Although her father’s business belonged in the heavyweight division of the industry, it behooved her to consider all methods to accomplish the necessary breakthrough. Mariman Global Enterprise could insert itself in the marketplace and go through the dodge and dance before Laurent realized what was happening. The other option was to link up with a local company and then launch a bidding war for the next contract. Attaching her interests with an insider had its advantages. Convincing her father and brothers to step into the market wasn’t an option. She’d need more time to determine a solid plan.
“I’m willing to consider your services for my expansion efforts,” she began, “my assistant will give you the particulars. Draft me a couple scenarios and we can take it from there. If I do select your company, we can talk about further collaborative efforts.”
“You’ve come to the right place here in Monaco.” Bellaire’s chest expanded with pride. “And it looks like I’ve come to the right place.” His hard grin naturally pushed out his cheeks to the edges of his face.
Yasmin didn’t join in with his upbeat reaction. “Oh, by the way, I will need testimonials from your tenants.”
“Our list is confidential.” His grin evaporated, but he still wore the earnest expression.
“I’m sure you can find a few who aren’t shy about what you’ve done for them. You can name-drop the Mariman if you’d like to bribe them.” She smiled but kept it devoid of any warmth.
“No … no … that will not be necessary. I’m sure I can meet your request.”
Yasmin nodded. She’d seen the public list of clients, but there were always a few who were under the radar. If she did go with Bellaire, she wanted to gauge his reputation. She’d contract out a full investigation on him, anyway. But it was necessary to come in person and let the gut instinct have a go at his turf.
As if sensing her cooling interest, he opened up with details of his personal resume. Clearly, he meant to impress her with his college degrees and the places he’d lived. She almost stopped him but forced herself to listen to his disclosure about the many companies he’d started and sold off to enlarge market share.
Yasmin made a mental note to check on the previously-owned companies. Did he really sell them off or did he file bankruptcy or simply run the business into the grave? His enthusiasm held no sway over her.
She looked at the clock on the shelf. Where was Sheera?
No sooner had she thought about her assistant that she walked in, interrupted Bellaire, and prompted, “Your next meeting.”
“Thanks.” Yasmin turned from addressing Sheera and looked at Bellaire. “Looks like I must wrap up things here. My assistant will show you out and wrap up the details that we’ve discussed.” She stood and extended her hand. She wanted him to understand the meeting had concluded because he seemed on the verge of taking a deep breath to continue with his resume.
“Thank you, Miss Mariman … Yasmin.” Bellaire grinned, dabbed his top lip and resorted to sweating all over his body. He took her hand, transferring the moist condition to hers.
As soon as he left the room, Yasmin popped up and washed her hands. She took the small break to fix her hair and adjust her clothes. By the time she returned, the second appointment had arrived and was quite settled in with arms outstretched on the back of the couch and legs crossed.
Dressed in all black with a ridiculous white tie and shiny black shoes with white wingtips, she knew for certain that she was in the company of Monaco’s Dapper Dan. She bit her inner cheek to keep from laughing at the man who grinned with ultra-white teeth like a happy shark.
“Tomas Mainard, at your service.” The tall, slender man with a pencil-thin mustache popped up from the couch and clicked his heels together, before delivering a deep bow. His cologne hung over him like a too fragrant cloud.
“Thank you.” She placed her hand on the base of her neck to calm the constant need to burst into deep laughter. “Please have a seat.”
He resettled himself and re-crossed his legs. His purple, gray, and white argyle socks seemed as random as his style of dress. “Welcome to my second home—Monaco. I’m originally from Greece.” He leaned forward squinting at her, then slapped his knee, and settled back. “I didn’t know that you were so gorgeous.”
She ignored the compliment but acknowledged how quickly he’d gotten under her skin.
“The Marimans started in oil, right? Must be sweet having anything your little heart desires? You just snap your fingers and your father gives it to you.” He shook his head as if his fantasy was too much to bear.
