The Reluctant Assistant - Book One

Battle Stations Part 53

By midday, Raymond felt like he had run a mental marathon. Lilith had her plans scuppered and was, to put it mildly, pissed beyond reason. All her tricks and tactics had failed and the information and so called evidence if incompetence that she presented to the board, were shot down one by one, by Raymond. To make matters worse, Damon had completely ignored her, which seemed to fire her anger further.

While everyone was milling about outside afterward, she came over to Raymond, her fury clearly visible.

"Don't think that you have won, little man. I have enough dirt on Damon to make even your hair curl." she sneered at him.

"Oh, you mean this information?" Raymond handed her a folder, which she grabbed and skimmed through. He could see the surprise on her face, which changed to anger and then pure hatred. "And don't forget, all of this leads to you and your little spy in the company."

"Where did you get this?" she spat at him.

"Well, I just happened to find it hidden on a deleted drive and also while someone was trying to destroy the paper evidence, that was left at the office. And before we start a fight, all of this is just waiting to hit the papers. So, just one word or further action from you, and it will hit the front pages like a storm. I'm sure that you know what will happen if this got out." Raymond kept his voice even, smiling at her.

"Don't think you'll get away with this! I've got some dirt on you too, you little pain in the ass."

"Yes, about that. I'm sure Audrey had tried very hard to plant some useless incriminating information in my office, but you will find, that when we search the offices tomorrow, it will all lead back to the two of you. Would you like to see that file as well?" He held out the document to her, which she grabbed from him.

"I'll get you for this, mark my words." she threatened, walking away.

"What was that all about, Ray?" Damon came up behind him.

"Oh, nothing I couldn't handle. Just the usual threats, but I think that we've seen the last of her for now." he murmured. "Her informants will be laid off tomorrow. But I'm letting HR handle that. No need for me to get personally involved."

"You've really saved the company and the family this time. I don't know how I could ever repay you." Damon clapped him on the back with a smile. "Are you sure you don't want to take over as Managing Director? It would really set my mind at ease." He asked once again.

"Let me think about it." Raymond didn't want to commit. It was one thing investigating, but it was quite another working for Damon, which he'd tried to avoid.

--

"Honey, I'm home!" he called as soon as he'd entered the house. Jackson immediately came rushing out to give him a tight hug. "You're going to break my bones." he laughed as Jackson held on for dear life.

"Well, you've had me worried this whole time. Come on, it's beer night." he grabbed Raymond's hand, leading him to the living room.

"Hey you drunkards." He called out to Tilly and Hector who was sitting with beers in hand, pizza boxes littering the table. He'd asked them over to make sure that Jackson would not leave the house or do something stupid like get in the way.

"Sit your ass down and tell us what was so important about today." Hector immediately accosted him.

"You're already drunk, it will make no difference telling you the whole story, you'd anyway forget most of it by tomorrow." He sat down next to Jackson, who immediately pulled him closer. "You seem to be making up for lost time." Raymond frowned at Jackson who had opened another beer.

"This is all your fault. You need to catch up anyway." He leaned over to kiss Raymond. "How did it go?"

"As expected. Everything worked out fine. You know, the usual threats to get me back and so on. Nothing that I'm not used to. Oh, and Damon offered me a job." he added nonchalantly.

"He did? Are you taking it?" Tilly asked before Jackson could even open his mouth.

"Whose the fiancé around here?" Jackson threw a slice of salami at her.

"Watch the rug won't you?" Raymond admonished.

"You're becoming boring." Hector moaned. "Is this what's going to happen when you become a house husband?" he rolled his eyes.

"Well, somebody has to be the adult around here!" he grinned at Hector.

"You know, adults do adulterous things." Tilly gleefully laughed at her own joke, while Raymond just pulled a face at her. 

"Okay, I'm taking my drunk boyfriend to bed." he announced a few hours later, when Jackson started to sway next to him. The man just can't hold his liquor, Raymond thought as he pulled him up. "You know where the guest room is, so don't disturb us!"

"You're amazing, you know that?" Jackson asked once they were in bed.

"You're not so bad yourself, pretty boy." He leaned in to kiss Jackson, who immediately took advantage of the situation. "We're not having sex while you're drunk." he pushed Jackson away.

"But I'm not drunk! Just a bit tipsy, that's all." he grinned at Raymond, kissing him again. "Seriously though, you really are my Superman." he sighed. "I love you Cook, more than I could ever say." Raymond could hear that he was half asleep, so he turned off the light, kissed him and watched as he fell asleep. 

Laying in the dark, listening to Jackson's even breathing, Raymond mulled over everything that had happened. While he downplayed Lilith's threat, he knew that she would not let go so easily. It was personal now and he'd bet everything he owned that this was not the last he'd heard of her. Then there was also Jackson's past that worried him, but before he started digging, he was going to have to sit Jackson down and get the story straight.