Marcus didn’t let any surprise show on his face. One thing he could thank his father for, he didn’t get intimidated easily. Not by anyone who wasn’t using the nearest solid object as a weapon.
“If Angel wants you to know the details of her private life, it’s up to her to tell you.”
Her grandfather grunted. “You American?”
“Born and raised in Sydney. I’ve picked up an accent from living in New York the last ten years.”
The old man studied him a moment longer, but before he could say anything else, Angel called out from the kitchen.
“You got any sugar, Pop?”
Her grandfather went in and a few moments later, Angel came out. “Now he’s insisting on making the coffee himself,” she said with rolled eyes and a smile. “He can’t sit down and relax.”
Marcus stepped over to the side table, grinning at the photographs of Angel as an adorable young girl and a pretty, but awkward-looking teen. He angled one towards her. “Now there’s a cute hair style.”
She winced. “Stop. Oh, that one’s terrible. I should have come over earlier to censor them.”
“Who’s this?” He picked up a photo of a beautiful woman who looked a little like Angel.
“My mother. She was only twenty-two when she died. Five years younger than I am.” Angel reached out and ran her finger gently over the picture. “Pop says she was an amazing woman. Big dreams, but she never got to live them. That’s why I won’t let the things I want slip away.” She lifted her face to him. “I’m not going to give up, Marcus. I need to be General Manager.”
Fuck, she was magnificent. He’d fought to get to where he was, but Angel never stopped swinging. And he’d never wanted to kiss her more than he did right now. He put down the photo so he could pull her against him and cover that determined mouth with his. He wouldn’t make her any promises, but he’d do his best to give her what she wanted. After he got the board to agree to his proposal.
Her grandfather shuffled into the room, holding a tray in one hand and leaning on his cane with the other. Reluctantly, Marcus let Angel go.
“Here, Pop.” Angel took the tray and put the cups on the table. She poured the coffee, then fetched some cake from the kitchen.
Marcus was afraid their lunch might be uncomfortable, but they talked easily. Angel told them about the ups and downs of her week before Marcus had arrived, and then Angel’s grandfather related a practical joke he and his friends had played on one of the retirement village workers. His eyes shone as he described sneaking into her office and taping a greeting card under her chair.
“One of those musical cards,” he explained, barely holding in his laughter enough to be able to talk. “When she sat down, the card fell open and it played ‘Who Let The Dogs Out.’ She couldn’t work out where it was coming from.”
Angel chuckled, shaking her head. “You’re like four naughty schoolboys.”
“Blame Al, it was his idea. And Bert went and got the card.”
“You’re as bad as each other.” Her eyes shone with amusement. “Honestly, you need a babysitter.”
The close bond between Angel and her grandfather was obvious, and they both had a wicked sense of humor. Marcus felt a pang of longing. This is what family should be. If only he and Jake had been brought up by someone like Angel’s grandfather… well, everything would have been different. Then again, he probably wouldn’t have been promoted to CEO at just thirty-two. Maybe he should be thanking his asshole father for spurring him on.
He took a sip of coffee to get the bad taste out of his mouth. Don’t think about that bastard. But even the fleeting thought made Marcus feel restless, as though he should be working instead of sitting around chatting.
Angel’s grandfather put his cup down and fixed Marcus with a stern look that was nothing like one he’d given him earlier. Either he’d won the man over, or he’d decided to act friendly in front of his granddaughter. “She’s never brought a fella around to visit me before.”
Angel blushed, and Marcus raised his eyebrows. “She hasn’t?”
“How did you two meet?”
“At work. I’m here to hire Sydney’s new General Manager.”
“The job I want,” she said.
Marcus shook his head, not wanting to go into it with Angel’s grandfather. “It’s complicated.”
Her grandfather chuckled. “Listen, Marcus, is it? Let me tell you a story. When Angel was a girl, she was desperate for the latest gadget. A game machine, wasn’t it, honey? I wouldn’t get it for her, so she decided she’d earn the money to buy it herself.”
