Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Atlanta—Present Day
“This is going to be epic,” Kyle crowed. Stuart beamed, and Richard leaned back in his seat, a peaceful expression on his face, his hands folded in front of him on the table. Olivia wished she could share their satisfaction with the final deal that had been struck with Bloom Communications, but her nerves were strung tight.
This will be over soon. Kyle will be gone, and life will calm down.
“I’m going straight to the dealership. There is a Lamborghini I want to order,” Kyle continued, already mentally spending his new fortune.
Chris Keller had been extremely generous, and the purchase included large signing bonuses to each of the C-suite execs and most of the management level employees.
Olivia should be happy. So, why did it feel like the other shoe was about to drop?
One word.
Declan.
Olivia had seen the way Declan and Chris looked at each other at the gala. And how Declan’s mood had instantly turned when they ran into each other the week before Christmas and she mentioned the board had voted. It was more than just professional rivalry. The competition between the two men was personal and had everything to do with Declan’s desire to regain his family's business.
“What’s wrong with you?” Kyle’s sour expression appeared in front of her. “This is a time to celebrate, and you look like the miserable bitch you are.” He leaned closer so that her nose was filled with his cologne, and she fought the urge to gag. “One of the best things about this deal is that I won’t have to see your frigid ass at the office every day.”
“Kyle. Come sit by me.” Her former father-in-law called, and when Kyle turned to face his father, his features were arranged in a smile. Richard’s eyes landed on her face, and Olivia forced her lips into a smile.
She hadn’t hidden the truth from the older man for so many years to let him know now just what a monster he'd raised. What was the point?
Melissa, her receptionist, popped her head in the door of their third-floor conference room. “Bobby just texted from the first floor. They’re in the elevator.”
This was it.
Olivia nodded at the lawyers who were placing the packets of documents in front of each chair. Kyle’s eyes gleamed, and Olivia took a deep breath, letting it out with a slow exhale.
Stuart patted her on the arm as he passed her to take his seat. “You did it, Olivia! It all worked out for the best.”
She nodded, wishing she felt the same happiness and relief the rest of the people in the room were experiencing.
Relax, Olivia. All that’s left are the signatures.
She discreetly shook out her hands and gave Melissa a nod. With a grin, her receptionist opened the doors wide, and a phalanx of Bloom Communications representatives strolled into view.
The look of triumph on Chris’s face was undeniable, and it only made her nerves draw tighter. This deal was too good to be true. Neither of the bidders had pressed her about the valuation or asked for a demonstration of a prototype.
It didn’t matter, Olivia assured herself. Her employees would keep their jobs instead of being laid off as Declan had proposed, and Richard could spend his final years fishing on the lake.
If Chris or his colleagues were surprised to see so many employees lining the walls, they didn’t let it show. This was a big day for Armstrong, and several people had asked to be there to witness the transfer.
“It’s lovely to see you again, Olivia.” Chris smiled.
“You as well. I’m glad we could come to an agreement so easily.”
Olivia took a seat next to Kyle at the end and scooted her chair slightly to the right so that she wouldn’t risk brushing his arm.
Kyle was right about one thing. Not being forced to interact with him anymore was a definite perk of this deal.
She could finally, fully, move on. The weight on her chest eased.
The lawyers went through the terms one last time, and the standard mutual congratulations and symbolic back-slapping ensued.
“Olivia is owed the lion’s share of the credit for where we are,” Richard spoke up surprising her. “It was her vision and determination that brought XEROS into reality. We wouldn’t all be sitting in this room together if it weren’t for her. She will be an asset to Bloom Communications.”
Olivia’s heart swelled, and to her embarrassment, her eyes stung. Richard hadn’t mentioned anyone else on the team individually. It was the closest she’d ever come to a paternal figure essentially saying they were proud of her.
Chris nodded. “Absolutely. I’m looking forward to working…” He paused and something flit in his eyes. “Very closely with Olivia.”
Nerves started in her stomach. On the surface, his words were appropriate, and his expression was bland—so why were her alarms going off?
Olivia shook herself. She was being paranoid. Not every man had a hidden personality.
Kyle scowled. “Great. If we’re all done telling Livvy what a precious unicorn she is—can we make it official? I’ve got a date with my dream car.”
Chris reached for the pen laid by the side of his folder but dropped it when the conference doors flew open, hitting the walls with a bang.
“What the fuck?” Kyle yelped.
“This meeting is over.” Declan, looking far too handsome, stood in the doorway, his impeccably-tailored suit accentuating his broad shoulders. She swallowed as a dark smile appeared, making him look exactly like the dangerous predator he was.
