Bailout

by Kimbra Swain

I tried accessing the Malone Enterprises website, but it was very slow to load. I skipped it and moved on to articles about business deals. By the time my eyes hurt from reading the small screen, my pasta bowl was empty, and I’d finished three glasses of wine. I signed the receipt and thanked Casper for his service with a generous tip. If she was going to pay my bills, I’d be generous with her money.

  Trudging back to my car, the day had turned cold. Overcast and dreary, I headed to my office. As I pulled around the block to enter the parking deck, I scolded myself for even going back there. I was a joke. Instead of pulling in, I passed the entrance and went straight to my condo.

  When I got to my door, a woman stood outside of it. She made eye contact with me. It was Penny from the bar last night. “Penny, is that you?”

  “Hello, Synclair, I’d hoped you would call me, but you didn’t so I decided to find you,” she said as she stalked toward me.

  “Um, how did you find me?” I asked.

  “I followed you home last night,” she said.

  “I put you in a cab and paid for you to go home,” I reminded her.

  “Yes, but I had him let me out. I followed you. I hope you don’t mind,” she purred.

  She opened the long wool coat to reveal her exquisite, completely naked body. I gulped. “How did you get into the building?” I stammered as she approached.

  “You see what I used,” she smiled.

  Shit. Crazy stalker woman! Every alarm in my head went off. “Look, Penny, this isn’t okay. You need to leave. I’m going to call security,” I said as my back hit the wall behind me. I had nowhere else to go as she pressed against me.

  “Touch me, Synclair,” she said.

  I kept my hands off her. I didn’t know what this was. It could be a setup. What was it with me and crazy stalker women? “No, you need to go,” I insisted. She ran her hand down to my crotch where she found a completely normal response to being cornered by a naked woman. I knew better than to touch her, but I couldn’t control what my body did in response to her.

  “I don’t think you want me to go,” she said as she licked my ear. I shifted my weight and dodged around her toward my door. I was actually running from a naked woman. I jammed my key card in the lock as she sauntered back toward me laughing. I entered the condo and slammed the door behind me. She continued to talk to me through the door. I called security and waited to listen to her describe all the things she wanted to do to me. Which any man with an active penis would have jumped on, but apparently not me. There was another woman currently under my skin.

  I heard the elevator door open, and she willingly left with security. “Dear God! Please help me,” I groaned. Entering my bedroom, I stripped off the Armani coat thinking about what Miss Malone said about it. I’d never wear it again. I jumped in the shower and washed off the sweat and anxiety. Crashing on the bed, I passed out wrapped only in a towel.

  Ten

  ALEXA

  Sebastian gave me the rundown of Mr. Elliot’s afternoon including a surprise visit by the woman he met at the bar. He probably thought I was no better than the stalker. She came to him unclothed. He turned her away. I supposed he had some semblance of decency when it came to women.

  I stood looking out on Atlanta as the sky darkened and the lights of the town began to glow. Down on the street level, city workers were hanging decorations on poles. It was getting close to Christmas. I looked down at the drink in my hands. I needed to talk to someone outside of my small circle. I thought about Wes, but I knew better than to drag him into something else with me. What I needed was a guy to talk to that wouldn’t want to fuck me. Kellan.

  Damien met me as I exited my office. “Hey, I’m taking Charity out for dinner. You heading home?” he asked.

  “Yes, I’m going to get a shower and try to relax,” I said.

  “Good. You have a great night,” he said.

  “You, too!” I winked at him. He blushed. Walking in the direction of Charity’s office, I assumed she was still here finishing her work for the day. I’d been swamped with calls from the press wanting interviews and statements about the buyout of Bright. The media slammed me for doing it. Called it the worst business decision I’d ever made. Said it would be the downfall of Malone. My downfall. I would show them, but it would take a lot of work.

  Kelly sent me full access to Bright’s financials. It was bleeding money. We would need to sit down tomorrow and start making cuts. I wish I could bring Mr. Elliot back into the conversation. His knowledge of the company would help us make the right cuts and the right moves without doing too much harm to the people involved and the company. Otherwise, I would have to fly blind.

