Chapter Thirty-Two
Chase
My brothers and I met at eight o'clock. Duncan had sent an email to Cyrus the night before, asking him to come into the meeting room. He’d made it sound as if we simply wanted to catch up with members of the management team.
I paced around the meeting room, glancing out the window. I couldn't believe Cyrus would do this. It was true we’d started on the wrong foot all those years back, when his company went bankrupt because most of his customers preferred us. We were modern, more daring, and brought better returns. But he'd been with us for years. We’d often butted heads and didn't see eye to eye on many things, but this was something else entirely. He was essentially framing us for insider trading.
There was a reason the SEC talked to each of us. We were their prime suspects.
He came in at eight o'clock on the dot. His white hair was thinning by the year. "Everyone else late?" he asked as he sat down.
Duncan placed his phone strategically on the table.
I looked at my brothers. "No, we just asked you here," I said, deciding to come on strong. "We've looked into the transactions the SEC finds suspicious, and all evidence points at you being behind them. You have exactly five seconds to explain yourself."
He looked stunned. "That is preposterous."
"Is it?" Duncan asked. He already sounded angry. I shot him a warning look, silently asking him to proceed with caution. "We've traced the payments to a shell company that your friends at Farley nothing ever rattled him. He always maintained his composure. I, on the other hand, didn't.
"I've heard enough," I exclaimed. “I think the commission can take it from here.”
Cyrus shook his head. "Do you really think the commission is going to believe this? It'll be my word against yours. I'll take care of my lawyer friends so they're on my side."
"A bit too late for that," Finn said in a controlled voice. "Why do you think we called you here first thing in the morning? The commission is over there. They’re gathering evidence as we speak."
That's when Cyrus lost his cool. He rose from his chair, pointing at my brother. "You bunch of assholes will not get away with this. You know, I'm not the only enemy you have in the industry. I'm not the only one who wants Sterling Investments to go down."
"Yes, well, the finance world is full of snakes," I commented, regaining some of my calm. "We’re good at shooting them down."
Griffin quickly typed on his phone.
“You're all bluffing," Cyrus sneered. "There is no way my friends would've shared confidential information with you."
I found immense satisfaction as I said, "No, you're right. They didn't. We don't have any legal authority to get them to cooperate. But you know who does? The commission. They agreed to go there and investigate this morning. And in the meantime, we used your own weakness against you. You are so quick to think the worst of others that you didn't even think not to believe us.”
“And as a bonus,” Duncan said, pointing to his phone, “one of the commission’s employees is listening in. They’ve heard everything.”
“I am confirming that.” The agent’s voice filled the room. Duncan had put it on loudspeaker.
Cyrus lunged over the table, but Duncan was on him almost instantly, catching his arms.
"Security," Duncan called. The door opened immediately, and two guys stepped in. One of them fixated on Duncan.
"Mr. Sterling, are you harmed?"
"Not at all.”
The guards each took Cyrus by one arm.
“Take him into one of the small meeting rooms and stay in there with him,” I ordered. “The commission should be here in how long?” I looked at Duncan.
"Five minutes,” the agent listening on Duncan’s phone replied.
“Perfect."
I turned to glare at Cyrus. "I think we're done here. Have a nice life, Cyrus."
My brothers and I all left the meeting room as the guards dragged him down the hall.
"Fucking hell, I have a lot of adrenaline," Finn exclaimed. "I need to get rid of it somehow."
"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean," Knox agreed.
"I'm going to hit the gym," Griffin said. "The commission will interrogate him on their own, so they don't need us."
"Anyone planning to work today?" Wyatt asked.
"I was about to ask the same thing," Duncan added.
"Not me," I said. "I've got a lot of plans for today, and none of them include staying here and working."
With that, I headed straight to my office, where Hannah was waiting for me.
I stopped at the doorway, watching her hunched over her keyboard. I cleared my throat, and she immediately looked up, then jumped from her seat. I stepped inside the room, closing the door behind me.
"How did it go? Were we right?" she asked as I wrapped my arms around her.
"We were. The commission will take over."
"Okay, so now I can finally get you to relax." She smiled while putting her hands on my neck. "What do you need?"
I kissed her long and deep. I needed to touch her, but mostly, I just wanted to keep her against me like this.
"How about we ditch the workday and just spend it at the loft?" I muttered against her lips.
"Sure."
"You're not going to protest at all?" I questioned, straightening up and watching her eyes.
She gave me a small smile. “I'll give you a hint. Today I'm going to say yes to anything you want.”
“Hell yes!”
"But, just so we’re clear... you’re not off the hook about trying to pose as an investor.”
I grinned. “I’m not worried. My groveling game is good. You’ll forgive me eventually.”
“Your chances are great,” she replied with a laugh.
Feeling her body hum in my arms, her warmth seeping into me, was perfect.
She was everything to me.