Tempest (SAI Book 3)

by Lea Hart

  “With my eyes closed,” Ivy smirked. “Can you last a day running operations for the largest security firm in the United States?”

  “Half-asleep,” Rick answered. He put out his hand and waited for Ivy to take it.

  She put her hand in his and shook. “Game on.”

  Colin shook his head. “The crazy Bellows streak is starting to show itself. The part that Ivy left out is that there are not only competitive women in the family, but also crazy women. In fact, the crazy is much stronger.” He glanced over at Ryan and shrugged. “Get out while you can.”

  “Not on your life,” he said. “The last thing I want is a boring woman, and Ivy is the damn opposite of that.”

  “Thanks, honey. Now go on your run so you can come back and taste my winning margarita.”

  “It’s nice to have a dream,” Rick said gently. “I’ll be sad to see it crushed.”

  Ivy patted his shoulder. “I promise not to mock you when you cry.”

  “Let’s get out of here and let them fight it out,” Mac said as Rocko barked in agreement.

  Phoebe and Grace planted themselves on the stools facing the kitchen. “Quit talking and start mixing,” Phoebe said.

  “Yeah, we’ve been working all day,” Grace chimed in.

  “No peeking,” Ivy said, as she started to put her ingredients together.

  “Wouldn’t dream of it,” Rick called over his shoulder.

  Ryan kissed Ivy and then walked toward their bedroom. If he hadn’t needed this run so badly, he would stay and watch the competition. But he needed to get out and clear his head. He had a feeling that the next move made in the assault on Ivy and the company was going to be a big one. The big move hadn’t been made yet, and when it was, he wanted to be ready. The run would help him sift through all the information. There was a connection. He just couldn’t see it yet. The sooner he could, the sooner Ivy would be safe.

  ***

  Mac, Ryan, and Colin walked back into the house and found Ivy, Phoebe, and Grace dancing around the kitchen while they made dinner. A lot of loud, off-key singing was going on while Rick sat on the sofa with a handmade crown and a beer in his hand. The game was on, and the sound was low. “Guess we know who won the contest,” Colin said, as he moved past the guys toward Phoebe.

  Ryan looked at Mac and shrugged. “She doesn’t look upset.”

  “Enter with caution,” Mac responded.

  “Hey, honey,” he called as he slowly entered the kitchen.

  Ivy turned around and smiled. “Hey. How was the run?”

  “Good. How did the contest go?”

  “Rick whupped my hiney. His margarita was a lot better than mine. He gave me his secret and said I could claim it as my own. So it worked out. Next time Mama has her friends over I’m going to make them. Soon I’ll be the queen of margaritas in Dripping Springs. I’ve been looking for a specialty, and now I have one. Look out, Aunt LeLe, I’m coming for your culinary glory.”

  Glancing down into her bright eyes, he wondered how many margaritas she’d had. Guess it didn’t matter, as long as she was happy. “I just hope it doesn’t lead to recipes on the internet and you uploading someone’s sex videos to YouTube.”

  “Don’t be silly. I’m keeping the recipe safe in my head. No one will ever get it.”

  He kissed her head and laughed. “All right. I’m going to get cleaned up, and then I’ll put the meat on the grill.” She gave him a thumbs-up, refilled her glass, and started singing with the girls again. It was important to let off some steam, and he was glad that she was doing it before it became too late. Everyone had limits, and he figured she was pretty close to hers. No matter what she said.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Monday

  Ryan drove them in the direction of Bellows Energy. “It’s going to be interesting today. I’ve never been in a position to fire people, and I’m not looking forward to it,” Ivy said, as she slicked on some gloss.

  Ryan turned onto the highway and slid into traffic. “Are you and Colin going to do it together, or is it up to you?”

