by Fiona Archer
“No.” She stared back.
His head shot up as his gaze narrowed to hard blue chips. “What?”
“I’ve got something better instead.” She reached into her bag and pulled out a sheet of paper containing typed figures and notations, then slid it over the table’s smooth surface to rest a foot away from Lawson’s hand. “That’s a list of all the deaths of workers that have occurred on overseas projects run by Lawson Enterprises. The figures in the lower half of the column list the bribes paid to at least two safety inspectors and a mayor of a town involved in one of the projects to keep their mouths shut regarding unsafe work practices.”
Lawson’s hand twitched but he didn’t reach for the document. “You expect me to take that seriously?”
“As seriously as the relevant authorities in those countries are taking their investigations into Lawson Enterprises? Yes, I do.” She gazed at the paper, then back at Lawson, reminding him of its existence. “So far you’ve managed to keep everything quiet. You control information fed to the board. They turn up once a month, sit for two hours in a meeting to earn their fat directors’ fees, and everything’s dandy. What would happen if, as officers of the company, they suddenly found themselves implicated in gross misconduct of which they had never been made aware of?”
A muscle ticced in his jaw. She faced his glare with a calmness that surprised her. But she had him worried, that much was obvious in the way he stretched his neck against his collar and tie.
“What do you plan to do with this information?”
“Give it to everyone and anyone who would feel its pain.” She nodded in his direction. “That is if you don’t hand over the knife right now.”
A flash of arrogance shone in his eyes. “Do you expect them to simply believe some figures typed on a piece of paper?”
“No, but I do expect them to listen to the commentary of the CEO of Remington, Sharp, and Knight.” At Lawson’s slight jerk, she smiled. “That’s right, my old boss. You’d know that from your investigations. What you didn’t count on in your conceit was that I would use my contacts to find a way to hurt you.” Her voice hardened. “Just like you want to hurt Alex and Kane.”
His smile turned menacing, showing his teeth as if relishing the very idea of bringing pain to her men. “You honestly think I’m threatened by you when I hold the future of your mother’s freedom in my hands? She’s in her early fifties. How do you think she’ll find jail at her age?”
She clenched her fists against the surge of terror that clawed at her insides like some rabid animal in the throes of an attack. “Better than you will.”
Earlier this morning when the sun had still hours to rise, she and her mom had decided if Olivia could not secure possession of the knife, they would go, together, to see Caleb and tell her mom’s side of the story.
Either way, they wouldn’t lie down like cowards and accept whatever fate Lawson decided to dish out.
He scoffed. “I’ll take that bet.”
“Then you’re a fool, Lawson. You’re calling my bluff. Have you forgotten the history of the town I grew up in? James King believed in himself, placed his future on his gut instinct and the turn of the cards.” She caught the twitch at the corner of his left eye. “Every time I walk down Victoria Avenue in King’s Bluff, I’m reminded of the power of self-belief.”
“This move of yours wasn’t part of our bargain.”
“I don’t see the knife on the table, so just how good was the bargain to begin with?”
The reddening of his cheeks confirmed her worst fears.
“You don’t have it here, do you?” She stood, wanting to punch him, kick him, hurt him until he couldn’t breathe let alone issue threats against her mom. “We’re done.”
“You can’t fucking walk away from me.”
She leaned over him and fairly spat out her words. “Watch me, you pathetic asshole.”
The double entry doors to the boardroom burst open. Alex and Kane strode in. Their powerful muscular frames and the way their unflinching gazes surveyed the room, zeroed in on her and dismissed Lawson entirely, declared these men were alphas, leaders, and a person fucked with them at their peril.
Lawson jumped out of his chair and spun around.
Kane raised one eyebrow. “Stupid move, Lawson, sitting with your back to the door.”
Lawson flinched under the insult. “What the fuck are you doing here?”
Um, that was what she was wondering, too.
“Thought we’d take our girl out for an early dinner. That’s if, Red, you’re finished kicking Lawson’s ass?” Alex moved past Lawson, ignoring him as if the other man posed no threat.
