2. Linc
“You need to check your attitude, Dec.”
My brother, Declan, continues to stare out the windshield of his Tesla Model S, refusing to turn my way.
“Linc’s right,” Shane adds, his deep voice quiet and commanding. The rock of our family, we can always count on him to smooth things over and keep the peace.
My older brother ignores us. For all of Shane’s talents as our fixer, even he couldn’t rival Dec’s stubbornness. Dec had gotten it in his head to resist outsiders at all costs, and it wasn’t going to be easy to convince him otherwise.
I watch the tension filling his shoulders and straining the muscles in his neck as frustration wells, hot and prickly. I huff a sigh and flop back in my seat. Shane stares out the front passenger window, the only sign of his annoyance the light tap of his fingertips against the door.
“And you call us childish,” I mutter. It’s passive-aggressive and I’ll hear about it from Declan later, but his only response is a clenched jaw.
“We discussed this,” Shane rumbles. “We see it through. All of us.”
I send a pointed look at my brother to drive our friend’s point home, but Dec doesn’t turn to see it. Asshole. Even though we’d all made mistakes in the last few years, Dec insisted on bearing the lion’s share of the guilt. If things had gone according to plan, we would’ve launched a revolutionary product last year, instead of floundering to pick up the pieces after being betrayed.
Wincing internally as my thoughts stray to Anne-Marie, I give up on Dec. He’ll either step up once we get to Athena Ventures for our pitch meeting, or he won’t. Either way, I know Shane and I will make the most of the opportunity.
We’d visited the Athena offices before. I was shocked we’d secured a second meeting, given the way our first (and last) encounter ended. But when the 15-minute calendar appointment came through, I didn’t question it.
As the top venture capital firm in the Bay, Athena can afford to be demanding. Startups they invest in have revolutionized entire industries. Athena has a reputation for being tough but fair, with a portfolio a mile deep. And we deserve to be part of it, damnit.
Three years ago, getting on Athena’s roster was our main goal. I can still remember the disbelieving grin on Dec’s face when he walked into the lab to tell us we’d booked a meeting with Athena’s executive team. Shane had laughed in surprise as I jumped and hollered. We’d been so sure it meant a turning point for us, for the dream we’d started building as four young grad students. Maybe we can salvage it now.
We pull into a parking space and Dec exits without a word, the sound of his door slamming bringing my thoughts back to the present.
“Fuck’s sake,” I scoff as Shane and I follow after him.
“We’ll be fine,” Shane mutters, straightening the cuffs of his button-down as he rounds the back of the car.
Why he insists on hiding all that ink under business attire, I’ll never know. Our friend was a juxtaposition in the flesh–quiet and unassuming in a crowd, but the most dominant motherfucker I’d ever met behind closed doors. He also wore business casual like a second skin most days, while I felt like an asshole imposter in my button down and slacks. Can’t wait to get back in my basketball shorts.
I give Shane a nod and try to channel his endless calm, resisting the urge to reach for the ball cap I’m not wearing. We have a lot riding on the next thirty minutes, and I suspect Dec is too in his head to rally. His pride can”t handle that we”re walking back into Athena with our tails between our legs. But it”s his damn dream we”re chasing, and I refuse to watch it fail when we have a chance to turn everything around–even if that chance is slim to none.
“Welcome to Athena Ventures,” a perky blonde at the front desk greets us as we enter the lobby. “Do you have an appointment?”
Dec remains silent, arms crossed as he gazes impassively at her. I step forward, a smile on my lips.
“We do. With Ms. Livingston.”
Her eyes shift from Dec’s stormy countenance to my friendly one. “Lovely! I’ll let her office know you’re here. What’s the name?”
“Wilde. Lincoln Wilde.”
“Alright, Mr. Wilde. Take a seat and someone will be with you shortly.”
“Thank you.”
I turn to find Dec standing by the plush chairs in the waiting area, arms still crossed. Shane folds himself into a chair facing the office, his watchful gaze tracking the few people we can see.
“This is a waste of time,” Dec mutters, sharp green eyes meeting mine as I draw close.
“We don’t know that,” I retort, raising my eyebrows in a silent warning to be nice for fuck’s sake.
He looks away with a scoff as I fight the urge to knock some sense into him. He might be the older one, but he’s acting like a toddler.
