Marian
“One measly amount… that’s it? You’re not even willing to budge or bargain?
I took in Mr. Upton’s stunned expression. There was an anger tinging his defensive tone as he sat more forward in his chair. Sweat was soaking into the collar of his shirt, and his narrow face looked even more harsh as his thin lips settled into a tight line.
“No. I’m here to buy your company. I’m not here to negotiate. I made you an offer. You’d be a fool to turn me down.”
“A fool? You’re joking. I’d be a fool to accept that pathetic price, Ms. LaRoe. You can’t seriously think I’m that stupid.”
My fingers steepled, the tips resting just under my bottom lip.
“Apparently you are. My proposal is more than generous. Especially given the situation. You should be thanking me.” I glanced at his two colleagues he had sitting next to him, one at each side, just as I had as well.
“Did you really think no one would find out what you’ve done? Do they know about your inventory?”
Nervous stares shot to him, and Geoffrey Upton shifted in his chair. His head rolled slightly on his shoulders, and I could tell he wanted to reach up and loosen the tie around his neck.
“When the news gets wind of your scandal, your stocks are going to tank. Dodge Corp will crash and burn, and you’re going to lose everything.
” I pushed the contract from the middle of the table, closer to him.
“But you don’t have to. I’m being generous.
That generosity lasts only another…” my wrist lifted, and I looked at my watch, “three minutes. After that, I bring out the new contract. My price will be cut in half.”
“Mr. Upton—"
“Not now, Mr. Turner.” Geoffrey did pull at his tie then, grabbing the pen but not moving the paper in to sign. His gaze jumped from me and my colleagues to the blank space for the signature. Time stretched out as sweat began to bead and run down his forehead.
“How long do I have before you pull the trigger on this secret?”
“That depends. Never… or… the news may catch wind before you get off my elevator. It’s entirely up to you.
His jaw flexed while the rage grew. “Four hundred million more. Then, I’ll sign.”
“No. The price is nonnegotiable. One minute.”
“You don’t understand,” he exploded. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“Fifty-five seconds, Mr. Upton.”
“Fuck. Fuck! You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Sir, if we could just—”
Geoffrey spun, pinning the man with a glare. His stare shifted between my colleagues but came back to me.
“You’re a cunt. I know you paid one of my men to flip. You threatened and got to Mr. Wilshaw’s men the same way. You’re playing with fire, Ms. LaRoe. Secrets breed success. We all have them. What about you? What are your secrets?”
“Secrets are for the insecure. My success is made in public with a paper trail.”
“But the writing is in blood! My blood.”
My lips pursed the smallest amount. “Spare the dramatics. I see only one of two things happening. You sign that paper, or you lose everything.”
“You’re not going to get away with this.”
“Are you threatening me, Mr. Upton?” I couldn’t keep the slight sarcasm from my tone.
“Maybe I should cut your amount in half right now. Or perhaps I watch everything you’ve worked hard for crumble to the ground.
Open your eyes. No one will touch Dodge Corp once they find out your secret.
Your product instantly loses all trust. I can fix that.
I can transfer the production back to the states to my US companies where you promised the supply was being made to begin with.
You lied. You hired cheap labor and slapped a US sticker on it like a band aid.
You thought you’d be saving money, but you fucked up. It’s time to learn your lesson.”
A gasp sounded from one of his men. Mr. Upton’s lids nearly closed from the glare he kept on me.
“You’re out of time. What will it be?”
The table rocked at the side of Geoffrey’s fist connecting against the wood. “You have more enemies than friends. Everyone hates you.”
I smiled. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” I looked down at my watch. “Ten seconds.”
Scribbling sounded in the room, and the pen bounced hard from the table at his throw, sliding to fall over the edge to my side. My bodyguard stepped in, but I put my hand out to Elliot, stopping him from coming closer. Geoffrey pushed to stand, his face tinting with red. He didn’t speak, but I did.
“It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Upton. Send flowers when you send your generic thank you card. Roses. Dark pink. It represents gratitude and appreciation.”
“Fuck you. Burn in hell.”
The men shuffled to keep up, and I didn’t turn from the wall-length glass windows of LaRoe Industries until the door closed behind them.
