Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Felix sat next to me, the picture of composure. Not me. My palms were sweating, and I knew why. But I didn’t want to think about how Konni was in his private room, waiting for me to finish so he could drive me back to the office.
I glanced at my phone at the same time I heard voices outside the door. Six-fifteen right on the dot.
The door opened, and Dad paused when he saw me sitting there. His gaze immediately went to Felix. I would have introduced him, but the man in the expensively tailored suit who Dad stepped aside for caught my attention.
Without a shred of doubt, I knew I was meeting the gaze of the “elderly” Mr. Hestian. I couldn’t tell his age at a glance. He strode forward confidently, the silver-topped cane he used seemingly unnecessary. His face had a few wrinkles, and his hair was thinner, but still present.
The sharp way he watched me turned my stomach and made me grateful I’d said yes to having Felix with me.
“I apologize for being early,” I said, looking at Dad, who’d already hidden his surprise. “I didn’t know you planned another meeting before ours. If you want to pass the contract to my lawyer, he can review it quickly, and we can leave you to your meeting.”
“Why rush things?” Dad said smoothly. “We should take some time to celebrate the occasion. Mr. Hestian, this is my daughter, Sophia Elmantas. Sophia, stand up and greet Mr. Hestian.”
The latter’s gaze was as calculating as my father's as he continued to watch me expectantly.
I slowly smiled. “I have severe mysophobia, which is why I can only stay a few minutes.”
Felix stood and extended his hand, not in greeting but to receive something. “The contract, Mr. Elmantas?”
Annoyance flashed in Dad’s gaze as he glanced at me.
“It’s not here yet. I wasn’t expecting you until six-thirty.”
“Who is delivering it?” Felix asked.
“My assistant,” Dad said.
Felix looked at his watch, then at me, indicating that whether we stayed was my decision.
My mind raced. I wasn’t stupid. The fact that Mr. Hestian was here made Dad’s intent clear. He was still pushing for the investment. But did that mean he was ignoring our deal or simply making another pitch?
With Felix here, I wasn’t worried about a pitch.
They couldn’t force anything. If he was ignoring the deal, though, that would be a problem.
Konni had already withdrawn the lawsuit, and I couldn’t ask him to refile it.
If I did, Dad would know I had more than an employee relationship with someone higher up. Where did that leave me?
Rather than think too far ahead, I sighed and said, “We can wait until six-forty-five, and then I need to get back to the office.”
“Back? Aren’t you done at five?” Dad asked.
“I used to be. Since the issue last Friday, I moved departments. Now I’m on call as needed. Tonight is an as-needed night.”
“That’s unfortunate,” Mr. Hestian said, moving to take the chair next to mine.
A healthy distance separated us until he inched it closer as he sat.
“I had hoped we could speak about another proposition. Your father brought to my attention your interest in TAS Solutions shares. I happen to have a few myself if you’re interested.”
“I’m not,” I said without looking at him.
He reached out to touch my hand, which was resting on the table. I grabbed my cup of water and turned toward him.
“Mr. Hestian, my father told me that you’re interested in having more kids.”
“He’s right. I am avidly looking for suitable candidates.”
“I hope you find one who is willing, then. At your age, it’s bound to be an expensive endeavor.
You might need more than a few TAS Solutions stocks to sweeten the deal, though, especially with your questionable history of deceased wives.
Then again, if the next one meets your intelligence requirements, she’ll probably outlive you. ”
His response wasn’t what I expected. He laughed.
“Oh, I like you. Our sons would have a backbone.”
“Our sons will remain figments of your imagination.”
“Mr. Hestian,” Dad said with a smile. “Was my warning about her bark accurate?”
“Very,” the man said. “I’m quite pleased and looking forward to seeing if her bite matches.”
Thoroughly repulsed, I turned to look at Felix. “What are the legal consequences of beating a man unconscious with his own cane after verbal assault?”
Felix placed his phone on the table, which showed he’d been recording the whole conversation.
“One could argue defense if you’re feeling threatened.”
“I certainly am. I came here in good faith to sign a contract with my father for shares that he promised me in exchange for convincing Mr. Steele to drop charges, but instead, it seems as if my father is trying to sell me.”
“Are you suggesting that your father bribed you to drop charges, Ms. Elmantas, and is now involved in human trafficking?” Felix said.
Internally, I cackled like an insane person.
“I believe I am.”
“Wait,” Dad said. “I’m not trying to sell you, Sophia. Mr. Hestian is a business associate of mine whom I happened to see on my way in. And the shares aren’t a bribe. They’re not in exchange for anything. They’re what I owe you as my daughter.”