“Mr. Wilde,” a haughty voice calls.
I turn and smile at the slim, impeccably dressed man standing by the front desk. “That’s me.”
“On time, at least.” He glances down and picks an imaginary bit of lint from his sleeve. “I’m Miles; I’ll be taking you back. Ms. Livingston will meet you in the conference room. Do you need water? Coffee?”
His expression suggests it would be best if we did not, in fact, need anything.
“We’re fine.”
He simply arches a brow and turns on his heel. I glance over my shoulder to find Dec close behind me, Shane guiding him forward with a firm grip on his shoulder. We follow Miles down an eerily familiar series of turns, arriving at the same conference room we’d visited on the single other occasion we’d been at Athena.
“Make yourselves comfortable,” Miles instructs as he opens the door. “Ms. Livingston will be along soon.”
“Thank you.” I slip past him and walk to the far wall to appreciate the view of the redwoods from the floor-to-ceiling windows.
It’s surreal to be back in the same room. I can still feel the apprehension roiling in my gut when our former business partner, Anne-Marie, mouthed off to Lex. I’d known who Lex was the moment she walked into the room–her presence alone took my breath away. But misplaced trust in my friend and partner had kept my mouth shut, even as I worried Anne-Marie had delivered a killing blow to our pitch before it even began.
I start to comment on the view and distract myself from the past, but a soft noise makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. She’s here. I turn slowly toward the doorway, my chest tight in anticipation.
“Well, this is unexpected.”
Lex Livingston stands at the entrance to the conference room in a fitted white pantsuit and black heels that make her legs look a mile long. Fuck, she’s even more stunning in person. Her energy alone commands the room, the three of us turning toward her like moths to a flame.
“I believe there’s been a misunderstanding.” She glances down at her watch, her light green eyes catching mine as they raise.
“No misunderstanding, Ms. Livingston.” I step forward, my hand extended. “It’s good to see you again.”
One sculpted eyebrow arches as she searches my face for a moment, taking my hand in a brief, firm grip. “I wish I could say the same.”
Her cool response lights a fire under my skin. That’s right, gorgeous. Never pull your punches, not even for me. “That’s fair. If you’ll give us a few minutes, though, we have a proposition for you.”
Her eyes flit to Shane, then Dec, before returning to mine. She seems as curious as she is wary.
“Very well.”
She steps into the room and takes the seat at the head of the table, the door closing behind her. It’s the same chair she sat in as Anne-Marie dug the proverbial grave for our fledgling startup.
“I’m Lincoln Wilde–”
“I know who you all are, Mr. Wilde. Yours aren’t faces I’d soon forget.” She leans back in her chair and crosses her ankles. “You have fifteen minutes. Don’t waste them.”
I tell my cock to simmer the fuck down as her eyes glint. “The last time we were here, things didn’t go as planned.”
A slight incline of her head is all I get in answer. Taking the seat nearest her, I press on. I can sense my brother and Shane settling around me, but I keep my eyes on her.
“We were idiots.”
Her eyes widen, surprise flickering. “Go on.”
My lips twitch, but I fight the smirk. “We should’ve stepped in when Anne-Marie, our former business partner, disrespected you. I own that mistake, and I apologize for it.”
She studies me for a moment, then her gaze slips behind me. “It’s been three years, gentlemen. As much as I appreciate the apology, I certainly hope it’s not the reason you’re here.”
“It’s not.” Shane’s deep voice fills the space.
Some of the tension leaves her as her gaze settles on him, waiting in silence for us to explain.
“Things have changed,” I go on. “The three of us formed a new company: Solum Technologies. We’ve evolved the sustainable building material we pitched to you before, and we think you’ll be pleased by the progress we’ve made.”
She drags her attention from Shane back to me. “You’re seeking investment for this new venture?”
“We are.”
“Why Athena?”
“You’re the best.”
She scoffs. “Try again, Mr. Wilde.”
“You, Ms. Livingston,” Shane interjects, instantly drawing her attention. She turns toward him as he continues, “We’re here because of you.”
“What about me, Mr. Kelly?”
“Our former business partner is ‘making a name for herself’ in this community. Your words, from your recent interview for the Bulletin. We thought you, as an advocate for women in tech, might have a vested interest in her fate.”
“One of you needs to spell it out for me.” Her voice is hard, her expression fierce, and my desire flames. “I have little patience for games.”