“Oh, Pop. Marcus doesn’t want to hear that story.” Angel’s cheeks were even redder.
Marcus leaned forward. “Yes I do.”
“So Angel picked all the lemons off our tree and opened a lemonade stall.” Her grandfather continued. “Only it was coming into winter and people don’t want lemonade when it’s cold. She sat at that stall for a week, outside all day in the freezing wind, fretting because school was about to start again and she hadn’t earned enough. ‘Give up,’ our neighbor told her every time he went past.” He harrumphed. “Stupid neighbor, what did he know?”
“Pop –”
He waved his hand at her and kept going. “The next week Angel got up extra early each day before school, and sold hot lemon tea to all the people at the bus stop who were headed into work. And every evening she’d rush back outside with another load of drinks to catch them all on their way home. She came back every night with her pockets stuffed with money, and I was so proud of her, wasn’t I? She got the game machine she wanted.” He winked. “It wasn’t until I discovered my vodka bottle was empty that I realized why that evening drink was so popular. It wasn’t lemon tea she was selling in the evening, was it love?” He gave a bark of laughter. “Twelve years old. Can you believe it?”
“She’s one of a kind, that’s for sure.” Marcus grinned at her.
Angel gave an embarrassed grimace. “I was all set to keep going until Pop explained about the liquor laws, and the fact he could be arrested if anyone found out a minor had been selling booze on the street.”
“So you should give her the job she wants.” Angel’s grandfather wagged his finger at Marcus. “Or she’ll figure out a way to get it anyway. At least if you do it the easy way, you won’t find your liquor cabinet empty the next time you have friends over and want to make them a drink.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Marcus changed the subject. “She’s actually spent most of the morning convincing me we should invest in retirement homes.”
“If you want to go over the figures, we can do it now. Pop won’t mind, will you?”
“Go ahead.”
They sat at her grandfather’s small dining table to run the numbers. Angel’s business knowledge was exceptional. She knew exactly how much the residents paid for the units, and gave him a comprehensive list of the fixed costs. The projections they came up with were as accurate as they could be. And impressive. With a smart property manager in charge, the upside could be huge. Even better, they’d be providing a service that people wanted, so they’d be helping the community at the same time.
They were finishing up when his phone rang and he checked the display. Jake. Shit. He felt the sharp stab of unease he always got when he thought of his brother. He wanted to see him, sure. But they shared too much history for it to be an easy meeting.
“We still on for tonight?” Jake asked. “Seven o’clock okay?”
Marcus grunted. Angel had got up and was helping her grandfather clear the cups away. He must have said something funny because she threw her head back and gave a throaty laugh. Her eyes were sparkling, her cheeks still slightly flushed. He couldn’t drag his gaze away from her.
“Marcus?” asked Jake. “You there?”
Maybe having someone else with them tonight would make it easier. Force them to keep the conversation light, and not delve into the past. The last thing he wanted was to open all the old woun
ds while he had so many other things to deal with.
“Yeah. Hey, do you mind if I bring someone with me?”
“Anyone I know?”
“We’ve just met. Hang on, I’ll check she doesn’t already have plans.” He lowered his phone. “Angel, I’m meeting my brother tonight for a drink. Want to come along?”
She blinked, as though he’d taken her by surprise. Then a slow smile broke over her face. “Sounds good.”
Marcus realized he was smiling too as he lifted his phone back to his ear. “She’s in.”
8
Jake turned out to be a younger version of Marcus, but his hair was lighter and thinner, and he was lacking Marcus’s dark intensity. As though he’d been produced in a copy machine that was running low on ink.
Angel sipped her gin and tonic as she listened to the two brothers catching up. Marcus’s hand was casually resting on the small of her back, but she wasn’t sure if it was there for her benefit or his. Although he and Jake seemed perfectly friendly, even jokey together, Marcus was tense. If she hadn’t got to know him, she might not have noticed. But his shoulders were set, and he seemed wary around his brother.
