Façade: A Billionaire Single Dad Romance

by J. J. Bella

  Once the police were gone, she called Tom into her office.

  “Oh, my, God, Sierra,” he said when he first saw her.

  She hadn’t had the chance to clean up the blood yet.

  “Was this why the cops were here? What happened?”

  For the third time that day, she explained the attack. Maybe not in as much gruesome detail as she had with the police—she wanted to keep some shred of dignity. He was horrified by the whole thing.

  “This is just…” He paced her office floor, running his hands through his hair repeatedly. “You’re sure it was Tate?”

  “Who else could it be? No one else has anything to gain from us not getting this deal. Dalton has everything to gain. He already threatened me once and laid his hands on me, what’s to stop him now?”

  “But Sierra, if he’s gone this far, what’s to say he won’t make good on his threat?”

  “Oh please. You really think he would kill someone over business? He just wants to scare me into backing out and I’m sure he thinks this worked.”

  “I think we should at least consider backing out.”

  “Tom! No way! And give him what he wants?” Raising her voice made the ache in her throat more obvious. The pressure the attacker had put on it must’ve caused more damage than she thought. Her throat burned now, inside and out.

  “Sierra, your life has just been threatened in a very serious way. This isn’t just words we’re talking about. This was a physical attack. One deal isn’t worth risking your life.”

  “My life is not at risk. Trust me.”

  He narrowed his eyes at her. “How can you say that? Do you see the blood on your throat?”

  She shrugged. “Then I’ll just hire a bodyguard.”

  “That won’t stop a sniper or someone from shooting you.”

  “You watch far too many movies.”

  She picked up the phone on her desk and hit the extension for the financial department.

  “Hey Denny. That check you were waiting to send for Jack Goods?”

  “Yeah. I have it right here.”

  “I need someone to curry it over to Jack Goods immediately with the contract to have them sign it. No, wait.” Tom raised an eyebrow, thinking she’d changed her mind. “I want you to wire the money to them. It’s faster that way. Wire the money, then send the receipt with the currier to have them sign it. No, send Jeffrey. He met with them before. That’ll be better.”

  She hung up and gave Tom a smug smile. “There. It’s done. My next call will be to hire a bodyguard.”

  “I hope you know what you’re doing. Your life isn’t worth losing over this.”

  “I won’t. Don’t worry.”

  He huffed. “Right. I’m going to have to make you start checking in so I don’t worry. This is a bad idea.”

  “The deal is done. It will make us all a lot of money and piss Tate Enterprises off big time.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

  “What’s next on the list?” she asked. “I want to get started stealing the next deal out from under them.”

  “You have the folder.”

  “Perfect. Let’s go for Archer Industries next. I like what they have, and the paperwork made it seem like the deal was close.”

  Tom shook his head again. “Don’t blame me if you get yourself killed.”

  “I won’t.”

  When Tom left her office, she stared at the phone for a long while, wondering if she’d made the right decision. What if Tom was right? What if calling Dalton’s bluff was a horrible mistake?

  The panic crept slowly into her chest. Her heart had finally slowed a bit from her encounter and now it picked up again as everything settled over her. The attack replayed in her mind over and over. The pain sharpened. What if he meant it?

  After a quick internet search and popping a small handful of ibuprofen, she called a security company. She explained that she’d been attacked and needed someone 24/7 for at least a few weeks. The price was high, but it was worth it. If this kept her safe so she could keep taking business from Tate Enterprises, then it was just a business expense. She’d write it off with her travel expenses and phone bills.

  Her bodyguard was scheduled to come that afternoon. After that, she wouldn’t be alone for a minute. He’d even sleep at her house—outside her room on the sofa—to keep her safe. She hoped it would be enough.

  5

  For an entire day, nothing happened. She tried to sleep without nightmares. She tried not to look behind her everywhere she went. She tried to cover the cut on her throat with makeup. None of it seemed to be working well.

  Sierra’s new bodyguard, Clay, came with her everywhere she went. She’d hoped for a young hottie, but Clay was a 50-something man—in excellent shape no doubt, but wasn’t exactly her type when it came to looks. His hair was too long and scruffy, his nose too pointy, his chin too square. So much for the bodyguard romance she’d dreamed of for about two seconds.

  An image of someone much more attractive flashed in her mind. Dalton. Something in the perfect cut of his jaw, the way his lips were just the right plumpness, the way his eyes seemed to smolder. But then she recalled all he’d said and what he’d done to her, and her stomach turned. He might be muscular and hot on the outside, but there was nothing attractive about him on the inside.

  She shook her head and focused on her work. The next company takeover was just in the early phases of research and she wanted it to move quickly. She was eager to see Dalton suffering and his company numbers going down as hers went up.

  Her phone rang with the receptionist’s call. “Yes?”

  “Umm, Sierra?”

  “Yes,” she said impatiently. Who else would be answering her phone?

  “Dalton Tate is here to see you.”

  She didn’t know whether to laugh or scream. “Dalton is here, in the building?”

