Beck And Call (17 page)

“Serena.”

“I’m back and the door’s bolted,” she told him.

“Good girl,” he murmured. “Get to sleep, sweetheart.

You had a rather eventful weekend. Sleep and dream of

me.”

“Then I won’t get any sleep,” she grumbled.

He chuckled.

“If it’s any consolation, I don’t think I’ll get much

sleep either. Remember what I told you?”

“Yes, Master,” she whispered. “I won’t touch myself

unless you tell me to, or…” She closed her eyes.

“Master, I wish you were holding me.”

“Soon, Serena,” he promised. “Soon, I’ll be holding

you and nothing and no one will come between us.”

“Yes, Master,” she sighed.

Monday morning, Serena left her apartment and

headed down the hall to the apartment Debbie and

Claire shared. She knew Debbie would resist, would be

furious she’d discussed her problems with HR with

anyone, and would try to refuse to talk to Keith. During

the night, though, Serena had thought long and hard

about what Master said and realized he was right about

many things. First, and most importantly, she had to

protect Debbie from anything else Duncan, the VP for

Programming, and the other misogynists in that

department might do. The only way to do that, since it

was obvious Hester in HR wasn’t going to do her job,

was to go directly to Keith.

At her knock, Claire opened the door. A relieved

grin was on her face.

“There you are!” she beamed, hugging her. “Why

didn’t you tell us where you were going? We were about

to call the police.”

“I, um, was with...,”

“The man who sent the rose?” Claire guessed. “The

one whose name you refuse to tell us? You spent the

entire weekend with him?” Light blue eyes rounded.

“Wow! That was quick! I’ve never known you to do

anything like this!”

“What can I say?” Serena smiled. “He swept me off

my feet.”

“Definitely ask him if he has a brother,” Claire told

her.

“Well, if it isn’t the long-lost sheep,” Debbie

commented, coming from her bedroom. “We weren’t

sure if we should alert the police that you were

missing.”

With Master’s comments fresh in her head, Serena

looked at Debbie’s outfit with new eyes and winced. He

was right. Despite the professional dress code, not to

mention the blustery weather, Debbie was barely the

right side of legal with her short red leather skirt over

black fishnets and see-through black blouse over a red

bra.

“Debbie, that doesn’t exactly fit the dress code,” she

frowned.

“What’s the matter with the way I’m dressed?” she

demanded.

“Honestly?” Serena hesitated, glancing at Claire.

The other young woman was no help as she just gave

Serena a puzzled look. “You’re dressed like a hooker.

It’s not professional at all.”

Both stared at her with their mouths open. Claire

took a step back.

“Serena! How can you say that to Debbie?”

“Because I want you to tell Keith what Duncan,

Steve, and the others have been doing and saying to

you,” Serena said, her eyes on Debbie’s face. “What

they’re doing isn’t right. It’s illegal and it’s hurting you

professionally and personally.”

“Keith won’t care,” Debbie said petulantly. “Duncan

said…”

“If Keith won’t do anything, then we’ll find a

lawyer,” Serena said quickly. She crossed the room and

touched Debbie’s arm. “But I think he will. Debbie, I

know the men in Programming have been bothering

you. I’m willing to bet they’re doing the same thing to

other women and that Duncan has threatened all of

you.” The startled expression in Debbie’s eyes warned

her. “Is this why you’ve been dressing so provocatively?

Is it what they said you had to do?”

Debbie stiffened.

“I like dressing like this,” she said defensively.

“It’s not how you dressed eighteen months ago when

you started at the company.” Serena gripped Debbie’s

shoulders. “Debbie, you said some things Friday night

that worried me. Please,” she whispered. “Let me help

you. Tell Keith and let him help you.”

“Hester said that…”

“Hester doesn’t get the final say,” Serena said

firmly. “Keith won’t let them get away with the

harassment or with them stealing your ideas. Or

anything else.”

Despite her provocative clothing, Debbie looked like

she was all of six years old as she nibbled her lower lip.

Serena stared her down and Debbie dropped her gaze.

When Debbie scuffed the toe of her shoe against the

floor, Serena struggled to keep from laughing.

“You really think he’ll believe me? That he’ll make

them stop?”

Serena groaned and hugged her.

“Debbie, Keith is going to believe you and he’ll do

more than make them stop.” Holding the younger

woman tight, Serena closed her eyes. “Dammit, why

didn’t you tell me as soon as it started? Or sooner? Did

you think I wouldn’t believe you or something?”

“You’re the CEO’s executive assistant!” Debbie

burst into tears. “Do you have any idea how

intimidating you were at first? Can still be? I’m just a

girl from West Virginia who got really lucky and

stumbled onto this job! I’m alone and…”

“No,” Serena whispered. She was intimidating?

Her? “You’re not alone, Debbie. Claire and I are with

you. I’ll be with you when you tell Keith and if we need

to we’ll redo our movie marathon tonight.” Looking at

the tear-stained cheeks, she gave her a wry smile. “You

gotta admit the last one didn’t work out so well.”

“It was kind of a downer,” Debbie nodded. Taking a

deep breath, she hiccupped slightly. “Okay, I’ll tell

him.”

“Good girl, Now, go change into something more

appropriate for the office. Go on now!” Serena waved

her off when Debbie hesitated.

A slight smile now on her face, Debbie turned and

disappeared back into her bedroom. Serena turned to

look at Claire. Her slacks and sweater would do.

“What?” Claire asked, suddenly wary of Serena’s

attention.

“I want you to tell me about Paul.”

