the fuck did this get out?!" Perry yelled dripping in anger.
"I thought blue was supposed to be a calming color." Looking at Zoe, who looked frustrated at his attempts to make a joke with a seething Frenchman beside her.
Perry approached him, his towering figure hanging over Cal as he seethed.
"Tu m'as juré que ça ne sortirait pas!"- You told me this would never get out!
"English mate!" countering his frustration, yelling in return he could not understand a word he was saying which wasn't helping anyone in the rooms temper.
"Nous n'avions rien à voir avec cette sortie. Nous n'avions aucune idée que cela avait été divulgué. Je te le jure." - We had nothing to do with this getting out. We had no idea this had leaked. I swear this to you. Gillian defended stepping in between Cal and him and doing her best to calm the situation.
Looking at her with his mouth open and his breathing heavy, Perry huffed. Turning around, he exhaled loudly, slamming his knuckles against the wall. Rubbing his shaking hand through his hair.
Walking up to Perry getting into his personal space, "You gotta control that anger, mate. We had nothing to do with this getting out. We just saw on the news that this got out, but our office had nothing to do with that….We signed those NDAs right?" pointing to Zoe who nodded. "our office couldn't afford to break that contract."
"hes right Mr.Lavigne honestly speaking the Lightman group has been in the red-" Zoe offered.
"Eh, eh, none of that; now he doesn't need to know about our financial situation," he said, giving a pointed look at Zoe, who rolled her eyes.
Breathing heavily and reaching into his pocket, Perry pulled out a silver cigarette case, pulling one out and popping it into his mouth. Reaching his hand into his pocket and grabbing a lighter.
"Can't smoke that in here, mate."
"Nous avons un balcon… Suis-moi."- We have a balcony. Follow me . Gillian offered, holding her hand out in a welcoming gesture.
Perry nodded, walking with her on the way to the balcony, leaving Zoe and Cal behind.
"Any ideas on how this got out?" stepping into Zoe's personal space, close to her face as she took a step back.
"I have no idea; my office has attorney-client privilege, we couldn't say a word even if we wanted."
"It looks like Lavi has more than one rat."
"I feel terribly for you. I'm so sorry, Perry." Gillian offered her condolences as Perry lit the cigarette in his hand, taking a deep inhale and closing his eyes before exhaling. Looking at her with a nod before taking another pull.
"I don't know what to do, Doctor Foster. I have worked so meticulously at vetting every employee I have. I trust them all….I trusted them all." The final words came out bitter, like they soured on his tongue as he spoke.
"This doesn't mean that you can't trust them; this could have gotten out elsewhere."
Walking to her and closing in on her personal space, looking down at her small frame.
"And how can I trust that your company didn't have a hand in the leak, Gillian?" Taking another puff from his cigarette exhaling through his nose, letting the smoke fill the air. He waited for her to cower away from his imposing presence like most people did.
Standing tall and proud, never to be one to back down, she inhaled deeply, looking into his eyes as she craned her neck to look him in the eyes.
"I swear to you, we did nothing of the sort." Assuring him.
"The information got out after a week of working with your company." He pointed accusingly, fueled with anger.
"You had a liar in your mix before you sought our services, Perry…. You think maybe if someone could take money from your company, they or maybe someone else might talk to the press as well?" She countered. "Is it that far from the realm of possibilities that your evaluation processes might not be as thorough or effective as you hoped?"
"The only new addition to my life has been the use of your company. Who I agreed to work with without fully vetting Doctor Foster"
"I understand having trust issues, Mr. Lavigne. I don't know how else to ask you to trust us. Maybe you will never… not fully." She breathed a sigh before resting her back against the wall off the balcony. Placing her heel against the wall. "What can I offer that would show a sign of our trust and loyalty?"
His anger and frustration wiping clean from his face replaced by a wolfish grin spreading across his features as he put out his cigarette between his fingers. Putting his hand on the railing to the balcony on the side of her, he boxed her in partially before hinging his body down to meet her gaze. His tongue darted out to lick his lips. "Well, if you are offering things—"
Placing her hand on his chest, she stopped him from coming any closer. She was trying her best not to let him see the sheepish grin daring to make its way onto her face. "Not what I meant."
"You're the one offering things… How about just a date then? I will be a perfect gentleman." Keeping her hand firmly on his chest and halting him, he gave her the most innocent look he could offer.
Gillian watched, biting her lip, before cocking an eyebrow at his statement.
"Well… I will TRY my best to be a perfect gentleman," he said, his mischievous grin returning. Causing Gillian to smile in return. Looking down to the ground and removing her hand from his chest before answering.
"I will have to politely decline your offer." Looking back at his eyes, seeing the disappointment clear as day, she placed her hands behind her back, stilling them from touching him again, and bit her lip, adding, "I don't date clients."
"So it's not that you don't want to… It's that I'm a client. I could very well move my case to the Rader Firm. Then we could-" He toyed
"No!" she interrupted him, a nervous smile on her face, matched by his own grin of amusement. His eyes were dark with desire.
"Very well, I can be a patient man." He was hinging his body at the hips to get closer to her face, adding, "Les bonnes choses arrivent à ceux qui attendent et tout."- Good things come to those who wait and all.