  As I stepped out on to the sidewalk, a shiny black Mercedes pulled up. I approached the car and got in. “I thought you were following him,” I said to Sebastian.

  “I was, but Damien said you were leaving. I’ll take you home,” he said.

  “Arturo was going to take me home,” I explained.

  “You pissed Elliot off today. He might come after you. I need to be around,” Sebastian said.

  “Bastian, you cannot follow me everywhere. I can take care of myself. Mr. Elliot isn’t capable of physical harm as you suggest,” I said. He and Damien had put me through a rigorous self-defense training. I just happened to be an excellent shot. I kept a small pistol on me at all times outside of work. I had slipped it into my bag just before I came out of the office earlier.

  “You never know,” he simply said.

  Once we got to the townhouse we shared, he dropped me off. “You aren’t coming in?” I asked.

  “No, I’m going to check on Elliot,” he explained.

  “Maybe we should just let it go,” I responded.

  “It’s too late for that, Alexa,” he said. I shut the door. Walking into the townhouse, I locked the door behind me. I heard him speed away. If I got a quick shower, I could be out of the townhouse before he got back. I wanted to see Kellan.

  After my shower, I put on a simple pair of skinny jeans and a warm sweater. It was getting below freezing tonight. I called for an Uber and waited for it to arrive. Within five minutes the driver showed up. I grabbed my purse with my gun inside and instructed the driver to take me to Kellan’s club.

  When I pulled up, the club hadn’t really started hopping. I entered the front door and found only twenty or so patrons. I scanned the room and saw Kellan approaching.

  “Lexy! What a surprise!” he said hugging me.

  “Hey, I need someone to talk to,” I said immediately. He smiled.

  “Of course. Where are your bodyguards?” he asked.

  “I snuck out,” I admitted.

  “Bad girl. You must tell them where you are so they don’t beat the shit out of me. I do wish one of them was gay. They are so yummy,” he laughed. He’d always kidded about being with one of my brothers. He liked the strong athletic type; however, his boyfriend was a businessman in Raleigh. I’d helped his business, too. He was thriving, and for the first time since we were kids, Kellan was happy. “You are all over the news. It’s a coincidence that you are both here.”

  “What?” I asked. He stepped to the side revealing the slumped figure of Mr. Elliot at the bar. “Oh, shit.”

  “Is it that bad?”

  “Yes,” I said. “Do you know him?”

  “Yes, we’ve been friends since I started the club. He’s a good guy, but a little misguided. You destroyed him today,” Kellan said, but without hatred.

  “I did, but I didn’t intend to do it. I want to fix it. It’s why I came to talk to you. I needed a male opinion that wasn’t my brothers’ or someone’s who wants to sleep with me,” I said.

  He pulled me to a side room before Mr. Elliot saw me. The coat room was small, and he shut the door telling the hostess to give us a minute.

  “I’m not sure how I can help you,” he said. “I’ve already talked to him. I tried to tell him that you aren’t so bad, but he wasn’t listening.”

  “Like you s
aid, I destroyed him,” I said hanging my head. “I’d do anything to fix it.”

  Kellan stepped back. “What’s gotten into you? It was a business deal, right?”

  “Yes, but you know I’m not heartless. This was pretty brutal. Even for me,” I said. The things he had said to me flashed through my mind. Coupled with the things Charity had said, I was feeling pretty low about my approach to Mr. Elliot.

  “Well, you need somewhere private to talk,” he said. “I made $5,000 last night on the take.”

  I smiled because Kellan was as brutal I as I was when I came to business. “Okay, I’ll give you ten,” I replied smiling.

  “Done,” he said. “I’ll clear it. Stay here. Put on some lip gloss.”

  “What?!”

  “You are gonna have to kiss ass. Better make those lips softer,” he winked as he went back into the room.

  The band stopped playing, and he announced to the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, the club has just been purchased for the night. All of your cover charges will be refunded and you will receive vouchers for a return visit. Please forgive me for this sudden change.”

