Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
W hen my alarm went off, I stretched and climbed out of bed. After Pierce had left, I’d stayed up most of the night poring over information Liliana had sent me about the chateau and the scope of the project. The likelihood of success. If I was going to put my money where my mouth was, I needed to do my due diligence first.
Twenty million wasn’t an insubstantial amount by any means, but after reading through everything, I was confident I’d recoup my investment. As long as Lily had the right teams in place—both during the restoration and after—I had a feeling it would do quite well.
And she was smart. Business-savvy. I wanted to take some credit for that, but I knew a lot of it was just her. She’d seen so much during her travels for her blog; reading her posts, I could see how her experiences had honed her instincts.
I checked in with my dog sitter back in LA, pleased to see that she’d taken Prince Albert and Queen V for a walk and to a local dog park. There was an image of them with puppuccinos, and I thanked her before gently reminding her that too many treats were not good for their health.
I loved spoiling them, but I also wanted them to live long, healthy lives. Irish Wolfhounds had a relatively short life expectancy of only six to eight years, and they were my constant companions. Since this was such a short trip, I’d opted not to bring them with me. But I missed them and their calming presence.
My dogs had always been happy to see Lily in the past. Another tick in her favor.
My gut instinct had been to propose without fully considering the ramifications, but now that I’d done some research and spent some time in quiet contemplation, I felt even better about my decision.
Yes, the chateau restoration was a good investment, which was a relief. But marrying her had so many additional benefits.
We could easily come up with a backstory. I knew we could work well together, especially when united for a common goal. And she understood me. She would never…expect anything from me. At least not in the way of comfort or emotional support.
Which was why this plan with Liliana was perfect. She knew me, and she understood what this was.
I wouldn’t have to worry about where we stood or how she felt about me. We were in a mutually beneficial relationship that wasn’t about love or emotion. We were united in our sense of purpose. A sense of finality and rightness settled over me.
With my decision made, I pulled on some athletic shorts and switched on the TV. The hotel had a huge selection of on-demand workouts that could be done from the suite. It had been one of Jasper’s ideas, and I was grateful not to have to use the fitness facility. As nice as our amenities were, I craved alone time to recharge. I was surrounded by people most of the day, and this gave me a chance to work out in private without interruptions, without feeling like I was being observed.
I scanned the newer options, many of them led by famous athletes like Nate’s wife, Emerson. Her workouts were some of my favorites. She had a good energy—offering positive encouragement without being saccharine. And her exercises were intense.
But after scrolling through some of the options, I realized I wasn’t in the mood to stay inside, not when I knew the rest of the day would likely be spent in meetings. I’d always felt the most restored and relaxed after spending time in nature, and I knew of a quiet, unmarked route that led through the trees.
As I walked down the dirt path with the ocean just beyond the trees, I could finally feel myself relax a little. Some of the tension left me, the ocean breeze cool and refreshing. But then I heard a strange noise that sounded almost like the labored clucking of a chicken.
I paused, listened. It definitely sounded like a chicken.
I searched for the source. It took a few tries, but I finally found a small chicken stuck in the brush, shaking and scared.
“Hey there, little lady,” I said in a calm, gentle voice. “What are you doing? Are you lost?”
She had to be. The closest properties were miles away, and we didn’t keep live chickens here. She didn’t belong to anyone as far as I could tell.
I watched her for a few minutes. She seemed injured. She made a few clucking sounds, and when I crept closer, she fluttered her wings but didn’t take flight.
I sighed. “Rescuing a chicken was not what I had in mind today.”The chicken seemed to cluck pitifully in response.“But I can’t just leave you here.”
I removed my shirt and slowly inched closer to her.
“Come on. I’m going to wrap this around you and get you to safety.” I did just that, cradling her against my chest in my shirt. She seemed to settle a little, and then I headed back to my room, garnering more than a few curious looks from my staff.
Once I’d returned to my room, I called down to the front desk and asked to be connected with our vet concierge.The vet concierge, like our pillow menu, had been another great idea from Jasper. He was always so attuned to the finer details of the guest experience.
He’d pitched the idea as something to cater to our guests who wanted to travel with their pets. I was all for it. Pets were family, and they should be treated as such.
The vet assured me that she’d come check on the chicken as soon as possible. Until then, she told me the chicken would be okay hanging out in the bathroom until she could get a crate sent up. And she suggested that I get her some scraps from the kitchen.
After I ended the call, I smoothed my hand over the chicken’s head, determined to make sure she was okay. She purred, the sound full of contentedness. For now, I’d done everything I could, so I set her on the floor in a nest of towels and hopped in the shower. She stayed in her makeshift nest, and I was glad she was already more relaxed than when I’d found her.
I was toweling off when there was a knock at the door. I went to answer it, confident it was room service.
“That’ll be breakfast,” I said to the chicken, trying to reassure her.
Room service might have a universal key, but it wouldn’t work on my door. Whenever I stayed anywhere, I rekeyed the system to ensure I was the only one who could get in or out of my room. It was a security precaution, but also, my brother Jasper had an annoying habit of turning up uninvited.
