by Elaine May
“Ayria I would like you to meet my son Harry.” Joshua turns to look at his son.
“Harry, this is Ayria Jonas. The young lady who would like to sell her business to us.” I try to swallow, fighting something that wants to come to the surface and the cocky bastard that is Harry Bryant just smiles at me. He smiles at me and I try to just smile back all the while you won’t get to me rich boy sings in my head.
“It’s nice to meet you, Miss Jonas.”
“Nice to meet you too, Mr Bryant.” I say and I can feel Joshua staring at the two of us like he’s waiting for one of us to make our next move. What is going on here? I can see father and son looking at each other and then turning both their faces in my direction.
“Well.” Joshua says as he places his hands together and gives a little clap.
“I’ll leave the two of you to get down to business then.” I can see the way the corner of Harry’s lip points up on one corner at his father’s words, he thinks this is funny. I turn to Mr Bryant and give him a smile and as he walks away I turn back to his son.Harry walks back to his desk in his designer suit that reeks of money and clings to his body like a third skin and from where I am standing I can tell he works out lots and I’m sure If he turned around I could see ahint of a six-pack through his shirt, I’m sure of it.
Oh wow he is just the perfect specimen and he really knows it but that doesn’t stop me from still wanting him and I really hate myself for it but at the moment I don’t care. Wow it’s very nice to meet you Mr cocky Harry Bryant. Just as handsome as I have heard and I’m sure he’s just a player like all the rest of them.Suddenly it becomes harder to breathe and I think that I have most definitely just found my next play date. Oh yes I could have fun with this one. He’ll be like all the rest I’m sure but we could have some real fun together.I can feel the flames of desire scorch my skin at the hungry look he has in his eyes and my pulse starts a kick start, that is something I have never felt before.
Why is that happening all of a sudden? He gestures for me to sit down and as I do I find myself crossing my legs in the hope that I can calm down the heat between them.
“What can I do for you Miss Jonas?” I raise my eyebrows as he asks his question.
“You don’t know? Your father didn’t tell you?”
“Of course I do I just want to hear it from you”
“Do you and your father want my business or not?” He moves around in his chair and I can see he’s uncomfortable.
“I think I could want more than your business and I can tell from the way you looked at me when you first stepped into my office that you could want the same too.” He really does think highly of himself, what does he think? By saying he wants me I’m going to melt and just jump into bed with him? This boy needs a lesson and fast. I roll my eyes just to come across as devil may care and he just stares back at me, waiting for me to shout yes. What does he think? That he’s God’s gift to women and we should all be willing to lower our panties and standards for him when he tells us to?
“Really?”
“Really?” He responds and I just roll my eyes again. I can’t believe he’s doing this, messing with me when we have so much to discuss that has nothing to do with him but I’ll be messing with him in the end. I’ll mess him up really good and I’ll laugh from the sidelines. I stand up from my chair and put both my hands on the table, leaning over so he can get a good view of my breasts and hopefully the anger I’m trying to portray in my eyes.
“Do you and your father want my business or not? I know you know everything mine has to offer yours. Companies your father fought my grandfather for but my grandfather beat him to anyway.” Let’s see how he likes that as I fold my arms together across my tummy. It doesn’t appear that Mr Cocky does if the current look of dismay on his handsome face is anything to go by, but I don’t care.
“I think you’ll find that’s all wrong.”He says as he leans back in his chair. Go on, rich boy, lean too much and fall off the thing, that would wipe the smile off your face.
“I don’t think the how really matters at this point does it? Do you want everything I have to offer you or not?” I bite my bottom lip and just stare him down. I can see his eyes travel down to the valley of my breasts, his nose filling with the sweet smell of my perfume. The only problemis the same thing is happening right back at me so I’m not really at an advantage.
“Of course we do”I pull away from him and stand from my chair.
“Then prove it. Go talk to Daddy, do your research and come back to me with an offer.” I take my handbag and reach inside to get the documents I brought with me.
“Daddy?”
“Yes, Daddy. Now do your research.” I turn away from him and make my way out of his office trying to force his scent to stay away from me.
“How much do you want? Give me a hint at least of what you’re looking for” I turn back just outside the door.
“I’m looking for a lot Mr Bryant but I’m willing to let you surprise me.” And with that I walk away.
CHAPTER SEVEN
HARRY
I watch her walk away, my trousers suddenly feeling tighter.
She’s fucking gorgeous and she knows it. Every guy’s wet dream and right now I can feel the head of my cock glisten with pre-cum just thinking what it would be like to pound into her. She’s stunning. She’s a little shorter than me with her fuck-me heels on, longs legs that seem to travel up to her tight dress forever and ever. I know what’s hiding behind that dress and I can smell the scent of her cunt even as she walks away from me. Her blonde curly hair bouncing just above her shoulders framing the most perfect looking face I have ever seen. She has the perfect button nose, perfect full lips with just the right amount of a point to her upper ones that just screams to be licked or sucked. Her bottom lips are just perfect for biting and I know I could have fun biting those lips. Blue eyes that look like the sea and could address all my inner demons. I shift in my chair as she turns the corner and I can no longer see her but my memories of her don’t fade. Her smell lingers in my office and I just want to take her to my bed.
