“Did we confirm the source of the story?” I ask, refocusing on Blake and getting right to business, damn thankful neither of these two are going to try to talk about what I feel right now. What I feel is focused and done. This stops. The end.
“We did,” Blake confirms. “I tracked an email exchange and several calls between Elijah and the reporter that broke the story.”
It’s exactly as I expected. Elijah couldn’t turn anyone against me so he used me against myself. “Where are Mick and Tabitha now?”
“Mick seems settled in his hotel room,” Blake says. “There’s no flight booked for him or Tabitha.”
“What else do I need to know?” I ask, again cutting through any chit-chat. I need to move on. I need to take action.
Blake studies me a moment. “It depends on what you’re going to do.”
“I need the audio between us and Tabitha,” I counter, ignoring his intended question.
He reaches in his pocket and hands me a small recorder. “It’s loaded.”
“And the calls between Mick and Tabitha?” I ask.
“Also on there,” he says. “What’s your move?” he presses, swinging back to my avoidance which is more calculation and me processing as we talk.
“What about the proof of those offshore accounts?”
He reaches in his pocket and hands me a drive. I accept it. “Where’s Elijah right now?”
“At his office,” Blake says.
“Then I’m going to his office,” I say, looking at Gabe. “Protect Carrie. She’ll be protecting everyone else, including me.”
“Count on it,” he assures me. “I assume the merger will leak and we’ll deal with it at the press conference.” He doesn’t wait for confirmation. “Carrie and I will handle what needs to be handled. You just make that little prick gone.”
“I’ll ride shotgun and stay close,” Blake says. “But I go back to: What’s your end game? What’s the plan?”
“To end this and do it now, today, before that press conference,” I reply. “And Elijah is going to decide what that means.”
Blake narrows his eyes on me, no doubt looking for things that don’t exist: erratic anger and desperation. I’m focused. I’m driven. I’m done with Elijah and Elijah is about to find that out.
***
Thirty minutes later, Blake has gotten me past the hell of the press at our apartment and assured me he’ll keep them away from Carrie. Another thirty minutes later, and I’m inside the building that houses Elijah’s corporate offices, where life is calm because he sent the hell to my life, my future wife, my family, and my company.
Leaving Blake in the lobby of the building, I ride to Elijah’s floor and walk into his lobby to stop at the reception desk. “Where’s Elijah?”
“Can I tell him who’s here?” the young blonde behind the desk asks.
“No, you cannot,” I say, cutting right and starting to walk, pausing by a passing woman. “Which way is Elijah’s office? I’m in a rush to get him a stock tip he needs.”
“Of course,” the woman says, pointing down another hallway.
“Sir!” the receptionist calls after me, her voice nearing as she obviously tries to follow me.
I start walking and I keep walking until I’m entering a new lobby that leads to an overstated arched wood door that I assume is the entrance to Elijah’s office. The woman at the desk guarding his door frowns at me. “Can I help you, sir?”
“No,” I say. “But Elijah can.” I close the space between me and her and she stands up, but I pass her by, walk right through his doorway and find him standing at a floor-to-ceiling window. I shut the door and lock it. He turns to face me. “Thanks for the invitation to visit, Elijah, because that’s what that bullshit you pulled with the press was, wasn’t it? An invitation for more of me. Because that’s what you got. More of me. Right here, right now. Let’s do this.”
Elijah smirks. “Yes. Let’s do this.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Reid
I cross the office and stop in front of Elijah’s desk. We stand there, both of us rigid, hands at our sides, staring at each other. “I know you’re behind the bad press this morning.”
His eyes burn into mine and he leans forward, pressing his hands on the desk. “How many times did you fuck my wife?”
I could say about ten things to piss him off right now, but ultimately this isn’t about a woman or he would have come at me years ago. This is about the money and the buy-in that he lost. I know this now. I understand it. He lost money. He blames me. Right now, I have to get him to a place where he knows that’s not the case. I pull the recorder out of my pocket, set it on the desk, and then do what I would never do if I was trying to intimidate him. I sit down in a chair before I punch play.
