Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
In which ghosts turn out to be real, and my first instinct is to run as far away as possible.
After spending three amazing days with Ocean, I was reluctant to return to work, even after sleeping in a bit to recover from the long day of sightseeing. But my accountant had reported the final results of the Krause Group audit, and as expected, no red flags had popped up. That meant it was decision time, so I was on my way to their headquarters to make the official offer to buy them out.
The numbers were all great, but even more, I had a deep sense of doing the right thing with this deal, not something I had often. Or maybe not something I frequently allowed myself to feel or explore. Was that another way in which Ocean had influenced me?
I had changed since meeting him. The difference was undeniable, and even more, I liked who I was with him. If I managed to shove my inner critic down, it was easy to see how much more relaxed I was around him, how much less stressed. I took better care of myself—or rather, he took care of me—ate healthier and took time off.
Work had been the sole focus of my existence ever since Preston had screwed me over, and wasn’t it strangely satisfying that it was his son who’d helped me see there was more to life? No matter what happened between Ocean and me, that was a lesson I would never forget.
Then there was the Daddy thing, of course. In hindsight, it all made sense. He’d stepped into that role from the moment we’d met…and I had let him. Oh, I’d made the perfunctory protests, but we both knew they had been nothing more than that. I loved how he took care of me. I just couldn’t bring myself to fully embrace it. Yet.
“We’re here, Mr. Sullivan,” the driver announced.
“Thank you.”
As I reached for the door handle, a familiar figure exited the building, stopping me cold.
It couldn’t be.
But it was.
Preston. Even from a distance, his imposing presence was unmistakable—tall frame, graying temples, a perpetual frown etched into sharp features. I hadn’t seen him in years, but I’d recognize him anywhere.
I froze, my breath catching in my throat. Seeing him again after all these years sent a jolt through me, old wounds flaring back to life. The pain of his betrayal, the cruel scheme that shattered my relationship with Victor—it all came rushing back in an overwhelming flood of emotion.
“Mr. Sullivan?” the driver asked, sounding confused.
“Give me a moment, please,” I managed.
Thank god the car had darkened windows. Preston wouldn’t be able to spot me. What the hell was he doing here?
Oh god, did that mean…? It had been him, the man I’d spotted when Ocean and I were at the Vietnamese restaurant. He’d been watching us.
That meant he knew about Ocean and me. He would’ve observed more between us than mere friendship. What would he do with that information?
Well, Preston showing up here was a pretty good indication of what he was up to. I was willing to bet good money on him being the other buyer. Somehow, he’d discovered my interest in the Krause Group and had shown up to best me.
Panic rising, my first instinct was to flee, to protect myself from more of Preston’s calculated manipulations. My grip tightened on the door handle as I debated confronting him. Did I dare dig into that traumatic history again? Risk opening myself up to more of his vindictive games?
I thought of Ocean, of shielding him from this poisonous man and the destruction he’d wrought in both our pasts. The instinct to avoid Preston, to choose self-preservation, warred with the temptation to finally face him and unleash the hurt and anger I’d carried for so long.
Indecision paralyzed me as I watched him stride toward the parking lot, a few hundred feet from my car. Fight or flight. Confront or hide. Each second felt an eternity as I sat frozen, pulse racing, an icy dread squeezing my chest. What would it cost me to let him walk away—or to finally face my betrayer after all this time?
I needed more info. I couldn’t confront him now, not when there was still so much I didn’t know. Maybe Garrett Krause would be able to shed some light on what had happened.
My jaw set, I exhaled a shaky breath and forced myself to gather my composure. I would mask my unease, shore up my defenses, and face this head-on. After Preston’s vehicle pulled away, I waited a few more moments to steady my nerves before exiting the car.
Entering the lobby, I nodded stiffly at the receptionist buzzing me through the security gate. I took a deep breath, willing my racing heart to steady as I stepped into the sleek conference room at the Krause Group. Garrett and James rose to greet me, their polite smiles not quite reaching their eyes. An undercurrent of tension crackled in the air, subtle but unmistakable.
“Cash, good to see you again.” Garrett extended his hand, his grip firm but lacking the usual warmth. “I trust your stay in Melbourne has been pleasant so far?”
I nodded, trying to mask my unease with a confident smile. “It’s a beautiful city. I’ve been enjoying my time here.” The words felt hollow, my mind still reeling from the sight of Preston.
James gestured for me to take a seat, his demeanor more reserved than our previous interactions. “Shall we dive into the agenda? There are a few points we’d like to discuss regarding the proposed partnership.”
As the meeting progressed, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted. Garrett’s and James’s responses were polite but distant, their questions more probing than usual. They exchanged glances when they thought I wasn’t looking, a silent communication that set my nerves on edge.