“How did you know I was here?” She stared at him, not quite believing his arm was now around her back and drawing her closer to her side.
His finger gently touched her lips. “We have a lot to talk over, little one, but later.” He ran the blunt pad of his fingertip down her chin and along her jaw, before raising his gaze back to Lawson.
“You fucked up. Tried to use Red here to take us down. Problem was she’s smart.” He glanced at the piece of paper lying on the board table. “You said no to her deal?”
They knew about that? Nathan. He must have called them, but that still didn’t explain how they got here.
Lawson’s smile turned smug. “She has more to lose than I do.”
Kane shouldered past him, knocking the other man into a chair, then grasped her hand, enfolding hers in his strength and warmth. “Not according to the looks on the faces of your board. Look behind you.”
Lawson turned and, along with Olivia, saw the group of men and one woman gathered in the doorway, dressed in their finest corporate attire and each holding a single piece of paper.
“Excuse me, please.” Nathan eased himself past the crush. “Olivia, my dear, I took the liberty of asking the receptionist to make copies of your paper. Seeing as you’d done such an outstanding job of cataloging Richard’s failings, I thought they had a right to know.” The chairman stood a few feet down from Lawson. His brown eyes held nothing but contempt as they swept over Olivia’s nemesis.
Lawson spun to face her. “Your mother’s screwed, bitch,” he snarled.
Her belly cramped with fear. Lawson couldn’t win.
“No, she’s not.” Alex reached down into her tote and pulled out her tablet. “Red, connect yourself to your e-mail.” As she remained still, wondering what the hell she could do now, he grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger. His touch felt like…coming home. “Do you trust us?”
“Yes.” She didn’t have to think, to question.
“Then fire her up, darling.”
She connected to her wireless server, and then opened her inbox. All of her e-mails hand been…opened? She glanced up at Alex.
“We stopped by your mom’s this morning and can talk about that later. In the meantime, open the e-mail from Todd Granger.”
Todd. In all the later drama she had forgotten needing to call him.
Once in her e-mail, she opened Todd’s attachment. There, in black and white, albeit a little grainy, was as scanned copy of a statement by one Lucas Honeycutt to the Arch Bend Police dated July 10th, 1984.
“Let me save you trying to read the words, babe.” Kane’s voice interjected into her thoughts. “The kid saw two men drag Hicks out of the house. He had blood on his shirt, likely from his fight with your mom earlier. They punched him, demanding their money. Hick didn’t have it, needed more time. One guy stabbed him in his ribs, then higher. Hicks fell. The kid then saw them drive off.” He rounded on Lawson, forcing the jerk’s back up against the wall. Kane’s voice dropped to dangerously low. “You’re the one who’s screwed, asshole.”
Two men. Not her mom.
Hicks had been alive when her mom left.
Alive.
And there was a statement to prove it.
Alex wrapped a hand around her nape. The firm pressure felt like a safe haven amidst all this turmoil. “To
morrow morning our family attorney will be flying back with us to King’s Bluff and he’ll personally sit at your mom’s side while she gives a statement of facts to Caleb. The sheriff has already received a phone call from me and our attorney, plus a copy of Todd’s e-mail.” His eyes kept locked on her, holding her at his will. “Caleb’s on board, Red. Your mother’s safe.”
She sucked in a shuddering breath. Tears burned her eyes.
Nathan cleared his throat. “I think we’ve taken up enough of these people’s time, don’t you? They have a busy meeting ahead.” He didn’t bother glancing at Lawson. Instead he smiled at Olivia, then moved to the doorway, saying a few polite good-byes to certain people using their first names.
“Good idea.” Kane gently pulled Olivia behind him, making sure to keep himself between her and Lawson.
But there was something still left unresolved. “The knife?”
Kane smiled, his face showing none of her worry. “We’ve got it. Quinn had a discussion with Lawson’s PA. Earlier she had seen him stowing it in his office safe. The woman thought he might have turned into some kind of freaking serial killer. Quinn used his charm, and the woman opened up the safe.”