“Right now, I’m looking for residences for a possible relocation.” Yasmin stayed on course with her point, despite the man’s odious behavior.
“Here, in Monaco? That’s fantastic. Of course, we’d love to accommodate you. And we can do more than that, if you need any business services or connections, I’d be happy to make the personal link up.”
“Thanks.” Yasmin waited for a beat for her pupil to stop constricting with her anger. She could not possibly talk to this man about anything. Well, there was one thing. All she had to do was stay focused.
“Anything to drink?” He sauntered over to her bar without waiting to hear what she had to say.
She ignored his question. “In the pecking order of the marketplace, your company is ahead or behind Bellaire?”
“Didn’t expect that.” For a second, he faltered, along with his arrogance. But as if a switch was turned on or turned up, he pasted on a salesman’s smile and in a soft tone answered, “While there are big guns out there, I consider myself an island with boutique services. For instance, I have access to the royal family.”
Her raised eyebrows must have prompted him because he continued within that vein.
“I used to date a princess,” he whispered. “Friendly separation. Could you imagine? I could have been rubbing elbows with Prince Albert?” He waved his hand as if wiping away what could have been. “I’d be happy to drop in a good word for you.” He uttered a delicate cough. “And it would help if we got to know each other.”
Did his tongue just protrude? She fought the urge to say, “eww.”
“I’m discrete. No worries.” He sipped his drink never taking his eyes off her as if she was prized meat.
“Excuse me.” Yasmin left the room, heading into her bedroom.
“Just say the word and I’ll take care of him.” Sheera casually filed her nails. But her anger crackled like a halo over her head.
Yasmin shook her head. “I had to walk out before I ripped off his head and handed it to him. Guess sexist assholes exist everywhere.” She took a deep breath and returned to her guest.
“I’ve got an invitation to a private party tonight. Be ready at nine. Dress like an A-list celebrity.” He pulled out his mobile. “What’s your number?”
At this point, Yasmin did laugh. Heartily.
He smiled until he realized that she might not be laughing with him. When she didn’t stop laughing, a frown settled in. Lips now pursed into a tight bud. The mustache twitched over his thin lips.
“You are quite the man, aren’t you? You must have looked at too many Bond films. I’m not that woman unless I choose to be. When I invited you here to talk business that was your opportunity to impress me. And if your only asset is your body, then you need to come up with another profession. Here’s a little tip, I don’t need you to get me to the movers and shakers. And I don’t need to eat, drink, or sleep with you for anything else. Do yourself a favor and stop the bullshit bravado. It’s a new world, women do run businesses and you would be tossed out like a relic.”
His face mottled between fierce contortions and ruddy coloring.
“Have a nice day.” Yasmin stood and Sheera appeared on cue.
“This way.” Sheera’s cold regard held no room for negotiation or refusal.
Yasmin retired to her room and flopped on her bed. She stared at the ceiling. So much for the competition with Laurent. Not much to worry about on that front
.
__________
Early evening plodded along with Yasmin rethinking her strategy. Plus, she hadn’t stopped craving Dane and his beautiful mouth. She wondered if she was a hypocrite after lashing out at Mainard and his wayward actions compared to her plan of attack with Dane. But she had made damn sure that Dane was interested and didn’t offer her body in exchange for anything, but her sexual satisfaction.
“Why do you keep smiling? What haven’t you told us?” Her sister, Ameena, motioned to Yasmin to spill the news.
To discuss Dane and place him in context with what was going on, she’d have to reveal too much. And she wasn’t ready. Her siblings couldn’t be trusted to maintain her secret. No one went against her father, except her. She always pushed for what she believed in, thereby earning his anger, but also his hard-earned respect. This time, however, the odds were against her—win or lose.
While her father was the type to walk away from a fight, she dealt in absolutes. Conquer or be conquered. And she hated the very idea that her father had been subdued by Phillipe Laurent.
