by Lisa Lace
“I know.”
“I put off two other accounts because of the work we were going to put into this one.”
“I’m sorry. It happens. We can’t win every account every time.”
“You’re right, Edward. We can’t. But I can. I know what you’re doing, and I want it to stop now.”
“What I’ve been doing? What do you mean?”
“Don’t play stupid, Edward. Your hacking and worming your way into other companies’ networks is going to catch up with you. When you go to prison because of it, I will not be there to bail you out. I will deny everything and wash my hands of it, of you.”
“Do you have any idea what I’ve done for—”
“Not for, Edward. To. What you have done to my company. You just cost me a hundred thousand dollars.”
“A lot of the accounts we currently have are because of me,” he said, beginning to raise his voice. “Compared to the millions you’ve already made, a hundred grand isn’t that big of a deal. Companies change their minds. Broaden overreacted and freaked out. That is all. They’ve decided to revamp their whole system, which will cost them a lot more. I’m working on it, though.”
“Don’t.”
“What?”
Reese leaned over Edward’s desk, his face inches from his son’s. “If you want me to show you how serious I am, continue what you are doing. The next time you try to so much as pull twenty bucks out of an ATM machine, you’ll be denied. Do you understand me?”
Edward could feel his blood pressure rise. He wanted nothing more than to rip into his father. “You’re kidding me, right?”
“Try me. I’ll freeze your financial assets so fast, you won’t have time to fill your gas tank to leave the city.”
“Why not? You freeze everything else you give me. What’s stopping you from this?”
“What are you talking about?” his father asked, standing back up defensively.
“You have no compassion, not even for your own family. You live, breathe, eat and sleep business. It’s the only thing you love. It’s the only thing you’ll ever love.”
“Don’t be getting all soft on me now.” Reese softened just enough to notice. “Why are you doing this, Edward? Isn’t the company enough? You aren’t a teenager playing on your computer with your freak friends. Why can’t you grow up and become a man?”
It wasn’t enough to have to deal with working with a father who didn’t seem to give a shit about him or show respect, but when he dug in and watched you bleed. That was rough.
“You have no idea what I can do.”
“Why don’t you show me then? Make something of yourself.”
“I shouldn’t have to. What I’ve done so far should speak volumes. Oh, but yeah. You’re right. Jack is your CEO. You have everything just as you want it to be. It doesn’t matter what I do.”
Edward walked out, leaving Reese behind. He was hoping to walk out successfully and show how angry yet together he was, but running into Jack was not in the plan.
“Whoa, where’s the fire?” Jack put his hands out toward Edward to steady him.
“Excuse me,” he mumbled as he tried moving around him.
Jack peeked into Edward’s office and smiled when he saw their father.
“Still letting Daddy get to you, I see.”
“It’s none of your business, Jack.”
“You have to learn to be more like me, little brother.”
Edward stepped up to Jack until their faces were two inches apart and spat the words that flew off his tongue. “I work my ass off, so I don’t become like you.”
“What? You think you’re better than I am?” He cocked his head and puffed his chest out. “Let me tell you something, little brother. I will always be ahead of the game and above you. No matter what you do or where you go, I will always have the upper edge.” He slammed into Edward, knocking him off his feet and against the wall. “Don’t forget it.”
Jack was right, Edward thought as he struggled to regain his balance. I’m never going to make it with Jack and my father against me. He knew fighting him this way was no use. If Edward wanted to get anywhere and be respected, he needed to do it himself.
“Aw, why the sad face?” Jack patted Edward’s face. “Don’t worry, little brother. I have always looked out for you, and I always will.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Edward mumbled.
“What’s that, little brother?”
“I said, I don’t need your help. Stay out of my way.”
“We’ll see, once the old man retires at the end of the year. I’ll be running this company, and you’ll be working for me.”
“That will never happen if I have anything to do with it.”
“Fortunately, you don’t.”
Edward watched Jack walk away. “That’s what you think.”
When he got back into his office, he pulled up a list of the companies in which he held interests. His father bought stock when they were showing signs of trouble.
“I do this to show faith,” his father once told him when he asked about it. “If they believe I have faith in their company, they tend to invest in my security systems. If they recover, I’m the hero. If they don’t, my investment company swoops in and takes over.”
“So, you win either way.”
“Precisely.”
Edward scrolled down until one profile caught his attention: MWSA Cosmetics. He knew the name because of the bad blood between the owner, Mia Walker and his father. What he didn’t know was how attractive Mia Walker was. Her picture on the company website caught his eye and awoke something primal within him. He clicked on the link and admired her profile picture. He got to know the company more and researched why it was faltering.
“I believe my plans may have changed,” he said, studying Mia’s face. “And your company will facilitate them.”
“Excuse me, Edward?” He looked up from his computer screen with wide eyes, hovering his finger on the power button. Claire stood in the doorway with a smile on her face.
“Yes, Claire?” Had she heard him? Did he need to explain himself?