What does she want?
What is she really interested in? I get up out of my chair and don’t even talk to my PA as I walk past her desk, I can feel her eyes on my back and her unsaid questions as to where I am going. Stupid cow where else would I be going? How long has she been working here now? You’d think she would know. I don’t even stop to talk to Dad’s, I just go right by her as I storm through his office door.“What the fuck is going on, Dad?”
“Hey, watch your mouth.”He says as he looks up at me, not looking too impressed but I don’t care, I want to know what’s going on.
“What’s going on? She only stayed for a couple of minutes. She didn’t make any demands she just said she wanted a figure.”
“She what?”
“She kept going on about what her company could do for ours.”
“Well it would. Just like ours could for hers but ours could do more.”
“Of course it could.” Does he think I’m stupid? I run my fingers through my hair, hating the fact it’s just the same way my old man does it.
“It seems she doesn’t want the hard work of a takeover, she just wants the money.”He whispers in the air as if I’m not even here with him.
“She’s aspoilt little princess you mean.”I throw at him. I fucking knew it, I knew it and I have had so much fun with spoilt little princesses in the past, normal girls too but I have to keep focused. The bitch just wants the money and to run back to her mansion.
“We don’t know that, son. Not everyone is the same.” He says as he taps a pen against his desk and I try to fight back a laugh.
“All the rich ones are Dad.”
“Am I? Your brothers, mother or sister?” He points at himself then looks at the picture of all of us from Hope’s wedding in the Summer. That was a good day but I have never felt more out of it then I did that day standing there as the only single member left of my
family. Everyone else was silly enough to have a partner but not me and yet I was the one to feel left out.
Figures. I’ve felt left out my whole life. Jacob was chosen into our family, the poor little boy that Mom and Dad fell in love with and had to have as their son. Jackson is too much like Dad, Hope so much like Mom and then there is me, I’m a little of both of them, nothing special. One half of a double act that Jackson does well on his own. I always thought having Jackson as a twin meant something, that we would be allies together, fighting each other’s corner against the world and then Kitty entered his world and he wasn’t into our double act any longer. I fought, I was a shit to Kitty, tried to get rid of her but nothing worked and now they are happily married with a couple of kids in the mix. I should be happy for my twin and in my own way I am, but I can’t help but feel angry at him for leaving me behind. He left me behind and all I was focussed on was getting him back and not working on the relationships of my other family members. Don’t get me wrong, we are all close, I’m part of the family, I just feel like I’m the black sheep. I’m in the circle but just a little too close to the line to be pushed out when they have enough of me.
“Why didn’t you give her a figure if she was asking?” There you go, anything I do is wrong.
“I thought we should discuss that together.” I know he can see the reason behind my decision but he’s just waiting for a reason to tell me I failed.
“You’d best sit down, son.” My father says and I do as I’m told and we spend the rest of the afternoon looking at numbers.
AYRIA
I don’t know how I expected it to go but I guess that wasn’t quite the way I thought it would happen.
We didn’t talk numbers.
We didn’t talk about my demands.
The big fat figure I’d sell for. I would have thought, I had hoped those would have been the first things to come out of his mouth but they weren’t. I’d be the first to admit this is the first time I have had to deal with anything like this and I’ll be first to admit I felt lost as I sat in his domain. I’m out of my depth and the currents of the business world want to swallow me whole and spit me back out again. I don’t know what to do in this great big world but I know I really want him. I want to kill two birds with one stone and at least I have taken the first step into this world. I’m ready to make the change, I just have to hope it all happens the way I want it to. I’m getting therebut it doesn’t feel right. Something doesn’t feel right, something is scratching at the back of my head trying to make me stop but I don’t want to stop. This is something I have wanted ever since I can remember. Vengeance.
Vengeance on my grandfather and vengeance on the opposite sex, whoever wronged me and the list is long. Don’t get me wrong, Harry Bryant has never hurt me but he’s male and given half the chance he would. I might as well play him before he can play me. They are all apart of the same thing at the end of the day, mixed up in the same world they just don’t know it.
I don’t know what to do. I feel like I’m at a crossroads just waiting for something, anything.
A sign maybe to tell me what to do next.
Whose court is the ball in?
Mine or his? I have no idea, one minute I think I should call them, find out what they want to do, but something holds me back. Something reminds me of who I am and that I have to play my role, play the game but now that I’m so close I don’t want to miss it.
I don’t want to miss what’s mine for the taking. I try to get on with my life, anything so that I’m not stuck with my own thoughts thinking of what might happen. It takes far too long for my liking but eventually my cell begins to ring. Panic grips me when I look at the screen and I don’t recognise the number but I never got Harry’s cell or saved the Bryant number on my cell. With a shaky finger I press accept and with a shaky voice I respond.