Declan’s announcement had been for the room, but his eyes were only on Chris, who had stood abruptly at the interruption, his chair shooting backward.
“It’s over, Declan. I won. There is no need for theatrics.”
Olivia was paralyzed as the energy in the room shifted. The hostility between the men was so tangible she could imagine them pulling out broad swords and going to battle right there.
Declan took two long strides past Chris, completely dismissing him. The look of rage on Chris’s face was frightening. Melissa, flanked by two large men, stood in the doorway wringing her hands,.
“I’m sorry, Olivia. They wouldn’t listen. I told them you were in an important meeting…”
“It’s all right, Melissa.”
“Mr. Bloom this is hardly?—”
“My apologies.” Declan cut Richard off in a tone that made it obvious he wasn’t sorry. “This meeting is over.”
He turned a wintry smile to the Bloom Communications lawyers. “Lawrence, Paul. Armstrong Electronics is no longer for sale.”
The men looked nervously between Declan and Chris, who stood, nostrils flared, chest heaving beneath his suit, looking as if he was going to attack at any second.
“Mr. Bloom… Declan… I understand the implication this has for you… but we have a deal in place. The majority shareholders have approved the terms?—”
“Incorrect, Paul.” Declan turned a wolfish smile on the man. “The majority shareholder of Armstrong Electronics is not interested in selling. Frankly…” His voice was full of silky threat, and the man visibly shrank. “I’m disappointed you didn’t do a better job vetting the key stakeholders.”
“What are you talking about? Of course, we want to sell!” Kyle shouted, but Stuart’s brow wrinkled, and with a sick pit in her stomach, Olivia knew what was coming.
“It’s too late.” Chris took a step toward Declan, his hands curled into fists at his side. “I beat you. I know it’s hard for you to accept since you’ve been handed everything your entire life but I’ve been ahead of you for every move. You lose.” He came within inches of Declan, his eyes blazing with open hatred.
One of the men by Melissa took a step forward, but Declan lifted his hand without looking away from Chris, and the man stopped moving.
If she didn’t know him so well, Olivia would have thought Declan was unmoved by Chris’s words, but she saw the lines of his face twitch before a smile of savage satisfaction spread across his face.
“You will never win against me, Chris. Under normal circumstances, you wouldn’t even be worth competing against. And let’s be honest…” The smile widened. “This was hardly a competition.”
“Say what you want,” Chris spit, “I won. I’m buying this company, and there is nothing you can do about it.”
Declan turned his back to Chris and addressed the rest of the room, his face inscrutable. “I have acquired the majority share of Armstrong Electronics.”
“That’s impossible,” Kyle insisted, his face turning red. He gestured between Richard and himself. “Between my father, and myself, along with my aunt and cousin, we control the majority. It’s our company.”
Olivia felt sick.
She’d warned them, but she’d failed to make them understand.
Richard had lost his company, and it was her fault.
“No, you don’t, Kyle.” Olivia licked her lips and breathed past the boulder currently in her lungs. “Over the last few years, Armstrong sold off small amounts of shares to raise the capital necessary to expand our manufacturing and testing abilities. Twenty-six sales in two percent increments, to be exact. Fifty-two percent of the company.”
Stuart blanched, and Kyle shook his head slowly, his face bewildered. “No. Dad…” His voice trailed off. Richard’s face had grown pale, and he swayed in his seat, bringing Olivia to her feet.
“Get him a glass of water,” she commanded Melissa.
“I’m fine,” he waved his hand in the air, as he studied the two men squared off across the table. His eyes rose to Olivia’s, and her heart clenched at what she saw. “Could he have bought them all? Is that even possible? Why wouldn’t they tell me they were selling? My family…”
Olivia didn’t know how Declan had secretly maneuvered all the small family stakeholders into selling him their shares, but she didn’t doubt he was capable of it.
“It’s entirely possible.” She struggled to keep her face blank. Olivia could hear the concerned murmurs from the employees behind her. No matter how she might be falling apart inside, she couldn’t let them see.
“But… But what does that mean for us?”
Olivia spared her ex-husband a glance. Now he asked questions? Up and down the table, the murmuring among the people at the table and other members of staff who had come to witness the signing grew louder.
“Prove it.” Chris snapped.
“I’ve already sent the lawyers representing Armstrong copies of my shares and proofs of sale.”
One lawyer pulled out his phone and began punching furiously at the screen. His quiet groan was almost lost under Declan’s next sentence.
“But for now… I’d appreciate it if anyone not currently employed by Armstrong would get the fuck out of my conference room.”