“I have a call on hold I think you should take.”
“Who is it?”
“Mia Walker from MWSA Cosmetics.”
Edward looked back at the picture on his screen. “How coincidental,” he mumbled.
“I’m sorry?” She stepped toward him.
“Um, isn’t that one of my father’s companies?”
“Yes, it is. However, he is out and unreachable, and she is insistent on speaking with someone immediately.”
Edward would have jumped at the chance to talk to her. It was the perfect start to his new idea in destroying his father’s plans for her company. His skepticism kept him asking questions. “Wouldn’t my brother be the next in line for such a task?”
Claire’s expression said it all, but he waited for her answer anyway. “Edward, you and I both know you should be the one running this show when your father is not able to do so. I think you should take it.”
Hesitant, yet jumping at the chance, Edward forced himself to accept the challenge in a calm and cool manner. “Pass her through. I’ll take it. Thank you, Claire.”
She smiled before disappearing from his doorway.
“This is Edward,” he said, picking up the receiver.
“Edward Donovan?”
“Yes? What can I do for you?”
“This is Mia Walker. I received a message earlier today that there has been a meeting scheduled between my department heads and yours. I would like to know why. This was not authorized by me, nor was it brought to my attention before now.”
“Well, that makes two of us,” Edward said, his anger growing at the lack of information from his father.
“Then why am I talking to you?” she snapped. “I need to talk to someone in a higher position, someone who actually knows something.”
He took a minute to swallow the words he wanted to say before replying to the wr
etched woman.
“Mrs. Walker—”
“Miss, thank you.”
“Sorry,” he said. “Miss Walker. You are president and owner of MWSA Cosmetics, correct?”
“Yes? So?”
“And you had no knowledge of this alleged meeting?”
“Hence my phone call.”
“Then how much further up the ranks should I be if you had no idea? Obviously, this meeting is a big secret between select personnel from each company. I am thinking there is a very good reason for that. Any idea what that might be?”
“None. Not that I would explain it to you if I did know.”
“Rest assured, I will find out. When is the meeting? I’ll make sure I’m there.”
“You should probably ask your daddy first.”
He heard the call disconnect and stared at the receiver in disbelief. He slammed the phone down and scoffed at her picture, then closed it down.
Mia
“So, tell me more about you, Mia. You intrigue the hell out of me.”
She hung her head down and felt a warmth touch her cheeks as they walked out of the restaurant. Jackson slipped his hand into hers once they reached the street. If looks were all Mia cared about, she would have fallen head over heels for this one, but he was a little too cocky for her. The only reason she’d agreed to a second date was because their first was a double date with one of his buddies, and she thought maybe he was showing off. She was glad she’d given him another chance.
“What do you want to know?” she asked, still looking down.
“You mentioned before that you own a business? Tell me about that.”
“It’s a cosmetics company. Steven and I started it shortly after my daughter was born. I figured if I’m a bigger part of a company, I can control my financial future better and make sure my daughter will be okay.”
“That’s smart and very sexy,” he said, pulling her closer. He wrapped his arm around her as they walked along. “How old is your daughter?”
“Emily? She’s eight.”
“Love of your life, I bet.”
“Very much so.”
“I can tell by the way your face lights up.”
Mia liked his attention to detail. She smiled at the thought that maybe this guy would be worth her time.
“She’s very important to me. I like knowing that she sees me in the role I’m playing. She will grow up knowing she can do and be anything she wants.”
“Of course. She sees you build this business and how well you succeed. She has a hell of a role model to look up to.”
“Well, thank you. It isn’t all me, though. Steven has been—”
Mia’s phone rang, interrupting their conversation. She pulled it from her purse and smiled.
“Speak of the devil.”
“Who is it?”
“Steven.” She turned her phone toward him, showing him the caller id. “My partner and CFO. I have to take this. Excuse me.”
She stopped and turned away from him until she had hung up her phone.
“Should I be worried?” Jackson pointed toward her phone.
“About Steven?” Mia chuckled, looking up at him. “No. Not at all. We work together. If it weren’t for him, MWSA would never have gotten off the ground.”
“And that is all?”
Mia smiled. “Yes, that is all. He’s more like family to me than anything else. I go to him with all of my ideas and thoughts.”
“How long have you known him?”
“Do I detect a bit of jealousy there?” she teased, pushing him playfully.
“Naw, just making conversation. I like you, and I want to be sure I can have you all to myself.”
“Rest assured, Mr. Myers. Steven and I have known each other so long, I could never imagine him as anything more than my business partner and good friend. We’ve known each other for almost twenty years now.”
“That long?”
“He and my father worked together a long time ago. He used to stop in a lot. That turned into several dinner invites, and then he and I began MWSA.”
“He is much older than you are, then.”
“Yes. By twenty years, at least. He’s genuinely a good man, though. And smart as hell.”
“Steven or no Steven, I think you’ll do your daughter proud. She’s a lucky little girl.”
“Thank you,” Mia said, looking away.
