Ruthless Financier (Steel Series Book 3)

by Victoria Pinder

  She tapped my chest and smiled. “Jacob is amazing actually. I’m very lucky.”

  “Possibly.” My father took a flute of champagne, sipped it, and then said, “He does suffer from middle-class beliefs about love and honor. I’d expected him to get married much sooner.”

  His words made no sense. I refused any champagne and the waiter left as I said, “Success delayed the inevitable, it seems.”

  “Like stealing Sun and Moon Trust to have something on Grant?”

  He knew. I straightened my spine. His gaze narrowed and he asked, “So, Indigo is the love of your life and you’re happy, planning to spend the rest of your days together?”

  When I gazed at Indigo, I saw my heart inside her chest. Like she got me in a way no one else ever did. My lips curled higher as I said, “I can’t imagine anyone else.”

  His teeth showed, glistening in the light, as he said, “Even if I offered her more money than you did?”

  She backed up and her face went white. “There is no money on the table.”

  “So you married for love?”

  “Love …” She trembled a little and I knew my father didn’t believe her even when she said, “Yes, of course.”

  He stared at her like he saw weakness. Like he could see into her heart and knew that I wasn’t there. For a second, I wanted to toss him in the pool to block his view.

  But then he said, “Glad to know that my new daughter-in-law and you have all the qualifications to take over my banking empire. I’m retiring to let you run it.”

  Retiring? Did he think he could control the empire from some angle I’d not covered?

  Indigo had a frozen grin pasted on her face. “My husband will do amazing at whatever you leave him. Jacob is brilliant.” “That’s why you’re both in charge. You’ll be a lovely new CEO.”

  My entire body stiffened. This was a game. For years she’d toiled to earn cash for her family. If he put her name down as CEO, then he thought he could manipulate her.

  My father didn’t even blink when he said, “Your husband has been buying out my board. I’m sure he can help you navigate the business, as you’re the love of his life.”

  My hands curled. This was his last-minute maneuver to save face, but it also threw a wrench in my plans.

  Indigo’s face fell and she glanced at me as she said, “I’ll sure Jacob will run the company, without needing my opinion—”

  “The takeover documents will say otherwise, but it doesn’t matter. You’re both happy and in love.”

  “Right,” Indigo said and pressed her lips together.

  My father’s shoulders puffed out like he won. He patted me on the back as if we were friendly when he said, “I’ll get the paperwork started. Have a good night, lovebirds.”

  I stilled. He had already set this plan of his in motion. No wonder Howard hadn’t said a word. My hands went into my pockets so no one could see my fists, and I stared at my wife. “Indigo.”

  She swallowed and her gaze met mine. “We should head out.”

  Good. I was thinking the same thing. If my father put everything in her name to throw a wrench in my calculated plans, then either he intended to maintain silent control, or he intended to sow chaos.

  In no reality would he walk away from his powerhouse willingly. My mind raced to figure out his real game. He had not only evaded my takeover plans. He had also just empowered my wife with a means of having far more money than our contract provided.

  Alone, later, we’d talk. Since I’d gotten to know her, I’d realized her goals were always about the love she had for her family and her causes. And my father’s goal, almost certainly, was to cause dissention and expose our marriage ruse.

  Despite my fantasies, she didn’t love me. And I shouldn’t have been so damn trusting with information. Now she had the means to take far more than my heart that she didn’t want.

  As we stepped onto the lawn, she shook her head and said, “This doesn’t matter.”

  The door was still open and partygoers were still within earshot, mostly laughing and chatting. I tapped my phone to signal the driver to come and I walked beside her, without touching her, as I said, “Let’s talk at home, away from anyone who might hear us.”

  “Okay.” She nodded, but her coloring was still pale. “That’s a good idea.”

  We hopped into the limo and sat in the leather seats for the short ride home.

  Indigo sucked in her lips and alternated between staring at me for answers and glancing out the window at the waving palm trees.

