by A. Anders
“Did he say why he was firing you?” Lucy asked saddened.
“It never came up, but I don’t think that it had to.”
Exasperated, Lucy looked between her two men. “I don’t get it. What are we supposed to do?”
Peter looked down. “Maybe nothing?”
“Nothing?” Lucy asked surprised.
“Look, it’s not like I’m going anywhere. Your father might think that he can bully me into leaving you, but I just got you. There is no way I’m giving you up now.
“But at the same time, maybe we can pretend? Now that I’m unemployed, a year’s salary is a lot. We could probably use the money.”
“So, you want me to go back to pretending?” Lucy asked Peter.
“Would that be so bad? I mean, we’ll all know what the deal is. Shouldn’t that be enough?”
Lucy stared at Peter not believing what she was hearing. How much different would her life had been if she hadn’t hidden her relationship with Cristiano? Was Peter sincerely asking her to go through that again? Could she put herself through that again? Cristiano was the one to give her her answer.
“No,” Cristiano said confidently.
“What do you mean?” Peter asked him.
“I mean that none of us will be pretending anymore.”
“Then what do we do?” Peter continued.
“We fight for what we want,” Cristiano said unwaveringly.
“But how?” Lucy asked agreeing but confused.
“We find what your father wants the most and we trade it to him for what we want,” Cristiano explained.
“What does your father want?” Peter asked Lucy.
Lucy considered the question. What did her father want? She wasn’t sure. But one thing she did know was what her father needed.
“The Vernon project.”
“What about it?” Peter asked.
“What’s that?” Cristiano questioned.
“It’s a deal that Lucy and I have been working on for the past few weeks. I mean, certainly it’s something that your father wants, but I don’t know if it’s anything we can gain leverage over him with.”
“I don’t know if that’s true. You’ve been working there longer than I have. Did you all have a string of bad deals recently?”
“Your father went off of his gut a few more times than he should have. We’ve had a few losses recently. Yes.”
“Then, it’s this deal. He told me he needs it for the company to stay afloat,” Lucy explained.
“Good. Then is there any way to use this Vernon project to our advantage?” Cristiano asked the two.
Lucy and Peter looked at each other blankly until Peter’s eyes twinkled.
“Maybe there is. But I’m gonna need a little inside help if it’s going to work,” Peter said.
For the rest of the night, Peter and Lucy hammered out a plan. It wasn’t going be easy and in the best case scenario, it would take more than a little luck to pull it off. But it was possible.
For the next three weeks, Lucy’s life was hell. She spent the first eight hours of the day running interference at work and then would come home to help Peter with their project. If it wasn’t for the time that Cristiano demanded that she submit, her brain would have exploded.
Letting go of all of her responsibilities and allowing Cristiano and Peter to have their way with her was exactly what she needed. Each night she spent under the guidance of their paddles reinvigorated her keeping her going.
When the day finally came and their project was complete, it couldn’t have come soon enough. That morning she woke up nervous. Her entire life would come down to an hour long meeting. One way or another, Lucy knew that after today, their future together would never be the same.
Lucy drove her Porsche into the building’s parking lot, parked, and then took a deep breath. Sitting with the engine off, she retrieved her phone and sent a message.
‘I’m here,’ she wrote. She received a message back.
‘We’ll meet you at the elevator.’
As Lucy got out of her car she felt her legs wobble. She was nervous as all hell. Every part of her wanted to get back into her car and drive off. She was sure that she wasn’t ready for this but when she saw Cristiano waiting for her wearing a suit, she breathed deeper and was drawn in by his confidence.
Lucy walked up to Cristiano and kissed him on the lips before then turning and kissing Peter. Both of her guys were now beside her propping up her courage. Cristiano had been right all those weeks ago. When the three of them were together, there was no one who could defeat them. Not even her father.
Getting onto the elevator, Lucy turned to Cristiano who looked unflappable as he stared at the closed elevator door. She loved him so much. She reached out and touched his hand wanting him to know it. He squeezed her hand back for a moment and then let it go. Everything they were doing depended on him. Lucy stepped back a bit giving him space to prepare.
When the elevator bingged and the door opened, Cristiano stepped out dragging Peter and Lucy in his wake. Not only did Lucy feel confident, she felt proud. These were the two men who loved her. How could any woman be luckier?
Although everyone watched them cross the floor, her father’s assistant was the first to say anything to them.
“Can I help you?” She asked sensing there would be trouble.
Lucy was the one to reply. “That’s okay. We’ll just be popping in for a moment,” she said with a smile.
“You can’t go in there,” the assistant demanded.
“Oh, but I think we can,” Lucy told her confidently.
“What are you doing here?” Lucy heard before entering and seeing her father.
“Dad, there’s something that you need to hear,” Lucy announced before pointing at Peter.
“Peter, it seems to me that you are in breach of our deal,” her father said.
“Am I? Because I think I have a deal that you might want to hear.”
