Page 90 of The Grump I Got Stuck With

Fuck!

My eyes widened with every line. I didn’t even want to guess what “illegitimate entities” Brian had laundered money for. But I was going to have to find out, wasn’t I? Because their name and mine would now be linked forever. I stalked down the hall toward my office, messaging Alfie.

We need to talk.

When? he replied a beat later.

Now!

I fired off the article to him and stuffed my phone back into my pocket. If these allegations turned out to be true, the media was going to tear me to shreds. I’d been duped not once but twice, in the most public way imaginable. I’d look like a complete fool.

I could imagine those image-destroying headlines now. High risk, no reward! Is Shaw’s business empire crumbling?

Goddammit!

After this, no one would touch my money with a ten-foot pole. No one would trust me with a job scrubbing toilets, much less managing any assets at all.

I smashed my fist down on my desk as I dropped into my chair, opening my laptop. Of all the fucking people in the world, why did Brian Marsh have to walk up to me? And why had I let myself lead with my ego—the biggest, dumbest, most obvious mistake any investor could make—and thrown in my money without doing due diligence? Just on the chance that I might be able to one-up the board at Voyages. Well, they’d be getting the last laugh now, and I’d hear it ringing in my ears forever after.

A video call finally rang through. I answered it, running my hand down my face. “Have you read it?” I asked Alfie, bile gathering at the back of my throat.

Alfie was staring down at his phone, shaking his head. “I always knew he was a slimy bastard. He just had a vibe.”

I should have known! But I’d only seen what I’d wanted to see. “We need to get on top of damage control before this breaks the British news,” I said. “I don’t even want to imagine the field day the press are going to have with this once they realize I’m an investor.”

“About that…” Alfie said, drumming his fingers against his lips on the other side of the screen. I’d never seen him look so sheepish. “Please don’t blow your top.”

I frowned. “What did you do?”

“Well…” He pursed his lips. “Let’s just say, your investment hasn’t quite reached the Destination team yet.”

“How?” I asked, dumbfounded. I’d specifically told him to push it through the last time we’d spoken about Destination.

“I might have slow-walked the investment,” he admitted. “I told the Destination team that you were very interested but that they needed to disclose some more details before we could transfer the funds. I received a little pushback about that.” He arched a manicured eyebrow. “Considering everything going on, perhaps that was a sign. Anyway, I’ve been in negotiation about the paperwork for the past week, and the investment was never actually…made.”

“You…haven’t transferred the funds?” I said.

“No. And I suppose we won’t be now.” Alfie caught his lip between his teeth, looking at me awkwardly. Then he exploded. “I know, I know, boss! I went against orders. But I know how careful you try to be, and rushing this one just didn’t feel right. I didn’t want one hasty decision to derail everything you’ve built. But I know I seriously overstepped.”

No fucking shite.

There was a long beat as I blinked at him, trying to process how I felt. On one hand, my personal administrative assistant had blatantly ignored a direct order from me. And once again, someone I trusted had gone behind my back. But on the other hand, by doing that, Alfie had just unequivocally saved my ass.

“I’m sorry,” Alfie said, sounding properly apologetic. “I completely understand if you want to fire me.”

“I’m not going to fire you,” I grumbled, rubbing my eyes.

“You’re not?”

I sighed heavily, equal parts frustrated and relieved. “I can’t say that I approve of you going rogue like this, but considering what’s happened, it’s clear you made the right call. I didn’t give this deal the time and attention it needed to be able to make a smart business decision, and you protected me from my own hubris.” I gave him a stern look. “But it can’t happen again. In the future, if you have concerns, we talk them out. You do not just decide for yourself which orders you’ll follow and which you’ll ignore. You hear me?”

“Loud and clear, boss.”

“Wish you’d stepped in like this when I started dating Jessica,” I muttered. “Can’t say I love being on a first-name basis with half the paparazzi in the country.”

Alfie’s lips twitched. “She was good enough to slip under even my radar.”

I grunted and refused to admit that mildly helped.