by Chelle Bliss
“It never will be,” I grumble under my breath when Cassie’s voice comes through the intercom.
“Ms. Bradley.”
“Yes?”
“The gentlemen from Cozza are here.”
“Have them wait.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Why would you do that?” Josh asks with wide eyes.
My smile grows wider from the pleasure I feel knowing they’re waiting. “Because I can.”
He laughs, nodding while he covers his mouth. “Fair enough.”
I lean back, relaxing into the chair and wishing I’d received the aspirin I asked for earlier. “You gather the troops, and I’ll head to the lobby and welcome the Cozza reps.”
“We’ll be in here before you get back.” Josh disappears into the hallway, heading toward the executive office area. Nothing will be discussed without them. Their fate is just as tied to the outcome of this meeting as mine.
I check my email, letting some time go by because I figure our “guests” can wait and stew. They’re on my clock now. Since their advance on us is unwanted, I’ll make it as uncomfortable as possible. They have us on the edge of our seats, and I’m more than happy to waste their time.
They want to take what doesn’t belong to them. Interstellar isn’t for sale. I’ll protect it like a mother bear protecting her cub and use any means necessary to do it. As the CEO of Interstellar, it’s my duty to go down swinging instead of being a passive bystander. I’ll have my people work on a solution night and day until it’s resolved, leaving Interstellar intact, with me still sitting at the head.
I didn’t work my ass off to become number two again, or worse, out of a job altogether.
When I decide they’ve waited long enough, I slowly walk to the lobby with my head held high and my shoulders back, ready to play hardball.
Show no fear.
They are the enemy.
My sleek black business suit caresses my skin, fitting me like a glove as I stroll down the hallway with my heels clicking against the marble floor. The sound of my power heels gives me a little more confidence and makes me feel powerful.
Every girl has a pair. The ones that make you feel fierce and unstoppable. Yesterday, I wasn’t prepared; I didn’t know about the Cozza shitstorm that was about to hit, or else I would’ve worn them. But now, I’m ready. Ready to cut the head off the snake that is trying to slither its way into my company and eat us alive.
Cassie walks toward me with a glass of water. “Sorry I didn’t bring them sooner,” she says, holding open her palm and revealing two white pills before shoving the glass between us.
I look over her shoulder as I take the aspirin from her palm, but I can’t get a clear view of the reception area. “How are the Cozza people doing?”
She smiles, watching me swallow the pills before taking the glass back from me. “Annoyed.”
I laugh.
Perfect.
“One guy is pacing around like a rabid animal.” She giggles softly, covering her mouth to stop the sound from reaching their ears.
“Even better.” I grin.
As I walk toward the reception area with Cassie on my heels, I feel a sense of calm wash over me. I know I can handle Cozza, and with the backing of the board and shareholders, there’s no way they’ll be successful in their takeover bid.
Four men are sitting, and the one that Cassie described as “rabid” still paces but his back is to me. “Gentlemen.” I keep my face devoid of emotion.
Even though this feels personal, I know it isn’t. They may have been trying to take Interstellar, but it isn’t mine. Either way, I’ll do anything I can to stop them.
The pacer stops, turning to face me as the other men stand.
Standing before me in a perfectly pressed black suit with dark gray pinstripes, a crisp white dress shirt, and a silky red tie is none other than the smooth-talking, panty-dropping charmer from last night.
Lou.
The Lou who was between my legs less than ten hours ago, giving me more orgasms than I’ve had in years.
I gape, unable to hide my shock.
What the hell? Nothing makes sense.
His face matches mine, confusion in his eyes as he takes in the sight of me. “Elizabeth?”
Chapter Six
His head tilts, his hair flopping a bit in the most delicious way, before he takes a step forward in impeccable black leather shoes.
I snap my mouth shut. “Lou?”
What’s he doing here? Oh God. This can’t be happening.
“Who?” Cassie whispers at my side. “That’s Mr. Forte. His name isn’t Lou. It’s Antonio.” She points at him, but it still hasn’t clicked.