Yasmin thought about what would be necessary to get in with the in-crowd of Monaco. Money gave her access, but she wanted more than that. She wanted to hear the buzz behind the glitz and glamor. “Sheera, get me on the invited list for all the major charities. Make the necessary donations. I’ll need to have meetings with the mayor and head of commerce. But see if they are married. Considering the egos, I might have to go through the wives or girlfriends, even mistresses if necessary, to be taken seriously.”
“What are you trying to do?” Ameena asked. Her older sister, by a year and six months, resembled their mother with her petite bearing and gentle features. “You’re up to something beyond hanging out in Monaco.”
“Maybe.”
“Is this going to make papa furious with you … again?”
“Maybe.”
“Sheera, talk sense into her.” Ameena huffed out her frustration at Yasmin. Their talks about Yasmin’s future meaning the timeline for settling down with a man and raising a family always ended in a loop with Yasmin refusing to participate in the topic.
Ameena only pretended to play the role of wedding advocate because she was married, but her husband’s frequent travel and her army of servants allowed her the freedom and privilege to do her own thing.
While her own family wasn’t an offending element in her life, Yasmin knew that she hadn’t finished carving out her place in the world. That particular world meant the luxury real estate market. Like her father, like her brothers, she demanded a place at the table. Diverting her attention to a man who needed her to stay in place while he proceeded ahead would find no room in her heart or soul.
Yasmin’s assistant remained silent. Her head stayed bent over the iPad as she worked. Sheera’s role had slid over into friendship with Yasmin, but she didn’t push the boundaries when it came to any disagreements between the siblings. Maybe one day that would change if her brother—Omar—ever got the courage to ask Sheera to marry him.
Once her Monaco mission was complete, Yasmin would step into Sheera’s private life to nudge the forever-dating couple along to the altar. Someone else should still believe in the state of matrimony.
“Instead of badgering Sheera, why don’t we get busy with my makeover.” Yasmin trusted her sister’s skills. After all, she worked for the major fashion houses transforming their models for the designer’s vision.
“Please tell me you’re not trying to look like these women flitting around here.”
“Hell, no. I’m going for a different look. One that will tone me down. Not intimate or excite the men. I need to look kind of conservative.” Yasmin pulled up her hair and turned her profile from one side to the next, before dropping her hair to hang freely past her shoulders.
“Why on earth would you …?” Sheera burst out before covering her mouth with both hands. “Sorry,” she mumbled with her head now bowed over the iPad.
Yasmin laughed at her outrage. “It’s just a tweak to the outward appearance. Trust me, the tiger in me is never going to be tamed by any man.”
“Promise you won’t dye your hair.” Ameena stood behind her chair as they faced the mirror. Her hand stroked Yasmin’s hair. “You’ve got beautiful shiny black hair. Like a raven’s feathers.”
“Not even highlights?”
“Promise me.” Ameena gently tugged at her hair.
“You’re being weird. Your models have blue hair, green streaks, and colors that I can’t begin to understand why they would put that in their hair. I have one boring color.”
“It’s hardly boring. You’ve got thick, healthy hair enough for two heads.” Ameena ran her fingers through the dense curtain.
“It’s just hair.” Yasmin accepted that her hair’s volume was a good feature. But she shrugged at the idea that it was a mark of beauty.
“Spoken like a person who doesn’t have worry about thin mousey hair.” Ameena threaded her fingers through her tapered bob haircut. “I don’t want you diluting who you are for anyone and especially for a man. I’m your big sister, you should listen to me.” She wrapped her arms around Yasmin’s shoulders and hugged her.
“I promise. Now stop suffocating me.” Yasmin lived in a world of contradictions where conservative religious values sometimes coexisted, sometimes came in conflict with her progressive feminine desires and philosophy.
“Why not go retro glam?” Sheera surprised them with her quiet input. Again, her head stayed bent over the iPad.
