Unbidden Love (Book Five of the Bidden Series)

by Cierlak, Crystal

  “And then he gave five percent to his father. I got that part,” Natalie confirmed.

  “Celine signed over her proxy,” James interjected from where he stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking The Strip. He had been nursing a crystal glass of whiskey for nearly twenty minutes, and from the looks of it, he was due for a refill.

  Natalie looked from James to Audra for clarification. “Celine maintains her five percent," Audra explained patiently, “plus a proxy of the ten percent given to the kids. But as of last night she signed it all over to Jackson, which effectively stole it from James’ portion of the majority.” She quieted for a moment to look up at James, her expression forlorn.

  “Jackson has been acquiring the other 25 percent for some time now, using various shell corporations overseas. Between that, plus the five percent James gave him, and now Celine’s 15% proxy, he has majority ownership.”

  Even though she had heard the math at least twice now, there was still something she did not understand. “That is not a majority though. Not if together you still own 55 percent?”

  “We do not jointly own it, Natalie,” James said as he turned from the windows to face them for the first time in the half hour since they had returned to the suite from the restaurant. “It was set up so that together we controlled a majority portion, but could still gift shares to our spouses, our kids. But each half is separate. We don’t own shit together. And I own exactly 17 and a half percent of shit.”

  In a sudden fit of rage, James threw the crystal glass clear across the room where it shattered upon impact with the wall. Natalie jumped at the sound of thousands of shards of crystal raining down from the point of impact.

  “So just like that he controls the entire company?” Natalie asked, trying to shake off the image of James hurtling the glass across the room.

  “It isn’t precisely that black and white, but yes,” Audra confirmed.

  “But then why would he try to buy out my company? I know about the clause-“ she said, putting her hand up before Audra could offer up any additional explanation. “I am well aware that in our contract it states that Fitson can offer to acquire us should we ever want to be acquired. But why would he? Jackson likes me.”

  James scoffed as he poured himself a fresh drink. “The only person Jackson likes, is Jackson.”

  “And Audra. What was it he said to me? That Audra was the perfect woman for his son? That she was the only one worthy of being at his side, if only she weren’t gay?”

  “What?!” Audra bellowed.

  Natalie nodded. “He said your romance with me was just a passing phase, and once the time came, he would be pleased to see me at James’ side.”

  “That son of a bitch!” Audra screeched, finally losing her cool. Natalie caught James’ eye as he glanced over his shoulder in her direction.

  “We have to do something. If we can find a way to fix the ownership problem, that will automatically prevent my father from a hostile takeover of Gallo Harlow, too.”

  “I was up with legal and outside council all night, James. We have options but they are going to take time. God only knows what he could do to our company if given even a little bit of that time.”

  Natalie exhaled a deep breath and leaned back into her seat. Fucking Jackson Fitzgerald, she cursed to herself. What the hell kind of father tried to steal control of his own son’s company? How selfish - how evil - did a person have to be to pull off something like that? And he was not just coming after James and Audra, but her and Joe. And Quinn. And Shane, Amelia, the staff and interns. But even their numbers paled in comparison to the thousands of Fitson employees around the country who could potentially be at risk in the aftermath of a hostile takeover. Not to mention billions of dollars.

  And all for what? What was Jackson’s motive? It couldn’t be that he was actually evil. There had to be more to the story, but if there was she was ignorant of it. She knew the relationship between Jackson and James was not always great, but it certainly never seemed to border on Machiavellian. James would not have asked his father to step in for him otherwise.

  Was Celine behind it? No, she was not cunning enough to come up with an idea so elaborate all on her own. And she certainly would not risk her life with James and their kids to such an extent. At least, Natalie did not think she would. Celine had a rather cushy life thanks to James, and a brand new mansion to live that life in, despite the fact that the man footing the bill could barely stand her.

  She gave her proxy to Jackson! Natalie reminded herself. She had to have known what that would do to James. What kind of hateful, spiteful woman would do that to a man she once claimed to love? A man she had children with? Was it jealousy? Did she know how Jackson felt about Audra? Because he certainly wasn’t paying Celine any compliments about her role as James’ wife. And she…

  Wait… Her mind went silent, empty. No, that could not possibly… Could that work?

  ‘I have always liked Audra Robertson. She is the perfect woman for my son… She is intelligent, fiercely loyal, has a keen business sense, and in my opinion is the only woman suitable enough to be his wife.’

  “James?” Natalie called out. But when she looked up, the two were fully engrossed in conversation. “Audra?” she tried again, hoping to catch at least someone’s attention. “Guys!!” she shouted, finally silencing them.

  “What?” James asked, irritated at the interruption, and presumably the entire situation on the whole.

  “What if you got married?”

  “What?!” This time it was Audra who appeared irritated at the interruption, if not at the entirety of the suggestion itself.

  James’ face distorted into utter confusion. “What did you just say?”

  “You said your individual portions of the stock were designed for you and family, to keep the company in the family. So what if you were husband and wife? Then her 37 and a half percent and your 17 and a half percent would be a combined 55 percent, taking back the majority.”

