“Hunt, get back in bed.”
“I should get going anyway.” He pulled on his slacks then grabbed his shoes. He left every night, but never this early and never angry.
“Your father never antagonized you until you went public with that story. Being estranged from you is probably difficult, but to hear you talk about him so coldly probably hurt his feelings.”
“He’s had years to apologize and make it right. He doesn’t give a damn.” He yanked his shirt on and buttoned it up. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
I got out of bed and pulled on one of his t-shirts. “You always say you value my opinion.”
“Yes.” He finally turned to me, giving me a fierce stare. “About business—stuff you understand. You don’t understand my father or my family. So don’t bother trying.” He walked around me, dismissing me coldly.
I’d never seen Hunt act this way. I’d never seen him push me away so furiously. I’d never seen him cover himself in armor and shut me out completely. “It’s my job to tell you the truth, not what you want to hear. Maybe if you understand your father, you can handle him better.”
“I don’t want to handle him.” He left the bedroom.
I followed him all the way to the elevator. “Just listen to me.”
“No.” He turned to face me, the loving expression long gone. “You listen to me. My father is an asshole. Always has been and always will be. He came to my office and threatened me. First, he tried to turn you against me. Then he tried to punish you for not choosing him. What kind of man does that?”
“Not once did I defend his actions.”
“Didn’t sound like it.”
“I’m just explaining his behavior. He’s not doing this because he hates you. He’s doing it because you hurt him.”
“What difference does it make?”
“It makes a huge difference. That means you could work it out if you wanted to.”
He clenched his jaw and hit the button for the elevator. “We’ll never work it out, Titan. We’ll always be enemies.”
“I sincerely hope not.”
He shot me another glare. “I’m done talking about this.”
I had more to say, but Hunt obviously didn’t want to listen to it. I didn’t want to push him away. The only place I wanted him was in my bed. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Didn’t seem like it.” The elevator doors opened and he stepped inside.
“Please stay.”
“So you can kick me out in a few hours?” He slammed his hand against the button. “No thanks.” The doors closed.
I sighed and dragged my hands down my face, regretting pushing him away.
* * *
I didn’t contact Hunt the next day.
He didn’t talk to me either.
He didn’t come by Stratosphere.
I knew he was still pissed.
Talking to him would just make him worse. I had to give him more space to come around. We hadn’t fought like this since I’d gotten engaged. That had divided us, and we didn’t speak for an entire week.
Now we were strangers again.
I stayed patient for the next few days. I didn’t text him or bother him. He would come to me when he was ready, but I didn’t want to go to him until he was ready for me.
On the fourth day, I couldn’t wait any longer. I called him.
It rang for a long time. It was almost to voice mail.
He probably wouldn’t answer.
Like he was waiting for the very last minute on purpose, he finally took the call. But he didn’t greet me with words. He announced his presence with his silent hostility.
I could feel it like a winter chill. “Hey.” I stood in my penthouse with my bare feet on the hardwood floor. I was still in my skirt and blouse because I was working at the kitchen table.
Still nothing.
“I apologized for making you upset. But I won’t apologize for what I said.”
Silence.
“Hunt?”
Nothing.
I wasn’t going to talk to a wall. “When you’re ready to talk, call me.” I was about to hang up.
“Wait.”
I kept the phone against my ear.
“I accept your apology. When it comes to my father…it’s very difficult for me. I don’t like to talk about it.”
“I picked up on that.”
I finally got a slight smile over the phone. It carried on into his words. “I’m sorry I was harsh.”
“I accept your apology.”
“I’ve missed you.”
“Not as much as I’ve missed you.” This was the Hunt that I liked, the affectionate but masculine version.
His smile deepened. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
My heart finally soared now that we were okay. The painful tension had finally passed. I knew this conversation about his father wasn’t completely over. It would be revisited at some point. But for now, it was on hold. “Can you make it ten?”
7
Hunt
I wasn’t sure why I got so upset with Titan.
She didn’t cross the line with what she said. She didn’t say anything insulting.
But I didn’t want to hear anything when it came to my father.
Perhaps I had more issues than I realized.
I finally returned to my office after a meeting that ran later than I anticipated. I skipped lunch because there wasn’t time, and the only thing sitting in my belly was the last cup of coffee I drank.
Natalie spoke through the intercom. “Sir, Vincent Hunt is here to see you.”
I froze in place, but my surprise quickly vanished. This unexpected meeting shouldn’t be so unexpected. My father would execute his vendetta against me until he was finally satisfied with the results. He wanted to catch me with my pants down, see me with my guard down.
Unfortunately for him, my guard was never down.
He picked a bad time to stop by because I had more important things to worry about, but I wouldn’t turn him away and look like a pussy. If I excused him, it would seem like I was avoiding him.
I didn’t avoid anyone.
“Send him in,” I said coldly.
“Yes, sir.”