Serena could almost see her hackles rise.

“He wants me to be part of a threesome with him

and David. I saw them,” she whispered, voice catching.

“I heard them.”

“Saw them doing what? What were they talking

about?”

“They were talking about sharing me.” Serena

could barely hear Claire’s soft voice. “About what they

would do to me. How they’d finally found the perfect

patsy to share.”

“They said that?” Serena frowned. “They called you

a patsy?”

“No,” Claire answered with obvious reluctance. “But

it was pretty clear that’s what they meant.”

“I thought you liked David.”

“That doesn’t mean I want to have sex with him!”

Claire protested. “Or watch Paul and David have sex or

—”

“Did you see them having sex?” pressed Serena.

“Debbie told me that you had.”

Claire frowned in confusion.

“I didn’t tell her that,” she shook her head. “At least,

I don’t think I did,” she added, trying to recall. “I was

pretty upset.”

“That’s more than understandable,” Serena told

her, hugging her. “And you certainly shouldn’t let them

talk you into anything you don’t want to do. Or you

think they tried to trick you into doing.”

“I don’t,” Claire said firmly.

Serena nodded, noting the confusion she saw in

Claire’s eyes and heard in her voice. She’d learned all

too well that views on sex could change. All it took was a

persuasive man and trust.

Debbie’s door opened. Serena nodded. The black

skirt was slightly longer and there was a red camisole

under the blouse.

“I really don’t have much else,” whispered Debbie.

“It’s a little better,” Serena replied. “Come on. It’s

best to catch Keith first thing before his schedule gets

crowded.”

“Maybe this isn’t such a good idea after all,” Debbie

shook her head.

“C’mon,” Claire cajoled, holding her coat out. “Don’t

you want Duncan and the others to get what’s coming

to them? The only one who can do that is MacLauren.”

She glanced at Serena. “Do you really think he’ll do

something?”

“I do,” Serena nodded firmly, praying she was right.

Keith wasn’t surprised that Serena wasn’t at her

desk yet. He’d had a feeling that she would go first to

Claire and Debbie’s to convince Debbie to tell him what

had been happening. All he had to do was act surprised

when they showed up at his door and listen quietly.

Before he unleashed hell on Duncan, after hearing the

man’s side, of course. And Hester’s. And anyone else

involved.

It was nearly eight before he heard anything

besides the ringing phone in the outer office. Eyes on

the file before him, he listened to the hushed whispers.

Debbie didn’t appear to be eager to talk to the “big

man.” It also appeared as if Serena was determined to

make sure it was done. They shooed Claire out and he

heard the door to the corridor close.

A moment later there was a rap on his half-open

door.

“Yes?” he murmured, turning a page over.

“Keith?” Serena called. “I know it’s early but I think

you need to listen to something.”

“Can it wait?” he asked, wondering if she would

stick to her guns. “I’m going over the Hancock contract

requests.”

“No,” she replied. “It needs to be done now. It’s

important.”

He lifted his head and hoped he looked

appropriately disgruntled. And that he was hiding his

surprise at the firmness in her voice. Maybe it was true,

he thought. He’d heard that some submissives, having

surrendered their sexual pleasure to a trusted

dominant, found a well of confidence and strength in

themselves. While she’d been a mentor for many

younger employees, Serena was now taking that a step

further. She had never countered a request of his. Of

course, he admitted, she had never interrupted him the

way she just did, either.

“All right,” he nodded. “What is it?”

Serena tugged Debbie into the room and closed the

door behind them. Keith bit his inner cheek hard to

keep a straight face. It was obvious Serena had tried to

get Debbie to dress more conservatively and barely

succeeded. It was also clear Debbie was thoroughly

pissed at his assistant.

“It’s Debbie, isn’t it?” he frowned.

“Debbie Shelton,” Serena told him, pulling Debbie

to the chairs in front of his desk and making her sit

down. “She’s in Programming. There have been things

going on and no one else will stop it.” Worried eyes

looked at him. “You’re the only one who can.”

“Sounds serious,” he frowned, studying Debbie’s

face. “You don’t want to tell me, though, do you?”

“She’s making me,” Debbie mumbled.

“Then perhaps it’s not that serious,” he shrugged.

As he’d expected, Serena’s protective streak flared

up.

“It is!” she insisted, putting an arm around Debbie.

“Tell him,” she urged. “Please, Debbie. It’s his company.

He has to know. If you don’t tell him, other women could

get hurt and used.”

“Wait a second,” Keith raised a hand, playing along.

“Are you talking sexual harassment?”

“Yes,” Serena nodded, relieved that he’d caught on

so quickly. “I thought it was just a couple men in

Programming, including Steve, but on the way over,

Claire told me it was nearly a dozen.”

“Have you gone to HR?” he asked.

“Twice,” Debbie whispered. “Hester told me I

deserved it. That - because I like to party - I was just a

tramp.”

“She said that?” Keith felt his temper rise. “That’s

inexcusable!”

Slightly reassured by his reaction, Debbie started

talking. Keith listened in stunned silence. Debbie had

talked to the five women in Programming and all were

scared to say anything because, after Hester told

Duncan about Debbie’s complaints, Duncan threatened

them with losing their jobs. When confronted by

Duncan and Hester, the five had refused to support

Debbie.

“Serena,” he said quietly. Alert eyes waited. “Get

the other women in a room and get them to write

everything down. Dates, times, what was said, and who

else was around. Don’t let them talk to each other while

they’re doing it. Make sure someone from Legal is