I checked the peephole, rolling my eyes when I saw Jasper standing in the hallway with the room service cart. I debated not answering, but then my stomach growled. Might as well get this over with. I sighed and opened the door, stepping aside for him to roll the cart inside.
“This is new,” I said in a wry tone.
“Nothing I haven’t done before.” He removed the domed lid with a flourish.
When we were younger, my grandparents had made us work nearly every job at the hotel. From room service to housekeeping, we’d been expected to understand and appreciate everything that went into running a luxury hotel brand. There were definitely some jobs I was glad never to have to do again. Like customer service. I shuddered.
Jasper excelled at guest interaction, but I ran from it. I much preferred jobs that were repetitive and physically demanding—I was great at housekeeping or assisting the vast team of gardeners. I’d also enjoyed my time in the kitchens; it was a fast-paced environment with minimal conversation. The focus was on speed and efficiency while striving for excellence.
I assessed the tray, frowning at all the food. “I didn’t order all this.”
“I did.” He took a bite of my toast. Bastard. “And Sloan and Jackson are planning to join us.”
I grunted. Great.
He opened another lid. “What the hell is this?”
“I’ll take that,” I said, scooping up the plate and carrying it back to my bathroom. He followed me, gawking as I placed the kitchen scraps on the floor near the chicken.
“Why do you have a chicken in your bathroom? Never mind.” He waved a hand through the air. “I don’t know why I asked. I’m just grateful it’s not another rat.”
“Hey.” I scowled at him. “Rats are highly intelligent.”
“You’ve been trying to tell me that since I was five, and I’m still not buying it.”
When we were kids, I’d always rescued animals and nursed them back to health. I’d gotten to keep some, but it had been difficult with how often we moved around with my grandparents. And the fact that most of our luxury hotel guests wouldn’t take kindly to discovering a pet rat.
I shrugged. “I guess I’m still hoping that, one day, you’ll see the light.”
“Hoping?” Jasper tilted his head, a quizzical expression on his face.
There was another knock. I went to the door to let in Jackson and Sloan. I greeted Sloan with a hug and a kiss to the cheek, and Jackson with a handshake.
“Heads up,” Jasper said. “Graham has a chicken in his bathroom.”
Jackson furrowed his brow. “A live one?”
Just then, the chicken clucked, as if to answer his question.
Jackson glanced to Sloan, and they shared a cryptic look. But then it was gone, and Sloan shook her head with a wry grin. “You’ve always had a soft spot for animals, especially strays.”
Sloan took a seat, and we joined her at the table. It was then I realized all three of them were looking at me.
“So…” Sloan—like Jasper—wore an expectant expression. Jackson’s face was unreadable, as always.
I picked up my fork and knife with a frown. I’d just wanted a quiet breakfast alone before my busy day. Was that really too much to ask?
My phone chimed, and I glanced at the screen.
Liliana: Thank you for replacing my phone.
Me: You’re welcome.
Jasper leaned over, glancing at my screen. I held my phone to my chest. “Texting with Liliana?” He arched a brow. “Interesting.”
“And none of your business.” I hit the power screen on my phone, darkening it so he wouldn’t see anything else. Sometimes it was easy to forget we were in our forties when he continued to act like my annoying little brother.
“I didn’t realize the two of you stayed in touch,” Sloan said.
Jasper and Jackson shared a look.
I remained silent. If we were going to go through with this, with getting married, I didn’t want to say anything that might run contrary to the narrative Lily and I were going to have to sell.
After a beat, she gave up on waiting for an answer. I thought that was the end of it, but then Jasper said, “So about last night…” He cut into his eggs. “Did you push her into the pool? Or did she pull you in? I wasn’t quite sure what happened.”
He planted his chin on his palm and batted his eyes. Waiting. Wearing a fucking Cheshire smile. I barely resisted the urge to punch him.
“It was an accident. End of story.” I buttered my toast, the piece he hadn’t eaten.
“Regardless, you two certainly made quite the splash last night,” Jasper joked.
I clenched my jaw, desperately trying not to let my annoyance show. “Yes. You’re very funny,” I said in a droll tone.
He chuckled, crossing his ankle over his knee. “What was funny was your expression when you emerged from the pool.”
Sloan looked as if she was trying not to laugh herself. “Come on, Jas,” she chided. “Be nice.”
“Are you okay?” Jackson asked.
“It’s nice to know that someone in this family cares about me.” I turned to him. “Thank you, Jackson. Yes. I’m fine.”
“Of course we care about you,” Jasper said around a mouthful of food.
“And Liliana?” Jackson’s gaze was piercing.
“I asked the resort doctor to visit her this morning, just to be sure. And she’s fine.”
“ Yeah , she is,” Jasper said in a suggestive tone. “Is it just me, or did she get hotter since she quit working for Graham? Probably because she’s no longer working for an evil overlord.”
I tried to ignore his comment, though it still irked me. Jasper shouldn’t be looking at Lily like that. She was my assistant. Former assistant. Whatever.
Get your shit together.