  I had nothing to say, and I couldn’t touch her. I knew better than to believe she might fall in love with me. I shouldn’t have trusted her. Now she had the reins, and I was tense.

  I couldn’t pull the trigger on my takeover now that she’d be a target. I’d lost my ability to destroy without feelings.

  I’d fallen in love with a woman who’d stomp on my heart to protect her family, and I could tell when she glanced at me that it wasn’t because she cared.

  My shoulders were tight and a knot of pain formed between them and spread down my back. We made it back to the house and I stretched as I stepped out of the car. I stayed next to her as we walked up my own driveway in silence.

  As I opened the door for us, she stepped in and took off her shoes. She went to the yellow leather couch and massaged her heels and said, “Even if he did sign things over to me, our contract was for twenty-five million and that’s all I get out of any deal.”

  No mention of love, but then that wasn’t part of the deal. I plopped beside her and massaged my temples. “He’s smart. I’m sure the paperwork is going to have some hook to trap us, or he’s going to ensure there is some avenue for him to swoop in and take his bank back.”

  She turned to face me and her knees pressed into my thigh. She said confidently, “You’ll figure out how to stomp that out. Don’t let whatever he’s plotting stop you from celebrating. You won.”

  No. I didn’t. I lost. I was likely in a love with a woman who only wanted the money, because I’m a damn fool. And my father was finding a way to turn Indigo into a weapon against me.

  This wasn’t on her. I’d been the fool who’d begun to hope that she’d loved me too. Even though she’d been clear that wasn’t possible, that she didn’t believe in love. I didn’t blink as I met her gaze. “I don’t have your faith, not until I figure him out.”

  She lowered her head and continued to press against her heels. “I don’t have a trusting heart like my sisters Georgie and Stephanie. They studied finance in school, but they trust that they’re good in relationships without falling apart.”

  I stood up quickly. I’d failed in ripping Frozen Assets apart if I didn’t stop his plan to undermine my authority. Her answer had confirmed it. She’d never love me, so I shouldn’t depend on her. I swallowed and said, “You being involved could complicate my ability to control my father’s empire.”

  She stood and tried to take my hands, but I stepped back.

  She said, “I’ll run PR for whatever you want, and stick to our twenty-five-million-dollar agreement, and in five years we go our separate ways.”

  Wow. I’d ended up falling for a woman who didn’t care about me at all. Five years might be too long. It was possible that if I didn’t let her go before then, I’d become so addicted to her that I’d turn into the monster my father had been. My entire body was hollow. I turned away and let my shoulders slump. “Nothing’s changed for you, then. You’ll honor your word.”

  Her eyes widened like I’d insulted her. “I … Look, love is just a pretense people use, when it’s all really just a bundle of lust filling the brain.”

  There it was. At least she’d not mentioned PR or her own ambitions. Ice ran through my veins as I remembered how intoxicating she’d been. “I knew the moment I saw you that you were a mix of good girl and bad, yet you’ve never let me see the actual black bra you were wearing that day.”

  Her brow wrinkled. “Huh? You want to see that?”
>
  The bra thing was my way of knowing there was more to her than met the eye. But I hadn’t known I’d fall in love with her. I hadn’t explained myself well. I took a deep breath and strode toward the backyard glass doors as I said, “I’m not making sense right now.”

  She followed me and pressed against my forearm. “Look, when the paperwork gets here, you, Frank and Russ will handle your father. I’ll handle how it looks to the world, if you need me to. That was the deal. Your businesses might be my clients.”

  Right. No more feelings. This was all business. I opened the door. The heat of the day still lingered in the night air. My hair stood on its ends, but I asked her calmly, “What if I want something different from you?”

  One of her shoulders bumped into me like she wanted me. She said, “Tell me what it is, then, and we’ll talk about that.”

