INVESTED (Dunning Trilogy Book 1) Read online

  "Some people in this building are chosen for their skills and knowledge. Not on what you can do with your mouth." Chrystina tilted her head, then turned back to her computer.

  "You are right." She removed her lean body from the doorframe and smirked. "But none of them is in that office down the hallway." She ran her hands down her hip-hugging short skirt, then looked over her shoulder. "This mouth will get me where you want to be." Nancy took a step to walk away and stopped. Turning back to Chrystina, she placed a finger on her cheek. "You know, I think I will go down to the mailroom to get a few empty boxes. I'm pretty sure I will be moving soon." She walked out of the office smiling.

  "You are right. You will be moving straight out the front door," Chrystina mumbled to herself. But inside she knew the wench was right. Everyone in the front office looked and acted the part. None of the females were bigger than a size six and the men...well most of them looked like GQ magazine cover models. Every one of them had come to her for help when they could not find the answer or figure out exactly what Mr. Hep needed. But, they weren't friends that would look out for her. They were co-workers who used her when it benefited them. She knew even if Myles wanted to take her along, she would not fit in with the group. That meant she would probably no longer work directly for Myles. A new boss would not be too much of an issue for her, because she knew her stuff. The thought of being without Myles would shatter her world.

  For the last ten years he'd been more than her boss. Myles was her mentor, her confidant, her friend, her wildest fantasy. Myles Dunning was her everything. Opening her eyes in the morning there was a picture of him on her nightstand. The last voice she heard at night was Myles, on her recorder. A message he sent telling her to get well soon two years ago when she was sick. All day, every day, Myles was around, needing her, more now than he ever did before. That need materialized right before her eyes the night before his father's funeral. One minute she was consoling him, then the next minute...well, all she could say was her fantasy world became a reality.

  The way he drove himself into her still made her inner lips moist, her thighs shake and her knees weak. To this day she had not told anyone what happened between them. That was a memory she was keeping tucked away, in her heart. The feel of him inside of her, even though she knew deep down it was just a weak moment for him, filled her in a way no man ever did before and she had no doubt if anyone will in the future. Her inner lips were throbbing at the memory.

  Oh God, was she obsessed, like her sister Gina said? No, she was in love with the man. She admired his drive to make the world better. She loved the way he was every glass half-full rather than half-empty. She idolized the way he took care, even when he did not want to. But most of all and this was the most important to her. She loved the way his thighs looked in a pair of jeans. It did not happen often, but when it did, that butt of his and those thick thighs just did something to her on the inside. That was her only regret of their one night together. She did not get to put her hands on that butt, to feel the firmness in her hands. She will probably never get the opportunity again.

  Chrystina closed her eyes, willing herself to stop thinking about that night. "All hell is about to break out around here and I need to focus." The telephone sounded just as she turned to her computer to pull up the files on William Mitchell she was sure Myles needed.

  Racing over, without checking the number on the caller ID, she answered, "Dunning Bank & Trust, Risk Management office, Chrystina Price speaking."

  "Hello, Chrystina. This is Ms. Whitfield."

  The voice grated on her nerves, like always, as Chrystina stopped and stared at the telephone. The woman treated her as if she was an insignificant entity in this world, then had the nerve to damn near cause her to lose her job. Well, two can play that game.

  "I'm sorry. I did not get your name."

  "It's Savannah Whitfield, Chrystina."

  Chrystina could hear the woman holding in her temper as she spoke. She must have heard the news about Myles.

  "Oh, Ms. Whitfield," she put emphasis on the Ms. "I do apologize. I did not catch your voice. How may I help you?"

  "It has been a while. Would you be a dear and tell Myles I'm calling?"

  People treat you bad, forget about it, then always come back to ask you to do something for them. What did she think, I'm just going to jump through hoops to help her. I don't think so, Chrystina thought to herself. Savannah Whitfield had no shame in her game. She wanted to be a Dunning. When her relationship with Myles ended she tried to snag Michael. That didn't work, so I guess it's back to Myles again.

  "Mr. Dunning is in a meeting. Would you like to leave a message?"

  "No, I do not want to leave a message." The testy words filtered through the telephone line like spikes. "I would like to speak with him now."

  Chrystina smiled. Now that was the Savannah she knew and hated. She just held the phone and waited. The she heard the sigh.

  "Chrystina, for a girl from the streets you do your job very well. It is a shame it's all about to come to an end for you." She smirked. "Be a dear and tell Myles to return my call. And Chrystina, if you don't give him my message, I will make sure he knows." She paused. "You do remember what happened the last time you did not give him my message. Let's not have a repeat. You don't want to end up back in the gutter."

  There was no way she was going to let this woman think for a moment she had touched a nerve...she had, but she didn't need to know it.

  "I will be sure to give Mr. Dunning your message. Have a nice day, Ms. Whitfield," Chrystina replied in the most professional voice she could manage. As she disconnected the call she could only sigh. Everyone seemed to have an opinion about her future at Dunning. First Mr. Mitchell, then Nancy, now Savannah, all within an hour. They were all so sure she was going to be replaced, and why...because she was a little overweight. None of that had anything to do with her ability to get the job done. That's why Myles kept her around.

