The Billionaire's Gamble

Frank gives me a smile that chills me to the bone. “I don’t have to disrespect them, Nolan, you’ve already done that yourself.”

“What are you talking about?”

He opens his briefcase, pulls out a file folder, and slides it across the table. I catch it with my fingertips, suddenly anxious. What does he have in here that he thinks can scare me? I flip open the folder, and my stomach plummets. I try to keep my face as neutral as possible, but I know that I’m failing on that count. “The contract you have as CEO of this company contains a morality clause,” Frank says. “That hardly looks moral to me. I can just see the headlines now.”

I look around at the other men at the table. This isn’t the full board of directors, but enough of them are here. Some of them at least have the decency to look uncomfortable.

“What do you want?” I ask through gritted teeth. I know that he’s going to try to take everything, and I’m going to give it to him. I’m going to give him every damn thing.

“I want you to resign as CEO of Coldwater Bank, I want you to forfeit all your holdings that are under the Coldwater umbrella, and I want you to sign over your shares to the board.”

I raise an eyebrow at him. “Anything else? My head on a platter maybe?”

Frank chuckles. “If only. Unfortunately, the by-laws state that the resignation has to be accepted by a two-thirds majority vote of the full board of directors. Since our next meeting is in three days, you have that time to get your affairs in order. If you don’t, I’ll make sure that,” he points to the folder in my hand, “is plastered on every surface from here to Switzerland.”

“You’ve made yourself very clear,” I say.

I won’t lose everything—I was smart enough to keep most of my personal holdings separate from Coldwater, but Frank knows what he’s doing. Even if this isn’t exactly what I wanted, he’s taking what’s left of my father from me. He’s taking away the legacy that my father wanted me to have, and if I weren’t painfully aware of the folder in my hand, I’m not sure that I wouldn’t jump across the table and kill him for it.

“Is that all?” I ask, trying to maintain my even demeanor.

The bastard looks so smug I want to punch the look off of his face. “Yes, I think that’s all we needed.”

“Then get the fuck out of my office,” I say, and I mean it. Frank’s eyes widen, and for the first time I see the fear—the fear that’s making him do this. I’m not the same kind of CEO that my father was. I want change, and they’re afraid of it. So the only way they can save themselves is to bring me down, aim for me when I’m weak. Just like a pride of lions.

They have the sense to scatter, and it’s only a minute before I’m alone in my office.

Fuck.

17

Dani

I Love You, Eva Grey is simply amazing. It’s warm and heartbreaking and brilliant and I’m almost sure I have no eye make-up left because I cried so much during the show.

When I called Kelly to tell her the news, she screamed into the phone because she was so excited. She hung up on me and went to go pack. I had to keep calling her phone until she would pick up long enough for me to tell her the details of when Nolan’s plane would to pick her up. We’ve been together all day, and it’s been a good day. Kelly still doesn’t seem as vibrant as her normal self, but being here has made her smile.

She was blown away by Nolan’s ‘apartment.’ Apartment my ass, the thing is a freaking castle. I showed her all the amazing clothes—and let her pick out a gorgeous outfit for tonight’s performance. It was great to have time just the two of us. It hasn’t been that way for a really long time. I know she’s got something on her mind, but I’m waiting for her to tell me. One thing I’ve learned from growing up with her, pushing Kelly is never a good idea. She goes at her own pace, no matter what. She’ll tell me what’s bothering her when she’s ready.

Now, walking out of the show, I think she might be ready. We’ve come out onto the dark New York street, the low clouds threatening to rain, and I can’t stop talking about how amazing the musical was. I turn to ask Kelly what she thought about something, and I see her face crumple. Suddenly she’s crying, and it’s not the crying of ‘I just saw a beautiful musical,’ this is a deep, heart-wrenching sob that socks me in the gut.