Ch. 48 The Stage Is Set
The stillness in the room presses in from all sides. The phone feels heavy in my hand.
My eyes slide to Celeste, whose somber face is a constant reminder of the stakes.
She catches my eye and squeezes my hand.
Keith nods to signal that we have everything in place.
I take a deep breath and hit dial.
The phone keeps ringing, and ringing. My pulse hits the roof.
If he doesn't answer, we'll have to look for another way to do this.
On the final ring, the phone clicks.
"My, my...I almost didn't believe it. Marcus Holden. To what do I owe this pleasure?"
His voice is smooth, not a worry in the world. My jaw clenches with the desire to punch him.
"Mr. Coleman. It's been a while. How are you faring?"
A pause. "Good enough. Although your friend, Legend, did a number on my reputation."
Good. "Mmm. That is unfortunate. What is also unfortunate, is the hit my company's sales and stock took after we went to war."
"Indeed. To what do I owe the pleasure of your call? Surely, you didn't call for idle chit-chat?"
"Quite right. I would like to propose a ceasefire. We sign the contract you offered. Publicly. At a joint press conference."
"Not so quickly Mr. Holden. You and your friends rejected me—humiliated me. You declared war on me. Because of Celeste Shaw."
My teeth grind so hard against each other, they grate. Celeste squeezes my hand again, steady where I'm trembling in fury.
He continues in that same oily voice. "Surely, you don't think I'm still interested in doing a deal with you?"
A pit opens in my stomach, and I glance at Keith, at a complete loss for words.
"Then what will make it worth your while to sign the contract?"
I can hear the smile in his voice when he replies. "You will fire Celeste Shaw. And you will make your friend apologize at the same time. Then, and only then, will I consider signing the contract."
I bite my cheek to stop myself from saying something I shouldn't. I inhale deeply, trying to steady my voice as much as I can.
"I'll do you one better. If you agree to sign the contract—fly down for the signing? Then I'll get Legend to apologize to you in person at the press conference."
"Why? I don't see the need. Have him apologize first." Shit.
"Don't you want Celeste Shaw to apologize to you as well? Before she's fired, at that same press conference, in front of you?"
I gag at the words. Even thinking about them makes me heave.
Silence reigns at the other end. He's quiet for so long, I check to see if the call is still on.
"Mr. Coleman?"
"Why would you do that?"
I struggle to speak the words. "I'll do anything to fix this mess and save the company. I'm answerable to too many people. Also, because you were right—about her."
I can feel the blood drain from my hand. The edge of my phone cuts into my palms. It doesn't help at all that everyone knows I'm lying.
Everyone looks worried, but I'm not sure if it's for me or our plan.
"Fine. Have the documents ready. I'll be flying in tomorrow. Set up a press conference for the day after, 10 am your time. Mr. Holden, I also want you to apologize to me publicly. I'll sign only after my conditions are met."
The phone clicks again. He hung up.
I drop to the couch, hands shaking.
"Day after tomorrow, 10 am. That's when we'll hold the press conference."
—--------------------------
The city lights twinkle across the horizon in the night sky. The chilly breeze sweeps across the rooftop of the Ingram Tech HQ, and a shiver runs down my spine.
Tomorrow, I am going to step on a stage and announce to the world everything that Coleman did to me.
I cross my arms tighter, trying to keep the warmth in.
It's difficult to imagine a future where everyone knows what Coleman did. Where I'm not suffering in silence.
Arms wind around me, and pull me snug against steely abs and firm pectoral muscles.
A warm scent envelops me, woody and spicy, and I lean into the warmth.
"What are you doing here?" I ask Marcus.
"I can't imagine how difficult this must all be for you. I'm sure it's not been easy, looking at all the evidence we've been collating for the last few hours...
"I just...wanted to make sure you're holding on..."
We've been at the office all day, making sure the press releases and our speeches are in place.
Once Marcus cloned all of Coleman's data, it was simply a question of combing through it all.