“And you think you can just barge in here unannounced, with him none the less, and demand that I listen to whatever you have to say?” Harold said pointing at Cristiano.
“Actually, yes I do,” Peter said speaking with more confidence than Lucy had ever heard before.
“That’s it, I’m calling security.”
Harold reached for the phone.
“Vernon Industries,” Peter said stopping him.
Harold stared at Peter before looking over at Lucy. “What’s going on here, Honey?”
“So, now I’m Honey? Interesting. Whatever I am, I think you should hear Peter out. Our company might depend on it,” Lucy said with a confident smirk.
With concern in his eyes, her father slowly leaned back into his chair. “Okay. You win. You have my attention. All I’ll say is that if you’re looking to strike me down, you better not miss.”
Lucy looked over at Peter. She knew her father’s warning was sincere. From the look on Peter’s face, he knew it too.
With that, Peter stepped forward and dropped a folder onto Harold’s desk.
“What’s this?” Harold asked him.
“These are investors who have all signed agreements to purchase the majority share of Vernon Industries as soon I tell them that we have secured the financing.”
“And what? You want me to be the investor who completes your package?”
“Oh no. I have all of the investors I need. I can call them up at any time,” Peter corrected him.
“And let me guess, Lucy, we haven’t yet completed our offer package,” her father asked her.
“You know, Dad, as much as I have been working on it, the guys just seem to be dragging their feet.”
“I see. So, what? Are you here to brag before you rip the rug from under us?”
“Certainly not. I’m here to tell you that there is another deal on the table that I think this company might be particularly suited for.”
“And what’s that?” Harold asked curiously.
Peter dropped two more
files onto his desk. Harold opened them.
“A mining vehicle manufacturing company and a ridesharing service,” Harold asked confused. “What are these?”
“The future of Vernon Industries.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You see, if this company were to acquire Vernon it would do the same thing that my set of investors would. Under the guise of fixing it and making it better, it would cut it up into slices, sell the most valuable portions for a handsome profit, junk whatever it couldn’t, and then sell the shares of the much-depleted company, exiting the deal. I informed Mr. Vernon, of Vernon Industries, of the plan. He didn’t like it so much.
“But then I told him about another more interesting plan. One that allowed him to keep his workers employed and expand the company while making even more money.”
“And how’s that?” Harold asked curiously.
“Vernon Industries is a mining company whose largest expense is employees and equipment. In fact, that is the largest expense of all mining companies. Now, have you ever heard of Uber?”
“Of course,” Harold said.
“What if there was an Uber for mining equipment. Think about it, no one would have to acquire 50-ton dump trucks that sat around for half the year when work begins at a new mine. It would revolutionize the industry. So, equipment drivers would work more often, the equipment would have a higher use efficiency rate, and the mines using it would pay less overall for their equipment and workers.
“And all we need to do to make that happen is to structure a deal with Vernon and acquire these two struggling companies. We may not make the money overnight, but over the long term we would make billions.”
Harold squinted as he stared as Peter. Considering what he had said, he examined the folders again.
“So, what’s the catch?”
“Catch?” Peter asked with a smile. “What makes you think there’s a catch?”
“Because he wouldn’t be standing here if this was a straight business deal,” Harold said pointing at Cristiano.
At that point, Cristiano finally spoke up. “You’re a smart man.”
“Is that supposed to mean something coming from you?”
“No. It’s just an observation. I guess that’s where Lucy gets it from.”
“So, now that we’re done with the pleasantries, are you going to tell me why you’re here?”
“Yes, let’s get to the point. The point is that your time at this company is coming to an end.”
“Are you threatening me?” Harold asked ready to fight back.
“No. Just stating a fact. Nothing lasts forever. But you know that. That was why you pushed so hard for Lucy to get together with Peter. And when that didn’t work, that was why you forced Lucy to join the company. You needed someone to take over once your time was through. After all, what’s the use of building a billion-dollar company if you can’t pass it on to someone?”
Harold settled uncomfortably. “What do you want?”
“Me? I want nothing. It’s what you want that matters.”
“And what do I want?”
“You want someone to take over once you’re ready to retire… Which I assume would be relatively soon. I’m sure you’ve noticed how your instincts have begun to slip. I’m told that you need this deal to work otherwise your company is ruined?”
Harold looked at his daughter. “Lucy?”
Lucy stared back saying nothing.
“Are we going to get to a point here or are we going to keep dancing around?” Harold asked annoyed.
“Yes, let’s do that. Here’s how it’s going to happen, and how you’re going to get everything you want. First, you are going to hire Peter back and you are going to name him the next CEO of this company.”
“Am I?”
“You are. Otherwise, Peter is going to call up his investors and you’re going to lose, not only the deal but everything that you and your father worked to create.”
“I see. So this is a power grab. Why wouldn’t I just choose to burn this company to the ground instead of handing it off to some stranger?”
“Ah, yes. Because you will get the thing that you want most. You will be able to hand it off to your heir. Lucy will remain with the company and when she is ready, she will run it with Peter. So not only will you get the deal that saves your company, but you get to watch your child take it over like your father once watched you.”
