crave | 16+

XVIII

JOSIE

I FEEL THE ANXIETY bubble through my veins as my heels click on the floor toward the big conference room. That's where the rich men meet up once a week to discuss their partnerships with Christ Enterprises. I've never once heard of a woman being in there doing the 3 hours they have the meeting, nor have I ever heard stories of Kristen, Elijah's former secretary being summoned into the room.

I made sure everything was ready before the meeting started. Fresh coffee? Check. Water? Check. Notepads and Mont Blancs for each? Check. Yet, Elijah called my desk phone and asked me to come down. He seemed calm over the phone, but the best businessman is the one who can conceal his facial expressions and emotions behind a careless mask.

I knock on the door three times, before opening it being careful I don't trip over something. I count 20 pairs of eyes on me, 6 of them being Malik, Elijah and Zakaria's, all three of them wearing their best suits. Even Zakaria. I keep my gaze on Elijah and clear my throat in an attempt to seem professional.

"Yes, Sir?" I ask. Sir? I never call him 'Sir'. I see the sides of his lips pull up a bit before he contains himself, and pulls an empty seat out from under the table. My heart thumps in my heart and I stand still not daring to move an inch. He wants me to join them?

"Sure she isn't blank?" someone says which makes the rest of the men snicker with no second thought that I can hear them. I look through them, sending them all a glare. I don't care if they're rich, and high up the hierarchy. They can all choke on their snickers for all I care.

"Come join us," Elijah says with a fire behind his eyes. Had the circumstances been different I would have kindly thanked No ThankYou to the offer, but these men look like someone who has never met a woman who's more than a golden wife. A woman in a pretty cage. So therefore I close the door behind me, and allow my heels to click as I take a seat next to Elijah.

I half expect him to introduce me, but what would that prove? That I hide behind his shadow? Lol, no. "My name is Josephine Grace Moore but please, call me Josie," I say, making sure to form some sort of eye contact with them all. One of them raises his eyebrows, as if he's stunned that I dare look into his eyes and speak to him at the same time.

"Elijah said you've made some successful commercials? Made all of our bank accounts heavier somehow? I want to know how you did it," the same man who gave me a look says and I cross one leg over the other under the glass table.

"What's your name?" I question.

He looks disgusted. "Excuse me?"

I give him a smile that doesn't reach my eyes. "Your name. I like to know who I'm speaking to." I see Elijah repositioning himself from my peripheral and I try my best not to smile.

He nods his head. "Of course. Ryan Crest."

A feeling of victory weighs me down as the rest of the men stare at Ryan and I argue without actually arguing. I know he doesn't like me because I'm a woman with power and he knows I don't like him because he's a narrow-minded man who thinks women are nothing.

"It's all about knowing your audience, Ryan," I tell him, with venom dripping from my voice. He scoffs and leans back in his seat as if what I'm saying is complete bullshit.

"The Vin Diesel commercial that made Christ Enterprises peak in statistics, that was you?" he asks. I squint my eyes at him, trying to figure out why he wants to know what I do and how I do it. He stares right back at me, and suddenly the big question clicks in my head. He's planning on screwing Christ Enterprises over.