Mr. Big Deal (Mr. Big 4)

He shrugged. “It wasn’t on my radar,” he said. “Elena was the one who put Ken forward as a potential investor and she ran point on the matter of getting him on board. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what she says.”

My mouth was open, and I was still at a loss for words. “He actually thought he was buying Astra and Seneca out, and just keeping Luke and Adam on in symbolic roles? Who gave him that idea?”

“What about Campbell?” Frank asked.

Jack shook his head. “You got me. Not that it would be a bad idea to merge with Hanson. I mean, they’re huge. But that wasn’t what I understood the deal was about.”

“Me either,” Luke said.

I took his hand and squeezed, and he glanced my way, concern clear in his blue eyes.

What the hell?

Elena was a nasty bitch, and I suspected a conniving one as well.

“So, Elena never said anything about a merger when she presented the idea to you to bring Ken Hanson on board?”

Jack shook his head. “Not once.”

“Wow,” was all Luke could manage.

We finished our after-dinner drinks and then because of the uncomfortable silence between us, Jack stood and grabbed the bill.

“Let me get this,” he said. “Rest assured I’ll be speaking with Elena and Adam about this. Adam should have known about the whole merger idea and have communicated it clearly to you before tonight if that was their agenda.”

“Thanks, Jack,” Luke said and stood. He extended his hand. “I’m sorry that this dinner and evening seems to have been a big waste of time for you.”

“No, not at all,” Jack said and shook Luke’s hand. “It’s good to know what Ken’s intentions are. He’s big, but he’s not the only big fish in the sea, if you’re really against a merger. I’m sure if people find out that Hanson wanted to acquire Astra that Astra will be in big demand for future investments even if you say no.”

“Thanks,” Luke said. Beside him, John stood and shook Jack’s hand as well. Frank Campbell and his wife stood, too.

We all said goodbye and watched Jack go to the bar and pay the tab, while the Campbells left the restaurant.

“Well, that was a kick in the teeth,” John said after he sat back down. He put his arm around Felicia. “Talk about being blindsided.”

“Exactly,” Luke replied. He took my hand and kissed it then looked in my eyes. “I don’t think we can trust Elena. Do you think Adam really didn’t know about this? Why wouldn’t Elena tell him?”

I shrugged. “I think she’s a sociopath.”

Luke laughed out loud at that. “I think you may be right.”

“Why do you think that, Alexa?” Felicia asked, leaning forward.

“Ever since I met her, she’s attacked me in these small ways that only a high school bitch would. You know the type, I’m sure. Little digs at the way you look all designed to show interest, but they’re clear put-downs.”

“I do know the type, sadly,” Felicia said and took a sip of her wine. “Only too well. I was always the brunt of this one girl’s attacks.”

“What are you talking about?” John asked, his eyebrows raised. “Was Elena being rude to you?”

I sighed and considered whether to say anything. I was going to just swallow it and let things happen with her and Adam Pierce because the deal was so important to Luke, figuring that I didn’t have to like Elena. What she did to me didn’t matter in the long run if the deal was a good one.

“She warned me that my boobs would be ruined by breastfeeding and Luke would divorce me because I was a dried-up old woman with no sex drive, or something…”

“She said that to you?” Luke said, turning to me, an angry expression on his face.

“Not in so many words,” I replied. “But that was the implication.”

“What a bitch,” Luke said and shook his head. “How can she think she can talk to you like that and get away with it? Not to mention misleading us about Ken’s intentions. I’ll have to talk to her in private.”

I put my hand on Luke’s arm. “I can defend myself,” I said. “I don’t want you thinking that you have to defend my honor or anything.”

He leaned over and kissed me on the lips. “I know you can. I just want to give her a piece of my mind. You can’t blame me for wanting to straighten her out.”

I smiled and ran my fingers through his hair. “You’re my knight in shining armor, but I have my own rapier-like wit.”

“You do,” he said and then turned to John. “I guess we need to go back to the drawing board if Hanson is off the menu.”

“I guess,” John said. “No worries. We’re good. I have faith that there will soon be other better investors who want to join forces, rather than swallow us up.”

“Good,” Luke said. “I didn’t start Astra just to sell it to the highest bidder. This is my life’s work. I want to keep control.”

I squeezed Luke’s hand.

Astra was his life’s work.

I was so proud of him that he was willing to keep control, even if it meant he would lose a huge opportunity to become ultra-rich — even richer than he was already.

We left the restaurant and said goodbye to John and Felicia. Then, we took the limo service to the apartment and after removing our evening attire, we crashed into bed. Before Luke turned off the bedside lamp, he turned to me and put his arms around me, folding me into his embrace.

“I don’t know about you, Mrs. Marshall, but that was a really shocking turn of events. I think I need some Alexa time to get over the trauma.”

“Luckily, Alexa time is my expertise,” I replied and kissed him.

For the next hour, we lost ourselves in each other’s embrace.

Later, as I rode Luke, his hands on my breasts, and his cock filling my very needy body, I thought for a fleeting moment about Elena Marakova and her snide comments about marriage, motherhood and desire.

She could go to hell…