I closed my laptop, shoved my paperwork into my drawer, and hid all traces of what I was working on. I didn’t want him to know more than he needed to. Megaland could have been his, and if he knew what my plans were, it was guaranteed he would try to sabotage them.
Did other people have fathers that hated them so much?
Vincent walked inside a moment later, dressed in stealth black with a matching expression. Even his watch was black. He stared me down the second we were in the same room together. He was just as hostile as in our last encounter. He held his physique perfectly straight as he welcomed himself into my personal space. Like last time, he unbuttoned the front of his jacket before he gracefully lowered himself into the leather armchair. He crossed his legs, a black folder tucked under his arm.
This should be fun.
A long time ago, I learned to never speak first. If someone approached me, I had the upper hand. They were expected to make an explanation for their appearance. I had just to sit there and wait.
So I waited.
Nothing.
My father would drag this out as long as possible because uncomfortable silences didn’t unnerve him.
They didn’t unnerve me either.
His eyes remained focused on mine, the direct contact incredibly hostile. His jaw was slightly clenched, but not overly. He didn’t present the folder to me, and I couldn’t help but wonder what was inside.
What trick did he have up his sleeve?
Christmases had passed without a phone call. Birthdays had come and gone without a card. The anniversary of my mother’s death was acknowledged in silence. I thought of him on every single important day, but I never considered contacting him. I knew he didn’t consider contacting me either.
H
e finally pulled the folder from the crook of his arm and rested it against his knee. “This is going to be very simple.”
My pulse started to escalate, knowing he was about to drop a bomb on me.
“I want Megaland. You’re going to give it to me.”
I tried to control my reaction, but I couldn’t. My eyes constricted as they narrowed on his face. That company was mine because I made the better offer. I didn’t resort to trickery to get what I wanted. I was a better businessman than he was. That was the simple truth. To demand for me to hand it over was ridiculous.
“I’m not paying you for it. Consider it a reimbursement for the private schools, college tuition, and every dime I spent raising you.” He finally tossed the folder on my desk. “I want the paperwork signed this afternoon. End of story.”
I didn’t look at the folder because my gaze was still focused on him. I was offended by the insult, that he thought he could come in there and rob me without repercussions. I didn’t negotiate with terrorists—and that was exactly what my father was. “If it’s that important to you, I’ll write you a check to cover every expense, from the hospital visit where I was born until the last tuition payment. But I’m not giving you that company. The guys chose me because I was the better businessman.”
“They never met me, so how would they know?”
“Exactly,” I countered. “I made you irrelevant, which is why I’m the better partner.”
The insult must have stung, but he hid his reaction. His features were so neutral it seemed like he was sitting across from a wall rather than a person. His body remained rigid and still, the muscles of his frame keeping him perfectly straight. “Open the folder.”
I held his gaze a moment longer, refusing to follow his command right away. He’d dug up something about me, but I had nothing to hide. I didn’t live the life of a saint, but I never hid my visits to the underworld. I’d been seen in strip clubs, bars, on my yacht with three beautiful women all to myself. I was America’s playboy, a man the media found to be a superficial heartbreaker. But they also described me as one of the most successful and intelligent business owners on the face of the planet. I didn’t see how there could be anything in this folder the world hadn’t already seen. My reputation was untouched because it didn’t matter. As a man, I could get away with almost anything, and people didn’t seem to care. If I were a woman, this would be a completely different ball game.
I pulled the folder closer to me then opened it.
It was a pile of pictures. The first one was of me kissing Titan right against the wall. We were both dressed in our finest for the charity gala that had happened last week. Her legs were hiked around my waist, and I was nearly crushing her into the wall. Even in a photograph, the heat and passion were undeniably obvious.
Fuck.
I looked at the photo underneath and saw a picture of myself entering Titan’s building at eleven in the evening. There was another of me kissing her in the office at Stratosphere. It was taken from the Chrysler building across the street. My father must have positioned people all over the place in the hopes of getting a shot the second we let our guards down.
Jesus Christ.
I didn’t look any further because I’d seen enough. My eyes rose to his face, and I held his expression, still wearing my poker face. I had very low expectations of my father, but this, by far, had exceeded them.
Asshole.
The second I knew my father was onto us, we should have been smarter about it. We should have taken precautions to make sure we weren’t seen. I was normally a careful man, but my intense love blinded my ability to think clearly.
Now I was paying the price for it.
A slight smile came across his face, which was filled with a gentle gloat. “Give me Megaland, or I’ll hand these over to every major publication. Titan will be seen as a two-timing whore, and her empire will fall. She’ll lose her endorsements, her reputation, and worst of all, her respect.”
I’d never wanted to hit my father more than I did at that moment. “She’s not a whore.”
“Never said she was. But that’s how the world will see her.”
“She’s not a cheater either. She and Thorn—”
“Don’t care. Give me Megaland, Diesel.”
