Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Atlanta–Present Day
Declan knew he shouldn’t look forward to his meeting with Olivia as much as he was. If he were smart, Declan would leave someone else in charge here and go back to New York.
It was only because Chris was still lurking around, he told himself. Declan hadn’t been happy to learn, that instead of packing up and returning to New York, Chris had leased a condo in Atlanta. His instincts told him Chris wasn’t done fighting, and with Olivia’s ex running his mouth, Declan couldn’t leave Atlanta until he knew she was safe from Chris.
Olivia had kept a perfectly professional demeaner during their meeting, which shouldn’t have bothered him—wasn’t that exactly what he wanted? Yet, he couldn’t resist the urge to provoke her, to make her smile at him the way she used to. Now, Olivia was leaving even angrier than when she’d arrived.
The door opened, and his assistant stuck his head in, surprised to find Olivia standing close to the door. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but you have a phone call.”
“Not now, Todd.”
The young man cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. She is insistent.”
Declan’s lips deepened into a frown. “My sister?”
“It’s Fiona Carrol.”
Olivia’s shoulders stiffened, and Declan cursed silently, knowing she’d recognized the name.
“Sounds important.” Olivia clutched her portfolio to her chest and slipped past his assistant.
Declan wanted to stop her, to find a legitimate reason to keep her there. There wasn’t one.
He waved an angry hand dismissively at Todd, who closed the door behind him. Declan settled himself at the desk, taking a moment to rein in his annoyance. Olivia angry with him was a good thing, he reminded himself.
“You must be busy,” Fiona complained when he finally picked up the handset. “You aren’t answering your cell phone, and I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“I am.”
There was a pause. Normally, he would attempt to be at least a little friendly, but right now Declan struggled with being civil.
“I’m so sorry to interrupt you,” she said icily.
Declan swallowed his distaste. The tentative agreement he had come to with Alan Carrol hadn’t bothered him before. Now, seeing Olivia again… The concept of tying his life to Fiona left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Declan pushed the thought away. It didn’t matter how he felt about it. Without her father’s support, it would be exponentially harder to secure the votes he needed to become CEO again.
“Did you need something?”
“Can’t I call because I miss you?”
“You never have before.”
Fiona chuckled. “That’s true.” Another pause. “I didn’t realize you were planning on staying in Atlanta for so long. My father assumed you would be back by now. Wasn’t your meeting last week?”
Declan knew there had been talk in certain circles. Those who witnessed him carrying Olivia out of the gala hadn’t hesitated to share the gossip. However, since Declan didn’t know how to explain his behavior that night, even to himself, he wouldn’t bother to try.
“It’s an unusual situation. This company is going to require a bit more of a hands-on treatment than I expected.” An image of his hands on Olivia’s silky skin flashed in his mind, and he inwardly cursed his unfortunate choice of words.
“Mm.” Fiona wasn’t interested in what Declan did professionally. The concept… the power he wielded… Yes… What it entailed… No.
Declan’s thoughts drifted, and he tuned out Fiona’s voice.
Olivia understood what he did. They spoke the same language, and he loved that she wasn’t afraid to challenge him.
“I’ve arranged for dinner this Saturday with Tracy and Tomas.” Fiona’s voice came back to him at full volume, pulling him from his thoughts.
“What?”
“Tracy recommended Inferno,” Fiona continued without pause. “She and Tomas have been there before.”
Declan’s brain scrambled to play catchup. Who the fuck were Tracy and Tomas? Declan mentally ran back over what Fiona had said.
“Tomas doesn’t have a game this weekend, so we don’t need to worry about his curfew.”
Declan’s mind finally supplied the information. Tomas Davros was a professional hockey player, who played for Atlanta’s new franchise team, and Tracy, his wife, had been in school with Fiona.
Declan had zero interest in having dinner with two strangers, but he focused on the only important bit of information. “You’re coming to Atlanta?”
Silence.
“Yes.” Fiona’s words had a distinct bite to them. “Have you heard a word I’ve said? I’m coming for Tracy’s baby shower.”
The muscles in his neck eased. Fiona wasn’t coming for him. Declan supposed the least he could do was spare a night to keep her father happy. “Saturday night.”
“My father said you’ve leased a condo.”
The comment sent up a red flag inside him. “Did he?”
He hadn’t yet, but he had contacted a real estate agent.
Fiona’s father was an investor in Bloom Capital, but not someone who was involved with operations. There was no reason he should know that Declan was still in Atlanta. Which meant Alan was having him watched, and that pissed Declan off.
Ever since his father’s murder, the sharks had circled. Waiting for the misstep that would take Declan down and leave an opening for someone else. His jaw clenched. Fiona’s next question didn’t help his mood.
“How long are you planning on being there?”
Declan didn’t answer. Their relationship wasn’t one where Fiona should feel comfortable asking Declan something like that. In fact, they barely knew each other despite Fiona’s efforts to make them appear like a couple.
“I know you have that shareholder meeting coming up… Things need to be settled before then.”
She trailed off and Declan’s irritation grew. If Fiona imagined she could blackmail him into giving her a ring, she was dead wrong.
“Let my assistant know what time and where dinner is.”
Fiona hesitated before she spoke again. “Everyone is talking about what you did with that drunk woman at the gala, Declan. I was able to spin it that you felt responsible for her because you wanted to buy her company. That she’s just a nobody who drank too much, but you need to be more careful. Appearances are everything in our world.”
Declan’s blood boiled. “You did what?” He didn’t bother to hide the anger from his voice.
Fiona didn’t back down. “You and I have reputations to protect, and you making a fool out of both of us is unacceptable. We are getting married.” Her voice suddenly lightened. “We will be very happy together, as long as you don’t push me. I don’t care if you fuck a dozen, drunk sluts before we’re married. But after… If you touch another woman, I will do something about it.”
The rumors Luke shared with him flashed in Declan’s brain, and rage swept through him. “I’m sure you aren’t stupid enough to threaten me, Fiona. You won’t like the result.”
Fiona laughed. “Don’t underestimate me, Declan. I may not be able to get to you, but I promise I’ll ruin anyone who touches what’s mine. See you Saturday,” she trilled, and then hung up.
As much as Declan wanted to blast the woman, he couldn’t. Not while he still relied on her father’s votes. Declan sat for a minute trying to calm his breathing, but the more he replayed the conversation in his head, the angrier he became.
She was threatening Olivia. Maybe not directly, but it was clear she knew something was going on. And if she did… who else?