Chapter 46
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
New York—Present Day
Cecile waited for him at the elevator. Her eyes scanned over his face, her lips narrowing as she took in the bruising and the cut over his eyebrow.
“He’s here. And Daniella, your witness, is five minutes out. I’ll wait for her downstairs,” she said in an unperturbed voice.
Declan nodded. Ice flowed through his veins, keeping the fury that burned at bay. Someone had tried to kill him, and in the process, injured Olivia. Determination steeled his every move. When he found out who was responsible, they would beg for a mercy that wouldn’t be coming.
He strode into the large board room and stopped at the foot of the table. Chris glared at him from his place at the opposite end.
Declan thought he would be consumed with anger in this moment—in this room—facing his former best friend. The man who had killed his father, and stolen from him… But all Declan was conscious of was the cold certainty that he was going to end the man across the table.
“You’re late.” Chris leaned back in the chair. “I hope nothing is wrong.”
Declan’s blood pulsed behind his eyes, but his voice was even when he replied. “Not at all. I heard felicitations are in order.”
Something flickered across Chris’s face.
That’s right, fucker. You can’t breathe without me knowing.
Several of the older board members looked between the two of them. Alan Carrol’s skin was an unhealthy, patchy gray.
“Thank you,” Chris responded with a self-deprecating smile. “We haven’t announced it yet, but yes, Courtney and I were married a couple weekends ago.”
Declan tilted his head. “Did the orderlies decorate?”
Chris’s mouth tightened, and then he squared his shoulders and smiled broadly at the people around the table. “Perhaps we should get started,”
“We should,” Declan drawled, his eyes never leaving Chris. “As a shareholder in this company, I’d like to call for a vote of no confidence for our current CEO. His term has been short, and I’m concerned that his extended tenure at this company could be detrimental to our reputation and stock price.”
No one at the table moved. Everyone knew it was coming. “I have an individual here who will speak to the current CEO’s connection to a fatal drunk driving accident.” Chris narrowed his eyes, but Declan didn’t blink. “I also have a report from a company I recently purchased, Everlasting Love. They will attest that Courtney Bloom gave them David Bloom’s ashes. I also have here today a report from an independent lab that verifies the presence of thallium in those same ashes. These reports, in addition to a recording of Mr. Keller’s late stepson Trey Crawford, implicating our current CEO in the murder of Mr. Bloom, are more than enough to violate the morality clauses in his contract.”
“So, you paid someone to make up a story and falsify some documents,” Chris scoffed, but his eyes had darkened. “So, what? You look desperate, Declan.” Chris’s eyes darted to Carrol’s, and when the older man stared at his hands on the table, Chris’s jaw flexed. He’d get no support there.
“If you have proof, why haven’t you gone to the police?” one of the board members asked.
“I haven’t ruled it out,” Declan said, not lifting his gaze from Chris. “However, I’m hoping to protect Bloom Communication’s reputation.”
“But if you think he murdered your father…” The woman persisted.
It was interesting that no one at the table had balked at the suggestion that it was possible.
“This is pure fantasy born of grief and guilt over his relationship with his father.” Chris sounded confident, but his flushed face gave him away.
Declan’s lips lifted in a cold smile, and Chris blanched. His old friend was no match for him. Not in terms of ruthlessness. If Chris wanted to secure the Bloom fortune, he should have killed Declan years ago.
“I’d like to hear what he has to say,” someone else said. “Declan isn’t a liar.” Several people at the table nodded, and Chris’s color flushed a deeper hue.
The door behind him swished open, and Declan turned with a gentle smile to greet the woman who entered, flanked by two Elite Security Specialists bodyguards. After the explosion this morning, Declan wasn’t taking any chances.
“Ms. Doe,” Declan ushered her forward, before meeting the gaze of everyone at the table with a hard stare of his own. “For now, she will remain anonymous. However, I’m sure if the story were to be leaked to the media, her name would be revealed.” The implied threat was obvious.
The young woman stared at Chris, who seemed confused. He squinted. “Who is this?” His shoulders relaxed, but as the former escort spoke, the smile fell from his face.
“You may not remember me, but I remember you.” Her voice only trembled a little as she gave a sanitized version of the event that had resulted in the death of her friend.
After finishing, Declan gave her a grateful smile, and Cecile escorted her from the room. Declan scanned the group around the table.
“I’m sure Chris isn’t the first person to pay for sex, but the fact of the matter is he killed a woman in my car while drunk and then covered it up.”
Cecile circled the table, dropping folders in front of each person, as Declan lifted his phone and hit play on the recording from the night Trey confessed to Cami.
When he clicked it off, Chris was pale.
“In front of you, you will find the photos used to frame me and blackmail my father. The reports included clearly provide evidence that someone manipulated the accident photos. There are transcripts of Trey’s confession, implicating Chris Keller in my father’s murder, and the lab reports on the thallium. These reports are all poised for release to the media.” Declan cocked a brow. “Questions?”
The room was silent for a moment before a woman lifted a hand. “Motion to vote no-confidence on our current CEO, Chris Keller.”
Less than five minutes later, it was over. The board removed Chris from his position, despite his futile attempts to sway the other shareholders. To Declan’s surprise, upon realizing it was hopeless, Chris hadn’t raged or cursed. Instead, he stood briefly, tugged at his cuffs to straighten them, and strode from the room.
But the look in Chris’s eyes, when his gaze met Declan’s on the way out the door, concerned him. Chris didn’t look cowed or even angry. He looked smug.
“You have some nasty enemies.” Alex Kovalyov’s voice was unusually serious when Declan answered the call from the car on his way to the helipad.
