“I want to interview you. I think that’s fair. You interviewed me.” She clicked a pen. “Why don’t you start at the beginning?”
“I’m not here to play a fucking game,” I growled under my breath. “I do want to apologize—and I’m sorry that the interview went the way that it did. That’s the truth. The only thing we need to discuss is the figure you have in mind to forget all about it.”
“No.” She shook her head back and forth. “We’ll get there, I promise, but not until I know a little bit more about you.”
“I see what you’re doing here.” I narrowed my eyes. “You want to find a soft spot, so you know where to stick a knife—you’re wasting your time. We can just throw figures back and forth across the table until we arrive at one that makes us both happy.”
“Fine.” She exhaled sharply and put down her pen. “Twenty-five million dollars.”
“Are you…” I nearly fell out of my chair. “Are you fucking crazy?”
“You low-balled me with a two-hundred thousand dollar offer. What did you expect?” She tilted her head slightly.
She’s calling a reasonable offer a low-ball. That’s a classic negotiation strategy—we may be here for a while if she actually knows what she’s doing.
“Low-balled you?” I blinked a couple of times. “I’m asking you to forget one fucking interview—a mistake that never should have happened in the first place.”
“But it did happen, Mr. Hawkins.” She sighed. “That’s why we’re here.”
Damn it; now she sounds like a fucking lawyer. I would really like to have someone this feisty on my team—too bad I blew that.
“Okay, fine. If answering a few questions will get you to give me a reasonable number, then just fucking interview me.” I leaned back in my chair.
“Great.” She smiled. “Tell me about yourself—obviously, I know all about your time at Hawkins Capital, so you can skip all of that.”
“I’ve given a million interviews. If you were really interested in working for me, then I’m sure you read at least half of them before you sat down across from me.” I exhaled sharply.
“I’m sure you have a well-rehearsed story that you tell people, but I bet there’s more.” She nodded. “I’ve never seen an interview that discussed your extracurricular activities—like the interview you thought you were conducting.”
I realized I wasn’t going to get out of the mess I was in without giving her what she wanted. She had power over me, and she was wielding it better than the fiercest adversaries I had faced off against in the business world. Deep down, I respected that. She was ferocious and quite brave—she knew I wouldn’t walk away from the table until the deal was done. The more she could get me to reveal about myself, the easier it would be to dig her heels in when we started actually discussing money. Twenty-five million was an absurd figure, and we both knew that. Two-hundred thousand wasn’t a low-ball offer, but Ben should have started closer to five-hundred. That might have been tempting enough to get her to sign the contract without the song and dance.
I told her the story she already knew—the one that magazines loved to report. I was a kid from the wrong side of the tracks that struck platinum with one really good investment in college. That gave me the capital to start the Hawkins Capital fund, and a few more smart investments attracted some actual clients. I was risking enough of my money that they trusted me with theirs. Finding the right companies to invest in was like a sixth sense to me. Once the fund grew, I changed my strategy—I started acquiring companies and putting them under the wide umbrella that Hawkins Capital created. Being backed by my company legitimized them—it was similar to what Warren Buffet did when he built his empire, which is why some called me the second-coming of the Oracle from Omaha.
“You know I’ve read every single word you just said.” She tilted her head slightly. “More than once…”
“Yeah, you want the dirt. I’m getting there, but this is where we start negotiating again.” I growled under my breath.
“I’m not ready to negotiate yet. You haven’t told me anything new.” She shook her head back and forth.
“Call it a conversation, then.” I exhaled sharply. “Why do you really want to know all of this? I’ve told you it was a mistake—I didn’t mean to offer you that contract in the first place. I don’t mix Hawkins Capital business with my personal life.”
“You used to be my hero.” She stared at me with those haunting eyes—and it felt like she was trying to peel away the layers until she could see straight into my soul. “I prepared for that interview from the moment I did my case study on Hawkins Capital. I just knew I was going to work there one day—then you crushed that dream in a matter of minutes.”
“I’m sorry.” I sighed and sank down in my chair.
“That apology actually sounds authentic.” She nodded. “It’s a good start.”
“The man you read about?” I shook my head back and forth. “That’s an image I’ve created and cultivated. I’m no hero. I sure as fuck shouldn’t be anyone’s idol. I’m successful because I’m determined—because I will sacrifice anything to put the company first. Ah, who am I kidding—that’s a fucking lie. I use all of that to hide the man I really am—a broken fool that gave up on love a long time ago because the girl I thought I was going to marry shattered my heart.”
I’ve never actually told anyone that—I barely admit it to myself.
I had already let her peel back enough layers that I was exposed—telling her the rest wasn’t going to hurt. I told her about the girl I almost married—the ring that was in my pocket the day she ended things because she didn’t see a future with some kid who didn’t have a penny to his name. I saved for nearly two years to buy that ring, and I was going to give it to her the day she turned eighteen—I wanted her to come with me to college so that we could build a life together. It was a foolish dream and a stupid plan. I could see that in the perfect reflection of a rear-view mirror aimed at my past—but I was blinded by love.