Harold listened shocked. Cristiano had gotten it exactly right. This was everything he had wanted.
“And what role do you play in all this?” Harold asked searching for the next catch.
“I play no role. I am just the man who loves your daughter and Peter.”
“I get it. Now we’ve gotten to the real catch. I’ll get the Vernon deal, billions of dollars in profit, and my daughter to inherit the company, but in exchange, I have to accept whatever it is that you three are engaged in. Is that it?”
“Like I said, you are a smart man,” Cristiano said with barely a hint of a smile.
Lucy stared at Cristiano incapable of being prouder. He was going toe to toe with the most powerful man she had ever met and had stared him down. She never wanted him more. She next turned to her father.
“So, what’s it going to be, Dad? What is it that you truly want?”
Harold looked at his daughter unsure of what he should do.
“And this threesome that you have with these men, is this what you really want?”
“Dad, I love the two of them so much.”
“But they’re gay, Sweetheart. Why would you want to be a part of any of this?”
Cristiano spoke up. “Now I will talk to you, not as their negotiator, but as the man who loves your daughter,” he said drawing Harold’s attention. “You should know that your daughter and I had been in an exclusive relationship for months. In fact, the day that your daughter agreed to marry me was the happiest day of my life.”
“Lucy, you were engaged?” Harold asked stunned.
“Yes, Dad,” she said sympathetically. “In fact, I still am.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t know. Because you seemed so hung up on marrying me off to Peter. Or maybe it was that I felt you wouldn’t accept Cristiano thinking that he wasn’t good enough for me or something.”
“Honey, the only reason I pushed so hard for you to be with Peter was because it was clear to me that he loved you. At least, I thought he did.”
“No, Mr. Hollingsworth. I absolutely did love Lucy. In fact, I still do. I will probably love her until I take my last breath. And I’m willing to do anything I have to in this world to keep her,” Peter declared.
“And yet you… what… fell in love with him?” Harold said pointing at Cristiano.
“Yes. As Lucy can tell you, he is an easy man to love.”
Lucy watched her father as he tried to take it all in. She had some sympathy for him. This was a lot. Not only would he have to give up control of his company in order to save it, he would have to give up his daughter to two men. That was a lot to lose in one day.
When her father slumped into his chair, he looked noticeably older than he had only moments before. Cristiano had gotten the better of him. She had seen it. All that was left was to see how much her Dad truly loved her.
“Okay,” her father said softly.
“What did you say, Dad?”
“I said, okay. I’ll publicly announce that Peter will be the company’s next CEO and I will accept this relationship whatever it is.”
Lucy stared for a second unsure what she had heard. When it sunk in, joy bubbled through her like an erupting volcano. She couldn’t believe it. They had won. She was about to throw her arms around Cristiano when her father spoke up again.
“But, I have one condition.”
Lucy froze ripped out of the throes of happiness. “One condition? What’s that?”
“It’s that I get a grandchild. Do you understand me? I’m willing to l
ive with all of your demands as long as you give me a grandchild,” he said suddenly aged 20 years.
“Deal,” Cristiano responded as he stepped forward and reached across Harold’s desk.
Lucy watched the two men shake hands stunned. She had so many questions. A grandchild? With whom? How would that work? Was she even ready to have a child?
Lucy looked over at Peter who was just as surprised as her. Would Peter be the perfect father for her child or would Cristiano? How could she ever decide?
Luckily that wasn’t something that needed a decision today. Together they had won a tremendous victory. It was time to celebrate.
“Oh, one other thing, Dad. None of this starts today. The guys have something they need to take care of now. But, I promise, first thing tomorrow we will begin a whole new life.”
Her father looked up at Cristiano.
“You heard her,” Cristiano said with a smile. “There is something today we need to take care,” he continued immediately imagining Pete and Lucy naked in his bed.
With that, Cristiano took Lucy’s hand and threw his other arm around Peter’s shoulder. Locked in step they then left Harold’s office and made their way to the exit. They were officially a family and there was now no one who would ever be able to stop them.
Standing at the elevator, Cristiano turned to Peter and kissed him hard. When he was done, he turned to Lucy and did the same to her. It made Lucy’s body tingle knowing that so many people were watching. And when the elevator doors opened and they stepped in, they knew that when they exited, it would be to an entirely new life. They had just gotten everything that any of them had ever wanted. For the first time in a very long time, Lucy, Cristiano, and Peter were very happy.
The end.
*****
Hoping You Liked ‘Rules For Spanking’
Since you could never have too much of a good time, I thought that you might like to keep on reading.
I didn’t always write under the pen name A. Anders. For a long time I wrote much steamier stories under Alex Anders. Want to read a few of those stories? I have to warn you, they are all smokin’ hot and they only get hotter the further you read. They are almost all MMF and there is even a full length romantic suspense near the end that, if you liked the twists and turns of ‘Rules For Spanking’, you are sure to like.