  She glanced over at Clay, who was now on high alert. He knew this name and all that had happened with him.

  “He says it’s very urgent that he sees you. He’s quite… insistent.”

  “Send him in.”

  With Clay sitting right there, there wasn’t anything much he could do. She’d put Clay between them if she had to. With him here, she felt safe enough to let Dalton in. Smug about it, even. Let him see how much she didn’t care about his threats. She’d stop him from hurting her, and she’d keep on going on her mission to destroy him.

  The door opened and Dalton walked in. She didn’t bother getting up to greet him. Neither of them held out their hands. He looked over at Clay, then back at her.

  “Can we talk in private?” he asked.

  “Anything you can say to me, you can say in front of my bodyguard.”

  “Your bodyguard?” Dalton gave him another once over. “Why on earth do you have a bodyguard?”

  “Seriously?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “To keep jerks like you from getting in my way.”

  So that’s how he was going to play it. Like he knew nothing about the attack. Well, she expected as much. If he admitted to it, he’d face charges. If not, it was up to the police to find evidence, and that would be much harder and take much longer. Maybe there was some way she could get him to hang himself with his words. Clay was here as a witness.

  She tapped some things on her phone, acting like she was ignoring him, but she was starting the voice recording app. Why take chances? Let the whole thing be recorded so that there could be no question.

  “Sierra, please.”

  She laughed once. “When have you ever said please to anyone in your life? You know why he’s here. Stop acting like you haven’t threatened me.”

  “He is here because of me?”

  Again, the innocent act. She could slap that look off his face.

  “What do you want, Dalton?”

  “Just give me a few minutes of your time. Alone.”

  “I don’t trust you.”

  “I don’t trust you, either.”

  “T
hen talk.”

  He crossed his arms and stared at her. What was his problem?

  She tilted her head and glared. “You think you’re going to come into my building, into my office, and start making demands?”

  “No,” he said. “But what I have to say can’t be said in front of any ears. Even though you don’t trust me, trust me on this. You do not want anyone, anyone, knowing what I’m about to say.”

  For a second, she wondered what he had on her. There wasn’t much to have. She only had a few speeding tickets. No major arrest in her background, and the one time she got caught drinking underage at a college party, she was able to talk her way out of it. She supposed someone might have taken naked pictures of her. How could she be sure that everyone that she’d ever been with had had the best of intentions?

  “Clay, search him.”

  Clay got up and started patting him down, running his hands over him to make sure nothing was concealed.

  “He’s clean.”

  Sierra raised an eyebrow. “A guy like you doesn’t even carry a knife or something?”

  “Not in here. I’m smarter than that.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Clay, please wait just outside the door. I’ll yell if I need you.”

  He left the room, shutting the door behind him.

  “Now what is it,” she said.

  “How dare you,” he hissed.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Jack Goods? You went in there and stole it right out from under me.”

  “Are you delusional? That’s exactly what you did to me, remember? It was my deal. You had nothing on the table. The contract was about to be signed when you came in and tried to steal it away.”

  “Then you went and rushed a deal—a bad one I might add—to make sure I didn’t get it.”

  “You can say whatever you want. We made the best deal and the best company won. Simple as that. And you can bet it’s going to happen a lot more.”

  “Is that so?” He stood back and gave her a cocky look. “You really think you’re any match for me?”

  She laughed again. “So far, it seems that way, doesn’t it? Besides, I don’t need business deals to bring you down.”

  He glared at her, and his expression turned suspicious.

  “Oh, you didn’t think I’d call the cops?” she said. “Well, I did and they know everything.”

  “You do realize I have the police in my back pocket, and your little accusation will go nowhere.”

  Was that a confession? Was it good enough to get him? The comment about the police might be helpful if nothing else was. If she could prove he was getting favored or shown some bias, it might help her case despite whatever connections he had.

  “Doesn’t matter,” she said, hoping her confidence would override her doubt. “They’re watching you, and so am I. One little slip, and that’s it. You’ll be facing charges. Even if you can get out of it, you won’t live down the scandal. You so much as look at me wrong, and I’m making a phone call.”

  He observed her for a moment, looking her up and down. “You are one shrewd bitch.”

  She gave him a half smile. “Have to be in this business.”

  “I like that about you.”

  He put his hands on her desk and leaned in close. She backed away and thought about calling Clay back in the room. Dalton might jump across the desk and try to strangle her. She might not be able to scream for help.

  “And I don’t like anything about you,” she said. She glared, and instead of backing away, thereby showing inferiority, she leaned forward, challenging him with her body language.

  So far, calling his bluff seemed to be working. She hadn’t been attacked again, and she was still alive, more than 24 hours later. The threat had been meaningless. She’d made the right call, despite the danger. This bluff would be just the same. She’d act in charge and unafraid, and he’d see her as that way and back down.

  “Sometimes it’s better that way,” he said.

  He leaned forward farther, much more suddenly. But instead of putting his hands to her throat, he put his lips to her mouth. He kissed her hard until she pushed him away.