  Natalie watched as James and Audra exchanged astonished looks, then hushed words. She became aware of her heartbeat echoing almost violently in her chest. Did she really just recommend to the woman she cheated on to marry the man she cheated on her with?

  “It would not be forever!” Audra argued. "Just long enough to buy us some time. Or would you rather we sit back and watch your father take the reins of our company while we go through the proper channels?”

  “This is a marriage we are talking about, Audra! I know you have never been in one before but they are not exactly something a person takes lightly!”

  “Oh, please. Marriage has been a financial or property arrangement since the beginning of time. This could save our company, James!”

  "By getting married?!” he shouted.

  She heard Audra say something about making a phone call before she disappeared out of sight, presumably to the bedroom. There was not enough time to worry whether or not she would be able to tell from the state of the bed that Natalie and James had made love in it only a few hours ago.

  James crouched down between Natalie’s legs and looked up at her imploringly. “Natalie, what the hell are you thinking?”

  “I am thinking about saving both of our companies, James.”

  “By getting married? Have you even thought of the consequences of what you are suggesting?”

  “Not really,” she admitted. She leaned forward towards him, elbows resting on her legs. “But if it works then who cares?”

  “I care!” he protested. “Natalie, if Audra and I are married then that means neither one of us can marry anyone else. Do you understand?”

  “Of course I do," she said, grabbing a hold of his hands and squeezing tight. “But it also means you will have your company, James. Isn’t that more important?”

  James stood abruptly and ran a hand through his hair, tugging at the ends just as Audra burst into the room again, cell phone in hand.

  “It will work!” she announced breathlessly. She
resumed her seat opposite Natalie and looked up at James, who was now pacing across the floor. “If we are legally married our stocks are jointly owned, giving us a majority and stopping Jackson from a takeover. And stopping whatever he has planned with you and Joe,” she added in Natalie’s direction. “But we would need to act fast. Bruce said you had a document drawn up a few years ago that would help legitimize a marriage, James?”

  James closed his eyes as his head dropped. His face twisted into an incomprehensible fit of frustrated anger. “Bruce was never supposed to say anything about that,” he muttered.

  Natalie assumed Bruce was their lawyer, or someone on the legal team at Fitson. “What is it?” she asked.

  James glanced at each of them, but could not maintain eye contact. He sighed heavily, and said, “It’s a co-parenting contract. I had one drafted in the event Audra asked me to donate my sperm so she could have a child.”

  A quiet calm descended upon the room until the loudest noise heard was from a police siren whizzing by along The Strip several stories below. It never truly occurred to Natalie before that moment just how much James loved Audra. So much, in fact, that he was prepared if the day ever came that Audra asked him for a most sacred gift. She had no idea that was even a possibility. Audra never really talked about kids, especially not about having them, and Natalie just assumed it was a moot point.

  “This whole time?” Audra whispered.

  “Of course,” James replied. “I would do it in a heartbeat, Audra.”

  Audra, seemingly touched by James’ words, wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight. He reciprocated instantly, holding her against him as though he were her very own human shield.

  “I love you,” she said, the words barely audible to Natalie’s ears.

  “I love you, too.”

  Natalie watched the two of them together, fighting back tears of her own at the scene in front of her. They really did love each other. Not in the way Audra loved her or she loved James, but in many ways it was so much more. Almost torn apart by their shared love of Natalie, but brought back together and stronger than ever in the face of mounting adversity. People fell in and out of love every day, most people multiple times throughout their lives. But if Natalie was sure of anything, it was that fewer people still were capable of the love they shared. And in light of that, a bit of sacrifice in order to save what they had spent a bulk of their lives building together didn’t see much like a sacrifice at all.

  “What do we need to do?” James asked.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Natalie examined the document she held in her hand, feeling awash in a sense of disappointment that a piece of paper that held such power was so very plain.

  “What is it?” Audra asked beside her.

  “Nothing. I guess I just expected a bit more pomp and circumstance.”

  “Pomp and circumstance? It’s a marriage license.”

  “That is exactly what I mean. We are in Las Vegas and this piece of paper granting two people the right to join in legal matrimony looks so ordinary.”

  “We can order two copies of the certificate. One to keep locked in my safe at Fitson, and another to decoupage in glitter.”

  Natalie burst with laughter at the mental image of Audra decoupaging anything at all. At least it helped with the nervous pit digging a hole through her stomach. She looked up at their surroundings, lamenting the generic hallway outside what was probably an equally generic courtroom. She knew from her brief internet search that there was a white picket archway with fake ivy wrapped around it inside, something to add a sense of occasion to any photos taken of the couples getting married beneath it. It was all so wrong.

  “Are you having second thoughts?” Audra asked from beside her.

  “No,” Natalie answered, though she did not sound convincing even to her own ears.

  “This was your idea.”

  “And it is happening. But can we not find a better place to do it in? Do you really want your wedding portrait to be underneath some cheap archway with fake ivy?”

  “Oh-kay,” Audra whispered as she pulled Natalie out of the queue of couples waiting their turn to be married. They stood by a window with a sad view overlooking a parking lot. “What would you have us do instead?”