My deep exhale came immediately. I pushed the papers to one of my associates, giving them time to leave the room.
I grabbed my phone, hitting my father’s number.
Voicemail had my lids closing for the briefest moment.
He hardly picked up these days. He was always on his boat or playing golf.
“Dad, it’s me. Dodge Corp is ours. Everyone knows what to do. We’ll start transferring over production immediately. The contract will be emailed to you soon.”
Hanging up, I placed the phone back in my laptop bag, putting the leather strap over my shoulder.
I turned, feeling Elliot move in behind me as I left the conference room in our building, heading for the elevator.
I could hear him radioing in for our car to be brought around to the front.
It was a relief. I was ready for a vacation.
I needed a break from the threats and cut-throat business I usually thrived in.
The elevator ride was quiet, minus the soft classical music that played within the glass walls. Elliot stared ahead, his deep voice breaking the silence as he stayed as straight as a statue.
“Mr. Upton is not a man who makes idle threats, Ms. LaRoe.”
I glanced over. “Geoffrey knows better. His fear over his secret getting out worries him. When he sees that it stays under wraps, he’ll move on and start working on his next project. He just needs a few days to cool off.”
“Perhaps. But if he doesn’t? What will you do if he’s serious about this threat?”
Elliot did look over at me then, but it was fleeting.
The questions weren’t just to make me think.
He wanted me to take in the entirety of the situation.
They were questions for an heir. For a leader.
Sure, my brother would lead my family, but I was about to help lead and create my own.
One of French nobility. I had to be ready for anything, and I was.
“If he comes after me, we’ll both do what we’re meant to. It’s that simple. You’re not the only one who has been trained for the worst. I can handle anything. I’m not afraid.”
“I know.”
Shark.
Power.
Heartless.
I was made for more than ruling corporations.
Decency didn’t exist when you were raised to dominate and lead.
That came in many forms: control, silence, words…
pain. My mother taught what had to be done.
She ingrained the necessities so deep inside my brain, it’s all I knew.
Threats were tolerable but never overlooked.
Violence was not acceptable. Drawing blood equaled death.
An attack promised annihilation. Loyalty was the only thing that mattered.
The LaRoes were not to be messed with. We’d made that clear generation after generation, and so had the Allards, my soon-to-be family.
I had a reputation to uphold. I had bloodlines to make thrive.
Nothing was going to come in the way of that.
I trusted Elliot. He may have been only one person, but he was lethal with more than just a weapon. He was a weapon. But so was I.
The elevator dinged, and the double doors opened.
I took quick steps, feeling Elliot mirror every one of them.
We were in sync with him just off to the side at my back.
We were but inches apart. The automatic double doors opened, and Elliot scanned the surroundings as I slowed, letting him step ahead to pull the door open and scan inside.
Within seconds we were headed back to the hotel.
Back to Penny and what I prayed was a much-needed vacation.
I wasn’t betting on that as I pulled out my ringing phone and took in the number on the screen.
Shit.
I took a deep breath, straightening my shoulders as I hit the button.
“Bastian.”
“Mon amour, how are you?”
He wasn’t alone. He wouldn’t use the term of endearment if he was. I forced a smile, willing the cheerfulness in my tone.
“I’m doing wonderful. I just closed a big deal and am headed back to my room. How are you? Is everything okay?”
“I’m great. Everything is well.”
My mouth parted as I blinked through the long pause. Was he going to continue? Or…
“Oh.” I shifted in my seat. “Good. I’m glad all is well.” Still, he was silent aside from the soft footsteps in the background. “Bastian… is there something you’d like to talk about?”
A pause. “Yes.”
More silence. Awkwardness? Or was that just me feeling like my skin was crawling?
After more time, nervousness had me shifting on the seat, but was that also a tinge of relief?
Of… liberation at the hope that he was about to break things off between us?
I shouldn’t feel excited about possibly being dumped so soon before our marriage.
My parents would be upset. My mother would be pissed after all the hard work and planning she did to set up this match.
“Bastian, you can tell me anything. We’re a team, remember? We talked about this. We promised over everything, we’d have honesty. You have to be honest with me and tell me what’s on your mind.”