Chasing His Brother's Bride
Chasing His Brother’s Bride – Chapter 35

By Thursday Jolie still hadn’t had her sit-down conversation with the men in her life. The arrival of Brix’s parents, Flavia and Will, had put a damper on essentially any significant time alone with either him or Malik.

The couple had arrived as they were all getting ready to go to the office on Tuesday morning. Flavia had scowled and pouted when Brix had announced at dinner, they had their marriage license and Friday they would do the civil ceremony. She was constantly wherever Jolie was and making snide comments when Brix was out of earshot. She was certainly not the loving, kind, angel Brix and Elio had suggested she was.

Will was kind though despite being around all the time as well. He had insisted on accompanying them to the office every day and the man never shut up. He wanted details on every single aspect of the company he had retired from and she could tell Brix was as irritated as she was. Malik had been hiding in the basement an awful lot to get away from them all. She missed having a house without in-laws in it.

“If you tap that effin’ pen one more time on your desk, I’m taking away all your writing utensils,” Opal snapped suddenly.

Jolie tossed it on the desk and looked to her friend who was frowning at her. “Sorry.”

“What is going on with you?”

“Nothing.”

“Liar.” She pointed to the copy room.

Jolie shook her head, “can’t. Under orders to only use Brix’ office or the board room for our chats.”

Opal looked around, “give me a hint then. All your sighing, pen tapping and kicking of your feet under your desk are making me believe you are sexually frustrated.”

Jolie twisted her lips. Despite the arrival of Brix’s parents, the number of kissing and make out sessions had been amplified with both men, sneaking in pecks and full-on devouring of her face, at every opportunity. Both men made sure to k**s her good morning and this morning, Brix had another conversation with Pia about sleeping in her own room, which she flatly refused to agree to.

She could absolutely be frustrated but it wasn’t her problem and she knew it. Things felt very up in the air and she needed answers but couldn’t get them. This morning, Brix had snuck in while Jolie was in her robe doing her hair for work and had kissed her until she could barely stand upright. Malik had snuck in fifteen minutes later when she was putting the finishing touches on her outfit and had kissed her until she was gasping for breath. Both men had left her whistling happily. She hadn’t asked a single question of either of them. The questions she had Tuesday morning were increasing in monumental amounts.

“That’s it, isn’t it? You want the D.” Opal hissed at her. “Whose? Both? Tell me both.”

“Would you shut up?” she hissed back at her, sounding very much like an angry goose. “I am not discussing this here.”

“Elevator?”

“Has a camera feed right to Brix’s desktop monitor with audio.”

“No way,” Opal laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“I walked on the elevator yesterday when I was coming up from the third floor and Mavis and Celia were in there. I know they were gossiping because they went dead quiet when I got on. I hope they were talking about you and he listened in.” Opal’s dislike of the two women had increased exponentially over the week. It was as if Brix announcing their engagement had put a target on his back and they were dressing more provocatively, asking to meet with him privately more than once and had even invited him and Malik for drinks with the department, though none of the other department members were asked along. She hadn’t set foot on the floor all week knowing Will and Flavia were up there.

Jolie giggled at Opal’s words. “I still can’t get over Brix looking Celia in the face yesterday and flatly saying no to her invite for drinks.”

“Tried to make it seem it was team building but didn’t invite the team.” Opal snickered as she cast a sideways glance through the glass partition. “Mavis is a d**k but Celia’s pursuit of your fiancé is nasty. I mean Mavis doesn’t really know about the full equation,” she wriggled her eyebrows, “so chasing Malik, whatever but Celia going after Brix? Rude.”

“I’m used to rude,” Jolie huffed as she considered her soon to be mother-in-law. The woman had taken to insulting her every opportunity she had her alone. Jolie was essentially hiding in her own house to avoid the woman. Thankfully, Flavia didn’t appear to be excited about being a grandmother either so she had left Jolie and Pia to play alone in Pia’s room every evening when the men all went into Brix’ home office.

“Oh, is this why you’re annoyed? She still coming at you?”

“This morning it was the length of my skirt,” she sighed and looked at the black pencil skirt. “Brix picked this damn outfit this morning and insisted I get rid of my other clothes and the minute I hit the main floor of the house she was there like I was in Catholic school again. I swear if she’d had a ruler, she would have measured how high it was over my knee.”

“What is her deal?”

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Jolie shrugged but she knew. Flavia Beckwith was pissed her son had to pay for his younger brother’s fuckups and had to marry her. She found Jolie too plain, too quiet, too boring, too timid, and too chicken-shit. When Jolie had panicked when a new guy had stepped into the house and accidentally cornered her, Flavia had witnessed it. It hadn’t been intentional as he’d simply gotten in her space and when she’d panicked, he tried to help her and it had her on the floor. He was a big guy, as big as Brix with dark hair and it had taken for Malik to come and get her off the floor for her panic to subside.

The minute she was alone sitting on the sofa with a cup of tea in her hands from Fabrizio, Flavia had come into the space and told her she deserved an Oscar for her performance. Yes. The woman despised her because she wasn’t good enough for Brix since she was the used and damaged goods which once belonged to Val.