I didn’t want to cave to a man so evil in nature. He was exploiting the love of my life to get what he wanted. It was dirty and not respectable. The cruelty was horrific, and I felt helpless to do anything about it. I’d invested a lot of time and money into that company. It was on track to be one of the biggest electronic brands in the world. Now it was being ripped out of my hands, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. “I thought you liked Titan.” It was one thing to manipulate me because, in a way, I deserved it. But to bring someone else into our drama was just spiteful.
“I’m very fond of her.”
“Then why would you do this to her?”
“It’s just business,” he said simply. “Nothing personal.”
“Nothing personal?” I asked incredulously. “You’re threatening to ruin everything she built just to screw me over.”
“That’s how the world works.”
“For an asshole like you, maybe,” I snapped. “Leave her out of it.” I slid the folder back across the desk. “You have beef with me, not her. She’s a good person and doesn’t deserve this.”
“Couldn’t agree more.” He rested his arms on the armrests of his chair, making himself comfortable in his enemy’s lair. “She’s got ruthless intelligence, extreme poise, and she not only keeps up with the men, but she beats them at their own game. I completely understand your fascination with her. She’s exceptional.”
“Then back off.” I kept my voice steady, but my tone deepened with anger.
A soft smile spread across his face. “Give me what I want, and I will.”
I clenched my jaw, so angry I couldn’t even think straight.
My father continued to smile because he knew he had me. “We both already know how this is going to end. You’re just drawing it out and making it more painful.”
“What makes you think I’ll agree?” He had pictures of us together, but he didn’t know anything about our relationship. He didn’t know what it was like when it was just the two of us. He couldn’t wrap his mind around the kind of love we had—because he’d never experienced it. He was an empty vessel without a soul.
He released a faint chuckle. “Diesel, let’s not play games. I know you’re stupidly in love with this woman—and she’s just as in love with you. She’d do anything for you, and I have no doubt you’ll give me whatever I want to protect her.”
God fucking dammit.
“You want to know how I know?”
I kept my silence.
“You look at her the way I used to look at your mother.”
For a millisecond, the rage disappeared. Time stood still, and I remembered seeing my parents together in the living room after I was supposed to be in bed. They would sit together at the end of the couch, their bodies wrapped around each other as they enjoyed a bottle of wine. There was lots of touching, kissing, and laughter. The TV wasn’t on, and only the fire burned in the fireplace. My father used to smile a lot. After she was gone, I never saw him smile like that again.
My father rose to his feet and left the folder on the desk. “My team will be in touch. I expect to sign those papers this afternoon.”
I didn’t object, seething in my silence. Megaland was one of my greatest achievements, and I had to hand it over without a fight. I had to submit to this man’s cruelty and behave like a puppet. It went against everything I believed in, but I couldn’t let him ruin Titan. It wasn’t an idle threat, and I knew he would make good on his word. The world would turn against Titan, crucifying her for being a liar, a cheater, and a whore. It would hurt Thorn too, which would break Titan’s heart.
I couldn’t let that happen to her.
Not to the woman I loved.
He buttoned the front of hi
s suit and headed to the door. “I’ll see you soon, Diesel.” He shut the door then was gone.
That’s when I finally lost my shit and threw everything off the desk, breaking my laptop, slamming my phone against the wall, and scattering everything I’d been working on onto the floor. The pictures of Titan and me escaped from the folder and landed on top of the mess, as if they were purposely haunting me.
Fuck.
* * *
With our legal teams and the consent of the other three owners, we signed the paperwork in one of my conference rooms.
I signed every line, initialed when required, and gave one of my biggest accomplishments to my greatest enemy.
I handed everything across the table, and his team looked it over.
Vincent only had eyes for me, enjoying every second of his victory. He couldn’t hide his silent gloat, his satisfying revenge. I’d publicly humiliated him, and now he was doing the same to me. The world wouldn’t know about the new ownership of Megaland right away, but eventually, the news would travel.
When everything was completed to their satisfaction, the meeting was adjourned.
The company was no longer mine.
I lost five million dollars in one day. The money didn’t bother me, but the forced default was humiliating.
But I wouldn’t have it any other way. Money was just money. Titan’s reputation was priceless.
The team walked out, but my father remained behind. Probably to get in the last word before he walked off with the company I had won fair and square.
But I walked up to him and faced him with the same squared shoulders and straight spine. I held my head high and refused to acknowledge this as a defeat. He’d lost my mother and two of his sons, so now all he had was money. But I had something far more valuable. I had the love of an amazing woman—and I loved her even more. That was worth more than all my assets combined.
Everyone left the room, so Vincent stared at me, eye level with me because we were the exact same height. “You love her. She loves you. So why is she marrying Thorn?”
I didn’t know what his question meant. On the surface, it seemed genuine, like a father asking his son if everything was okay. There was no benefit to knowing this information. All he should care about was having dirt on me. But perhaps I was overthinking it. “It’s complicated.”
Boss Alpha: Boss #5 Page 9