  “We’ll do it together. Colin told me to take the lead and he’ll step in if necessary.” As they sped down the highway, Ivy stared out the window. “Nobody foresaw us having a relationship. I expected to hate him. After all, if it wasn’t for him, my daddy might’ve stayed with my mama. At least, that’s what my little girl mind thought at the time. But I saw him bundled up in a blanket and I fell in love with his sweet face. He was like the best doll in the world, only he was mine. That’s how I always thought of him. I went into big sister mode almost instantly. When he turned three, Mama let me invite him over whenever I wanted. Considering the situation, I give Frannie and Bea a lot of credit in letting me have my way. Those two let us have a relationship, and I think it’s made a big difference for both of us. We each had someone in the world who understood how the other felt, and I’ve taken a lot of comfort in that.”

  “I was impressed with the way he stood up for you with Stuart the other day.”

  “My brother doesn’t like it when someone disrespects me. He also hates having his time squandered. I attribute it to the countless wasted hours we both spent waiting around for our daddy to show up to take us out for the day. Neither one of us is any good at waiting.”

  “Makes sense.”

  Sliding her hand across the center console, she grabbed his hand. “You don’t mind taking your time or waiting. You proved that last night a couple of times.”

  He glanced over and winked. “You noticed that, did you?”

  “You performed above and beyond the call of duty, and I thank you.” She laughed. “Maybe we can do it again tonight.”

  “I was counting on it,” he replied.

  “Speaking of duty, I’m sorry to pull you away from work for so long. I know you’d rather be out on a rescue op with your rifle in your hand than traipsing across Texas from one side to the other.”

  “I’m exactly where I need to be. We have a lot to accomplish, not the least of which is figuring out who is after you. The art of war is simple: find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can and keep moving. That’s what we’re doing today.”

  “Are we at war?”

  “Someone shot at you, someone is sabotaging the wells, and someone else is ripping off the company. I’d say we’re at war,” he replied.

  “I didn’t think of it that way, but it makes sense. Sort of.”

  “There are enough things happening simultaneously that make it appear to be a death by paper cuts,” Ryan responded. He took the next exit and drove into an industrial area. “Almost there.”

  “I’m a little nervous about what’s going to happen today.” Opening her purse, she checked her gun. “I have to start thinking like a boss lady. Maybe I should get some boss lady shoes and see if that helps.” He let his eyes run down her legs, and she felt the heat of his gaze. All the man had to do was look at her and she was a puddle of hot hormones and lust. Clearing her throat, she waited.

  “Since you’re a boss lady, maybe you want to take charge when we get back home tonight. Give me some orders and see how I perform.” He lifted her hand to his mouth and let his lips run across the top. “Maybe you want to ride me and see if I’m what you’re looking for.”

  The cab of the truck felt like someone turned up the heat. Even the air conditioning wasn’t cooling her down. “Well…I think your idea has merit, and I will take it under consideration.”

  “Just tell me how damp your panties are and I promise to leave you alone for the rest of the day.”

  “Liar.”

  “You can tell me or I can run my hand up your leg and find out for myself. If I have my hand near your bits of lace, then I probably won’t stop with one touch. So just tell me and save us both the embarrassment of people discovering their new boss in flagrante delicto on her first day.”

  “Ryan…” She felt his hand move to the bottom of her skirt, and she pushed
it away. “Fine. My panties are damp and they usually are when you’re around. Are you happy now?” She crossed her arms and looked out the window.

  “Honey, I just want to make sure that you’re in as deep as I am.”

  She spun her head around and stared. “You’re in deep?”

  He took her hand and laced their fingers together. “I’m drowning. Considering I’m a SEAL, you know how serious that is. And I’m not just talking about what happens when we have our clothes off. Hell, if it were only that, then it would be fine. I’m talking about everything else.” He pulled into Bellows Energy and parked in a spot toward the back. “Just putting it out there.”

  Leaning over, she cupped the back of his head and pulled him in for a searing kiss. When she lifted her mouth away, she saw that he was smiling. “Let’s go in and see what we’re dealing with. We’ll figure out us later on.”

  “No rush. We have all the time in the world.” He jumped out and came around to open her door. When he held out his arms, she slid into them. “Come on, Madam President. Let’s get you in there so I can see the boss lady in action.”