The people in the waiting room are gawking at us.
I blink twice, wondering if he is a mirage. There’s no denying that the man standing in front of me is the same man I had sex with more than once last night. We stare at each other, both considering the ramifications of the situation.
Oh, shit.
I lied about my name, but I never imagined he could be the enemy. Why in the world would he lie about his name?
My palms begin to sweat, and my heart starts to pick up speed as the reality of the situation hits me. Maybe he played me. I was just another pawn in the Cozza game. I rarely believe anything is coincidence.
I take a step forward, my eyes narrowing at him. “Did you know?”
He shakes his head and gawks at me. “No.”
A gentleman coughs and steps in front of Mr. Forte. “I don’t know what’s going on here, Ms. Bradley, but we’re here to discuss the future of Cozza and Interstellar. I’m Mr. Alesci, the president of Cozza’s legal division.” He holds out his hand, but I don’t meet his eyes as I shake. I’m unable to take mine off Antonio.
I’m still in a trance, maybe in shock, about the entire Lou situation. I shake Mr. Alesci’s hand and keep my eyes pinned to Mr. Forte. “Excuse me,” I say, glancing at Mr. Alesci for a moment before bringing my eyes back to the sky-blue ones boring into me. “Mr. Forte, may I speak to you in private please?”
“I don’t think—” Mr. Alesci starts to say before Mr. Forte places his hand on his shoulder and gives it a rough squeeze.
“Yes, Ms. Bradley.” Mr. Alesci glares at Antonio but is quickly dismissed. “We’ll be fine, Jim.”
Turning my back to him, I let every facial expression I wanted to make before break loose. What in the fuck just happened? How in the world could this be happening to me? What are the odds of the one person I sleep with in longer than I’d like to admit would actually be the one person I’m supposed to hate the most?
There’s a real possibility that he played me. It’s entirely possible that he knew exactly who I was when he sidled up next to me at the bar. Just because I didn’t know who he was doesn’t mean he didn’t know who I was last night.
Antonio follows closely as we walk into my office. Using one hand, I close the door quietly, trying to avoid any more suspicion. “You knew who I was, didn’t you?” My nostrils flare, and I know I’m the one who looks like a rabid animal now.
“I didn’t.” He takes a step toward me.
I hold up my hand, stopping him. If he comes any closer, I’ll likely have a meltdown. “Stop.”
“I swear I didn’t know!”
The long night hasn’t made him look any worse for wear. He looks more handsome than he did last night, while I, on the other hand, am not at my best. I cross my arms over my chest and stare him down. “How could you?”
“I didn’t know. I swear. Why did you lie about your name?”
My teeth are clenched so tightly that they scrape against each other, making a horrible noise and making my headache worse. “Why did you lie about yours?”
He lets out a loud sigh and moves toward me, but I take a step back and bump into the door. He runs his fingers through his perfectly styled hair and inhales. “I don’t need someone looking me up online and thinking they hit the jackpot. I never give my real nam
e to anyone unless I know them well.”
Unconsciously, my head tilts and my eyes narrow. “So, every woman you’ve slept with thinks you’re Lou?”
“No.” He rubs the back of his neck. “Some think I’m Fabio, Angelo, Salvatore, Giovanni—” he says with a small laugh.
“I get it,” I interrupt him, totally disgusted.
“Why did you lie?”
“None of your business.”
He squares his shoulders and pins me in place with his searing blue eyes. “I should be asking you if you knew who I was, Ms. Bradley.”
“Do you honestly think I would’ve slept with you if I knew who you were?” I snarl, ready to pop from anger at the accusation.
“We didn’t sleep,” he corrects me with a salacious smile.
“Don’t play games.”
“I’d never play games when it comes to you or my business.”
“Neither do I. To accuse me of having sex with you on purpose is sickening.”
“You accused me of the same thing, Lauren.” The sound of my real name on his tongue seems wrong, but completely delicious.