"Hows your hand?" Trying her best to change the subject.
Offering his hand to her, she reached out touching his knuckles seeing the red marks.
"I think I need a doctor" he grinned as she held his hand in her small delicate hands. Holding his breath as her fingers traced lightly over his knuckles.
"doesn't look broken to me" letting go of his hand giving him a coy smile.
"Can I stay with you the rest of the week? With everything happening, Perry wants to stay here in town before his big party next week. I figure it might be best to stay close."
"Can't get enough of me, can you luv?" raising his brows at Zoe as she lightly chuckled at his remark. They made their way to the balcony, searching for Perry and Gillian.
"It would be helpful to have a place to stay…. Sex is always just the icing on the cake," she flirted, and she looked at Cal, noticing he did not care to hear her comment. He was stopped in his tracks, unable to move, his eyes locked on a target unable to stop watching the scene infront of him. His face grew angry as his mouth thinned. Zoe looked at his line of sight and saw that he was watching Gillian and Perry talking. Gillians body arched against the wall of the balcony, her heel resting against the back. The slit in her gray dress revealed a generous view of her thighs. Perry's large body hunched over her petite frame as his hand rested against the wall beside her. Looking down at her like a hungry wolf about to devour a rabbit.
His anger and jealousy were clear on his face, intensifying as Gillian held the mans hand in her own. He clenched his jaw, his fist subconsciously balling into a fist. Finally cutting his eyes away from the site in front of him, he looked at Zoe's face. Sadness, hurt, jealousy, anger— shit shit shit way to go—you can't control your emotions, and she just saw… everything.
Gillian finally noticed their presence and pulled her eyes away from Perry. Removing herself from the wall and Perry's large fortress of a body. Walking to Cal and Zoe, with Perry following suit. Gillian gave him a soft smile. "We were just discussing some options to show our loyalty and trust in the wake of the leak."
"Where ya now?" the words fell out bitter and spiteful.
Discussing options to show loyalty and trust my arse. That was a half truth at best. Judging by the look on Perrys face I could imagine what Perry suggested to show our trust. Blimey French twat.
Giving him an irritated look, the soft smile she once had absent as she spoke clinically and firm. "He doesn't know us. He has no reason to trust us yet…no wonder he thought it was in the realm of possibilities that we would leak the story."
"We haven't had to defend our loyalty and trust for any other clients, Foster," he pointed accusingly. His jealousy bubbling up out of him was harsh and aggressive.
"Other clients aren't paying us seven figures, Cal." Her tone was even and firm. Looking at each other with an unspoken conversation, both were unwilling to back down.
"Let me vet you," Perry interrupted looking at Gillian then Cal.
"Come again?" the confusion and shock rabid in his voice as Cal turned to Perry.
Vetting a euphemism for wanting to shag Gillian on the balcony? Angered and appalled by his own twisted thoughts.
"I vet all my employees; I do copious amounts of research on them before hiring them. I know you are not my employees, and I am hiring your services….which is why I didn't start the process already. That is also why I am asking for permission rather than just doing it like I normally do." Sounding as though it was a normal everyday question to propose to someone.
"And what exactly does that Intel mate?" hot with annoyance.
"Nothing on your part; my team will just do a deep dive on you both. Old cases, maybe, ex-employees, etcetera..." Looking between them both, waiting for a confirmation. "It would make me feel more confident using your services. Do I have your permission?"
Turning to Cal and watching his features, Gillian responded tentatively. "Yes." She looked at him with hope in her eyes pleading with him. Hoping he would just relent for once and not fight.
This prick wants to go through our dirty laundry, and she is so willing to give in to his request so easily? Seven figures—it's seven figures—we need the money. You were already a right plonker to her because you couldn't control your jealousy; just give her this.
Unwilling to break eye contact giving her a defeated answer "Fine."
"Fantastic! I will have my team get started. I do plan on staying in town the rest of the week and observing some of the interviews before the party next week. Maybe it will provide me some insight. It also gets me out of New York while the story hopefully blows over."
"It will. I have contacted several news sources to put an end to the story. Unless they want to get slapped with a law suit, they can't run the story any further," Zoe answered always the professional attorney. "That won't stop the paparazzi from asking questions, but at least the story won't air any more on TV until they get a bite from you."
Lighting another cigarette and taking a drag. "They can try and bite all they like."
"I have to get going." Gillian spoke up: "Perry, we will be seeing you Monday. Have a good weekend, Cal, Zoe." Smiling warmly at Perry and giving the others a nod.
"Got a date tonight, Doctor?" he asked with a cocky smile on his lips, taking another drag from his cigarette.
"Not tonight… spin class, actually. Try and have a good night, Perry." She added with a curt smile, turning to leave and walking to the door. Cal chased after her, opening the door for her.
"When did you start that up darling?" surprised by her comment.
"Last year after… everything" arriving at the elevator, pressing the down button. Everything, meaning burns and her. "helps with stress"
"Needed something new to ride, luv?" He toyed, waiting for her reaction.
Rolling her eyes at him before entering the lift. "Well, I'd hate to get rusty." Her voice took on a seductive tone. "Have a good night, Cal." The doors closed in front of her. Leaving a dumbfound Cal staring blankly at the doors.