“That’s why you don’t get involved with anyone?” She raised her eyebrows. “Those thirty day contracts keep you from putting your heart on the line.”
“Exactly.” I nodded. “Okay, I’ve told you everything that I can possibly share. Are you ready to talk money now?”
“I don’t want your money.” She shook her head back and forth. “I’ll sign whatever you want—I’m not going to tell anyone about the interview.”
“What?” I blinked in surprise. “What was the point of all of this then?”
“I was more hurt than offended by the way the interview went, and when your lawyer said you wanted to apologize—I was curious to know if that was true.” She leaned back in her chair. “Trust me, the money is tempting, but I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night knowing where it came from. My integrity is more valuable than that.”
“I thought you were about to prove that you were the best negotiator I had ever sat down across from.” I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“You never take the first offer in a negotiation.” She shrugged. “There’s always a better one.”
“You don’t go backwards either—unless you get a counter-offer.” I raised an eyebrow. “You just went from twenty-five million to zero in one move. Obviously, you didn’t learn anything when you did that case study on Hawkins Capital.”
“Maybe I don’t want to do this for a living after all.” She sighed. “Is it really worth it? You have more money than you could ever spend—but you’ll never be happy. You make sure of that with those thirty day contracts…”
She’s right—but that’s the whole fucking point of them.
“I guess you have to decide how much it’s worth to you.” I looked down at the table.
“I have.” She nodded. “That’s why I’m back at zero.”
I had never met anyone like Faith. I was so used to dealing with people who would cut off their arm to make money, including the women that I took into my bed, that I forgot there were a f
ew innocent souls left in the world. I looked at her with a new perspective—her eyes were no longer haunting. They seemed that way because I was seeing purity stare clean through the darkness in my heart. She was more than gorgeous curves—she was truly perfect. I didn’t deserve a woman like that, but something inside of me screamed for her. There was no way that I could ignore the feeling that was starting to take hold of me. It was more complex than craving and lust—I wanted that before she peeled away the layers and exposed me. It was a turning into a need that twisted like a blade against my heart.
“You may be back at zero, but I’m not.” I leaned forward. “Negotiations don’t stop until both parties are ready to walk away from the table.”
“You’re getting everything you want. I’ll sign the non-disclosure agreement—you can sue me for the few pennies I have to my name if I violate it—but I won’t.” She tilted her head. “I’ve got nothing else to offer.”
“I want your name on a different contract.” I narrowed my eyes. “Thirty days…”
“You have to be kidding me.” She shook her head back and forth. “The first time was a mistake—this is blatant.”
“Then give me a counter-offer.” My jaw tightened.
“Counter? My counter is zero!” She snapped her head back.
“Twenty days,” I growled under my breath.
“Zero! Still freaking zero!” Her eyebrows came together, and her pale-blue eyes clouded over.
“Ten days.” I kept pressing because I wasn’t going to leave until I got what I wanted—even if I was bidding against myself.
“I’m not doing this.” She pushed her chair back.
“One date…” I exhaled sharply. “A real one—no contract.”
“A date?” Her expression softened.
“I can’t go any lower than that. I’m not moving to zero—I’ll sit here for the rest of my life if I have to.” I settled into my chair and folded my arms across my chest.
“You are the most ridiculous man I’ve ever met.” Her jaw fell open slightly, and she sighed. “I’m not some girl that you can buy—I thought you already understood that.”
“I’m not offering to pay you.” I scoffed. “I’m asking you to go on a date with me—just one.”
“No.” She stood up from the table. “Sit here if you want—I’m not negotiating with you anymore.”
I did exactly what I said—I didn’t move from that table. My cell phone buzzed a couple of times, and I turned it off. She tried to ignore me—she probably thought that would make me go away, but she didn’t know how fierce I could be when I was determined to get what I wanted. I watched as her expression shifted from shock to slightly amused—which is why I kept sitting there after an hour passed. She went to the kitchen to fix something to eat, and I caught her peeking around the corner at me—there was a hint of a smile. She was softening, even if she wasn’t there yet. She went into the living room and ate with her back to me. I mentally dared her to look at me, but she managed to avoid eye contact, even when she returned to the kitchen to dispose of her plate.
“You’re really going to just sit there?” She walked over to the table.
“Yes.” I nodded.
You know how to make me leave—but I don’t think you really want me to go…
Seven
Faith
The last thing I expected when I invited Alexio Hawkins into my apartment was for the negotiations to end with him asking me on a date—technically, they weren’t over—because he wouldn’t leave the table. I saw the man behind the facade while I was sitting across from him. He was no hero—no idol—he was just a broken man with a damaged heart. I could have negotiated with him for a decent payoff, but I couldn’t do that with a clear conscious. It didn’t matter if I needed the money—it would have cost too much to accept it. I certainly considered it when I thought about what it could mean for me and my family, but I valued my personal integrity more than a few zeros on a check.