  I heard people shuffling out, but I supposed he would keep Mr. Elliot here. As the scuffling of feet started to wane, I licked my lips, because I didn’t have lip gloss, and exited the coat room.

  Mr. Elliot stood at the end of the bar talking to Kellan. I heard him say, “Just try.”

  I stepped down onto the dance floor. He didn’t wear the Armani or the Calvin Klein, just a loose-fitting pair of jeans and a tight black t-shirt. His eyes flicked to me with anger on his face. Quickly he paced the distance between us, and stuck his finger in my face, “How dare you follow me here!”

  “I didn’t,” I stammered. “I came to talk to Kellan. We’ve known each other for years.”

  He winced and removed his finger. “I still don’t want to talk to you. You come in here and run everyone out. Ruin people’s night simply because you have the money to do so. What more do you want from me?” He waved his hands wildly as he talked, but finished with them on his hips.

  “If I could take it all back, I would. I just want to fix it, but I don’t know how. Tell me what you want. I’ll give it to you,” I said, defeated. His opinion mattered to me, and I knew why. I had to get us to that point so I could explain it to him. I closed my eyes to fight back tears. I never cried. Not after that day at Pyramid. I refused to cry now standing before a man that had made his own mess.

  “There is nothing you can do,” he said.

  Eleven

  JAMEY

  She stood before me on the brink of tears. I never thought I’d see the day that the formidable businesswoman known as Alexandra Malone would cry over a deal. There had to be more to it than this. Trying to decide if I wanted to find out. She thrust her hand toward me as if she wanted to shake hands with me. I stared at her hand, then at her. She lifted my right hand to her left and put it in her right.

  “Hi, I’m Alexa,” she said.

  I gripped her hand. It was warm and soft. Her nails were filed and painted to perfection in a delicate pink color. “What are you doing?” I asked.

  “Starting over,” she said.

  I shook my head. She was nuts, but for some odd reason, I played along. I shook her hand, and said, “I’m Jamey.”

  “So, you do go by Jamey,” she said. “I wasn’t sure.”

  “I do with my friends. I use Synclair for other things,” I said. She smiled because of course, she knew what other things I was talking about.

  “To drive the girls wild,” she suggested. I actually laughed.

  “I suppose,” I said.

  “Can I get you a drink? I’ve bought the bar for the evening. We might as well have a drink. I could use one,” she said releasing my hand and walking behind the bar.

  She picked up a short glass, added ice and picked a brown liquor. She poured a generous amount over the ice and lifted her eyes to mine. For a moment, I was caught in them. Bright green with golden flecks that glittered under the club lights. She looked away as I held the gaze too long. “Same for me,” I said motioning to her glass. She pushed that one towards me and poured another for herself.

  “Jamey, I would really like it if we could get to the point where we could discuss your business as partners. It may take time, and I have a lot to make up for. However, I don’t think you are ready to give up on it. Neither am I,” she said taking a sip.

  “No, no business talk, right now. If we are starting over, then I want to know about you before I decide if I want to talk business,” I said turning to the empty VIP area. Walking across the room, I heard her follow me. I sat in one of the luxurious couches as she sat down opposite me.

  “What do you want to know?” she asked.

  “You didn’t work for Malone when you got out of college, why?” I asked.

  “I wanted to make my own way, and I did. But when father got sick, I knew I had to come back to Malone. Family is important. More important than my own aspirations. Even though I worked my way up the ladder at Pyramid, people still say I got Malone simply because I was Kerrick Malone’s daughter,” she admitted. “You know what that is like, right?”

  “Yes, I do,” I said. “Is that why this, why I, am important to you?” We were very similar. Unfortunately, my father died, and I never got the chance to establish myself. I just inherited it all blindly.

  “For one thing, yes. I understand the pressures of being the unwitting heir to a legacy. The struggle to keep the legacy alive,” she said.

  “Malone Enterprises has tripled in value since you took over,” I offered. She smiled, but it wasn’t pretentious. Something I said struck her.

  “You did do some research on the company,” she said.

