“I’m not a kid anymore. And my father isn’t alive anymore. We are turning a new leaf with our company and starting now, today, we will end all of our overseas operations and bring every single manufacturing job back here to America. Those businesses that we cannot manufacture, well, we will just have to shut them down. We will no longer waste means and rob children of their youth, such practices that our company has been known to do behind close doors. Moving forward, I will not allow some third party consulting firm to check in and monitor my company that my grandfather built with his own bare hands. Such companies that were known to cut a few corners for greedy stock holders to earn larger Christmas bonuses. Well that ends now. Now.” I felt passion rising in my chest. I felt resilient, strong, like I was making the right decision. “I personally will oversee every operation here in the states and will personally visit each and every operation unannounced whenever I see fit to ensure our company is at the standards of not only morality, but of the highest integrity. You can count on my visit any day or night. There will be no corners cut and we will return to the business ethics and American values that my Grandfather humbly started.”
I held my breath. I knew the media fury was coming. Any second now. There was an excited rumble ranging from eager chatter to whispers and gasps. Multiple reporters eagerly sought for their voice to be heard by me. There was just one question that sounded like the loudest drum to me.
“Mr. Rainshaw! Are you openly admitting your father was involved in ill practices?” The crowd died down. No doubt they wanted full access to this answer.
“What I am admitting is I now have full access to my company and will oversee everything. Nothing will be hidden and there will no longer be blind eyes turned. Every wrong I’m making right.”
A cocky reported rolled his eyes and sarcastically laughed. “You’re then aware that by the end of this day, your net worth will drop in half? Probably tank. Like you have any idea what to do with a billion-dollar company.” He snickered. “A playboy model who just looks and acts the part,” he murmured under his breath. But I heard it.
It made my blood want to boil at not being taken seriously. But suddenly a fond memory of making shoes with my grandfather as a little boy by working with a leather strap and thread came to my memory like a warm blanket on a cold day. I took a deeper breath and I swear could still smell that fresh leather almost if he were there right now by my side, giving me strength. I’d ignore the haters. Haters always hate. Action is louder than words. I’d just have to show them I meant business. And they hadn’t and wouldn’t see the last of me.
“It’s time to return to honest manufacturing, getting back to the root of things. And frankly, I don’t give a damn if stock plummets. It’s time to build a new foundation in Rainshaw enterprises. That will be all.”
“Mr. Rainshaw!”
“Bradley!”
Chapter 18
KATE
* * *
“I’m telling you, Kate. Ever since you’ve landed early this morning, you’ve had this glow about you. And I know this glow. What are you not telling me?”
“Hmmmm?” I tilted my chin and made eye contact with her giving her my best poker face. “There’s no glow. I already told you, I went shopping with my mom in New York is all. You know she obsesses over skincare and cosmetics. She may have gone overboard. But my skin is thanking her.”
It had been torture having to come back to Capetown but I had to. My defense required me in two days. I had just sent my paper off and felt like the weight of the world lifted off of my shoulders. Now I was ever aware of missing him and that giant hole in my heart reminded me every waking second. That awful tease of almost having him completely and then not.
From the moment we made it back to the city, my mother was waiting for me and Bradley, and I had to attend meeting after meeting after meeting. And just like that, two days had passed. He texted messages ranging from the sweet range to the spicy range.
Promise I’m going to make you come real soon. Just you wait. Your pussy hasn’t seen anything yet.
Get ready. You’ll be coming before you know it.
Send me a pic of you naked.
I want to taste you again. It’s all I want to eat.
I can’t stop thinking about you, baby. Promise I’m coming for you.
I looked over his dirty texts a thousand times while on the airplane. These little fantasies kept my light lit. I didn’t know when we’d see each other again, but I trusted him that we would.
“Tell me again, like, this whole process thing?” Emily twirled her sun kissed locks around her finger.
“Huh?”
Her eyes went wide. She shook her head frantically and stood up pointing behind me at the television. It was such an urgent look. Was a tsunami or something coming our way or something? I spun around and knocked my coffee to the ground.
Bradley Rainshaw, billionaire heir, new CEO of Rainshaw enterprise amid police scandal.
“Oh my word.” I reached for the remote and flipped it on.
“But will you press charges against Officer Watson?”
“Hell yeah, I will. I’m not a pushover or a coward. I just want to make things right. Justice is about doing the right thing. Integrity is who you are when no one is looking. Officer Watson is a coward, bully, and ought to be held accountable for his actions. He not only detained me and refused me a phone call, but cameras will indicate his ridiculous power trip. Why, he imprisoned an innocent young woman in the middle of a blizzard without even a blanket. For no reason! A kind woman, who I might add is as good of a citizen as a nun!”
“Her name? Bradley?”
“Kate Meadows.”
Oh my god. The world just heard my name.
“And how about you? Will you be held accountable for your father’s actions? For the sins of your father?”
“We will just have to wait and see.” Sometimes God is merciful.
I pressed the rewind button to listen to the entire interview.
Earlier today. The words were in red in the top right corner.
As I scrolled the news segment back with the replay option on the remote in stunned silence of what I just heard Bradley admit, I couldn’t shake the eerie feeling of those cold cuffs on my wrists. It fell over me like a hushed dazed. I felt hopeless, helpless, cold and alone. I’d never experienced anything like that before. I hated the way that moment made me feel. I shivered and released the creepy feeling that traveled down my spine. Lost in thought, I jumped in fright from Emily’s hand on my shoulder. I still was a bit jumpy from the traumatic moment and being locked in a jail cell, even if it was just for a few hours. It was torturous seeing someone you care about look frozen over and dead. It was cold, freezing, dark.
“Um, Kate?”
“Yeah?”
“Someone’s here to see you.”
“Huh?” I asked, still dazed.
“Bradley’s, um, here.”
“What? How?”
I spun around and there he stood in the doorway dressed in form-fitting jeans and a fitted gray shirt. Damn, he looked hot.
“Oh my gosh, I knew it. You are a secret agent,” Emily cooed at him.
“I’m no CIA special ops I can assure you. But one thing I cannot assure you of is my safety. I have to close down a few camps and operations and well, a few people aren’t happy about it. I have about oh, uh, four minutes and thirty-three seconds to grab you and jet. That’s about it”
“Are…are you serious? Is it that dire? Here?” When would this never ending panic end?
“Oh, yes. One word. Militia. Next word: rebels. Third word: diamonds.” He walked into the living room and pulled me in his arms. He smelled so fresh, like a manly version of verbena. I wanted to breathe him in deeply.
“Jet? Jet where? I can’t like leave—”
“No…no where far.” He cut me off quickly.
“Fourth word: four minutes left. Go, go, go, go! The two of you now!” Emily sang the same time Br
adley replied no where far.
“Seriously? This is happening? For real?” I stood there frozen, unsure what to do.
His look was panicked. “I came for you. Just like I said.”
“Yeah, but you were just on the—” I pointed to the T.V.
“Kate! You heard him! Just grab your laptop and grab—”
“Nothing.” His hands were on my shoulders and he was leading me out of the living room. “I have everything taken care of for you, just take your holy grail right there.” He pointed to my computer and charger. “And put these on and lift this over your head.” He reached for my nearby flats and light jacket that hung over a chair.
“But where? My defense!” I called out.
“Bye Kate!” Emily’s goodbye was muffled by the door.