“How retro? I’m not trying to look like someone going to a costume party dressed like Elizabeth Taylor’s version of Cleopatra,” Yasmin protested.
“Go for old Hollywood when the dark-haired beauties ruled as the sexy icons.” Sheera finally looked up at them.
“You’re right,” Ameena nodded at Sheera. “And with the right hairdo, I’ll apply the make-up with the artistry from that era.”
“Ben will be thrilled to do something different with my hair. He’s been trying to get me to be adventurous.” Yasmin had brought her hair and makeup stylists. Although her sister loved to work on her hair, she didn’t expect Ameena to stay more than a couple days before jetting off to her family or the next assignment.
“And why is this transformation taking place?” Ameena still stood behind Yasmin’s chair. “But more importantly, why? Maybe you think that you can handle whatever you’re doing without help, but I can see in your eyes that you excited over this. And that’s what scares me. You get that zeal that takes the logic out of everything. I wouldn’t care, except you tend to need bailing out of your missteps too often. So, who’s the man about to get caught in your web.”
Sheera resumed her focus on the iPad.
“Tomorrow morning will be my fresh start. And while it is easy to bring up my past like a loop on constant replay, I promise you that I have not caused the family any recent consternations. As a matter of fact, I’ve done my part with building on to the air of respectability and maintaining our name.”
“You are always up to something. I’ll have to rely on Sheera to toss you the rescue rope since I’m flying out tomorrow.” Ameena hugged her.
Yasmin cherished the hug. Despite her sister’s scolding, she loved Ameena’s protective attitude. It was less stifling than her brother’s approach to protecting her.
“Still don’t understand why all of this is necessary to rent a few condos for a couple of weeks.” Ameena took up the brush and slowly worked her way through Yasmin’s hair.
Yasmin shrugged instead of answering. Before she’d arrived, three months was the timeline. After meeting with Dane, she was ready to fully invest in her plan. Monaco had to be her base of operation to complete her plans and execution.
“And the price tag?” Ameena pushed.
“You know the saying—if you must ask, then you can’t afford it.” She offered a cheesy grin to her sister.
“I’m afraid to hear the number.” A worried frown settled into place on Ame
ena’s forehead.
“To save you the heartburn, you don’t need to know. Just put on your swimsuit and let’s go have a few hours of fun.” Yasmin turned to Sheera. “Joining us?”
“Sure.” Sheera put down her iPad. “Ameena stop badgering your sister. Work off your frustration in the pool. You can race against her, win, and feel better.”
They all laughed at Sheera’s flash of boldness and for knowing them so well.
“See you downstairs in fifteen minutes.” Yasmin waved at them.
After they left, Yasmin remained in the chair. The price tag for the condos and the penthouse were significant. And if things didn’t go right, the expense would be a frivolous error. A mistake that, if made by someone outside of the family, would cause their termination. The price tag to buy out Mainard or Bellaire would be much higher and possibly an emotional investment with no or low guaranteed return.
However, if her strategy worked to stepped into Laurent’s territory, the revenue would eclipse any initial investment that she’d made. That scenario provided the motivation to stick to her plan. At some point, she’d have to make her presentation to her brothers and father for the full weight of the company’s backing to close the deals.
To have Dane’s realization of her intent was one danger. The other danger was her brothers and their combined controlling interests in the company. Their tendency was to obstruct her independence and put her ideas through such scrutiny that most things never got beyond the proposal stage. But they couldn’t undo that she was her father’s youngest, spoiled by him, and rabidly ambitious.
Ready to push pause Yasmin headed off to hang out with Sheera and Ameena. Tomorrow was a fresh start with Dane.
Three hours later, she was still awake. TV on. TV off. Under the covers. One leg over the covers. Light on. Light off. She huffed her irritation. Dane wasn’t at her door and certainly wasn’t in her bed. All her plans to invite and seduce apparently fell flat with him.
To Tempt A Billionaire (Men of Monaco Book 2) Page 5