Lawson’s foul curses were cut off by a cry of pain.
Olivia spun back to see the bastard stepping away from Alex, trickles of blood falling down between the fingers of his hand covering his nose.
Alex leaned over him, pressing Lawson’s back against the wall. “If there weren’t ladies present, I’d teach you a real lesson.” He started to move toward Olivia.
Only when Alex was a good six feet from him, standing next to Olivia and Kane, did Lawson have the guts to reply. “You think you’re so in control. Well, you aren’t. Did you know your mother worked with Caroline to get the two of you married?” He laughed, ignoring the blood running into his mouth and dripping down to stain his white shirt. “Caroline told me once, years ago when I saw her in a club. She was drunk, still pissed at missing out on all your millions. Did you ever wonder why you and Caroline had so much in common?”
Lawson straightened up, took a couple of steps forward, cockiness replacing common sense. “Your mother told her everything she could about what you liked and hated. Apparently Caroline promised her a bonus payment on your wedding day.” He took another step closer. “Sold out by your mother. How fucking pathetic is that?”
Alex didn’t blink. “Not nearly as much as devoting your life to taking down someone who routinely forgets you exist.” He turned, his hand in the middle of Olivia’s back, and urged her forward as Kane kept his gaze on Lawson.
“As I said, we should leave everyone to their meeting.” Nathan’s lips twitched as he waited for them to join him at the doorway.
The various directors of Lawson Enterprises gave them a wide berth. Who could blame them?
Quinn had one of the elevators held open for them. Olivia halted then took a step back, ignoring Alex’s hand tightening on her waist. The last time she and Quinn had spoken, he had made it clear how much he despised her.
The big man noticed her hesitancy. “Girl, don’t fear me. I overstepped when I thought you fucked over my brothers. I’ve got the full picture now, and if you have any compassion in your soul and understanding that my wife will tear the skin from my hide if I ever hurt you again, you’ll forgive me.” His eyes showed genuine remorse.
Who was she to hold a grudge? After all, he had only been reacting to what he’d seen her do. “Can I get another slice of Reagan’s cheesecake if I say you’re forgiven?” She lifted her mouth into a smile.
“You betcha.” Then he swooped down and gave her a huge hug. Olivia’s feet left the floor before she was gently deposited back down again.
The chuckles of the men around her made her feel wanted, part of a team.
So, okay, things were looking brighter.
As one, they walked out of the building to stand in the overcast late afternoon.
Something niggled in the back of her mind. She turned to Nathan, who let it be said, held his own in the handsome and powerful stakes along with the three alphas beside him. “You didn’t just turn up at the hotel this afternoon, did you?”
Eyes the color of dark chocolate gleamed with amusement. “I got a call from Alex earlier, around the time you were boarding your second flight. I tailed your cab from the airport.” Olivia’s mouth dropped. “Thought I might lose you a couple of times, but I held on.”
Kane rolled his eyes. “Don’t let him kid you, babe. Nathan was a Green Beret.”
No wonder he stood equal with a pack of SEALs. Was it mandatory that all these highly trained guys had to be so damn handsome?
Nathan and Quinn moved away, as if guessing she, Kane, and Alex needed privacy.
Olivia firmed her shoulders and faced her men. “Before anyone says anything, I want to get something out.” They gazed at her with a mixture of curiosity and impatience. “This isn’t the way I pictured saying it.” She glanced around, saw people rushing past as their workday ended and they wanted to get home, or meet friends, or whatever. Just say it. “I love you both. So very much. I screwed up big time yesterday, and you had every right to be furious. I should have trusted you, but I, well, I let fear override what we were growing together.” She raised her hands, then let them fall to her sides. “I don’t know what else to say.”
Was that even enough?
Kane’s sigh sounded more regretful that irritated. “We never stopped loving you, sweetness. It’s the reason we were so harsh toward you. People don’t react that strongly unless they care deeply. This morning we finally pulled our heads out of our asses and questioned why you would steal the bid.” He shrugged. “By the time we got to your mom’s she was about to come see us.”