  “What the hell!” she screamed, on her feet. “Clay!”

  It took less than a second for the door to fly open and Clay to appear. He assessed the situation quickly and waited for her to say something more.

  “Please escort this criminal out of my building.”

  “Sierra, wait.” Dalton took on a defensive stance and held his hands up.

  “I will see you in court. I’m sure charges of sexual harassment and sexual assault will look real good in the paper tomorrow morning.”

  “Assault? Give me a break.”

  Clay grabbed his arm, and Dalton pleaded with him, “I’m not hurting her, please give me one second.”

  Clay held his arm, but stop trying to force him from the room. He kept his gaze fixed on Dalton, waiting for him to do something else.

  “You just kissed me against my will,” she said.

  “Oh, come on. You can’t tell me you aren’t attracted to me. I can feel it coming off you.”

  The only thing she felt now was anger. And a little embarrassment if she was being honest. He was right. She was attracted to him. And if she allowed herself to be really, really honest, she hadn’t pushed him away as quickly as she should have. Part of her wanted to know what it was like to be kissed by him. But now that she knew, she wanted nothing to do with him. He was an arrogant prick, she reminded herself. He’d threatened her multiple times, had someone attack her, and was trying to steal business from her. There was nothing good in him.

  “Look,” he said. “This is what I didn’t want to say in front of anyone, but I don’t have a choice. I came to make a bargain with you.”

  “A bargain? You really are out of your mind. Clay, take him out now.”

  “Just wait! Be patient for one fucking second. Then I’ll gladly leave.”

  She set her jaw and gave Clay a slight nod. “You have exactly one fucking second.”

  “You’re shrewd, I’m shrewd. If we work together instead of against each other, we can make a lot more money.”

  “Work together. You want me to work with you and your company?”

  “Something like a merger, yes.”

  “Merger! You want to takeover RS Company. You want to buy us out and shut down your competition. I guess I should have seen this coming. If you can’t beat ‘em, buy ‘em, is that it? Is that the way you run your company? Just buy anything that gets in your way?”

  “It’s worked pretty good for me so far, but no, that’s not exactly what I meant.”

  “I’m not interesting in anything that leads to me being around you more often. No way.”

  “Sierra, this could be your ticket to serious money. Come join the big leagues and stop playing games with these little deals. Be a partner of mine. In more ways than one if you want. You don’t have to resort to threatening me back with some petty media scandal. We’re both better than that. Please don’t stoop to that level.”

  “That was way more than one second. I’m done. Take him out.”

  “You’re making a mistake and missing a huge opportunity,” he said as Clay nudged him from the room. “You don’t have to fight this.”

  She stopped her recording on her phone’s app. Good thing she had this evidence or no one would believe Dalton had done such a thing. But she also had evidence of his sexual assault and, on top of everything else, this might be enough. She’d turn the recording over to the police and hope they could do something with it.

  6

  “Sierra, get in here right away.” Tom’s voice, sounding very concerned, came across her desk phone the morning after her encounter with Dalton Tate.

  She didn’t bother to ask what was going on. She got to her feet and, with Clay in tow, hurried to Tom’s office across the hall.

  “What’s going on?” she asked. “Did we find out something more about the Archer Industries dea
l?”

  “That’s the least of our concerns at the moment. First, we have to figure out why the wire transfer was reversed and the contract with Jack Goods was shredded without being signed.”

  “Without being signed? Jeffrey took care of that yesterday,” she said. “I sent him over there.”

  “And did you follow up? No, because then you’d know that William and Henry weren’t in the office at the time, so he couldn’t get the signature.”

  “What the hell. Why didn’t he come to me and tell me that?”

  “He came to me.” Tom leaned back in his chair. “Any idea what’s going on?”

  “Tate.” She ground her teeth and shook her head. “That bastard.”

  “What did you say to him when he was here yesterday? And what was he here for, anyway?”

  “He wants to buy us out.”

  “He said that?” Tom sat up in his chair.

  “Basically. A merger. He wants us to be ‘partners.” So, in other words, we’re too strong of competition and he wants to remove us.”

  Tom punched his fist on the desk. “I can’t believe this. This was a done deal. Twice.”

  “Have you talked to them?”

  “Can’t get a hold of them. They’re not in, they won’t answer, haven’t returned my calls.”

  “I’ll try calling them, too,” she said. “See what’s going on. What do we do now?”

  “I don’t know. Look for something else, I guess. I think we should avoid Tate territory.”

  “You’re giving up that easily?”

  “It’s hardly giving up,” he said. “We just lost a ton of money, not to mention all the time and money we put into making the deal in the first place. I’m not going to go through this again. Or every time we try to take something Tate Enterprises wants. It’s not worth it. If we keep losing deals, it’ll be us going under, not him.”

  “Fine.” She felt the rage building in her chest. After all Dalton had done, now he’d gotten Jack Goods and made Tom want to go soft on new ventures. “Find something good and move on it. Fast.”

  “I’m trying.”

  She closed the door behind her, not too softly.