  I’d not ask her to lie to me. She wasn’t in love. She didn’t care. I walked to the edge of my backyard and stared at the empty beach outside the gate as I said, “I can’t ask, when I know you’re right.”

  I don’t deserve to be in love anyhow. I’d never be enough to save her or anyone.

  She crossed her arms. “Want to tell me what’s going on then?”

  I’d never had anyone in my life to open up to, but with Indigo, suddenly I was different and let my guard down. I took my shoes and socks off to walk on the sandy beach as I said, “Just analyzing the impossible while I wonder what happens next.”

  She tilted her head and fidgeted with the hem of her dress as she said, “What happens next is that you take control, and you get to move on with the life you want.”

  Without her in it, of course. I took my tie and jacket off and left them on the white metal patio table near me, so I was just in my shirt and pants.

  “What do you do in five years when you and I are done?” I asked.

  She let her dress go as she said, “I’ll be busy working, I guess. I’ll throw myself into those projects.”

  The warm night air captured my attention as she asked, “And you? What do you do when I’m not here to warm your bed?”

  Wish I wasn’t a complete asshole who wanted more, when I didn’t deserve it.

  She let her arms curl around her belly and shook her head as she said, “You’re being quiet tonight, Jacob. You should be dancing on air.”

  “I’m not a dancer.” Indigo had no idea of the turmoil my heart was in. I let my shoulders slump. “And I don’t trust winning.”

  She stood like a soldier as she said, “Well, in time you’ll have to be satisfied. I think you probably need to relax and trust in yourself.”

  I patted her shoulder and sidestepped her to go to the beach. “I’ve never been that easy.”

  She followed me and said, “You deserve to have everything you ever wanted, Jacob. You’re a great guy.”

  I opened the gate and said, “A great guy who should let you go.”

  She held the gate but didn’t follow as she called out behind me. “What? You want to end our … our marriage, now? Because you’ve already won, or because you don’t trust me?”

  I turned around. I’d never seen anyone so beautiful. The ocean breezes made her dress and hair billow in the wind and her eyes were deep blue now as I said, “I was starting to, but I need to protect myself.”

  She pointed back to the house and said, “I think it’s time to calm down. Let’s go to bed now, and think about the rest when we read the paperwork and know what’s going on, instead of projecting possibilities and fears. I swear I will honor the contract and not take or ask for anything else.”

  “Maybe.” I stepped away from her and onto the sand. “You go in. I need fresh air and a walk.”

  She wiped her eye but let the gate fall shut behind her.

  And I headed south, like that might help me escape this.

  I knew better than to let my shield down, but she’d made it into my heart.

  And I had no defenses to stop her from stomping on my heart when our calendar ran out.

  Chapter 15

  Indigo

  This couldn’t be the end of us. I showered, changed, put a mask on my face, washed it off, and drank lemon water.

  The moon rose higher in the sky outside the bedroom window and Jacob was still gone.

  End our marriage? The bedsheets still smelled like him. I wanted to wrap myself in them and bring him back home.

  I missed being with Jacob and my heart was empty without him at my side.

  Love was dangerous, but I thought it was good to be with him. Our contract meant my heart was safe. To distract myself, I tried to read the business reports on the shelter and some PR stuff Jasmine had set up for me.

  My mind couldn’t focus on the numbers long enough for anything to make sense. Then my phone rang. I glanced at it and flipped it open like it was a lifeline to real life. It was my cousin.

  “Mary, what’s going on?” I asked.

  She was practically singing as she said quickly, “Arthur went to prison!”

  Her ex, the father of her son. The man that I’d happily run over with my car and not feel sorry for. No man should ever hit a woman, especially a big jerk like that. My heart rate increased as I asked, “For how long?”

  “I don’t know. But for now, at least, I can push my baby in a carriage and not fear he might show up and hurt me.”

  My heart dropped. My own mother had been terrified of life. She’d been paralyzed at malls, in grocery stores—and her demons had long been out of her life by then. Mary had a hard road ahead of her. I needed to be strong to help her and everyone in my family.