I thought I could ignore him for a little while, and that would get him to leave, but he was more determined than I expected. I had no idea what he saw in me. He didn’t want a relationship or love—he got what he wanted with a thirty day contract, and there was no way in hell I would ever sign one. Despite my hesitations, there was no way for me to deny my attraction to him. He was the hottest man that had ever been in my apartment—the hottest man I had ever even had a conversation with. The power I had over him faded when I told him I didn’t want his money, but he was still there—sitting at my table—waiting for me to cave or call the cops to throw him out.
“You understand that if I agree to go on a date with you, it won’t end with us spending the night together—right?” I narrowed my eyes at him.
“So, you’re agreeing to go on a date?” He ignored most of what I said.
“No, there was a very big if in there.” My eyebrows came together, and I did my best impression of his growl.
“If you haven’t agreed to go on a date, then why are you telling me how it will end?” He tilted his head. “Theory is a tool for absentminded fools—I prefer reality.”
“The reality is that I haven’t agreed to anything at all.” I folded my arms across my chest.
“Yet.” He smirked. “But, if you’re planning to just leave me sitting here, I think I’m going to order dinner.”
He reached for his cell phone and turned it on—apparently, he turned it off at some point, and I didn’t even realize it. His screen was full of messages, but he didn’t even look at them. He loaded some sort of app and started ordering food. If he ate, he certainly wasn’t going to be motivated to leave. Was one date really that bad? Nobody had ever worked that hard for one—but he was Alexio Hawkins. He was a man that bought women like other people shopped for groceries. He admitted that he was incapable of love to my face. What if I really did fall for him? He was charming behind the mask that hid who he really was from the world. I would just be setting myself up for disappointment.
I hated to admit that there was a part of me that could relate to what he said about love. I didn’t get my heart shattered, but I pushed everyone away because I was so focused on my future. I didn’t want a boyfriend—or anything that came after that. I needed to find my own place in the world before I opened myself up to the possibility of love. I still didn’t have that. The interview with Rutherford Trust went as well as it could, but I had no idea if I had gotten the job or not. I had to find a job, figure out where I was going to live and focus on the dream I had been chasing since I left Phoenix.
“My food will be here in twenty minutes.” He put his phone down on the table. “Would you mind getting the door when it arrives?”
“I’m not your damn servant,” I scoffed. “Get it yourself.”
“Agree to a date, and I’ll be able to get the door myself.” He shrugged. “It’s a simple solution, really.”
“What do you think one date is going to do?” I leaned against the table and put my hands on it. “You’re not going to get what you want—whatever that is.”
“You’re talking theory again,” He chuckled.
“No, that’s reality.” I did my best impression of his growl for the second time.
“Then what are you afraid of?” He tilted his head.
“Nothing!” I pushed back from the table.
Everything—which is terrifying.
“Then give me two dates.” He tilted his head in the opposite direction. “If you’re not scared of going on one with me…”
“I didn’t agree to one!” I shook my head back and forth.
“Three?” He chuckled.
He’s just not going to give up…
“Okay, fine.” I put my hands on my hips. “One date—that’s it.”
“Perfect.” A smile formed on the corner of his lips. “We can start with dinner. The food is already on the way.”
“I didn’t say the date would happen tonight…” I blinked in confusion.
“Why wait? I’m
here. You’re here.” He looked towards the kitchen. “I noticed that you have a bottle of red wine on the counter—so I ordered some to go with dinner.”
“I just ate—and I’m not in the mood to drink wine.” I narrowed my eyes at him.
“That’s fine.” He nodded. “Dinner is just the beginning of our date anyway.”
I started making rules for myself in my head immediately. I was going to go on a date with him because it was the best way to get him to leave me alone, not because I wanted to. I wasn’t going to eat. I wasn’t going to drink wine. I sure as hell wasn’t going to enjoy myself. He wasn’t going to touch me—he certainly wasn’t going to kiss me—or anything else that involved us getting close to each other. In fact, I was going to maintain a distance of at least two feet at all times. I begrudgingly sat down on the couch—he sat down next to me, and I moved as far as I could without sitting on the arm.
Why was I making so many rules? Part of it was fear. Part of it was the fact that Alexio Hawkins was the hottest man I had ever laid eyes on—intimidating when he wanted to be—charming when he tried. I knew who he was under that incredible physique and gorgeous ink that made him look like more of a bad boy than a CEO. He bared his soul to me, and the darkness practically dripped from it. He wasn’t capable of love, and any woman that thought they could get close to him would never end up with anything except a broken heart. I had enough problems without adding that to the growing list.
“Ah, our food is here.” He looked at me and smiled when a soft knock echoed on the front door of my apartment. “I’ll get it.”
He walked over to the door and returned with a rather large bag. He ordered enough food to feed an army—before I even agreed to go on a date with him. There were a couple of appetizers, several meals, and one very large bottle of red wine. I assumed it was more expensive than anything I had ever tried because it looked rather old. I was too nervous to eat breakfast because of the interview at Rutherford Trust, I skipped lunch entirely, and I only had a snack when I ate earlier—it was mainly just meant to show him that I intended to go on with my day like he wasn’t there. The food smelled incredible, and my stomach reminded me that I was definitely still hungry.
Once Upon a Daddy: A Romance Anthology Page 52