Not Husband Material (Billionaire's Contract Duet 1)

17

Jeremy

Sasha waited for me outside of the conference room. She smiled politely at the investors as they filed out. I saw the men eyeing her fitted suit skirt. She had the kind of legs that went on for miles. Thin and toned. They were hard to ignore with a pair of stilettos. I didn’t know how she walked around the office on those things. Her full breasts caught the attention of more than one of our stockholders. I saw one shake his head as he walked past. These men had gauged her wrong if they thought they had a chance with her. Sasha didn’t acknowledge them as anything other than a walking bank account.

“That went well.” I nodded at the last of the Lennox group. The elevator closed and they were gone. The meeting had lasted nearly four hours.

She pressed her lips together. “You’re lucky. They could have refused to reschedule. I can’t believe you played with the investment like that. It was risky, Jeremy.”

“It worked out.”

“I still don’t know why it was necessary.”

I eyed her. “Does it matter? The meeting is over. They’re gone. And if I’m not mistaken, we had unanimous consent from the entire group.”

“You’re asking me if a twenty-million-dollar investment share matters?”

Fuck. I had awakened the Russian dragon. Once she took hold of something she didn’t let loose. That tenacity was what made her so good in the boardroom.

“You knew I flew home to take care of family business. It was more complicated than I had expected.”

She had pale blue eyes. Almost pale enough to be translucent. It was an alluring combination with her creamy skin and blond hair. Right now it was as if those eyes were staring through me.

“You didn’t get the inheritance.” Her statement cut to my ribs. “That’s what happened, isn’t it? You didn’t get it and you’re trying to figure out a new investment strategy.”

“I don’t want to discuss my father’s will.”

“You can’t cut me out of that kind of information.”

“It’s personal, Sasha. Family business.”

“Bull shit.” She glared at me.

“Excuse me?”

“The Hartwell Global inheritance has always been a part of our financing plan. Since when did it become too personal for you to discuss with me? What happened? Why are you being secretive? What are you hiding from me? If there’s a new strategy, you have to tell me what it is. I need the details.”

“The money is still going to fund our project. You don’t need to worry. The time table has changed. It’s going to take a little longer, that’s all.”

“How much longer?”

I exhaled. I wasn’t about to explain that if we were lucky, nine months from now I’d have everything we needed to buy the team. I wasn’t ready to tell her I married Evie and spent the past twelve hours trying to knock her up, but Sasha was backing me in a corner. I never liked being pressured.

“Sasha.” I gritted my teeth.

“You can’t cut me out. Not like this.”

“I’m not cutting you out.”

“Aren’t you?”

“No.”

“Then talk to me. Why do we have to wait for the funding? Why were you late to the biggest investment meeting we’ve had all year? Something is different. I can see it all over your face.”

I smirked. “I doubt that.”

“Are you selling? Is that it? You found a buyer.”