  She pushed her chair back and walked over to the mirror that was on the far wall in the corner of her office. She took a good look at herself. It was as her grandmother said; she had the cutest face this side of the Dixon. Of course that was her grandmother's opinion. But when she looked into the mirror the more she had to agree, to an extent. Reflected back in the mirror was a very pretty woman with beautiful natural shoulder length hair that she kept up in a roll most of the time. She had long lashes that most women would kill for, a cute perky nose, smooth copper-tone skin and lips that she deemed to be quite kissable. But, and it was a big but, no pun intended, as she traveled lower, it was clear where her problems lie. There she stood with a beautiful face but a body that was curvier than she would like for it to be. Slightly overweight...oh okay, more than slightly. She ran her hands down her body and wondered what it would be like to be a size 10 or hell, a 12 for that matter. Losing a good 20 pounds or so will do the trick. Would men take a second look at her then...would Myles? What did he think about that night, she soundlessly wondered. Things happened so fast, so intense he didn't see the fat. Thank God for blind passion.

  She quickly turned away from the mirror. Who has the time to lose weight? She sat back down at her desk. It was what it was and if she was not moved to the office down the hall so be it.

  "Stop allowing people to mess with your mind. Do what you have always done...work hard." With that said, she turned to her computer and pulled up the file she should have started working on twenty minutes ago.

  #

  As William took a seat in front of Myles’ desk he wondered how the man was going to come at him. When he received the call from Chrystina demanding a meeting today his first thought was the nerve of him to demand anything of him. But then he thought about the way he handled Hep. The man never knew how deeply he hated him.

  "The initial meeting with the group from Hershel Automotive was this afternoon. You know they plan to have us as their main banker here in the states. Otherwise, you know I would never have disregarded your requ
est to meet today."

  Myles took a seat behind his desk then sat back. "I was under the impression that meeting was set for tomorrow."

  "Yes, yes the main meeting is scheduled for tomorrow. Today was a get to know your client. You know…work them outside the office in a social setting," William explained, as he fidgeted in his seat.

  Myles frowned as he reached over to take a look at his calendar. "I don't recall having anything on my schedule. Who was attending with you?"

  No this boy did not just question me. "No one. Your father trusted me to handle events like this."

  Myles stopped clicking through the pages in his calendar, then sat back. He shrugged his shoulder. "Well, Dad had his way of handling things and I have mine. I tend to have a more hands on approach. Check with Chrystina before you reschedule the meeting. I think I will join you." He sat forward and clasped his hands together on the desk. "Mitch, I felt it was imperative for us to meet today to ensure we present a united front to the employees when the announcement is made."

  "We are united, Myles," William replied, as he thought of ways to keep Myles from moving down the hallway. Earlier in the day when Paulette informed him Myles was in the area his initial thought was Myles had given into the standoff. However, after more than an hour had passed and Myles had not knocked on his door, William realized moving into Hep's office was going to take a little more finesse.

  Myles put up his hand. "I know, Mitch," he said, as he nodded his head. "However, there may be some undercurrents that could undermine the plans I have for the bank."

  "Plans...what plans could you have, Myles? You were only voted CEO a few hours ago."

  Myles smirked. "As you know, Mitch, Dunnings never sit on their hands and wait for things to happen. My father shared his vision for Dunning with all his children. My plan is to take that vision and add a few of my own to move us forward. I would like for you to be a part of that journey." He adjusted his position. "In your position I can understand some resentment on the way the vote turned out. If you are willing to stay on board, your knowledge and experience is welcomed."

  "Well, yes, the vote was a disappointment. Hep would have valued my dedication a little more than his family has," Mitch huffed. "But that's neither here nor there. We are where we are. It's good that you understand your limitations. You are not prepared to take on the responsibility of a bank this size. You can always take a branch manager's position and work your way up. Now, if you would just give me the reins, I will know who to put in place to get Dunning established in the banking industry where it should have been years ago. First on the agenda is ensuring a strong presence in the front office. Now, it would be a sacrifice, but I am willing to move my office next door. That way the employees and customers alike will know who is in charge. Unfortunately, we will have to let a few people go, starting with that Scott kid. I never knew what Hep saw in him. Don't get me wrong, he has shown an above average profit for our clients since he has been here, but, there is something about him I don't like."

  Myles sat back in his chair and continued to listen as the man spoke freely. He wondered if the man knew how many ways he had insulted him and his father in the few minutes he had been in the office.

  His father once said if you let a person talk long enough you will eventually hear what is truly inside their heart. Mitch was certainly proving the point.

  "Then too, there is AnnieMarie. The public relations on Dunning has suffered since Hep's death. I know she is your sister, but at times like this we cannot let family ties hold us back. If she is not capable of doing the job, we are just going to have to let her go. And that Chrystina. She has too much power for an assistant. Hell, before some members of my staff do what I tell them, they check in with her. I don't know what you or Hep saw in her, but she runs this place like it’s her own. There is no way I can put things in place with her around contradicting my orders. She simply has to go."