“So seriously, bro, how’s the new job?” asked Jake. “You kicking butt?”
Marcus shrugged. “It’d be fine if I didn’t have to deal with the board of directors. They’re not exactly enthusiastic about what I’m trying to do.”
“Why would they hire you and then not listen to you?” asked Angel.
“Doesn’t help that I convinced them to let me start diversifying, then had some bad luck. The shopping complex I bought was damaged by a freak flood.”
“Surely they can’t blame you for that?”
“Their old CEO had a conservative strategy, which worked well for years. Then values plummeted, the old guy retired, and the board panicked. I sold them on a strategy to spread our risk and turn things around. But the flood has shaken their confidence, and they’ve vetoed the other investments I had planned. Now I have to talk them into a new proposal.”
“If they don’t let you do what you want, why don’t you quit?” asked Jake.
Marcus shook his head. “I haven’t been CEO for long, so leaving now would look terrible on my resume. People would think I couldn’t handle the top job.”
“But what if they don’t let you diversify our investments and the property market gets worse? Won’t that be just as bad?” Angel asked.
Marcus’s jaw tightened. “That’s why the board meeting’s so important. I have to make them listen to reason, and the retirement home figures should help. I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to present.”
Angel took a breath. Maybe she shouldn’t bring it up in front of his brother, but Marcus was leaving tomorrow morning, and she had to know. “If they like the retirement home opportunity, will you consider promoting me instead of Bruce?”
“Sorry, Angel. My whole career is riding on this meeting. I can’t afford to complicate things by bringing up other issues.”
Crap.
“Gunning for a promotion, huh?” asked Jake.
She nodded. “General Manager.”
“And I would have liked to be able to give it to you.” Marcus said it as though it was his final decision.
Angel’s chest tightened. She wouldn’t accept that. She refused to. But weirdly enough, she also couldn’t help but admire the way he stood up to her. She’d never met someone who was as determined to get what he wanted as she was, and she’d certainly never thought it would turn her on.
But if he thought she was going to give up, he was dead wrong.
Jake looked between them. “You know, there’s a lot more to life than just your career.”
In unison, Marcus and Angel let out an identical snort.
All three of them laughed, and Jake shook his head ruefully. “You’re made for each other. A perfect match.”
“It’s not like that,” said Marcus.
“Oh?” Jake raised his eyebrows. “Then I must have got the wrong idea.”
Angel felt suddenly cold. She reached out and took hold of her glass, a reflex action as though she were about to slug the whole lot back. With four casual words, Marcus had just dismissed everything they’d shared during the last couple of days. Had it meant nothing?
Marcus carried on, as offhand as though he was talking about the weather. “It’s been convenient for both of us to spend a few days together. Angel’s been trying to talk me into giving her the job, and I…” He cut off with a shrug.
“You what?” she demanded, feeling heat rising in her cheeks. He was just using her for sex, was that it? And he thought that was fine because she was using him too?
Well, that wasn’t what she’d intended at all. She’d wanted him to see her, the real her. But obviously she’d gone about it the wrong way. You idiot, Angel. The men in the office had labeled her a sex object, and now she’d gone and made herself that very thing. No, Marcus has made me that, by talking about me as though I was a coat he tried on that didn’t quite fit.
Marcus frowned. “I didn’t mean it like that, Angel.”
“Then how did you mean it?”
Jake was looking between them with an uh-oh expression. He held up one hand. “Listen, sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
Angel took a deep breath. Was she overreacting? After all, Marcus had made it very clear he wasn’t in this for anything but sex. Problem was, it had become more than that to her. A lot more.
Marcus turned to his brother. “Jake, would you go and order us another round? I’ve got a tab running.”
“Sure.” Jake headed to the bar, looking relieved to escape.