“Touché.” Crossing my arms, I dig my fingernails into the skin of my arms. I want to stop myself from reaching out to touch the stubble on his face.
He’s the enemy. No matter what happened last night, I need to remember that simple fact.
“What a mess,” I whisper.
“It’s a small complication.” He waves it off like it isn’t that important.
“You’re right. It was just sex, and this is business.”
He nods with a smile. “We’re adults.”
“Yes. What happened last night will never happen again.” Even though I’m able to keep my voice steady, I know that if circumstances were different, I’d quickly jump back into bed with him.
He’s just that good.
“No?” He raises an eyebrow as his smile transforms into the smuggest grin I’ve ever seen.
With a pin-straight spine and my head held high, I say, “No.”
For the love of God, only I would get myself into a mess like this. I can already hear the gossip if this got out. People are quick to judge and condemn females in the business world. Hell, anywhere in life, women are tossed to the side and called whores. I don’t want to ruin my reputation with an act between two consenting adults.
After I open the door, I wait for him to walk out. I don’t want him behind me, checking out my ass. When he has one foot in the doorway, he stops and turns to face me.
“Lauren,” he says, rolling the R on his tongue. “Business is always separate from pleasure. We may be in the middle of a business deal, but I need to spend another night with you. There’s something about the way you moan that kind of drives me wild.”
My insides are cheering, my belly is flipping, and every nerve ending in my body craves the feel of him against me again. “It’ll never happen again.”
He moves in closer, his lips a breath away from mine. “It will.”
My breath hitches.
Damn.
The last man in the world I want to show weakness in front of is Antonio Forte, and yet I do it.
Bravo, Lauren.
His eyes dip to my mouth. “You know you want me too.”
I remember the taste of him and shiver. “I don’t,” I whisper.
His eyes return to mine, his cheeks rising with a cocky smile. “You do,” he says before walking out the door and heading toward the reception area, leaving me behind.
I want to scream and tell him he’s wrong, but he isn’t.
I do want him.
I’m so screwed.
I take a moment to collect myself before following him out. Nothing will go as planned, but I need to remember this is business, and like all business transactions, it will be cutthroat.
Kill or be killed.
I don’t plan on being the victim ever again.
Antonio hasn’t taken his eyes off me since we sat down at the conference room table. Nothing else in the room seems to matter. Even the voices around me become muffled. He sits directly across from me with a smug grin on his face. Every so often his eyes dip to my chest, but they don’t linger long enough for anyone to pick up on it. I want to leap across the table and smack the smile off his face.
“We came here today to talk about the future.” Antonio’s tongue darts out, sweeping across his bottom lip, and I try not to gawk. “As you know by now, we purchased a substantial stake in Interstellar and plan to snap up as much stock as we can get our hands on in the coming week.”
I glare at him and lean forward. “Why now?” He doesn’t have to answer the question because I already know the answer. Somehow Cozza found out about our newest invention, and they want it as their own.
“Why not now?” His head tilts, and his grin grows a little wider as he strokes the stubble on his chin. The same hair that felt like velvet gliding across my thighs.
I clench my legs together and take a deep breath before swallowing down my anger and lust. This is not personal. “You could’ve done this at any time, but you chose this week to start your takeover bid of Interstellar, why?”
Antonio rests his elbows on the table and clasps his hands together. “There have been rumors for some time about the advancements Interstellar is making, and you’ve caught the attention of Cozza and, of course, me.” His eyes sparkle on the last word.
I clear my throat and try not to remember how he looked between my legs, but I fail, squeezing my legs together tighter. “Rumors?”
“Yes.” He smiles, staring intently at me and causing my body temperature to rise.
Underneath the table, I uncross my legs, trying to take the edge off the ache his nearness causes. Why did he have to be good in bed? This would be so much easier if he were a bad lay. I wouldn’t be imagining the feel of him as he filled me, the sound of his breath in my ear, or how he tasted in my mouth. “Every employee here has signed a nondisclosure agreement. So are you telling me I have a traitor in my midst?” I raise my eyebrows, challenging him to leak the name of their source.