  I picked my phone out of my pocket and waggled it at her. “At lunch today, I had a date with Mr. Google.” She laughed, and it was genuine. Her soft blonde curls bounced when she laughed and her eyes sparkled. Dear God, she was beautiful. Even if I hated her, at least if we worked together I could gawk at her.

  “What else did Mr. Google tell you?” she asked taking another sip of her drink.

  “That you dated Detective Garrett Shepherd of the Atlanta Police Department,” I said. She gulped a large portion of the liquor, and her cheeks flushed.

  “I did. Shep and I dated for 7 months after I left Pyramid. He worked a case for me, and we hit it off very well. However, over time, my job became more demanding after my parents died. Essentially, I pushed him away. We are still friends, but I couldn’t drag him along. He wanted to settle down and start a family. I wasn’t ready for that,” she said.

  “Are you ready for it now?” I blurted out.

  “No,” she replied simply as she finished off the drink. She’d gone through hers faster than I had mine. “What else?”

  “Just lots of pictures of charity events and business ventures. There was one of you back when you worked with Pyramid. You were with a guy named Ryland LeBlanc. He looked too old to be a boyfriend,” I said.

  She drew in a long breath and gripped the cushion on the loveseat. “He’s ten years older than me, but yes, he was also a boyfriend. He was a Vice President at Pyramid.”

  “What happened there?”

  “I left Pyramid and went to work at Malone. I didn’t have time or room for him,” she said.

  “But you had time for Shepherd?” I asked because I was confused.

  “It was a bad break-up with LeBlanc. Shepherd wasn’t a rebound guy by any means, but he did help me through a difficult time. Leaving the job I’d worked for, my father’s diagnosis, his death and my mother’s quickly after, I needed someone. Shep filled that role for me,” she admitted. “Do you need a list of my boyfriends from college too?”

  I’d gone too far asking about her private life. “No, I’m sorry if I pried too much.”

  “No one has ever asked me these questions. I suppose I’m not good at opening up on my private life,” she said. “But it’s fair play conside
ring the background checks I do on potential business deals.”

  “Then why are you telling me?”

  “Because, I told you I’d do anything to fix it,” she said.

  “Like sleep with me,” I blurted out. She turned a deep red and gritted her teeth. “Oh, Alexa, I’m just joking. It was crude. I’m sorry. Just trying to make you relax.”

  She leaned back in the seat and took a deep breath. “I see. It just threw me off,” she said.

  “Do you think I’m the kind of guy that would ask for that sort of thing?” I asked.

  “I don’t know you, Jamey. Are you?”

  “Absolutely not!” I protested with my hand over my heart like I was offended. Her eyes twinkled again at my nonsense. I was starting to have fun with her. “Let’s dance!” I hopped up and offered her my hand.

  “What? No, don’t be silly,” she said shaking her head. I lightly touched her fingers lifting them up from the seat.

  “You said anything,” I coaxed.

  “Fuck,” she muttered, and I laughed.

  I pushed a few buttons on my phone, and it started playing Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” She held my hand and wrapped the other around my neck. “Tell me about the guy last night,” I asked.

  She groaned, “What is this? A laundry list of my boyfriends?”

  “Is he your boyfriend?” I asked.

  “No. Wes and I have been friends with benefits for a while, but he wants to get serious which I’m not interested in doing. We probably won’t see each other again,” she said sadly.

  “Seems to me you are afraid of commitment,” I suggested as we swayed.

  “No, I’m committed to my job,” she said.

  “Boring!” I exclaimed. She laughed at my outburst.

  “I can be in a committed relationship, but I don’t want to get married,” she said.

  “What’s the difference?”

  “I’m just not the marrying type,” she said.

  I thought she was exactly the marrying type. In fact, as I looked through the long articles online about her, it seemed all she needed was a husband. I stopped swaying when I realized the thought that had crossed my mind. That’s it. I’d been looking at her as a potential wife. Not for myself, but for anyone. She didn’t want that. She wanted to be her own person. She told me as much when she talked about climbing the ladder at Pyramid.