“H...H.Hello.”
“Miss Jonas?” The caller questions and I feel my limbs go weak at just hearing his voice.
“Speaking.” I reply.
“Are you able to talk about the takeover?”
“You haven’t made me an offer yet Mr Bryant.”
“You just want an offer? You don’t want to discuss a takeover? What happens to the staff?” He says through the speaker, sounding confused.
“Well, there’s things I want to discuss like I said to your father but I want to know what you’re offering first. We can’t really talk about this on our cells.”
“No you’re right but then you did leave our meeting early. You didn’t give me a chance to talk numbers with you.” What?He thinks he can turn this on me?I don’t think so, Mr Cocky, I’m not playing into your hands.
“How much are you thinking of offering me?”
“Going straight to the matter at hand I see.” He says it as if he wouldn’t do the same.
“Of course, now give me a figure.” I can hear him laughing and that just makes me angry.
“Eleven point five million.”He says like he expects me to roll in disgust. I should but that’s not what all this is about. Eleven point five million. Ha, the old man would be disgusted if I sold for that little but it would be enough for what I want it for. It’s perfect.
“That seems fine to me but I have demands that need to be met first.”
“You do, do you Miss Jonas?”
“I do Mr Bryant and I need to talk to you about those demands first before I sign anything.”
“I’ll see you in my office at nine in the morning then Miss Jonas.”
“I guess you will Mr Bryant.”I end the call feeling so infuriated with the guy but looking forward to seeing him again.
Can I really do what needs to happen tomorrow?
Can I really do all of it?
Eleven point five million, it’s kind of pathetic but I have no idea how much the business is really worth and I just want to be rid of it. I want to be rid of the little sleaze balls that come with it and think can still run my life.
I just need my life back.
HARRY
She ends the call and I buzz for my father straight away.
“How did it go?” His worried voice comes through the line.
“She accepted.” I say.
“She accepted? The eleven point five million?”I can hear his dismay and the most important question lurking behind his words.
“She did. Although she said that she has demands.” I confirm and I try to show my worry.
“She said that to me but she hasn’t given us any idea on what type of demands she’s going to be insisting on. That’s what’s worrying me the most.”
“She didn’t say, but she’s coming here tomorrow morning, I’ll try and get it out of her.”
“Ok, that’s good, but I don’t like that she went with our first offer, a stupid offer come to that.” I interrupt him before he says anything else.
“The eleven point five was your idea.” I remind him, I’m not getting blamed for that one.
“Yes I know that, Harry.” I can hear his heavy breathing as he tries to think.
“She could come up with anything with these so-called demands of hers you know. That’s what’s really worrying me.” My dad really doesn’t like the unexpected.
“That’s exactly what I was thinking, Dad.”
“Ok well....Meet with her like she wants and listen to her, if her demands are too much then call me and I’ll come talk to her myself.”
“I can deal with her, Dad.” I try to reassure him. He has to start reining in his power some day and he may as well start now while I am so eager.
“No. I don’t know what to expect from her. I mean it, Harry, call me if her demands get too much.”
“Yeah, alright, Dad.” I’ve lost it now, lost interest, he still wants to take control. Maybe it’s because he doesn’t trust me. Maybe he would trust Jackson more, he’s probably thinking that’s who he should have given the deal to in the first place. I kick at the leg of my desk like a spoilt child but right now I really do
n’t give a shit.
Think what you want about me, I don’t care.
CHAPTER EIGHT
AYRIA
The next morning works just like the one before it but this time I know what to expect. This time I know how ridiculously handsome the son is. He’s like a God mixed up with a mere mortal and he has secret powers that want to eat me whole but I just try to swallow it all away where it belongs. It doesn’t help to have feelings brewing when I start to play.
When I get to Bryant Industries that morning I’m led back into Harry’s officeand as soon as I enter his domain,heat invades my cheeks. His gaze is on me as I walk towards his desk, he stands up and my pulse rate increases when I get to see his body again. He’s wearing another expensive suit, this one is a dark grey with black stripes and again the fabric just clings to every muscle of his body, leaving nothing to the imagination. I can already picture how perfect he is under that fine suit, wow he is a sight and I want to eat him for my breakfast. He swaggers towards me, very devil-may-care and it just turns me on more.
I want him. I really want him between my legs and I want him there now.
“What do you want, Miss Jonas?” He asks me as he comes around his desk with his hand out. I don’t take it at first, remembering what his touch did to me yesterday. I don’t need to be side-tracked by a pair of handsome eyes. With a deep breath I shake his hand and that same electricity attacks me again, rendering me speechless in the process. The bastard knows it and I don’t like it, I don’t like it at all as he takes his hand away from mine and I can suddenly breathe again, think again. I need to change the game, I can’t let him do this to me, I can’t allow him to change what I really want. Him at my feet begging for anything I’ll give him. He starts to sit next to me infront of his desk, papers are all over it and I try to calm my racing heart as it gears up a notch again.