“No traitor at all. People talk, Ms. Bradley. Companies watch the smaller ones, the ones underneath us.” He licks his lips again, and I remain still, transfixed by the motion. “We’re always looking to acquire those in need of help.”
I square my shoulders and clasp my hands together much like his and blink away my Lou haze. “I don’t know what you’ve heard, Mr. Forte, but Interstellar isn’t in need of help. Is the competition getting a little too tough that you feel the need to take out your competition before they crush you?” It’s my turn to smirk. Take that, Lou.
He glances down both sides of the table at his men and laughs. “I hardly call Interstellar competition, but I would like to take you over.”
I swallow, wondering if he’s talking about me or Interstellar. “We don’t need your help. We don’t want to be enveloped by Cozza and their worldwide conglomerate. We’re doing just fine without your help, Antonio. Do you mind if I call you Antonio?”
He blinks slowly with a lazy grin. “You may call me anything you’d like, Ms. Bradley.”
“Bastard,” I whisper under my breath. “We appreciate your offer, but I’ve already discussed the takeover with the board members and majority stockholders, and no one is chomping at the bit to become one with Cozza.”
He runs his index finger across his bottom lip. “There’s no one better to become one with, Ms. Bradley. Cozza has ruled the industry for years, and it’s better to be part of number one than to take second place.”
“Mr. Forte,” Josh interrupts and begins to tap his pen on the table. “Interstellar has no need for your offer and will fight you tooth and nail to stop the takeover in its tracks.”
Antonio turns his attention toward Josh. The playful smile that had been on his face vanishes. “I believe I’m speaking to your CEO, Mr…?” Antonio’s eyebrows furrow as he motions toward Josh.
“I’m the vice president,” Josh b
ites out, clearly irritated by his dismissal.
“Ah. So, you’re second-string in a second-place company.”
Josh’s body stiffens, and he starts to rise from his chair. “Excuse me?”
I grab his hand, stopping him from turning this into a free-for-all. “Mr. Forte, I don’t appreciate how you’re speaking to my VP. I understand you want to discuss the situation with me, but Mr. Goldman is a valuable member of the team, and I’d appreciate it if you treated him with the respect he deserves.”
He nods, but he gives away no emotion. “Fine, Ms. Bradley. You can say that Interstellar doesn’t want any part of Cozza, but we’re here to make it known that we fully intend to take what we want, with or without your cooperation.”
“Duly noted, Mr. Forte.” I smile sweetly, almost over the top. “We decline your offer and plan to do everything in our power to crush your attempt to take over our little company. Just so you know, you can’t stay on top forever.”
He bites his lip to hide his smile, but the tiny crinkles in the corners of his beautiful eyes deepen. “I beg to differ. I can stay on top for a very long time. There’s no limit to our domination, even over you, Ms. Bradley. I’ve never been one to play nice. Even with a woman across the table, I won’t be a gentleman.”
“Don’t think my gender means I’m weak, Mr. Forte. I’m one of the toughest opponents you’ll ever face. Interstellar will fight you every step of the way. Now, I have a corporation to run. I don’t have time to sit here and discuss your pipe dreams. I’m too busy edging Cozza out of their top spot to worry about your attempts to take us over. We’ve survived other attempts just as we’ll survive Cozza’s.”
His blue eyes bore into me. “Maybe we can come to a mutually beneficial agreement.”
I glare at him, squeezing my legs together again under the table to stop the ache when I think about him last night. “We don’t want anything you have to offer. We have you running scared. You know you’re about to lose the top spot, to a woman CEO no less, and you’re scared, Mr. Forte.”
His hands sweep down his tie, smoothing it against his shirt. “I’m never scared. We’ve told you about our plans. You’ve been warned.” He rises from the chair, resting his knuckles on the table, and leans forward. “We will take what we want, Ms. Bradley, without apology or remorse.”