She looked to Opal realizing her friend had asked her a question. “I’m sorry, what?”

“It’s almost time for afternoon break. Let’s go down to the break room, get a coffee and regroup.”

Mordecai pulled his office door open, “we’re needed on the top floor.”

Opal grimaced, “why? I’m only your junior manager. She’s just your PA. You can meet with him on your own. We were going for coffee. Go alone?”

“No, I can’t.” Mordecai waved to the door. “All managers, juniors and PAs to the board room.” He motioned down the hall to see Macey, Celia and Mavis heading to the elevator.

“Not another announcement,” Opal grunted. “If the company has been sold again.”

“I think we’d know,” Mordecai cast a glance to Jolie. “Wouldn’t we?”

“I would hope so. He did promise I could keep my job,” she shrugged as they stepped into the elevator with the other three women.

“What is this about?” Macey looked to Jolie.

“How would I know? I only work here.”

“You are literally sleeping with the CEO,” Celia spat out. “You must know something.”

“You are right, Celia, I am sleeping with the CEO,” she made wide eyes at the stunned woman, “and I’ve never slept better. We’re too busy reconnecting,” she took delight in Opal’s snicker, “to sit around and talk about work.”

Mordecai nudged her as if reminding her they were recorded in the elevator and she shrugged. She was exhausted of people talking smack at her. She folded her arms over her chest angrily and tapped her foot flicking a glance up to the camera.

“There’s no need to be bitchy,” Mavis defended Celia.

“No there isn’t,” Jolie shot her a glare, “so explain to me why the three of you are?”

Before anyone could speak the doors opened and Jolie exited ahead of everyone and looked to Mordecai. “I need the lady’s room. I’ll be right in.”

“Of course,” he motioned for the rest of the women to precede him to the board room.

She stepped into the bathroom and locked the door behind her and moved to stand in front of the mirror. She was exhausted and tired of the constant mouthing off from the HR team. It had been the week from hell and she was about ready to put in for vacation time, stay home and do nothing for a week. Then of course, she would be stuck at the house with Flavia and she’d rather deal with Celia and Mavis than her.

She splashed water on her face, grateful she rarely wore makeup at work. She took a deep breath and when she pulled the door open, was greeted with Flavia on the other side. “Sorry,” she sidestepped to let the woman into the space, wondering why she was at the office.

Flavia pushed past her, “this is the executive floor bathroom. You shouldn’t be using it.”

She rolled her eyes at the diminutive brunette and walked past her, noting Brix had seen her eye roll at his mother as he exited his office. He quirked a brow but she ignored him and moved straight to the board room.

She approached her seat next to Opal and Mordecai and was about to sit when Keely called out her name. She looked up to see the woman holding two cords and scowling.

“Help?”

Jolie laughed, “I got you, girl.”

She and Opal had been taking Keely with them on their coffee breaks most days and they liked her. She was feisty and strong-willed and an added bonus disliked the HR girls as much as they did. She helped her set up a laptop and hook it up to display to the monitor on the far wall. They chatted quietly, giggling between them as they got everything together.

Keely grunted, “who pissed in her cornflakes?”

Jolie looked in the direction of her stare and shrugged, “I did.”

“What did you do?” Keely questioned as she noted the furious glare of Flavia Beckwith fixed on Jolie.

“I dared exist,” Jolie shrugged, feeling uncomfortable.

Brix entered the room and immediately Keely whispered, “he doesn’t notice, does he?”

“He doesn’t miss anything and you know it,” she whispered back. “He knows she hates me. He is ignoring it.”

“For the record,” Keely whispered back, “she doesn’t like me either. I’m gay and it makes her think I want to sleep with her. She’s ultra conservative and it makes her crazy.”

Her words made Jolie snort-laugh and it earned a loud laugh from Keely.

“Care to share?” Brix asked as he got close.

“Nope,” Keely flicked a glance in his direction. “I need one minute and you can begin your presentation. You can get started if you want and I’ll be ready.”

“Take your seat Jolie,” Brix motioned for her to join Opal and Mordecai.

She made her way to her spot and Opal leaned sideways when she sat down, “why is Brix being so standoffish with you? Usually he is touchy-feely?”

“He saw me eye roll at his mom,” she whispered in her ear. “Mean lady near the door.”

“She’s, his mom?” Opal queried quietly. “Yeah, she doesn’t like you.”

“No shit.” Jolie kept her gaze downward as she plucked at the hemline of her skirt.

“She knows none of this is your idea, right?”

“I don’t think it matters,” she quipped back.

“Good afternoon, everyone,” Brix voice cut into the conversations happening around the room and silenced them all. “It has been a week since I’ve taken over the company. I wanted to go over the things I’ve found, the things I’ve noted and review changes. A few of you will undoubtedly be upset with the information I share, others will not be impacted, and others will be happy.”

Jolie noted Malik entering the room with Will and another man who she remembered from the first meeting. She presumed a lawyer. Will nodded in her direction and she smiled back. Despite Flavia hating her, Will seemed to tolerate her somewhat. She noted Malik however didn’t even glance her way. She wondered whether she was going to be one of the several who will not be happy with the news Brix was about to share considering the way the men were ignoring her.

