“But Dad, you just promised him you would hold his hand through the IPO,” I reminded him.
“I told him what he needed to hear,” he replied. “You know how these guys get. It’s going to work out great for him.”
I closed my eyes, praying for patience. “Do you at least have a team ready to get him going in the right direction?”
My dad laughed. “A team? I’m it! I’m barely covering the expenses as it is.”
I ran my fingers through my hair. “Who is going to put this thing together? You just had the man sign a contract that you can’t fulfill.”
He waved a hand through the air. “I’ve got an old friend who has a son that just graduated from business school. He costs me next to nothing to employ. He’ll take care of all those little details.”
“Little details!” I exclaimed. “Dad, that man trusted you. He trusted me! What did you do?”
“Don’t worry about it. All we have to do is move some money around and get it set up. Any first-year business student can do that.”
I shook my head. It was pointless to try and talk to him. He wasn’t going to get it. All he saw were dollar signs. “You’re going to ruin this,” I said with exasperation. “It’s another deal you’re going to ruin. You are shorting yourself. You’re going to let Toby down. He is a good guy. He sensed you were going to leave him hanging, and you are.”
“Don’t worry about it. If his stuff is as good as he claims, he’ll be fine.”
I wanted to walk away. I wanted to throw my hands in the air and just give up. My father was a lost cause. He continually disappointed me. “He isn’t going to be fine. You’re not going to be fine. You’re going to burn through the very minimal profit you get from this deal. Leave the investment. Let it build. The payout is going to be worth it in the end.”
He shook his head. “You’re not listening to me. I’m on the verge of bankruptcy, Elly. I can’t have all my money wrapped up in a single investment for months or years. How am I going to keep a roof over my head? I need the money. Once I’m set again, I’ll be able to make those investments that reap big rewards.”
“But you told him you were going to,” I groaned. I wanted to stomp my foot and protest what he was doing. “Don’t you understand what will happen to your reputation if you turn around and dump this? You will never be taken seriously again. No one will ever accept you as a legit investing firm. It isn’t just your name that you’re tarnishing—it’s mine!”
“Relax,” he spat.
“I can’t relax,” I told him, realizing it was pointless trying to make him understand. He wasn’t going to get it. I didn’t think he ever had. It certainly explained the current financial situation of the company.
“I need to go,” he said, not the least bit bothered by my concern.
I watched as he walked out and hailed a cab. I couldn’t remember him ever hailing a cab. He got in and left, leaving me standing on the sidewalk. Once again, he left me holding the bag. He had made a colossal mess of things and was in far deeper than I had thought. It was too much for me to fix.
There was only one person who could salvage the situation. It was the one person I certainly never wanted to see again, and I was pretty damn sure he felt the same way about me. I wasn’t sure he would be willing to help. I laughed to myself. That wasn’t true. I knew without a doubt he wouldn’t want to help. He would laugh in my face.
I closed my eyes, then opened them and stared up at the gray sky. I was torn between walking away and just letting the chips fall where they would or fighting to save the deal. If it had been just my father falling on his face, I would probably let it go. I would see it as justice for all my dad’s swindling, but it wasn’t just my dad that was going to fall on his face. Toby would be left hanging. There was a chance he could recover, but not without some loss. The chances of him being able to attract another investor would be very slim. His company would be seen as a risk.
I liked the guy. If I would have kept my ass in California, I had no doubt in my mind Devin would have secured the deal and this wouldn’t be happening. Devin was damn good at what he did. He was the kind of guy that could make diamonds from coal. Toby would be set for life with Devin’s guidance.
I sighed, feeling disgusted with myself all over again. Toby wasn’t set because of me. I had shown up to save the day and ended up fucking over the poor guy who’d gotten caught up in a war he had no idea was being waged. Toby was collateral damage in my father’s eyes. I didn’t see it like that. I actually cared about the people I did business with.
My conscience wouldn’t let me leave it as it was. I was going to have to suck it up and make the call. Talk about eating crow. I didn’t even want to think about what he would say when I asked for help. I was sure there would be laughter followed by very specific directions on where I could go. I had danced with the devil twice and come out relatively unscathed. I supposed a third tango couldn’t be any worse.
I stepped forward and raised a hand to hail a cab. “Here goes nothing,” I mumbled, dreading what was to come.
Chapter 15
Devin
I was still in a foul mood, but I wasn’t ready to smash things. The swim had helped and a decent night’s sleep had helped. Not drinking a bottle of whiskey had also been beneficial. I had told myself it was about staying on track. Proving I was better in every way by being successful. When Ron’s company crumbled to ash and mine rose higher and stronger, Elly would see what she had missed out on.
Assuming she gave two shits. No more. No more thoughts of Elly. I had to let it go, for my own mental health. I focused on a small software company that I had found during my search. It wasn’t quite as promising as Toby’s, but it had potential. I had already started putting together a portfolio for it, and once I had all the information, I would decide whether it was a good investment.
“Sir,” my assistant buzzed in.