  Before he could control it, Myles’ fist came down on the desk with a bang. William jumped a foot in the air landing behind the chair. He glared at Myles.

  Trying with all his will to pull in his temper and not laugh at Mitch, Myles closed his eyes then began counting to ten. He opened them to see Mitch staring at him, not certain what in the hell had just happened. Myles exhaled, then stood, turning his back on Mitch as he looked out of the window silently asking God to guide him in this moment. Myles dropped his head to his chest then turned back to the man he was trying to tolerate.

  "Mitch." He hesitated. "I believe you misunderstood my meaning." He saw the man flinch, so he tried to readjust his harsh tone. Myles pointed to the chair. "Please sit down and forgive my outburst."

  Mitch hesitantly retook his seat and stared suspiciously up at Myles who remained standing behind his desk. The look on the man’s face almost made Myles laugh. In fact he would have if the situation weren’t so serious.

  "Contrary to what you think, my father has been preparing me for this position since I was born. I am more than ready to take over as CEO of Dunning and have every intention of doing just that. None of what you said is taken lightly." He sat back behind his desk. "Let's address your issues one at a time. Cainan Scott has been a model employee since his arrival. You stated he has made significant investments for our customers. Now, unless you know something I do not, I have no reason to let the man go. As to AnnieMarie, she is overqualified for the position she is in. If she was not doing the job and doing it well...family or not...I would relieve her. However, the truth of the matter is we have had world-class public relations under her rule, and as you indicated, she is family. Now to Chrystina, I want you to listen carefully and take this in the light it is meant. Chrystina will always have a position here as long as she wants one. You, on the other hand, have a choice. You are welcome to stay on in your position, for you, just like the others you named are valued members of this organization. If, however, you feel you are not able to work under an unprepared man as you indicated I am, you are welcome to leave." Myles sat back and watched as the man squirmed.

  Chapter Nine

  Mitch walked into Elaine Jacobson's office and slammed the door behind him. Looking up at the sudden sound, Elaine pushed back from her desk, crossed her legs and waited. The fool was at it again, she thought as she watched him angrily pace in front of her desk. It was actually funny, for he reminded her of a real life Elmer Fudd after missing another opportunity to catch the silly rabbit. Like Elmer Fudd, Mitch just did not know when to quit. How long was it going to take him to realize he was not a Dunning? He will never have control of this bank. It became clear to her years ago. His sudden stop took her from her thoughts. She turned her focus on him.

  "The audacity of that son of a b....!"

  Doing all she could to stop the image of Elmer Fudd marching with the rifle on his shoulder and smoke coming out of his ears, Elaine took a sip of her coffee, then asked, "Which son of a blank would that be?"

  "Myles," Mitch shouted, and began the angry march again as he relayed to her the details of the meeting he'd just left with Myles. As always, Mitch had shown his cards too soon. The old fool, Elaine thought, as he continued to pace angrily across her floor. The office wasn't large, therefore, it did not take many steps or, in this case stomps, from one end to the other. His stomping became a rhythm in her mind...11,12,13,14, turn. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14, turn. After the fourth time around she had had enough.

  "William, stop!" Her voice was a little higher than she meant it to be, but if he did not stop his Elmer Fudd impersonation she was going to scream. She sighed. "First you need to calm down." She motioned towards the chair in front of her desk. "Have a seat. Let's try to sort through the conversation rationally."

  "Rationally...hell, the man all but offered me walking papers," he yelled.

  "But he did not give you walking papers, William." She stood, walked around the desk, then hugged him. "Come on." She rubbed his shoulder. "Have a seat. Let's talk it through."

  Mitch calmed
down a bit, then did as she asked and sat in the chair. Instead of returning to her seat, Elaine leaned back against the edge of her desk, then crossed her legs. She knew Mitch’s attention would go to her nice firm thighs as the form-fitting burgundy dress rose.

  "Now, based on what you said, the option of you staying and remaining in your position is totally up to you. So how did you leave things?"

  Mitch's eyes focused on her thighs, so it took him a moment to reply. Elaine held her patience and called out.

  "William?"

  His head jerked up. "What?" he asked, now looking into her light brown eyes.

  "With Myles...how did you leave things?"

  "I told him I would remain his second in command, of course."

  Of course you did, Elaine thought. God forbid you grow any balls. It seemed the men involved with this organization have an issue with that when it comes to going up against the Dunnings.

  "Well, it's difficult to give up a six-figure salary plus bonuses," she rationalized as she stood and walked back around the desk to retake her seat.

  She knew he was watching her behind as she walked. He couldn’t help himself, she summarized. Elaine knew William always wondered if she had ever slept with Hep. The rumors were out but never any proof. He tried to catch them, to get anything on Hep. But it never materialized. The first years of her employment she wanted the man. William even encouraged her. She wasn’t stupid. Elaine knew when she was being used. William was trying to put a wedge between Hep and Winnie. It did not work.

  "If the Hershel Automotive group accepts our offer your salary will double. So will Myles’. If you really think about it his bonus will be more than your salary."

  That snapped Mitch's attention back to where it should be. His brows drew closer together. "As president he will get the $250,000 signing bonus."