That would be her mom. Fall on her sword and save her daughter. They were a fine pair.
“You’re mom’s a gutsy lady, Olivia.” Alex hugged her close, squeezing her tight in the way he knew made her toes curl before letting her go. “She told us everything.”
Kane stood beside his brother, his hand cupping her face. “Quinn broke into your laptop and e-mails and we pieced together your plan.” He grinned, and the sun shining on his face highlighted his stubble and the creases in his skin. Her rugged wild man. “Damn fine plan, too, sweetness.”
“You figured it all out.” She shook her head in mock despair. “I didn’t stand a chance, did I?”
Uncaring of the people walking past, Alex wrapped her in his arms and kissed her long and hard, forcing her head back. She matched his passion, rejoicing in the second chance she had to be with him and Kane, to feel their strong arms around her, the sensation of being theirs, claimed and safe.
Alex lifted his head. She caught her breath at the love in his gaze. This hard man, powerful, deadly even, was capable of such gentleness, which only increased his dominance in her eyes. “Darling, you were caught the first time I saw you. We just didn’t realize it at the time.” He turned her around. “But my brother had good instincts and a lot of faith—in both of us.”
Kane pulled her close and kissed her. He gripped her hips, his fingers spreading wide apart, pressing into her body, reminding her of his strength and the control with which he held it in check. The late-day stubble covering his face rubbed against her skin. She loved the sensation of roughness, another reminder of his manliness in comparison to her femininity.
The sun warmed her face as he drew back gradually. For the second time in the last few minutes she was blessed to see love in a man’s gaze.
Her men.
Kane’s mouth quirked in that easy way it did when he was laughing at himself. “I keep telling you brother, I’m the people person. I found our girl and charmed her. But together, we convinced her to take a chance.”
They sure did, because as a wise woman once said to her, life’s too short to live it in safe mode.
Sometimes she had to surrender to chance.
Epilogue
Late Saturday evening Alex walked down the
stairs from the private playrooms and out into the main play area of the Club. Kane followed, holding Olivia’s hand as he led the way. Her naked breasts were plump and her swollen nipples, just released from clamps, were a rich plum color. Allowing her the blue G-string was their one concession to modesty in front of others. He and Kane wore their leathers, taking pride in doing so for the first time in their club.
Their sub, with her mussed hair and skin shinning from sweat, was exhausted from her first experience in “The Joker” room. Alex chucked to himself. Could there be a more appropriate title for a room designed for Doms to mindfuck their subs?
Drawing on the inspiration of poker which was so entwined with King’s Bluff, he and Kane had named the club’s private rooms after playing cards such as The King room for Doms and The Queen Room for Dommes.
Around him, other couples were finishing up their scenes or already resting on the leather couches they had moved to the main play area from the bevy of seating in the front of the club. With only five couples here tonight for their private party, they wanted a more intimate setting.
From the looks on their faces—the Doms’ satisfaction, and the subs’ mixture of exhaustion and happiness—their first time at the club had gone well.
“Are you ready, little one?” Alex studied Olivia, taking in her clear gaze. Christ, she’d been gorgeous with their knife play, one moment whimpering, the next straining against her bonds as her Doms pushed her levels of trust.
“Yes, Sir.” She bounced on her toes. “In fact, I can’t wait.”
He kissed her, hard and deep. “Love you, Red.”
“Love you back, Sir.”
Alex nodded to Kane. His brother gripped the nape of Red’s neck and pushed her forward, keeping his hand there as he stopped in front of the three lounges. He whispered something into her ear. She turned her head, said something back before Kane kissed her.
Alex moved up beside Olivia just as Gabe walked past with his sub, Suzie, who wore a pink baby doll negligee and nothing else. The sub’s arms were folded hands to elbow behind her and tied in place beautifully with cotton rope in the same soft pink as her negligee. The attractive, polite sub gave Kane and Alex a shy smile, then flicked her gaze to Olivia, obviously checking to make sure her best friend was doing okay.