“Yes,” I answered, reminding myself to be nicer than I had yesterday.
“Elly Savage is here to see you.”
I stared at the black phone. I had to have misheard her. “Who?” I questioned.
“Elly Savage,” she repeated. “She says it’s important.”
I was certain we had nothing more to say to one another. Although, I was intrigued by her unexpected visit. The fact she was there meant it was something big. “Send her in,” I said. If I refused to see her, I looked like a coward. I reminded myself she was dangerous and to not believe a word she said. She was the enemy.
I didn’t bother standing up when the door opened. We were long past formalities. I barely looked at her. I did notice she was wearing a skirt that showcased her perfect legs and flat stomach. The shirt with the ruffled sleeve cuffs added a touch of femininity that looked good on her. She’d also taken the time to style her hair and was even wearing makeup.
“To what do I owe the displeasure?” I asked.
“I deserved that,” she said sounding exhausted.
“Yes, you did. Why are you here?”
She sat down without being invited. It was pretty clear neither of us was interested in pretending to be polite. “I have a proposition for you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Haven’t we already done this? I’m pretty sure I know how this ends. Sorry, not interested.”
“You’ve made it very clear you’re not interested in mixing business with pleasure,” she said, her voice lacking the usual biting tone. “I’m not here to offer you that. I’m here to offer a strictly business deal.”
I stared at her, wondering what the hell her game was now. “In what world would the two of us ever work together? Do you honestly not remember the last few encounters we’ve had? Is this another one of your games?”
“No,” she answered.
I shook my head. “Why me? Why are insistent on fucking with me? Literally and metaphorically.”
“Devin, I’m not fucking with you. I’m serious.”
I cocked my head to the side and studied her exp
ression. She was lacking that usual fire. She actually looked almost humble. “You need my help to salvage the mess your father made,” I stated.
Her eyes met mine. I felt that goddamn tug I had hoped to avoid. Her innocence did me in every damn time. She slowly nodded. “Basically, yes.”
I blew out a breath. “What do you need from me? Keep in mind, I’m not feeling charitable at the moment.”
There was a small smile that tugged at the corner of her lips. “Of course not. I would never ask for charity. I’m desperate, but not that desperate.”
I smirked and nodded, signaling for her to go on. “We signed the contracts with the software firm,” she started. “It wasn’t until after the deal was official that I learned my father plans on having some kid fresh out of school put together the public information packet.”
“You were fresh out of school when you worked on a pretty big deal,” I reminded her.
“That was different,” she said.
I smiled. “Because you have a knack for this kind of thing.”
She offered a dainty shrug. “My father’s firm has lost the bulk of its staff. There isn’t anyone there to put together a lucrative package to take the company public and make the shares worth buying. I don’t have to tell you what that will mean to not only our firm but Toby’s business. This thing will never get off the ground.”
I slowly shook my head. I hated that she was being dragged down by him. No matter what happened between us, I wasn’t interested in seeing her fail. “I know.”
“What?” she asked, her brow furrowing. “What do you know?”
“I know your father is basically the last man standing at his company. I know he’s lost everything and is standing on a sinking ship and he was the one that drilled the holes. He never had the capital to invest in Toby’s company. He might be able to offer a small infusion, but it’s essentially plugging a bursting dam with a finger. It’s all going down.”
Her face fell. I nodded. “Let me guess: your dad got the deal. He’s dumping the last of his cash reserves into the company, and he is hoping that by the grace of God, he gets it to go public. The moment it does, he wants to cash out and take the tiny little profit he might make and leave Toby holding the bag. Does that sound about right?”
Her head dropped as she stared at her hands in her lap. “You knew?”
“I take it by your sudden appearance in my office, you didn’t?”
She looked up at me and slowly shook her head. “I didn’t. I swear, I had no idea. I didn’t ask enough questions. I assumed my father was prepared to shepherd the company into the big leagues. He promised Toby he would hold his hand through the process. I had no idea he was planning on cutting bait.”
I believed her. I shouldn’t have, but I did. “What do you think I can or will do? You pushed pretty hard to get that deal. You pushed me out of it.”
“I did, but I think Toby is a decent guy, and I think his software could really be useful. He has what it takes to be the next Microsoft. He just needs the right team behind him.”
I smiled. “And you think that’s me?”
She winced. “I think if you would be willing to lend us your public offering team, we could get the jump start needed to launch his company.”
I mulled it over. “You want me to give you my team of aces for what exactly? What are you offering?” I let my eyes drop to her breasts before meeting her eyes again. She squirmed in her seat, which was exactly what I wanted to happen. I had no intention of sleeping with her again, but I liked making her uncomfortable. Lord knew I had been in a state of discomfort for years.
“A partnership?” She said the words as a question.
I leaned back in my chair. “I liked Toby,” I said, speaking my thoughts aloud. “I think he is a brilliant software engineer, and I do like what he has done so far. I think with the right tools and people working for him, he could definitely be one of the big players in the industry.”
She slowly nodded. “But?”