He pulled out his phone and sent a message.
“My assistant is bringing them in now.” He glanced from me to Felix. “You’ll see, based on the contract, there aren’t any stipulations. No bribe.”
The door opened, and a woman came in with a folder. Dad motioned her to Felix. I didn’t watch her, but glanced at Mr. Hestian. He hadn’t looked away from me the entire time. He still looked…interested.
If my dinner hadn’t tasted so good, I might have thrown it up.
“Do you like children, Sophia?” he asked.
“That’s not the right question. The question is whether I’d want children with you. The answer is no. Never. Not in this lifetime.”
“Everything is fine,” Felix said. “It’s a clean transfer agreement for TAS Solutions shares to your mother, naming you as beneficiary.”
“Good,” I said.
As soon as we finished signing and notarizing it, I stood and started for the door without a word. Mr. Hestian stuck out his cane to stop me.
Tired of playing nice, I pulled it from his surprisingly strong hold and tossed it onto the table. It knocked over and broke a glass.
“I’ll let the host know we’ll compensate for the glass,” Felix said behind me.
I cleared the door and speed walked all the way to the welcome stand. There, I paused to make sure it was just Felix.
“Did I make things worse?” I asked him.
“Not at all. He’s waiting in the car. I’ll walk you out.”
Happily agreeing to a faster escape, I followed Felix outside.
“I’ll file the documents for you and send a summary of the meeting to Mr. Steele within an hour,” Felix said. “Tell him to let me know if he needs anything.”
“I will. Thank you.”
Felix walked me to Konni’s car and opened the door for me. Konni’s hungry gaze swept over me as I got in. The heat in it slowed my movements. His slow grin, punctuated by the closing door, sent a thrill through me.
Until the car pulled away and I remembered Harlow.
“How was it?” Konni asked.
“Good. Thank you for loaning out Felix. He was smart in there.”
“Does that mean you got the shares?”
“Yep. Signed, sealed, and delivered. Felix said he’d file them and send you a meeting summary. He also said to let him know if you need anything else.”
“What I need, he can’t give me.”
I glanced at Harlow to see if he’d heard Konni, but he was studiously focused on the road.
Thankfully, Konni’s phone rang to distract him. When he looked at the screen, I saw “Best Mom in the whole wide world” as the contact and smirked. He caught my look, arched a brow, and answered on speaker, which made me feel like an eavesdropper.
“You changed your contact name again,” he said.
“Just a little reminder in case you forget, since we rarely talk anymore.”
“Mom, I saw you last night.”
“But you didn’t even stay to eat the lasagna you asked me to make.”
Disbelief hit me.
He’d brought his mom’s lasagna to feed us?
“I’m working on something important and needed your lasagna for persuasion,” he said, watching me.
“Which is why I’m calling. Lianna says you’re working too many hours again. She suggested a week-long getaway in the mountains so you can blow off some steam, and I agree with her.”
“I’m not working too many hours, Mom.”
“She said you’ve been coming in early and going to meetings late. No matter how great the flame, it will always burn out if you don’t feed it.”
“I promise I’m feeding the flame. Please trust me and stop listening to Lianna.”
“She cares about you. Has there been any change yet? Any hint that her scent appeals to you?”
“No, Mom. Not even a little. Lianna will never be my mate.”
He gave me a pointed look, and I felt a surge of panic.
I didn’t know what I would do if he told his mom that he’d thought he’d found a mate in me, but I was pretty sure the reaction would be close to that of a trapped animal chewing off its own limb.
His mom sighed. “It would be nice if she were. Her mother and I just had lunch today, and we’d both like to see the pair of you find your mates and start having children.”
My chest tightened with each word. I already knew that Lianna and Konni’s families were friends. But there was so much more information in that call. Konni’s mom was close to Lianna. She wanted Lianna to be the one for Konni.
“Maybe we should have another family dinner,” she continued. “We could—
“Mom, I have to go. I’m with someone and on the way back to the office.”
“Oh! I’m sorry. All right. I love you, baby.”
The call disconnected, and I stared at Konni as I struggled to process what I’d just overheard.
“You want to run,” he said.
“Yep.”
“Why?”
“Not exactly sure yet.”
He didn’t say anything as I reined in my panic and did my best not to acknowledge the real reason behind the feeling. It didn’t work.
I knew what Konni would want next—me to meet his mom—and was afraid she wouldn’t like me.