Jolie noted for the first time, along with HR, accounting, marketing and the realty team, there was also a spattering of people from the other departments which handled a lot of the administrative tasks and legal tasks involved in sales. He had made sure every department was represented in this meeting. s**t was about to go down. She was sure of it.

“First, let me reintroduce you to my dad, Will Beckwith. Most of you know I bought Will out of the company five years ago when he wanted to retire. He doesn’t enjoy retirement which is good for me because every once in a while, I come across situations which leave me stumped.” He waved around the room, “and I’m not too proud a man to admit I like my mentor around.”

He stood tall at the end of the table, “as you can see our legal team is here today.” He waved to his lawyer and also to the two guys and one woman who worked in the realty law office downstairs. “As of twenty minutes ago, I have fired three of the men from the realty office.” He held up a hand as a tittering of whispers started. “Let me make myself clear. I will never, ever put up with extortion. Not ever. Elaine and Solomon ran things far differently than I will. Having two men in the realty office who would falsify receipts, documents, and accounts because they had information, they used to leverage against your previous employers makes me uncomfortable and as a result, they have been terminated. They can take their extortion back to Elaine and Solomon and do with it as they see fit but it has no place here in my offices. The third man was terminated because he was a known accomplice to the two men’s antics and while he didn’t engage directly, his email communication over the last three years clearly supported his friends and partook in the celebrations.”

“I have been doing this kind of work since I was a teenager. I started in the copy room of Will’s Vegas office when I was twelve and I worked every angle of every department while going to school. Never in my nearly twenty-two years of working in the realty business have I come across a company with fraud occurring on multiple levels and embraced by the owners as acceptable behavior.”

Keely put a presentation up on the wall and Brix pointed to it, “in the last fifteen years, this company has paid out over twenty million dollars in fraudulent payments. Whether to the men I’ve terminated, in payments to employees for hours they didn’t work, in payoffs as hush money to others who witnessed the s**t Elaine and Solomon were engaged in, too much money was paid out. Twenty million dollars. No more. I am putting this company on notice, every single receipt over two hundred dollars needs to be cleared by Mordecai personally. If he doesn’t like the receipt and refuses to pay it, then I will support him. I will have his back,” he pointed to Mordecai who Jolie noted had ears burning red, “above and beyond anyone else’s in this building. I have already offered him a position in another office because I feel his talents are wasted here but he likes it here and he likes the staff here. His dedication to getting this company on track tells me you are worth saving and so closing the doors on this company is not my plan. I am going to tighten up your budgets.”

He flicked the screen and began going through his presentation of how exactly he was going to take control of the wildly out of control expenditures of the company.

Thirty minutes later, the staff were filing out, feeling appropriately chastised for knowingly taking advantage of slack employers and a toxic work atmosphere. Jolie, Opal, and Mordecai made their way to the elevators.

“That was brutal,” Opal whispered. “Twenty million?”

“Conservative number,” Mordecai shook his head. “I’ve been in and out of the office all week up here. It could be as high as thirty.”

“I hope you’re not gossiping, Jolie,” Flavia interrupted as they waited for the elevator.

“No ma’am, I wouldn’t dream of it.” She kept her eyes on the elevator numbers willing it to get back to the top floor sooner.

“I hope not. It would be a shame if Brix had to get rid of you because you’re not trustworthy.”

She shook her head and refused to engage. When the doors opened, she stepped into the elevator and the trio was quiet as they descended. When they got to their floor and stepped back behind their glassed off section, Mordecai looked to Jolie with a sad expression.

“I don’t know what is going on with your mother-in-law, Jolie but, you need to talk to Brix about it. She started at you with HR right there. They were off to the side taking it all in. They’re going to make your life a living hell.”

“Brix doesn’t miss anything, Mordecai. Don’t worry about it.”

Mordecai gave her a disproving shake of his head, “as a man who was once a stupid newlywed husband, let me tell you, we don’t always see when our mothers are being a pain in the a*s. My mom once oversalted my wife’s soup to prove to me she couldn’t cook. I almost got divorced because of it. Talk to him.”

She considered his words and nodded. He had been busy and locked in his offices most of the week. Maybe he hadn’t seen or heard his mother’s nasty comments. “I will.”

“Good.” He took a breath, “now go home. We all worked late every day this week and I know you were here early every morning. Take the rest of the day, the pair of you. I can handle two hours of the office on my own.”

“Really?” Opal asked excitedly. “There’s a new shoe store…”

“I’m in,” Jolie didn’t even hesitate. She sent a text message to Trey stating she was going out with Opal. He responded in seconds to say he was waiting for her downstairs.

“Don’t you need to let Brix know?” Opal asked as they headed to the elevators.

“Nope. I’m not a prisoner, Opal. I’ve let my security know. He’s waiting downstairs. Let’s go. My mother-in-law thinks I’m a gold-digging w***e, then let’s give her reason to. Let’s go put a dent in my new bank balance. New shoes are on me.” She held up her purse and smirked as Opal clapped excitedly.

If she was going to have a title, she may as well earn it.