Tabitha’s voice lifts in the air and everything that was said last night is right here in this room. About halfway in, Elijah sits down in the chair across from me. When the first part of the recording is over our eyes meet. “You still fucked my wife.”
“I didn’t know she was your damn wife, man,” I bite out. “You just heard that on the audio.”
“That’s not what you said when it happened.”
He’s right. I egged him on and did it without guilt. “We’re competitors and you were being a little bitch.”
“Little bitch?” he demands. “You fucked my wife. What if I fucked Carrie?”
“You wouldn’t get the chance,” I say, not taking the bait. “She’s not Tabitha, who’s a bitch, by the way. There’s more on the tape.” I hit the play button again and a number of phone calls between Tabitha and Mick, in which they plot to use me to distract Elijah, follow. Once it’s over, I meet his stare. “She’s the little bitch.”
He scrubs his jaw and stands up, walking to the window to stare out at the city, though I’m doubtful the city is what he’s seeing. More likely it’s red and revenge. I push to my feet and join him, stepping to his side. “We have a decision to make,” I say, and the two of us turn to face each other. “We can remain enemies or we can align and end this.”
“You expect me to believe that Reid Maxwell would align with me after what I did to you this morning?”
“Then you admit you started the press frenzy?”
“Fuck yeah I did it,” he says. “I thought you fucked my wife and my wallet. So, I repeat. Why would you align with me?”
“One word. Carrie. I want this over for her.” I hand him the recorder. “Take it. Use it to get out of whatever fucked up divorce is to follow and as for Mick, I can fuck up that deal he signed. I can get that company back on the market.”
“How?”
“It doesn’t matter how. It matters that I do it. I’ll even broker your buy-in, but then it’s done. We’re done. In or out, but know this: If you say you’re in and you fuck me, I will bend you over, and fuck you so hard and fast, you’ll wish you were dead. I’m making you money and saving you on that divorce. You owe me peace.”
“And you’ll have it,” he assures me. “Peace.” He offers me his hand.
I grab it and turn him to shove him against the window. “Touch my woman again and I’ll kill you. Do you understand?”
Elijah holds his hands up. “I was trying to scare her. I wasn’t ever planning to hurt her.”
“I. Will. Kill. You. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” he says. “It’s done. We’re done except for the part where we make money together.”
I reach in my pocket and hand him a data drive. “Proof of your illegal activities. I could release this to the press and do a whole lot more damage than you did to me today.”
“I told you,” he bites out, no denial to be found, “we’re done except for making money.”
“We’re done or you’re done,” I say, and I let him look in my eyes and read how deep my promise to kill him runs. When I’m sure he knows exactly where I’m coming from, I release him and leave. Once I step out of the offices, Blake is waiting for me in the l
obby.
“Well?” he asks as we walk toward the exit.
I stop walking and we turn to face each other. “What he does next decides if this is war or peace.”
“We’re listening and watching,” Blake assures me. “What’s your gut?”
“I gave him a chance at peace he doesn’t deserve because Carrie matters more than my need to ruin him, but if he crosses me now, I will put him down in every sense of the word. If you can’t handle that, walk away.” I turn and head for the door, ready to be back by Carrie’s side, but it’s not that simple. I need to know where this is headed with Elijah and be ready to make a move to destroy him.
Blake steps to my side and glances over at me. “I’d recommend our offices as your next step. We’ll be well-armed and in striking territory should Elijah make any moves that aren’t what we expect.”
I nod and a few minutes later we’re in an SUV headed that direction when my phone rings with Grayson Bennett’s number. “Fuck,” I curse before answering the line. “Grayson,” I greet.
“I don’t believe you used that woman as a shield,” he says. “I believe someone couldn’t beat you so they decided to cut you.”
“That’s exactly what happened.”
