Claim (A Dangerous Man 3)

“Yes.” She squares her shoulders, and then looks down at her fingers. “I want a ring David, no pre-nup of course, those are so unromantic.” She pauses. “Give me your word and I’ll tell Toby to go to hell.”

I start to laugh. I can’t help myself.

She springs up from the chair, her air of calmness and complacency gone in an instant and replaced by a barely disguised fury. “Unless of course,” She says angrily, “it’s true that you’re married?”

I consider her face for a moment. Her eyes are narrowed, and her lips on the verge of a snarl. The precautions I took could not have kept my marriage quiet forever, but what does it matter now? She doesn’t know it yet, but I have her in a corner.

“I am married.” I lean back in my chair and watch as her face goes livid.

For a moment, I think she’s going to attack me. She looks wild. Then she smiles and picks up her purse. “You can kiss your controlling interest goodbye David. Toby will buy my shares, and everybody else’s you have your precious voting agreements with. I hope he cleans your name off everything that is Preston Corp.”

I chuckle, even though amusement is the last thing I feel. I’m done with her threats. “He won’t.” I tell her coldly.

She stops to look at me, her eyes searching my face.

“Did you really think I was going to let you blackmail me into doing something so stupid as to tie myself to you Carole? Did you think that I would be so easily coerced?” I bite out the words, watching her flinch as she feels the whiplash of my annoyance. “You must have been taking lessons from your friend Enrique.” I pause as her face turns in a frown. “Didn’t you know?” I ask, “He also tried to blackmail me.” I retrieve the drive with her video from my desk drawer and toss it towards her.”

She picks it up. “What is this?”

“Socialite porn,” I say with a shrug, “staring you, and your friend Enrique.” I smile cruelly. “You didn’t know he made a video did you? Apparently, you’re not the only one who likes to have leverage.”

She sniffs. “What are you saying? That if I sell to Toby, you’re going to release this?”

I snort in disgust. “I’m not like you Carole, I let my brain do my business, and I don’t resort to blackmail.” She looks surprised. “That’s the last copy,” I tell her. “You can keep it. Whenever you run out of all the money you were lucky enough to get from your father, maybe you’ll find someone willing to pay for it.”

She quickly drops it into her purse. “Don’t think that this changes anything.” She says with a sneer, “Don’t think I won’t sell to Toby just because you gave me this. Your ‘kindness’ means nothing to me.”

I shrug. “I didn’t think it would.”

“So you’re just going to let go of Preston Corp?” Her voice is full of disbelief. “I hope the brat you married is worth it, for your sake.”

Her reference to Sophie annoys me, but I keep my calm. “She is worth it, but I’m not losing control of my company. Carole. Toby Felt is not going to buy your shares.”

“I don’t believe you.” I hear the worry in her voice, and I know that I’ve gotten to her.

“Believe what you want,” I say. “Felt and I have come to an agreement. If you go to him now, he will refuse to buy your shares. However, when you leave this office, you’ll find my broker waiting for you outside, with my offer for your shares, valid only for as long as you remain in this building. You’ll find that it’s a very generous offer Carole, so don’t be foolish.”

She looks on the verge of tears.

“I hate you.” She says suddenly, vehemently, “I hate you, you cold-hearted bastard.

I shrug. “That means absolutely nothing to me.”

~§~§~§~§~

After Carole leaves, my mind turns back to Sophie.

I instruct Linda to make dinner reservations for Sophie and me. While I’ve been attempting to retain control of my company, I haven’t been very attentive to her. For obvious reasons, I tried to keep the news of our marriage quiet, but that’s no longer necessary. Now that I have everything under control again, I can give her some of my attention.

I start making plans, Dinner tonight, then tomorrow, a trip somewhere I can have her to myself for a while, remove any lingering doubts from her mind, and make up for the time I’ve been spending at work.

She’d like that. At least, I hope she will.

Filled with a sudden urge to hear her voice, I dial her number on my cell, listening impatiently as the phone rings over and over. I’m beginning to think she won’t pick up when I hear her voice.

“Sophie.” I’m surprised at the relief I feel. “I hope you can go out tonight.”

Her silence unnerves me, and I can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong.