Over the Edge (Bridge #3)(72)

My cell phone vibrated, but I ignored it.

“We’re trying to win back confidence. Nothing says confidence like, ‘I get paid when you get paid.’”

“I just think we’re leaving money on the table. Prospective clients expect the fees. Why undercut ourselves?”

I drummed my fingers on the desk. “Need I remind you we’re working from a disadvantage?”

She held my gaze a moment. “I need to be bringing in more money. I thought this would be a way to do that without cutting into the company’s revenue.”

I paused, trying to get a read on where she was taking this. “You’re getting a salary and a share of the performance fee. What more do you want?”

“I want you to set up a management fee so we can split it.”

I laughed and leaned forward. “You’ve been here a few weeks, and you’re already trying to squeeze me for more money?”

“That’s not what this is.”

Adriana’s voice sounded on the office phone’s speaker a moment. “Will, you have a call.”

“Not now,” I snapped. “Jia, we already negotiated your pay, and you seemed more than satisfied. Explain why you’re bringing this to me now.”

She shrugged, but her shoulders and the muscles in her face were tense. “Circumstances changed. That’s all. I didn’t think you’d be so against the suggestion.”

“I’m less concerned about the money than about why your circumstances changed so suddenly. I need to trust you, Jia. What’s going on?”

“We’re friends, Will. Of course you can trust me.”

I frowned, because nothing about this conversation or her demeanor made me want to trust her. “You don’t have friends. You have colleagues. Superiors, inferiors. You have f*ck buddies and family. Don’t bullshit me about friendship, Jia. I know you better.”

Her expression went taut. She squeezed her eyes closed and exhaled heavily. “Maybe you’re right. I don’t know what to tell you. This opportunity is my whole life right now, Will. Please, just consider it.”

Something wasn’t right. I could feel it in my gut.

“What the hell is going on?”

She shook her head, avoiding my imploring gaze. “I just need some extra funds. I thought what we agreed on would be enough, but it’s not going to be.”

“Tell me why, and I’ll do what I can to help you.”

She glanced up, her eyes glossy with emotion. “We’re not friends, right? If it’s all business, why would you want to help me?”

Her voice had taken on a desperate tone that worried me. I’d never seen her get emotional like this. Suddenly I regretted my harsh words earlier.

“I’m sorry, Jia. I’m dealing with a lot right now, but you have to know that you can talk to me. If we can’t trust each other with the truth, I don’t know how we’re supposed to make this work.”

Any semblance of control she’d held onto crumbled. Her face fell, and she brought her shaking hands to her mouth. “I can’t. I can’t… They’re going to ruin me, Will,” she whispered. “Everything… I’ll lose everything I’ve worked for.”

Mascara ran down her face before she could stop the tears. I stood and circled my desk. “Jia, who’s they? Who are you talking about?”

She shook her head like she didn’t want to say it. She stood and paced a circle around the office. When she met my determined gaze again, she finally spoke. “Dermott. And Reilly… He doesn’t lose, Will. I don’t know why I believed he’d just walk away. I should have known better, but it was too late. I’d already left the firm. He waited to come to me until I was already committed to you and had no place else to go. There’s no going back. I’m trapped.”

I tried to piece together Jia’s rambling sentences. Reilly had no stake, and I had no idea why Dermott would be after her for anything.

“What do they want from you?”

“A cut.” She lifted her tense shoulders up and swallowed over the tears that had slowed. “They’re at risk of losing their shirts now that these charges have come down. No one trusts them. They can’t make money on their old relationships anymore, so now they’re coming after me.”

“You don’t have to give them anything, Jia. They have no power over you. You’re with me now. We’re running this show, and they’ve been cut out clean.”

She shook her head, and her eyes shone with fresh tears. “They have videos.”

“Videos?”

She drew in a shuddery breath. “Back when I worked under Dermott, before he decided to climb the ladder without me…there were a few late nights. I guess he thought it would be fun to capture the moment. Reilly came to me after I’d accepted your offer and told me about the videos. He said I had to cut him in or they’d leak them.”

My body tensed as I cursed inwardly. “How much is he asking you for?”

“A lot more than I’m making.”

“Say they decided to leak it. Wouldn’t that look bad for Dermott?”

She shrugged. “I’m not sure. The clip he showed me hid Dermott’s face. They’re going to ruin me, Will. If that video gets out, I’m done on Wall Street. This is my whole life.” Tears began to fall again, and she wiped at them. “I pushed too hard. I climbed too fast, and now I’m going to lose everything.”