Or maybe I was pissed because he was right. She did look good. She always had, if I was honest. She was leaner, but her curves were still gorgeous. And the way her dress had clung to her after our fall into the pool had left little to the imagination. But the fact that Jasper had noticed… I took a bite of my eggs, but they went down like glass.
“When are we going to talk about the merger?” Sloan asked, and I was grateful for the subject change. “We need to find a way to regain the majority of the shares.”
“I’m handling it.”
“Thank fuck.” Jasper turned to Sloan, his shoulders relaxing. “See. I told you Graham would have a plan.” He brushed his shoulder against mine, lowering his voice. “You going to do some digging? Go after Donahue? Make it personal?”
“Mm,” I grunted, noncommittal. That was certainly one option. Hell, it’d be a lot easier than pretending to be married for the next two years. A lot cheaper too.
I typically preferred to use my hacking skills for good, though I had no hesitation in using them to scare off someone who dared to mess with my family. Even so, any leverage I found would only help in the short-term. Without permanent control of the board, it was an issue that could keep coming up again and again.
“Let me know how I can help,” Jackson said.
He was a former Navy SEAL who’d worked in private security for the past decade before becoming our chief of security. He certainly had the skills—or the contacts—to assist. Hell, if I said the word, he probably knew someone who could make Donahue disappear permanently without a trace. Not that I’d ever do that.
“I appreciate it,” I said to Jackson.
“Do you think you could find something on Donahue?” Sloan asked, worry creasing her brow. “Because without Steve in our corner, I’m afraid of what will happen if Fred forces this to a vote.”
As was I. He and Danika were growing too powerful. Too fucking cocky. The other board members were easily swayed by their fear tactics.
I hated being in a vulnerable position. And I hated seeing my siblings worry about our future. As the eldest, the one in charge, it was my job to protect them and our legacy. Not just our legacy, but my grandparents’ as well.
“You think Moretti’s got something on Fred?” Jackson asked, draping his arm over the back of Sloan’s chair. He skimmed her back with his fingers, gently reassuring her with his caress.
They were always touching. Always.
Is that what everyone would expect if I were married to Lily? Touching her didn’t seem like much of a hardship. Though, I’d never want her to do something she wasn’t comfortable with.
I wiped my mouth with my napkin and took a sip of my coffee, remembering that Jackson had asked me a question. “I’m wondering.”
Jasper let out a low whistle. “Shit. I certainly wouldn’t want to be on Moretti’s bad side.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Or yours.”
Satisfied, even though I knew he was teasing, I leaned back in my chair. “What do we know about him?”
“He’s shady AF,” Jasper said.
No shit.
“Keeps a low profile online,” Jackson said. “Never married. Had a rough childhood but made something of himself. Really skyrocketed in the hospitality industry about fifteen years ago.”
Damn. And this was why Jackson was so good at his job. He’d done some digging without even being asked.
My phone buzzed with a new text message from Pierce.
Pierce: Check your email. Moretti’s offer just came through.
I opened my email, but the offer only pissed me off even more. When I glanced up, Sloan and Jasper were just as absorbed in their phones. Jasper looked angry, and Sloan looked worried. It hardened my resolve.
“Find out everything you can about him,” I said to Jackson.
“Consider it done,” he said. “Though I’m surprised you’re not taking this on yourself.”
I’d kept tabs on Moretti in the past, but only the moves he made in the industry. As long as he’d stayed out of my business, I’d stayed out of his. But now that he’d made this personal, it was time to do some digging.
My mind whirled with possibilities and questions. Why was Fred so motivated to push Moretti’s agenda? Had Moretti offered him some sort of incentive? Or perhaps issued a threat?
I was sick of dealing with the board’s bullshit. And seeing the concern hanging over my siblings. If I had those shares, we’d never have to worry about losing control to the board again.
“I know you can handle it, and I have other business to attend to if we’re going to stop this merger.”
Like making sure everything was in place if I needed to pull the trigger on my plan to marry Liliana, because I was done with being at the whims of the board. Of letting Moretti and his cohorts pull the strings. I was sick of worrying about what would happen to my grandparents’ legacy.
My siblings and I had had enough taken from us. I wanted to reclaim control, and if that meant going through with this sham of a marriage, so be it.
I wondered what my family would think if I married Lily. If the circumstances had been different, I would’ve tried to wait a few months to establish our relationship with our family and friends and make it seem more legitimate. But Moretti’s formal offer had definitely accelerated the timeline.
My family would certainly be surprised by my sudden nuptials. But would they be supportive? Or would they question my relationship with Liliana? Suspect the truth behind our “whirlwind romance” and think it was motivated by my desire to secure the additional shares, unintentionally casting doubts among the board?
Hell, maybe they didn’t want to know. Jasper had been so eager, so relieved, to hear that I was handling the situation with the merger, that he hadn’t pushed for too many details. Now that I thought about it, neither had Sloan.
It didn’t matter. I’d made my decision, and I was ready to see it through.
That said, I wasn’t sure where Lily and I stood after last night. She hadn’t said no, but she hadn’t said yes either. Resolved, I tapped out a quick message.
Me: Have dinner with me tonight.