“Is she beautiful like you are? Dark eyes, hair to match?” He stopped walking and pulled her to him. His finger lifted her chin, and his smile dazzled his eyes. “Flawless skin and—”
“She looks a lot like me, yes.” Mia appreciated his compliments, but they seemed forced, almost wooden and rather unnecessary.
“You are from Brazil?” he said, taking a step back for the recognition.
“My mother is. How did you know?”
“You are distinctive like those beautiful Brazilian models. I am surprised you are not one.”
“Thank you.”
“If Emily’s anything like you, she’ll be a knockout. I’d love to meet her.”
“Perhaps one day you will. I have a rule.”
“And what is that?”
“I don’t want a lot of different men in her life. If our relationship develops and gets stronger, then maybe.”
“You are an amazing mom, aren’t you?” He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand, slowly moving closer to her.
“I try to be,” she said, lowering her head. Enough with the compliments. I think I’m going to be sick.
She pulled away from the awkward almost-kiss and began walking again.
“Emily is my one true rock. Owning your own business isn’t always glamorous, and when you do finally start to succeed, the vultures come around and start circling. Vultures like Reese Donovan and his two wretched sons.” She shook her head and continued her babble as if she was talking to herself. “My business takes up so much of my time on a normal basis that when I am trying to keep it from faltering, I have to work even more.”
She stopped on the sidewalk and turned around, not only to apologize but to see if he had even tried keeping up with her. He was a few steps behind her, his hands in his pockets and his lips pressed tightly together. “I’m sorry. I’m rambling on, probably boring you to death.”
“No, you’re fine.” He wasn’t convincing. “Are you nervous to be with me, Mia?”
She waited for him to catch up. “No, not at all. I’m sorry. It’s just that I’ve been stressed about work and the related drama, and it’s been a while since I’ve been out.”
“So, what de-stresses you?”
“My daughter. Emily pulls all of that away from me. She helps keep me grounded and smiling.”
“Reese Donovan. I think I remember seeing him in the papers, more than once. He’s quite the business tycoon.”
“Yes, he is. Multi-millionaire of several companies and two sons to back him up. It’s the perfect way of life for pushing people around and getting what you want.”
“And he is pushing you around?”
“He wants my company, or at least, I think he does.”
“Tell him no. Just because he has money doesn’t mean he can buy your company out from under you.”
“Maybe you’re right,” she said, smiling. Mia knew it wasn’t that simple. She didn’t want to get into it with Jackson, though. She fed her arms around his neck and smiled up at him. “I believe you were going to kiss me back there?”
“I didn’t think I’d get another chance,” he said, pulling her into him again. His mouth covered hers as he pushed into her. “My apartment is just a few blocks from here. Would you like a nightcap?”
She nodded, her eyes still closed, her lips awaiting another kiss.
They walked and kissed the three blocks to his doorstep before he let her go. He plunged his hands into his pockets to fish around for his key. As he was unlocking the door, he looked back, his eyes looking her up and down. If he had done that the first time they me
t, she would have walked away from him on the spot and never given him a second chance. His wide, toothy grin and his eyes on her body made her feel cheap and raunchy.
Come on, Mia. Stop it. Give this a chance.
She took a deep breath and climbed the stairs to his lair. She prayed she wouldn’t see purple velvet curtains and red carpets with mirrors everywhere. When she got inside, she was pleasantly surprised. His apartment looked new, with white walls, tan carpeting, and dentist office-like paintings on the walls. Although it lacked character, it didn’t scream “player” or “man-whore.” That was a plus.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked, disappearing from the small living room.
“Wine would be great,” she called out.
When he returned, he carried two goblets in one hand and a bottle in the other. “Tell me what you like.” He sat next to her, uncorking the bottle and pouring the goblets halfway with a deep red wine.
“What do you mean?” she asked, taking one of the glasses.
“Sex. Do you like it missionary, rough, hair pulling, a little bondage?” he grinned as he sat back.
“Um.” She picked her glass up to her lips and filled her mouth with the sweet liquid before swallowing it down. Maybe he’s borrowing the apartment. An image of large wide-screen televisions hanging on the walls, more than one couch and swanky music flowing through a man cave style apartment came to her mind. She followed the thought with two more sips, her mind trying to grasp how to answer his very forward questions. “I guess I’ve never thought about what kind of sex.”
“Have you been with many guys?”
“Um, no.”
“Girls?” His eyes widened, and he sat up a little taller.
“Not my type.”
He laughed and watched her squirm under his microscope. “I like to know what a woman likes. It makes the sex a little more satisfying if you know what I mean.”
“Yes, of course.” She started to chuckle but took a drink of her wine instead. “In college, I liked to date. No pressures. No drama. But I have to admit, the guys I did sleep with were all quite disappointing.”
“How so?”
“None of them seemed to be able to satisfy me. It has almost become the norm for me. In fact, I got out of a relationship about a month ago. He was sweet, kind, caring, but—”