Marcus took her by the upper arms and turned her to face him. “What is it?”
“You think I’m having sex with you to get the job?” She lifted her chin, staring him in the eye.
“Are you?”
She shook her head. “I wanted to get your attention, so I could show you who I really am, and why I deserve it. But it’s not just that.”
“Then what is it?”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Do you really have to ask? Just look in the mirror. You’re hot, as if you didn’t know. And I like you. I like the way we talk, and I really like the chemistry we have together.” She took a deep breath. That little outburst had probably been more than enough to trigger his escape reflex.
A line deepened between his eyes. It wasn’t a frown so much as a thoughtful expression. “I don’t do relationships. I told you that.”
She forced herself not to show what she felt. To look at him calmly instead of screaming. “Fine. Then now you’ve had what you wanted, I’ll leave.”
If I go now, I’ve lost everything. I’ll have to give up on the promotion and quit my job. And I might never see him again. The thought was so painful she had to fight back the lump rising in her throat.
“No, don’t go. I didn’t mean…” He broke off and shook his head. “This isn’t the time to talk about it. Jake’s coming back.”
His brother approached cautiously and took his seat back at the table. “The waitress will bring the drinks over.” He looked between the two of them. “Everything okay now?”
“Yes,” said Marcus.
Angel hesitated a moment, then nodded. She was far from okay, but she’d stick around until she had another chance to talk privately with him. Sometimes it’s a curse that I can never bear to give up easily.
“Good.” Jake took a deep breath and faced Marcus. “So I guess now’s as good a time as any to tell you that I’ve been in contact with our mother.”
Marcus stiffened. “Why would you do that?”
“She’s sorry, Marcus. Truly. It’s been hard on her too. You should give her a chance.”
“We’re all sorry,” growled Marcus. “But it’s twenty years too late for that.” He got up, his movement so sudden it was an explosion of energy. “I’ll see what’s taking those damn drinks so long.” He stalked to the bar.
/> Angel swallowed, forcing her gaze from Marcus back to Jake. Should she ask what that had been about? No, she couldn’t pry.
But Jake turned to her anyway. He was rubbing his upper arm. “So much for our friendly catch-up. I should have known he’d react like that. Sorry.”
“He’s not on good terms with your mother, I take it?”
“She left when we were kids. I was seven, and Marcus was twelve.”
“I know how it feels. My mother died when I was young, and I never knew my father.”
His mouth twisted. “If only our father had gone instead. He was a rough old bastard, quick with his fists. She left us with him.” He gulped his beer, his face haunted with old memories.
Marcus’s mother left him and his brother to be beaten by his father? What kind of woman was she?
“I’m so sorry.”
He sighed. “Yeah. Anyway, we’re both a bit fucked up now, I guess. I love Marcus, but there’s a reason we haven’t seen each other for over a decade. He’s got this crazy idea that he should have protected me better. As though he could have done anything about our father’s violent temper. And if I try to bring Mum up…” He motioned towards his brother. “Well, you saw.”
He rubbed his arm again. He’d been doing that a lot. Was it a nervous habit or did he have a pain he was trying to rub away?
Marcus came back balancing three glasses. “Let’s just enjoy our drinks.” His manner was calm again as he put them on the table. “I want to know what you’re up to now, not drag up what happened years ago.” He gave a smile that looked like it cost him an effort.
His brother returned a much easier smile. “Okay, fair enough. What shall we talk about?”
“Tell me about your job.”
“It’s going well, actually.” He turned to Angel. “I’m a counselor, so I listen to people’s problems all day. Surprisingly enough, I like it a lot. It’s rewarding, you know? And I’m dating one of the other counselors, which means I look forward to work even more.”
“A workplace romance?” She made her tone teasing to lighten the mood, and resisted the urge to glance at Marcus.
The Rich List Series: Contemporary Romance Box Set (Millionaire, Billionaire, CEO) Page 42