  “Oh, you’ll see me in action later on tonight.” Her brother, Phoebe, and Grace pulled in next to them, and she waved. “No more sexy talk, Ryan.”

  “Spoilsport.”

  Mac and Rick slid into a space on the other side, and the guys jumped out, along with the dog.

  “Thank you one and all. No way this could happen without each and every one of you,” Ivy said, as she led the group toward the front doors.

  They were met by a life-size picture of their father on the far wall. Ivy stopped, took a deep breath, and felt Colin take her hand. “He was bigger than life. No doubt about it.”

  “I used to think he could reach the moon when I was little,” Colin said quietly. “He seemed like a giant to me, and I thought as long as he was around, nothing bad could happen. Turns out, he was the bad thing that happened. My mama fell apart after he left, and she never put herself back together again.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I guess our lives just got a lot brighter since we’re free of his shadow.”

  “What Daddy did or didn’t do doesn’t matter anymore. We’re adults, and it’s up to us how happy we’re going to be,” Ivy said with conviction. Taking long strides, she marched up to the wide reception desk and introduced herself to a woman who looked like a real-life Barbie. Bless her heart. “I’m Ivy Bellows and this is my brother, Colin.” The receptionist raked her eyes over Colin like she wanted to eat him for lunch, and Ivy cleared her throat. Better add that item to the agenda: replace the Barbie. The company didn’t need this woman using the lobby as a bar. She could pick up men on her own time.

  Colin was getting impatient, so he coughed. “Let the CFO and COO know that the new owners are here.”

  Leave it to Colin to cut to the chase. “Thank you,” Ivy added.

  They watched the flustered woman tap her long pink nails against the phone and speak into it. “Davis and Brook will be right down. Welcome to Bellows Energy.”

  Ryan led Ivy away from the desk and Colin followed. “Give her a month’s severance and I bet she leaves quietly. Your daddy must have liked to look at her when he came in every day.”

  “I doubt he left it at looking,” Colin said.

  Ken came through a door at the back of the lobby and greeted everyone. “We’re all set up. We’ll start on the executive floor and work our way down.”

  “Where can Phoebe and Grace set up?” Ivy asked.

  “I have the conference room down here designated for them,” Ken replied.

  Colin lifted one of Phoebe’s cases with her computers, and Mac lifted Grace’s. “Ivy, I’ll leave Rocko with you today. He’s going to sit by your side all day,” Mac said, as he handed her the leash.

  “Thanks, Mac.” Resting her hand on the dog’s head, she petted him. “Rocko, you just let me know when you get a bad feeling about someone.”

  Ken led the small group through a door off the lobby, and Ivy figured they would be set up in twenty minutes. Which should give them plenty of time to meet with Davis and Brook. They were the first ones on the agenda. The company was going to be rocked today, and it was only the beginning. There didn’t seem to be a way around it. Better to take a big hit and get it over with.

  The elevators doors slid open, and two men emerged in a rush. Ivy recognized them from the funeral. Time to pull up that boss lady underwear and get on with it. Colin emerged from the side door, and she motioned him over.

  The shorter man took the lead and introduced himself. “I’m Davis, and we spoke at the reception. I’m the COO for Bellows Energy, and we’re happy to welcome you here today.”

  The taller man stepped forward and shook hands with her and Colin. “I’m Brook Ford and we spoke last week. I’m the CFO, and I look forward to working with you both.”

  Ivy motioned for Ryan and Rick to join them. “We have a big day ahead of us with lots of changes. This is Ryan Cordell and Rick Blakely. They’re are working with us during this time of transition. Let’s go on up and get started.”

  Brook and Davis exchanged looks, and Ivy smiled to herself. They had no idea what was about to happen. If they were lucky, it would go smoothly. As the group approached the elevator, Ivy stopped. “You both go on up and we’ll take the next one.”