"How are you doing?" Marcus has been going through the bulk of the information, and I've never seen him look more... troubled? Horrified?
"Honestly, I'm vacillating between punching him so hard I knock a few teeth out, throwing him out of a running train, or pushing him out of an airplane without a parachute."
I can't help the smirk that forms on my lips. I'm so grateful to have so many people at my back, willing to bring Coleman down.
I raise my finger. "I vote for the airplane."
He kisses the top of my head as he says, "Then that's what we'll do."
I turn around in his arms and wind my hands around his neck. His electric blue eyes glow in the soft lights of the night.
"I'm worried," I finally tell him, the truth getting dragged out of me. "What if instead of things getting better, they get worse? And what about ADAI? It's fallen completely by the wayside in all this drama..."
He pulls me closer. "It might get worse before it gets better... Coleman hasn't gotten away with all this for so long without having some contingencies in place.
"But, we have the evidence to back our claims. And it's up to the authorities to prosecute him further. I know the UK police failed you miserably—but trust in Christopher. He won't let this go."
I nod thoughtfully, while his hands trace circles on my back. It's strangely soothing.
"You really trust Chris that much?" The final doubt, holding me back from forgiving Chris completely, finally finds its way to the surface.
Marcus looks into my eyes, and he seems to sense what I'm really asking. He pecks me on my lips before speaking in a clear voice, "Yes."
Relief floods through me. Knowing Chris won't back down from a fight when the going gets dirty settles the part of me that was still feeling lost and adrift, even after all this time.
"And about ADAI..." Marcus continues, "We've created something genuinely ground-breaking. It'll do well... especially after your superhero identity gets revealed."
I snort. Tension bleeds from my entire body.
I pull Marcus close and press my lips against his. His warmth zips straight to my abdomen, pooling into liquid heat.
My heart hammers against my breast.
I still sometimes marvel at the fact that we actually found our way back to each other. That he's here. I don't want to let him go.
He deepens the kiss as he pulls me closer. His hand cups the back of my head, fingers resting against my scalp.
He tastes like coffee and mangoes. He bites my lower lip and sucks on it.
A tingle runs down my spine and makes my toes curl.
I moan against his mouth, pressed against him.
"Uhm-hmm." A throat clears behind us and we jump apart.
My pulse roars in my ears. My fingers twitch as I try to steady myself on weak legs and knees that are about ready to give out.
Marcus keeps a hand on my waist, and I lean into the support before turning to face the new arrival.
—------------------------
We turn around to find Chris looking away from us, ears bright pink even in the dim light.
He's gazing firmly away from both of us, and I'm ready to rip him a new one.
That kiss was...searing.
It feels like she pressed her lips to mine and deepened the brand she left on my soul.
I'm still trying to catch my breath.
"You guys suck face like teenagers. Gosh. Get a room. Preferably far from me."
I snort. Celeste rolls her eyes and quips, "Let's see about that when Ash comes over. Maybe I should ask her about your technique..."
Chris turns tomato-red and chokes on his words. "How did you—what do you—did she say—"
Celeste just smirks. "Figured it out. Now what brought you here?"
I grin at the ease in her voice. Her shoulders are relaxed and she's looking at Chris like she used to back in high school.
Chris seems to notice too. He straightens and says, "I have a list of names that might be the lawyer that accompanied him. He should get his license revoked. He knew what he was doing was illegal."
"Honestly, I don't remember his name. But if you have some photos I can look at, I'll be able to tell right away. I'll never forget his face."
"I do. I have the profiles of his entire legal team, courtesy Ash."
Celeste skips to him and winds her arm around his while pulling me closer, intertwining her fingers with mine.
"Then let's go check them out. What are we waiting for?"
We exit the roof and return to my office. The dossiers are already printed and stacked neatly on the coffee table where Kyle is coordinating with the meeting room team at Ingram Tech to ensure security and barricades.
It won't do, to let Coleman run away before the real fun begins.
10 am can't come fast enough.
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