The Billionaire's Gamble
It was never what I wanted to do. I’d much rather be helping people than hurting them, and too many of Coldwater’s practices are not good for people. What’s worse, there’s not a lot of change I can implement. I may be the CEO, but the members of the board are the reason things are the way they are, and they’ll hold onto their power until they’re dead in the grave.
For now, I have to content with myself with doing what I can in small steps until I can figure a way to turn things around. My father and I agreed on a lot of things—this wasn’t one of them. He never really understood why I didn’t have the stomach for corporate politics the way he did. Never understood why some things mattered more to me than money. He refused to believe that I didn’t want to be the head of his corporation. I was so close to getting him to change that part of his will when he went—totally unexpected. It feels like my world has been off its axis ever since.
That is, until the last few days. Being around Dani makes me feel like everything fine. I feel clearer, and something deep inside me feels settled—or at least I think it does. It’s the main reason I invited her here. The other reason being that my every thought revolves around her and no matter how many times I jerk off, my body won’t stop craving her. I suddenly become aware that the room is silent and everyone is looking at me expectantly. I clear my throat, “I’m sorry, could you repeat the question?”
The guy from Belgium shuffles his papers. “Are you all right with testing an increase in interest on personal loans over one-hundred thousand Euros?”
“Why?”
“Because we’re losing money with the interest rate we have now. This will increase the rate of interest half a percent every six months until the loan’s repayment.”
Greedy bastards. “Test it if you like, but cap the interest raise after five percent.”
He shares a look with others around the table and I think that he’s going to disagree with me, but he nods. “Very well.”
I glance at my watch. It’s finally time to leave. “Gentleman, if you’ll excuse me, we’ll have to continue this meeting tomorrow. I have a scheduled dinner that I cannot be late for.”
There are words of assent, but I don’t stay to make small talk or shake anybody’s hand. I head out, grab the papers I need from one of the secretaries, and in minutes I’m in my car and on my way home.
My building is on the west side of Manhattan near the park. It’s generally a pretty quiet neighborhood as Manhattan goes, and today is no exception—that is if you don’t count the reporters that are currently camped outside my door. Sage warned me that they had been followed during their outing. I had hoped that maybe they would see that it’s not much of a story. I should have known better. Now that Dani has been seen all over New York shopping at some of the most exclusive stores in the world, the stories tomorrow will be huge. They’ll range from the speculation that we’re merely dating all the way to the fact that she’s an escort being paid to live with me. I’m sure that one will be popular. I’m not sure why tabloids always assume the worst about people like me, but they do.
Cameras flash as I get out of the car, and I give Derek—who’s stationed at the door—a nod as I head into the building.
Sage is sitting in my kitchen when I come in, drinking my coffee. “Helping yourself, I see.”
“Of course.” She looks up from her phone with a wry smile. “You know I always do.”
“How did it go?”
She makes a face that I know means ‘so-so.’ “I think she enjoyed it, but she’s not used to all this. I think she’s struggling with the idea that you have more money than god.”
“How so?”
“For one thing, if price tags were available, she tried to settle for the least expensive option. She also said she didn’t need a new dress for tonight, that we had already bought enough clothes.” She holds out a hand before I can speak, “Don’t worry I took care of it.”
I chuckle, and pour myself a cup of coffee.
“Listen, Nolan.” Sage swings around on the stool she’s sitting on to face me. “I like her. She seems lovely, and I think she could be good for you if it actually goes somewhere.” She knows that relationships tend to burn out quickly with me because most women I meet are more interested in my title than anything I have to say. “But I would be cautious. Don’t overwhelm her. She’s not here for the money—she’s here for you.”