Chris’s jaw worked, and for a second, his eyes went past Declan and then to Olivia, before glaring at Declan.
“This won’t get you what you really want. I’m still the CEO,” he hissed. “And I will destroy you before I see you in that seat again.”
“Vincent,” Declan called, and a man with a close-cut buzz and stocky build appeared in the doorway. Chris turned white. “You remember Vincent Menardi, my father’s head of security, don’t you, Chris? He and I have been having some illuminating conversations lately. The things I’ve learned…”
A dangerous light flashed across Declan’s eyes, and his voice was hard when he addressed Chris. “Now that I know… I promise everything will be back as it should be. Very soon.”
Chris’s throat bobbed, but he reclaimed his composure. “Vincent is a disgruntled former employee. No one will believe anything he says.”
Declan flicked an invisible thread off his crisp, white shirt cuffs and said, in a voice that lifted goosebumps on Olivia’s arms, “Enjoy your life while you still have it.”
“What?” Chris scoffed. “Are you going to have one of your goons shoot me? Here in the middle of a conference room.”
For a few seconds, no one in the room breathed.
“Of course not.” But before the room could exhale, Declan continued with such menace in his voice the air in the room crystallized with his icy words. “When the time comes, I fully intend on keeping that pleasure for myself.”
The Bloom lawyers blanched, as Chris’s eyes narrowed. But before the men actually came to blows, the lawyers were up and tugging on Chris’s arm.
Chris suddenly relaxed his posture and rolled his shoulders before letting out a harsh bark of laughter. “Your arrogance will always be your downfall, Dec.” He tugged at his lapels, straightening his jacket. “Gentlemen, ladies.”
His eyes lingered on Olivia before he turned and strode from the room, leaving the Bloom Communications’ entourage to hastily gather their belongings and hurry after him.
Declan turned to face the group, a harsh expression on his face. The crowd of bystanders watched wide-eyed, clearly unsure how this change of events would affect them. Nothing in his expression boded well for their future.
Bitter acid roiled in Olivia’s stomach. What did it mean for all of them? The payouts and bonuses they’d all expected wouldn’t be coming now. Declan didn’t need to give them anything. He’d outmaneuvered them all, and she feared he would make good on his promise to dismantle the company.
He had no use for any of them. All he wanted was XEROS for his revenge.
Olivia’s temples pulsed as her anger built. She had built this company as much as Richard, and she’d be damned if she sat back and watched Declan destroy everything she’d spent the last decade of her life devoted to.
But what can I do?
A woman, who Olivia recognized as Declan’s—actually, she had no idea what Cecile’s job title was—entered the room dressed in an immaculate blue dress. With an impassive face, she distributed folders to each person at the table before stepping back to stand with her back against the wall.
“I’m sure this comes as a surprise, but as you are all gathered here, it’s the perfect opportunity to explain how things will be in the future.”
Declan’s gaze landed on her, and Olivia realized to her surprise she was still standing. She tried to read the expression in his violet eyes, but a wall had come down.
This man was a stranger.
“If you will be seated, we can begin.”
Olivia didn’t move.
“Be seated.” His words lashed out, but she refused to break eye contact and slowly lifted one eyebrow.
Fuck him, if he thinks he’s going to intimidate me .
Declan’s expression softened a fraction. “Please.”
Stuart tilted his head, his expression worried. “Olivia.”
“Sit down,” Kyle hissed, but Olivia felt as though her feet had been nailed to the ground.
Declan’s mouth opened to say something else, but Kyle reached out and yanked her wrist, causing her to instinctively jerk back, freeing herself. “Sit down, Livvy.” Kyle’s eyes blazed at her, but he lowered his hand.
Acknowledging silently to herself that her stubbornness wouldn’t help, Olivia finally moved, but when she lifted her gaze, she saw Declan watching Kyle with a terrifying expression.
“I’ve provided proof of my ownership,” Declan began, as Olivia slid into her seat. “Now that I own a majority of the company out-right, it changes things.”
“But the deal you offered is still good, right?” The desperation in Kyle’s voice was obvious.
How had she not seen how truly stupid he was before she agreed to marry him?
Declan blinked at him. “There is no deal.”
“But—” Stuart looked pale.
“This is your fault!” Kyle turned a furious face to Olivia, and she struggled not to react. “You told him about the shareholders,” he accused. “You’d do anything to get back at me.”
Richard put a hand on his son’s back. “It’s not Livvy’s fault.” His face was haggard.
Olivia stared at Declan. She had thought she understood who Declan was now—that there was some echo of the man she’d loved—but she saw clearly that she’d underestimated him and the danger he posed.