  Ivy held on to Rocko’s leash and watched the doors close. Ryan wrapped his arm around her and she let out a shiver. “We set?”

  “Yes,” Colin answered. “Phoebe has the network running through her laptop, and she has it locked down. People think they’re working, but none of the information is going to the mainframe. She has control of all of the assets of the company and the well information. Butchko is implementing the security measures as we speak, and the well automation should be complete by Wednesday.”

  The elevator doors opened and they stepped on. Rick hung back and saluted the group. “I’ll be on the front door as people leave. Don’t want any last-minute surprises.”

  Ryan gave him a thumbs-up. “Coms are working, so we’ll let you know if anything crazy is heading your way.”

  Ivy watched them both tap their right ears. “When did you guys do that?”

  “Back at the house. Ken brought us mics yesterday, and we set them up last night. We’re locked and loaded. Let’s go.”

  The doors slid closed and she shook her head. “This is crazy. How did we get in this TV movie of the week?”

  “Daddy left us a mess. None of it is surprising,” Colin said.

  Ivy took her brother’s arm. “When we’re done, it’ll be all cleaned up and someone is going to want to buy this company, and then you and I are free. We can make as much of a difference with the money as we choose to.”

  They stepped off the elevator and met the two men in front of the conference room. Davis threw her a smarmy smile, and Ivy almost barfed in her mouth. She was actually looking forward to firing him. How dare he steal all that money and think he was going to get away with it?

  “Do you want to have one of the girls take care of your dog while we’re in the meeting?” he asked.

  “No, thanks,” Ivy responded as she petted Rocko’s head. “He’s a highly trained guard dog, so I’ll keep him close. Mac told me he can tear into a man and have him down on the ground in less than ten seconds. Hope that doesn’t become necessary.” Holding the dog’s leash, she passed the men on the way into the conference room. She noted that Davis had paled under his summer tan and stepped back as she passed. He should be worried. Because that son of a bitch was going to jail.

  Davis sat at the head of the table with Brook to his right. Colin and Ivy took seats at the other end, and Ryan stood at the door. “Let’s get started,” Ivy said, as she pulled her folders out of her briefcase.

  Davis cleared his throat and sat back with his leg crossed over his knee. He was the picture of male confidence and success. “Why don’t you let us give you an overview of the compa
ny first?”

  “Not necessary,” Ivy responded. “Colin and I are more interested in discussing the embezzlement that’s happened over the last six months.” Raising her eyes, she saw Davis flinch and Brook appear confused. Nothing had come up to tie Brook to the theft, but he was a lousy CFO if he hadn’t picked up, on the five million dollars that was missing. That, in and of itself, was criminal negligence. Those big executive offices were both going to be empty in about an hour.

  “What in the world are you talking about?” Davis blustered. He was about to stand up, but Rocko’s ears moved forward and he growled.

  “Guess he doesn’t like you. Might as well sit down,” Colin said.

  Davis returned to his seat, looking like he was about to lose his lunch. “What in the hell is going on?” he shouted. “Why are you two coming in here with guns blazing?”

  “Because your salami slicing scheme netted you five million dollars,” Ivy responded.

  “Four and half million,” Colin said. “The accountant got the other half mil.”

  Ivy turned and smiled at Colin. “Of course.” Before she turned around, she winked at Ryan and gave him a thumbs-up. “The guns blazing question reminds me of a story that our daddy used to tell us about our paternal great-grandfather, Horton Bellows. The man was a famous gunslinger. He ran protection for the stagecoaches that traveled through the Southwest via El Paso. He worked the Butterfield line, which transported mail and gold on its way from California. According to Daddy, old Horton was fearless, and he approached any situation with his gun pointed at your heart. He didn’t believe in wasting time and meant to let people know what they were dealing with from the get-go. Daddy always said that was the best way to go into anything…guns blazing with the barrel pointed toward someone’s heart. He said it cut out a lot of unnecessary negotiation. I guess moving quickly through a territory was the best way to ensure that a stagecoach wasn’t relieved of its cargo.”