“She stole our original tech,” I blurt, intent on getting her to see our side. “It’s fatally flawed, but she ran with it, pitched the hell out of it, and got acquired. She’s building that name for herself on false promises and she lacks the skill and knowledge to make it viable.”
Lex is silent, considering, then turns her attention back to me. I try to ignore the pleasure that flushes through me, but there’s no denying I want her as fiercely as I want Athena’s funding.
“Why are you here, Mr. Wilde?”
Pushing everything else aside, I focus on what we came here for. If we can convince her to support our business, I can figure out what to do about my raging libido. “We want your help. To bring our product to market, yes–the real one, the one that works. But we also want to…stop her. Bring her down. However you want to say it.”
I take a deep breath, gazing at Lex with what I hope is an open and earnest expression. “She’s playing a dangerous game in a highly visible arena. If she fails, as we expect her to, it would be damaging for the industry, the startup community–”
“Female startup founders,” Shane adds.
“Yes, exactly.” I gesture toward him with an open hand, catching sight of my glowering asshole of a brother as I glance back. Your silence isn’t lost on me, shithead. “Imagine what her highly visible public failure could cause. She’s sold so many lies, attracted so much press. Hell, she’s the poster child for female startup founders right now. It’ll hurt more than just us if she isn’t stopped.”
Her gaze is assessing, but she doesn’t acknowledge or validate our concerns. I admire her poker face; it’s almost as strong as Shane’s.
“You’ve brought updated data?” she asks, and I could fist pump I’m so happy she’s not dismissing us. “I recall inconsistencies in your test results.”
A derisive snort sounds behind me. Goddamnit, Declan. Lex’s attention turns to my brother, her eyes narrowing.
“Yes,” I interrupt, keeping her attention on our pitch and, if I’m honest, me. “We’ve refined the formula considerably since the last time we were here; the building material is far more stable across all normal-range weather conditions. Shane and I lead the research and development, but we’ve hit the point where our lab can’t meet the testing needs for the next phase–extreme conditions.”
Shane nods during my brief pause. Grateful I’m not the only adult in the room with Lex, I continue. “We need equipment to finalize the stress tests before we can ship a production-ready prototype. Declan’s been running the business and operations side of things. He has all the forecast details, but the tech we need is...pricey.”
“You’re out of money.”
“In short, yes.”
She relaxes back in her chair, her elbows propped on the arms. “I see.”
“I know we have no business being here and asking–”
“Stop, Mr. Wilde.” She holds up a hand. “No platitudes. You’re here. You’ve asked.”
I’d never noticed a power imbalance in a room until the first time we sat in Lex’s presence three years ago. Being before her again is a stark reminder that she wears power as easily as she wears her suit. Strength and command radiate from her relaxed body language, ring in her hard tone.
But something tells me she’s a well of vulnerability under the armor she’s crafted for her professional persona. I desperately want to peel that armor off her, bit by bit.
I bet she’d break so beautifully.
“What do you need from us?” Shane’s voice cuts through the fog of lust surrounding me.
Her eyes move to him, energy sizzling between them. Like recognizes like. Shane can be a stoic, scary motherfucker, but he looks at her with nothing but respect. It’s not something he gives easily, and it speaks volumes of his regard for her as both a professional and a person.
“Send me your data,” Lex orders. “And your concerns about what will happen if your former business partner takes her flawed tech to market. I need to understand the possible damage.”
Shane inclines his head. “We’ll send it over by end of day.”
Lex taps the table absently, eyes flitting between us again. She seems to settle something internally because she rises to her feet. “It’s been…interesting, gentlemen. I’ll be in touch.”
“When?” Dec asks, voice flat. Welcome to the fucking party, brother.
“When I choose.” She turns and walks to the door without a glance.
Lex pauses at the door and looks back at me. The moment of eye contact has my nerves singing, my body strung taut in response to her gravity.
“You can see yourselves out, I trust?”
“We can,” I rasp, my voice belying my unprofessional thoughts.
Her lips tilt up ever so slightly as her eyes flick down and back up. I want to see her smile break free. But the hint of a grin is gone as quickly as it appeared, and she turns and vanishes down the hall before I can process what to do or say to stop her.
This was either my best idea ever, or my worst. I’m here for it, either way.