“I am interested, but I’m only interested if I’m in charge. We do this my way. I will not attach my name to the Savage name if he’s running the show. I don’t trust him, or you, for that matter. I don’t want my good name tangled up with the Savages, especially when your father’s company goes down in flames.”
Her eyes narrowed, and for the first time since she’d walked through the door, I saw a spark of life. “Trust me, the feeling is mutual. What are your terms?”
“I’ll need some time to review the information. I had only preliminary numbers and projections and had planned to go over them once my deal was signed. I’ll map out a plan. All parties will benefit. I am not doing this out of the goodness of my heart. I will expect a return on my investment.”
“That is acceptable. I am not asking you to donate your time or your people. This will be beneficial to all involved.”
I scoffed. “Some more so than others.”
“You’re right, but this is about Toby’s company. I look forward to hearing from you and will do my best to keep an open mind. However, I too am not interested in charity. This needs to be mutually beneficial. After all, it is the Savages who hold the contract.”
I chuckled. “As flimsy and worthless as it may be in the Savage hands.” I saw her reaction and the hurt in her eyes. I held up both hands. “Sorry. No more digs.”
“You sure? Got any more in there you need to get out so we can get down to business?”
I smiled. “No. I’m good.”
“Good. I look forward to seeing what you can do with this.”
“It will be you and I working this,” I stated. “I will not work with your father. The only reason I’m agreeing to any of this is because I like Toby.”
I thought I saw hesitation on her face. I wondered if she actually thought she could set the thing up and hightail it back to California. There was no way in hell I would ever be in the same room with Ron Savage if I could avoid it. In this situation, I could avoid it. I held the cards. I could walk away and let it all crumble around them.
“I understand. Thank you.”
“I’ll be in touch,” I said, getting to my feet.
She stood and paused. It would be weird to shake hands. Instead, she turned and walked out. I couldn’t keep myself from taking a long, hard look at the body that had been naked and writhing underneath me on my marble floor. The door closed and she was gone.
The emptiness in the room felt as big as a black hole without her presence. I hated that she could walk into a room and make it feel full. Her absence left an emptiness I couldn’t quite explain. I rubbed a hand over my face. After all my protesting and vows to never deal with the woman again, I was right back in bed with her.
I knew she could have asked me for anything, and I would have agreed to it. I could talk a big talk when I wasn’t looking at her. The moment she turned those blue eyes on me, I was putty in her hands. I had a feeling she knew it. Thankfully, she was kind enough not to rub it in my face. I was sure she wanted to and probably would once I saved her father’s ass again.
Chapter 16
Elly
I arrived at Devin’s office a few minutes earlier than he had asked. I was taking the deal seriously and wanted him to know I was a professional. It helped if he could look at me like a business associate instead of a woman who’d slept with him to get what she wanted. Although that wasn’t the case at all, I knew that’s what he believed.
I was directed to go into his office without his assistant escorting me. That seemed to be a step in the right direction. Before, I felt like the woman was ready to tackle me to the ground if I stepped out of line. I had no doubt about my reputation in Devin’s firm. Everyone knew who I was and likely had a general idea about what had happened years earlier.
“Good morning,” he greeted from the sideboard in his massive office.
“Good morning,” I answered, taking in the relaxed look on his face and his attire. He’d removed his suit jacket and skipped a t
ie. The top couple of buttons on his dark gray shirt were undone and the sleeves rolled up.
“Can I get you a drink?”
I raised an eyebrow. “It’s a little early, isn’t it?”
He laughed and shrugged. “I was asking if you wanted water, coffee, juice?”
I wasn’t sure how to handle him being nice. “No, thank you,” I answered. “We can work over here.” He gestured to the seating area that was nothing more than two chairs and a small round table between them. It was one of the things that hadn’t changed about his office.
I sat down, glad I had worn my black slacks. I didn’t want to worry about keeping my legs crossed and knees together. Devin sat down, a bottle of juice in his hand. “Did you get the file?” he asked.
“I did,” I said, pulling the printed version from my briefcase. “It looks fair to me. I’d like to go over the initial projections if that’s okay. I’m worried we might be selling more than Toby can do.”
He shrugged. “I pulled up the information he provided along with a current list of ideas he has in the pipeline. Some of the programs are very innovative, and I think if he can pay to get the right programmers in there, it will happen.”
“You looked at his R and D list?”
“Of course. You didn’t?”
I smiled, forgetting how thorough he was. “I scanned it, but I did not do a lot of research into the programs.”
“I have my team going over the current stuff in development, the products he’s already released, and some things other companies are working on. They’ll put together a list of top three programs that should be pushed to the top and marketed to potential shareholders.”
I nodded. He had covered a lot of ground in very little time. “Who has final approval on what these top three are going to be?” I asked, testing to see if he was completely pushing me out of the loop.
“Ultimately, Toby.”
“What does that mean?”
He shrugged. “I will, of course, have a say in the matter. I have a good instinct when it comes to knowing what will do well right out of the gate.”
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