38. Kent
Chapter Thirty-Eight
KENT
The brandy hits my brain, and I feel a slight wave of relaxation come over me. It’s the first time I’ve let my guard down even a little since Leo arrived this morning. As I lean back in my chair, my phone buzzes in my pocket, shooting me upright again. It’s Liz.
LIZ: Meet me in the bedroom. We need to talk.
Bedroom? That sounds promising. Talk? I’m not sure.
Could that be code for something fun? I excuse myself from the group and head upstairs as quickly as I can.
My stomach tingles with every step—though I can’t decipher if it’s nerves or excitement.
I reach for the doorknob, hoping to find Liz lying on the bed wearing that red lingerie thing again.
When I open the door, she’s neither on the bed nor dressed in anything titillating. Instead, she’s pacing and biting her nails.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, closing the door behind me.
She looks at me, red-faced. “Everything, Kent. Literally everything!” Her panic seems to transfer to me, and now my pulse is quickening.
“Okay. What’s going on?” I ask.
She scoffs. “I just had a very upsetting conversation with your father.”
“My father?”
“Yes. He knows about the Bonnaire deal with SOLIDS, and he’s pulling it.”
“Wait. What?” My stomach sinks.
“Yeah. He thinks it’s a conflict of interest since we’re getting married, which we are not! But the truth is he doesn’t give a shit about me or my company.” She charges at me with fire in her eyes and shoves a finger at my chest. “And if you do, you’ll fix this.”
“All right, all right, let me think.” But my head is spinning too much to think straight. How in the hell can I smooth talk my way out of this without giving it all away and losing everything? Now, I’m the one pacing the room.
Liz stands firm. “Kent, you have to come clean and tell him the truth.”
“Liz, are you mad? I’m days away from being named president. We can’t back down now.”
“So you get your promotion, and I get nothing? That’s not the deal we made.” She stomps her foot.
“Liz, I told you I would make good on my promise. Once I’m the president, I’ll have the power to see your deal through, just as we agreed.”
She shakes her head. “Don’t be naive. You may be getting more of a foothold in the company, but your father still sits at the top with all the power. You should’ve seen the look in his eyes. He won’t let this happen.”
The weight of her words bears down on me. I don’t want to concede, but she’s right. I may be climbing the corporate ladder, but as long as my father is the head of the conglomerate, he’ll always be the king of the castle. And he will get his way. Every time. No matter what.
My mouth goes dry. I wish I could just give her the cash that I promised but I don’t have that kind of quid just lying around under my mattress. “Fuck, he’s such an asshole.”
“You think? But he’s not wrong. I think he’s doing this because he knows we’re trying to pull one over on him. And we are. He’s onto us. We have to come clean. To everyone.”
“No, no, no, no. We’re not doing that. We’re so close.” She better not give us away. This isn’t over yet.
“Not anymore. Don’t you see how crazy all of this is?
If you were really meant for that promotion, wouldn’t you get it without this lie?
Doesn’t it bother you that you have to scheme just to get to the top?
” I hate the way she’s looking at me right now.
I hate what she’s saying. I deserve this promotion fair and square. I shouldn’t have to scheme for it.
But instead of saying that, I lash out. “I’m not the only one scheming around here.”
The wrinkle down the middle of her forehead smooths out as her mouth turns down in a long frown, and I regret my words immediately.
“You’re right. I agreed to this too, but I don’t want to do it anymore.
We gave it our best shot, but it’s not working.
Maybe if you come clean, he’ll reconsider all of this because he’ll see the lengths you’re willing to go to get the promotion.
You can still get your company, and I can at least have my original deal. ”
If there was a shred of truth to that, I’d do it. But it’s not. “Trust me, it won’t work like that.”
Her brow furrows again. “Well, make it work! You made me a promise, Kent. You said your dad wouldn’t get involved in my deal.”
“He wasn’t supposed to.” I drop my head and mutter, “I guess I underestimated the prick.”
Liz steps up to me, and I take in the frustration in her eyes. “Then why don’t you stand up to him?”
“It’s not that easy.”
She just stands there, glaring at me. “You know, maybe the board is right. Maybe you’re not ready for this position.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that maybe it’s time for you to grow up and stop playing games.” And with that, she storms out of the room.
“Liz, wait!” I start after her.
“Don’t follow me.” She stomps on down the hallway to who knows where.
Fuck! She’s right. This whole thing might be hanging on by a thread.
But I’m less than two days from the vote.
She’s already shown her allegiance by signing that prenup.
If we can stay quiet and stick with the plan, this will all be fine.
I’ll get the money for her somehow, and she won’t lose a thing.
I sit on the edge of the bed and drop my head in my hands. As I sink into the mattress, I feel something else gnawing at me. And it’s not my dad’s red tape. It was the look in her eyes when she told me to grow up. There was no sparkle. Not even a glint.
For the first time since the company holiday party, I’m not only afraid to lose Bonnaire Capital but I’m afraid to lose her.