Had Preston already made his move? Poisoned the well with his malicious influence? He must have. Something had changed, and it wasn’t because of something I had done. The thought made my stomach churn, old wounds throbbing anew. I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was already pulling strings, undermining the trust I’d worked so hard to build with the Krause Group.
As the meeting wore on, the atmosphere grew increasingly strained. Every polite inquiry felt laden with suspicion, every pause pregnant with unspoken doubts. The change was palpable, a chill creeping into the room despite the warm Melbourne sun outside.
I clenched my fists beneath the table, fighting the urge to confront Garrett and James directly. To demand answers, to know if Preston had already made his move. But I held my tongue, knowing that any display of emotion would only play into Preston’s hands.
“Cash?” Garrett’s voice snapped me back to the present. “Is everything all right? You seem a bit distracted.”
I forced a smile, trying to regain my composure. “I apologize. I’m not feeling well. Must’ve eaten some bad sushi last night. Would you mind if we continue this meeting tomorrow? I’m afraid I’m unable to give this the attention it deserves right now.”
Garrett and James shared another one of those meaningful looks. Did they believe me? Probably not, but what could they do? They could hardly call me a liar to my face.
“Of course.” Garrett rose. “Please let us know what time to expect you tomorrow.”
“I will. Again, my apologies.”
The meeting concluded with a tense handshake. As I walked out of the Krause Group building, my mind was a whirlwind of doubt and suspicion. The ground beneath my feet felt unsteady, my body shaky.
I climbed into my car, my hands trembling slightly. The brief glimpse of Preston had shaken me to my core, the ghosts of the past rising to haunt me once again. When would I ever be free of this man?
I buried my head in my hands as despair filled me. What did I do now? Did I confront Garrett and James? Ask them what had happened? Or did I approach Preston and demand he leave me alone?
But he wouldn’t. Not when I was with Ocean. If he hated his son as much as he despised me—and after what Ocean had told me, that certainly seemed to be the case—he wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to fuck us both over.
It was clear to me now that Preston was scheming something nefarious. But what? How the hell had he found out about us? How had he known I was interested in buying the Krause Group? It didn’t make sense.
By the time I reached the hotel, I was no closer to finding answers. Or solutions. Should I talk to Ocean? Should I tell him his father was here?
But when I walked into the suite, it was empty, save for a small note on the bedside table, its elegant cursive unmistakably Ocean’s.
#I’m out surfing. Will be back by four-ish. - Ocean
I collapsed onto the four-poster bed. The shock of seeing Preston and the sudden change in the Krause Group executives’ demeanor replayed in my mind like it was stuck on a loop. The betrayal I’d felt years ago at Preston’s hands bubbled up, bringing memories to the surface I’d rather have left buried.
He wouldn’t let go. No matter what I did, Preston wouldn’t let go. Was I really willing to go head-to-head with him over this deal? Was it worth it?
I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t go through this again.
My suitcases were in a closet. I grabbed them and threw them onto the bed before ransacking the drawers for my clothes. Shirts and trousers, shoes and socks, everything was thrown into my luggage in my haste to escape.
I needed a flight.
“Siri, call Oliver.”
Oh fuck. Oliver was gonna kill me if I woke him up. It was noon here, which meant it was…six p.m. Okay, that was fine. Phew.
“How may I serve you today, boss man? You know I live to fulfill your every whim.”
Usually, I appreciated Oliver’s sense of humor. Right now, not so much. “I need you to get me a flight home.”
To his credit, his demeanor shifted instantly. “What happened?”
I wouldn’t even know where to begin with explaining this to him. He had no idea who Preston was since I’d never told him about what had happened. Why should I when I thought it was finally in the past?
I sank into the plush leather chair, pinching the bridge of my nose. “It’s complicated.” The words felt inadequate, failing to capture the storm raging inside me.
“Talk to me. What’s going on?”
Maybe he could shed some light on how Preston had found me. “Oliver, did you tell anyone I was in Australia and why?”
“Of course not.” He sounded almost insulted. “You know I don’t talk.”
I blew out a breath. “A competitor has shown up here, interested in the same deal. I’m trying to figure out how he found me, how he knew I wanted this deal.”
“Maybe he heard about the Krause Group looking for a buyer the same way you did?”
“He’s not just a competitor. This is… It’s personal. He’s here to destroy me.”
“Destroy you? Who is he?” Then Oliver gasped. “Wait, is it Preston Levine?”
A cold hand wrapped around my heart. “How do you know that name? I never told you about him.”
My phone made a beep, signaling Oliver wanted to switch to a video call. Why? Still, I accepted it. I could immediately see the concern on his pretty face. “I need you to see me while I tell you this,” he said softly.
I frowned. “Tell me what?”
“Remember when you interviewed me for my job, and I told you I didn’t have any references?”