Declan tugged at the knot of his tie. After being reinstated as CEO of Bloom Communications, he waited for the elation to come. The roar in his blood that always came with winning.
But it hadn’t come.
All he could think about was getting back to Olivia.
“Who?”
“Agron Koci wants you dead.” Declan felt his body still, dread filling his gut. He knew this day would come…
“Why now?”
“Someone tipped him off you were the one who killed his cousin. Not Seamus. I can assure you it wasn’t us. Who else knows?”
Chris. No wonder he didn’t look upset. Chris didn’t think Declan would live long enough to fill the position.
Declan kept his breathing calm, but didn’t answer Alex.
“Apparently, Agron’s making a play for the big chair, and taking out a high-profile enemy will cement his position.” Declan’s jaw worked, but Alex continued, his voice lighter. “However, I’m calling with good news. It’s being handled as we speak.”
A coil of anger tightened in his belly.
“You’ve become remarkably unfun lately,” Alex groused, when Declan stayed silent. “Fortunately for you, it turns out that my brother doesn’t like Agron much. He’s dipped his hand into too many cookie jars that weren’t his, and on top of that, he tried to carry out a hit on you, in Atlanta, without Mikhail’s permission. Everyone knows after the Lia Everton situation, my brother has a soft spot for all things Bloom.”
“I never asked for Bratva help,” Declan bit out. “I don’t owe your brother anything.”
“No, you don’t. My brother did this as a favor to me.”
“Why?”
“Would you believe I’ve become fond of your charming face?” Declan’s nostrils flared. “Fine. Call it a wedding present.”
“I haven’t asked her yet.”
“Not yours. Mine.”
Declan was stunned into silence, but Alex continued. “I’m getting married soon, and I know your new sister-in-law doesn’t approve. She or your brother will probably ask you to intervene—Don’t.”
The word was as hard as Declan had ever heard the Russian use. Alex’s voice was deadly when he said, “Madison Amherst is going to be my wife, and nothing will stand in the way of that.”
“Interesting.” Declan’s tone was bland, but he smiled, knowing the man couldn’t see.
“It’s not interesting . It’s an exchange. A rose for an angel.”
Declan understood. “Best wishes.”
“Give Mikhail twenty-four hours.”
Olivia greeted him at the door. “How did it go?”
“I told you there was nothing to worry about,” Declan said, kissing her. “I promised an update to my family.” Declan caught her hand in his, and Olivia hurried to keep pace as he strode rapidly through the house. He abruptly came to a halt looking down at her feet with concern.
She arched a brow. “Don’t even think about picking me up. My feet are fine.”
He debated for a second, but then resumed walking until he reached the door of his office.
“What about the car?” Olivia asked.
“Dealt with,” Declan said over his shoulder, as he flipped on the lights.
He was opening his laptop when he realized she hadn’t followed him into the room.
Olivia frowned at him from the doorway.
“If this is going to work, you have to let me know what is happening.” Her chin jutted forward.
Declan couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. In the last twenty-four hours, she had presented a plan to save her company, dealt with an insane socialite, and rallied after a car bomb.
“Stop smiling at me and tell me what happened.” But there was no heat in her words.
“With the evidence presented in front of him, Chris folded.”
“Just like that?” Tiny lines bunched between her brows.
“There was nothing he could do. The assets are frozen, and with the evidence we’ve compiled, we will overturn the fraudulent will.”
Olivia didn’t match his smile.
“Then who tried to kill you this morning?” Her voice was quiet.
“Albanian Mob—relatives of the men I killed in a Dublin pub twelve years ago. I did my brother a favor, attending a meeting after I left you at the airport, and things got out of control. I told Chris about it once, and he must have tipped them off I was the one who killed Agron Koci’s cousin, not my brother.”
When she blanched, Declan wished he’d lied. “But it’s okay.”
“It’s not okay , Declan.” Olivia’s voice pitched high as she practically stomped into the room. “They put a bomb in your car!”
Declan pulled her close, and ran his nose down the length of hers. “It’s been taken care of, Petal.”
“You’ve used that phrase a lot in the last twenty-four hours.” Olivia grumbled, but relaxed against his chest, her arms wrapping around his waist with an irritated sigh.
Declan smiled against her hair. “What can I say? I’m productive.”
She muttered something against his dress shirt that sounded like, “You’re something.”
Declan smiled over her head and stroked his hand down her back. “It’s still true.”
“Can we go home?” Olivia asked, still not looking at him.
“To Atlanta?”
She nodded.
“Alex said to give it another day, but then of course, we will.”
Olivia’s arms lowered, and she brought her hands up between them to push back. “How is this going to work?”
His first inclination was to pull her back into his chest, but her expression was serious, and curls of apprehension crept up his spine. “How is what going to work?”
“Us.” Her simple word sliced through him. “You are now the CEO of one of the largest media empires in the world. I run a company in Atlanta. We operate in two totally different worlds.”
Declan’s heart thudded. He hadn’t allowed himself to think beyond the point where he regained Bloom Communications.
Her eyes were sad. “I want to be with you every day.”
“You could move here,” Declan said. “You could oversee Armstrong’s operations remotely. There’s no need for you to be there in person.” But even as he said the words, he knew Olivia would never be happy in a role like that. Part of what made her successful was that she was hands on with her employees.
“We don’t have to figure it out now.” Olivia smiled, her eyes brightening. “We should celebrate. You are once again CEO of Bloom Communications.”
Oddly, Declan didn’t feel like celebrating, and Olivia picked up on his disquiet. “This battle with Chris… It’s over, right?”
“For the most part. We still have to overturn the will, but we're in a much better position now. I’ve already sent the lab reports and the recording to the lawyers representing the various charities who filed a challenge. It will take time, but it will happen.”