“How’s Carrie handling it?”
“She’s a soldier,” I say. “But I don’t want her to have to be.”
“Tell her my business is secure. That should help. Let me know if you need anything.” He disconnects and I send Carrie a text: Grayson is still on board. That’s all you, baby. He hated me until you. More soon.
Her reply is instant: Not soon enough, but all is well here. I got this.
I reply with: And I got you.
Her response is instant: Yes. You do.
Those words say so much. They’re trust. They’re confidence. They’re about the wedding we’re going to start planning tonight. I glance at Blake. “Any leads on a good dog that needs a good home?”
He laughs. “No, but I think we could find a few options. Sounds like that gut of yours is feeling pretty good.”
“Grayson Bennett just assured me we have his business and Elijah would be a fool to pass up the offer I gave him,” I say, “so yes. I’m feeling pretty fucking certain this is going to be sunshine not shit by the time this day is over.”
“Well then,” Blake says. “A puppy or a dog of any certain age?”
“A puppy, I think. They live for too few years. We need as many as we can get with this pup.”
“I’ll see what we can find,” he says. “You know what the fuck they say, man. First, it’s a puppy and then it’s a baby. That’s why you don’t have a puppy or a dog.”
“No baby for us,” I say, though some part of me knows that I’d say yes to anything for Carrie. If she wants a baby, we’ll have a baby, and holy fuck, where did that come from? “I just need to get my ring on her finger,” I add.
And with that thought, I set aside all the hell of this morning, and start thinking about something that really matters: my future wife. I start to think of a way to make Carrie’s wedding in Rockefeller Center happen. That’s when it hits me that Grayson Bennett is filthy rich and owns half the city. I dial his number and get to work on making Carrie my wife sooner rather than later.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Carrie
I spend an hour with Cat and Reese at the apartment. Once I’m at the office, I deal with one call from a client after another. The minute I walk into West Enterprises Sallie was, of course, in my office with me. “Oh my God. I cannot believe what’s happening! Where’s Reid? How are you?”
“I’m fine,” I say, settling my things on my desk and pressing my hands to my hips to smooth out the pink dress I’m wearing. I feel like a mess all over the place, rushing around and worried about Reid. “I just need to get any trouble here handled before the noon press conference at Maxwell,” I say. “And that’s happening at the Maxwell offices, which means I don’t have long to deal with problems here. Has the merger leaked?”
“Whispers all over the office. What do you want to do?”
“Get everyone in one place. Let me just speak to them and be done with this.”
“Will do. What else do you need?”
Reid, I think. I need to be with him, in his head, understanding what he’s doing. But he needs me to trust him to do what’s right. I sensed that in him and I know him. He’s always been a good man. Acting like an asshole was part of being a good man in his mind. He wanted to protect people from him. He’s always protecting everyone. He’ll do the right thing and if he’s vicious, it’s because he has to be. He’s tried to sidestep going after Elijah.
“Carrie?”
I blink Sallie back into view. “Coffee. I’ll buy you coffee and give you a bonus if you can find a way to get me a white mocha despite that press mess downstairs.”
“I don’t need the bonus,” she says. “I’ll get you the coffee.” Her voice softens. “He’s strong. He can handle this. I’ll be right back.”
She disappears and I don’t have to wonder how she knew I was worried about Reid. She knows me. I just need to remember that I know him. He needs to know that I know him.
My cellphone rings with Gabe’s number. “Hey,” I say. “How are things where you are?”
“They’re fat cats over here and big Reid supporters. We’re fine. I gave everyone a heads up about the merger and sour grapes from a competitor. What about there?”
“I’m about to do the same and then head over there. Have you talked to Reid?”
“Not since he left your building,” he says. “You?”
“No. Where was he going?”
He’s silent a beat. “Carrie. My brother is tough. When he gets kicked, he takes the hit and homes in on a solution. He’s actually better when he’s bruised.”
“He went to see Elijah.”