“Your previous boss wouldn’t give you any because you hadn’t parted on good terms.”
“Correct. I never told you who that was though.”
“No, and I remember being impressed you would protect him even when he’d clearly treated you wrong.” A thought occurred to me. “Please tell me you didn’t work for Preston.”
“No. I worked for Simon DeGrasse for six horrendous months.”
I didn’t need any time to place that name. “He’s Preston’s business partner.”
“I hadn’t heard from him since he fired me and I started working for you four years ago. But two months ago, he called me completely out of the blue and started asking not-so-subtle questions about you and what you were working on.”
I didn’t even need to ask. “At which point you told him to fuck right off, though probably in more polite terms.”
Relief filled Oliver’s expression, and his mouth pulled up in a cheeky smile. “I told him that despite his low opinion of my performance, I was, in fact, an excellent personal assistant and he couldn’t pay me enough money in the world to break confidentiality.”
“Thank you.”
“That’s not something to thank me for, Cash. Even if I didn’t genuinely like you as much as I do, I would’ve never betrayed you like that. Loyalty matters…and so does the NDA I signed.”
“I appreciate that more than I can say.” My heart grew soft. “And you know how much I like you.”
“I do. But it had me wondering why Simon reached out all of a sudden, and so I did some subtle digging, spoke with some friends and acquaintances. That’s when the name Preston Levine popped up, immediately followed by some kind of wild story about a feud between you two.”
A feud. Not the word I would’ve chosen, but I supposed it did well on the gossip mill. “That’s one word for it.”
“I got the impression it was one-sided.”
“The hate? No, I hate him. If I never hear his name again for the rest of my life, that would be perfect.”
“And he hates you?”
I sighed. Apparently, I would have to tell this story for the second time in a week. “He was my best friend in college, and we were as close as brothers. Until he betrayed me. He disliked the man I was in a relationship with and went to great lengths to break us up, making up stories about me cheating on Victor. It cost me my relationship, and when I discovered what Preston had done, my best friend too.”
Oliver’s face was tight. “Hard to imagine a true friend doing something like that.”
“Yeah, suffice it to say I had a lot of questions about how real our friendship had been. Anyway, that was the last time I saw him. I mean, I’ve run into him from time to time socially, though I’ve always gone out of my way to avoid him. And he didn’t make any attempts to contact me either.” I reconsidered. “Well, after his initial refusal to believe our friendship was over.”
Oliver’s eyebrows rose sky high. “He really thought you’d still be friends after that?”
“He sure did.”
“Un-fucking-believable.”
Somehow, Oliver’s reaction gave me the courage to share more. “He’s Ocean’s father. The guy I’m…seeing here.”
Seeing was way too tame a word for what Ocean and I shared, but that was one topic I was so not discussing with Oliver.
Oliver blinked rapidly. “Holy shit, are you serious? Did you know when you met? Did he?”
“He knew, and once he told me his name, I figured it out immediately.”
“You don’t think his father sent him, do you?”
I shook my head. “No chance in hell. Preston hates his son. According to Ocean, he always has. He hasn’t seen his father since he was nineteen…when his father beat him with a baseball bat.”
Normally, I would’ve never broken Ocean’s confidence like that, but I needed Oliver to understand who we were dealing with here.
“Fucking hell,” Oliver said, and I couldn’t have worded it better myself.
“And now he’s here. I thought I saw him last week when Ocean and I were out for dinner, but I convinced myself it couldn’t be him. But this morning, he left the Krause headquarters right before I got there. It’s him. And I don’t know what he told Garrett and James, but they treated me differently. He poisoned them against me.”
The bitter taste of betrayal filled my mouth all over again.
“Shit.” Oliver’s sharp intake of breath matched my own roiling anxiety. “Did you speak to him?”
“No, I… I couldn’t.” The admission felt like defeat. “I froze, Ollie. Like a goddamn coward.”
“Hey, don’t do that,” Oliver chided softly. “After what he did to you, it’s understandable. But now you’re packing? You’re leaving?”
I glanced at my half-packed suitcase, shame and indecision warring within me. “I don’t know. My first instinct was to run, to get as far away from here as possible.”
“And now that you’ve thought about it?”
I closed my eyes, Ocean’s face swimming into focus. His soft smile, those captivating eyes that seemed to see right through my carefully constructed walls. “Ocean,” I whispered, the name catching in my throat.
“Ah.” Oliver packed a world of understanding in that single syllable. “What about him, Cash? Have you told him what’s going on?”
My chest tightened painfully. “He’s not here. I came back and found a note. He’s out surfing.”
The silence stretched between us, heavy with unspoken implications.
“Cash…” Oliver’s voice was soft. “Don’t you think he deserves to know the truth? You can’t leave without telling him.”
He was right. I owed Ocean that much.
But god, this would hurt him.