  “Get married at Eden?”

  Audra shook her head. “We have been over this. We cannot get married in front of our employees, Natalie.”

  “Okay, then how about literally any other place in Vegas? You have connections. Why not call up Caesar’s for a quickie wedding there? At least they have a proper gazebo and a lovely garden. And this dress-”

  “What would you have me wear instead?” Audra asked, gesturing to the very same white pant suit she had been wearing the day they arrived in Vegas. “A ball gown?”

  “No!,” Natalie protested. Though the thought was not unappealing. “But this is a wedding even if it is a Vegas wedding. Let’s do something right. Please?”

  It only took one look at Audra’s chestnut eyes to tell she was seconds away from acquiescing to Natalie’s request. “What do you have in mind?”

  James fidgeted with the ends of his tie, as if the knowledge of how to tie it into a proper knot had completely escaped him. At Natalie’s urging he had called a friend and asked for a favor. It had all happened surprisingly fast, considerably faster than his wedding to Celine many years ago. Audra and Natalie made calls of their own, and before he knew it they were shotgunning a perfectly beautiful wedding in a five-star resort. In less than thirty minutes he and Audra would be married, and the concept itself was too foreign to even fully consider. But if it was the only way to save their company, then it was worth it.

  He hoped like hell it was worth it.

  “Everything’s all set.”

  He turned in the direction of Natalie’s voice and stilled. She looked breathtaking in a sequin shift dress that showed off her legs for miles. Under her arm she carried a bouquet of flowers in a deep shade of purple, and in her hands was a boutonniere, waiting to be pinned.

  “Do you mind?” she asked, holding the single white flower out to him.

  He nodded, saying nothing as she entered the room tucked just beyond the garden and gazebo where the ceremony would take place.

  “Fortunately I had the contact for Eden’s florist saved in my phone. They were only too happy to send over some samples for their best client. And I had a quick chat with the officiant. He wanted just a few details about you two to make the ceremony a bit more personal.” Natalie smiled as she spoke and pinned the flower to his lapel. When she finished she looked up at him, silvery blue eyes smiling, but dimmed. “There. Now you look like a proper groom.”

  James leaned down to kiss her, but she held her hand up to his chest to stop him.

  “I haven’t told Audra about us,” she whispered. She glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the door before turning back to face him again. “I couldn’t. Not after the whole thing with the co-parenting contract. This is her wedding day after all.”

  “It’s not real, Natalie,” he said in hushed tones. “Not in the way it should be.”

  “It is real the moment you say your vows and sign your name on that document, James.”

  He cupped the side of her face with his hand, not caring if it was proper or not. “It’s not you. It is supposed to be you.”

  Tears drowned the silvery-blue globes of her eyes. He caught a droplet with his thumb before it could touch her cheek. Before either of them could say anything, they were startled but the sound of the doors leading to the garden opening.

  Audra, dressed in a sleeveless ivory gown that accentuated her delicate shoulders, held her own bouquet of purple flowers as she stood in the doorway. “Are you ready?” She was stunning, absolutely beautiful with her blond hair swept back behind her head. If any of it were real he might have cried at the sight of her.

  James looked down at Natalie again, and saw in her the silent urging to go. “I’m ready.” He s
tepped out and away from Natalie, and towards Audra, accepting her hand in the crook of his elbow as they walked out into the sunshine-lit garden towards a gazebo wrapped in flowers and tulle. In the center stood a man in a black tuxedo, holding a book and smiling peacefully at them.

  Natalie trailed behind them, acting as both witness and bridesmaid. James and Audra walked together, her hand on his arm, until they reached the center of the gazebo. The sunshine was mild around them, and if he listened hard enough he could hear the sound of birds chirping in the trees around them. Natalie stood behind Audra, silent and unmoving.

  The officiant began.

  “It is on this beautiful day that we gather to celebrate the union of Audra Robertson and James Fitzgerald. Their story began more than a decade ago in college, and only grew in strength and prosperity from that day forward. Together they have accomplished what few people ever do, and they have done it at each other’s side for better or for worse. Theirs is a testament to the truest value of any marriage, which is a foundation built upon trust and mutual affection that cannot be so easily undone. May they continue to walk hand in hand together through life on this day, and every day hence forth. If there is anyone who can give reasonable cause as to why this man and this woman should not be joined in matrimony, let them speak now.”

  James shifted his gaze to where Natalie stood behind Audra, and found her breathing through parted lips, her chest rising and falling in short bursts as tears trickled down her face. He knew she would not say anything. This was, after all, her idea.

  After a moment of silence, the officiant continued. “Audra, please repeat after me. I Audra take you James to be my husband, my partner, and my love.”

  Audra inhaled deeply, and kept her eyes locked on James as she said, “I Audra take you James to be my husband, my partner, and my love.”

  “I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever.”

  “I will cherish our friendship and love you today, tomorrow, and forever,” she repeated. A single tear escaped from her eye and landed in the shallow valley above her lip.