“Yes,” he says. “Of course he went to see Elijah. Go do what you have to do and get your ass over here.”
We disconnect and I get to work. I need to be at Maxwell right now. That gets me closer to the moment Reid will be back by my side. My phone buzzes and I start taking client calls, explaining everything, even the merger. Fifteen minutes later, I have my coffee, and Reid sends me a text about Grayson Bennett. That he’s texting me calms my nerves more than the news about Grayson’s business being intact. We can survive this. We can survive anything.
***
An hour later, I’ve announced the merger to a packed room. “The rest of this craziness about Reid using a woman as a shield is a brutal attack by an enemy meant to hurt him and that means you. His girlfriend died. He has suffered that loss every day since and would have traded himself in a moment. He needs your support. We need your support.”
Cheers erupt and soon I’m done here and headed to the Maxwell offices with time to spare. I’m in the back of an SUV with Walker Security behind the wheel when I receive another text from Reid and this one is a picture of a golden retriever: Her name is Nikki. She’s two. Her owner died in a car accident. She’s an orphan like Kesha.
I want to ask him a million questions, but I focus on the dog and type: When can we see her?
Tonight, he replies. We can pick her up while we talk about our wedding date.
Relief washes over me. This is his way of telling me he feels like we’re moving past this. I reply with, I can’t wait, but didn’t you want a boy?
I want you, he says. Naked and on my desk, making all those sexy little sounds you make. Today. Right before the press conference.
I laugh and type: It’s going to take a lot for me to get naked before that press conference.
I’m up to the challenge, he answers. See you soon, baby.
My lips curve and I stick my phone back inside my purse. This is over. I don’t know how. I don’t know the details, but it’s over.
A few minutes later, we arrive in a whirlwind of press and Walker Security and Connie greets me at the elevators. “All is well here. How are you?”
> “I’ll be better once Reid is here and the press is gone.”
“I hear you, honey. Reid is waiting for you in his office.”
“Reid’s here?”
“He is.” She glances over at me. “You’re worried about him?”
“Yes. That press release was brutal.”
She laughs. “So is he. He’s fine. He actually seems better than fine.”
Hearing this is good, but I just want to know firsthand that my future husband really is great. I step up my pace, hurrying through the offices and all but run for Reid’s door. The minute I open it and step inside, he’s there, pulling me to him, his hand on the back of my head, his mouth closing down over mine. I moan with the lick of his tongue and there’s no time to even ask questions. He wasn’t kidding when he said he wanted me naked and on his desk. Only he doesn’t actually get me naked.
Before I can barely think, he’s yanking my skirt up and I’m pressed against the door with my leg at his hip and he’s pressing inside me. “Oh God,” I pant out, as he drives into me in a fast, hard thrust of his seriously hard cock. I forget where we are.
There is just this burning, ripe need between us and it doesn’t take long to sate. He pumps and I arch and we’re one big ball of angsty need that this door isn’t solving. He lifts me and carries me to his desk and then I’m on top of it, and he’s on top of me. A few long, hard pumps from there and we’re both shuddering into release, collapsing on top of his desk.
Reid’s intercom buzzes about the moment we come back to the present, and he calls out, “What?”
I laugh and Connie snaps, “Stop being cranky. Cranky gets you nowhere. Gabe wants to come in. Can I let him in?”
“Yeah,” Gabe says. “Gabe wants to come in.”
My eyes go wide with panic and Reid lifts me off the desk. “Give us a minute, Gabe. Jesus.”
I scramble to put myself together and once I’m reasonably presentable, I turn to Reid. “What happened?”
He pulls me to him and kisses me. “We fucked on the desk. I thought that was pretty obvious.”
“Reid!”
He laughs, and the deep rumble of masculine perfection is a balm to my soul. “Elijah is refocusing on Tabitha and Mick. We’re all good. I’ll explain everything to you and Gabe at the same time.” He walks across the room and opens the door.
All Mine Page 17