  I glanced out the window at the dark beach but saw no signs of Jacob as I said, “He wouldn’t.”

  “Well, I can breathe now.”

  I turned away from the window. Staring into the darkness wouldn’t accomplish anything. Jacob needed a walk to sort things out, and my soul shouldn’t be so twisted that it seriously made my stomach ache, even if he’d hinted that he didn’t want me anymore. The thought made me sick, but I sniffed the air like I was paying attention and held up my head. “Good. So why are you calling so late?”

  “Honestly, I thought I’d get your voicemail. Weren’t you going to some party tonight?”

  “We were. We left early.” Fair. I’d still have been at that party if not for the shock. I sat at a small desk in the bedroom where I’d left my laptop and asked, “What else is going on?”

  “I want the job at the shelter you mentioned before. Is that okay?”

  Helping others had been what brought my mom out of her shell. That was why I threw myself into solving all problems—so I didn’t lose my own mind. I nodded and opened my email to write to my manager on Mary’s behalf. I said, “That’s good. Thank you for helping.”

  “I want to give back. Like your mother. She was a smart woman. She married your father, the man my own brother looks up to.”

  At one point in my childhood, all the Steel cousins had lived under our roof. My dad always made room for family in his house and at his table.

  My phone beeped. I was getting another call. I glanced at it and saw it was Jasmine. There must be something about our business that needed my attention. This was my usual life and it was nice to be back to it. I took care of everything and made money for the rest of the Steels.

  Georgie was the one to go to for emotional comfort anyhow, so I said, “Well, I should go.”

  I quickly finished the email to the shelter so Mary could start whenever she wanted as I answered the next call. “Jasmine, what’s going on?”

  “Is it true you own the Tulsa Sooners? I just got a call from management.”

  My mind raced. Huh? Jacob had said the news about Sun and Moon Trust would come out the night of the party. I sat back in my chair and said, “No. Jacob does. We do PR for them. He got them because he took over the trust that owns them.”

  “That makes more sense,” Jasmine snapped. “I’ll straighten out the emails, but Ajax will be beside himself to start
handling sports teams now. Thanks.”

  I couldn’t guarantee we’d actually have the PR job. Jacob would do what he wanted with the team, so nothing was forever. Ajax would get over it if the contracts didn’t work out.

  Then I saw the email from Frozen Assets. I read it and my hair stood on its ends. I had to reread the numbers twice. I’d never had billions of dollars attached to my name, like I had executive privileges.

  I shouldn’t even have this email. Jacob would straighten everything out soon. I’d work hard with my twenty-five million and be happy.

  I closed my email and glanced out the window again. No one was there.

  I paced but my phone rang again. My oldest sister. I answered quickly, “Georgie?”

  “You own the Sooners?”

  “Was there a news broadcast?”

  “Yeah.”

  Probably his father’s doing. I hugged my waist and wished the loneliness inside my soul wasn’t like butterflies in my veins. I ached just to be in that bed in front of me, with Jacob, again.

  Those few hours ago seemed so far away now. I ignored how my neck was pins and needles and said, “No. Jacob owns the Sooners, not me.”

  “Well, that makes more sense.”

  Luckily my team knew his team and could straighten out reports about the ownership of a baseball team. I massaged my shoulder like that might solve my problems. “Jasmine’s sending out the press correction now.”

  “Do you know what Jacob plans to do with it? Or who he’ll sell it to? That’s his reputation—selling and earning more profits.”

  “I don’t know. He didn’t say.“

  I heard the door open and my pulse grew warmer.

  Jacob was home. I checked my hair in the mirror and asked, “Georgie—?”

  “Yeah?”

  Steels protected Steels, as our bonds were stronger than metal. Our dad had told my sisters and cousins the same message. It was why he took in his brother’s children, my cousins. My mother loved to hear my dad say that phrase.