Page 16 of Succumbed

The three men settle into their seats, then turn their eyes to me. It’s a heady thing, being caught in their intense gazes. I clench my thighs and breathe deeply, pushing my arousal away. Focus, Lex.

“Here’s how tonight is going to go,” I announce. “I came with an offer. It is conditional, non-negotiable, and valid for twenty-four hours. The purpose of this conversation is to give you enough information to make a decision. We’ll go over the details and you can ask any questions you have.”

Lincoln’s eyes light up and he leans forward, glancing excitedly toward Shane, then Declan.

“However,” I continue, letting ice creep into my voice and gaze as I stare Declan down. “If I feel disrespected by you again, at any point, I will walk. Immediately and without hesitation. Do I make myself clear?”

The vein on Declan’s forehead reappears. “Crystal,” he answers smoothly, though the redness flushing his neck belies his frustration.

“Good. I understand you were very recently betrayed and might find trust difficult.” Declan’s brows rise a fraction, and he shifts uncomfortably. “But I am not Anne-Marie and I do not deserve your vitriol. The fact we’re both women does not give you license to be a dick. Got it?”

Declan clears his throat. “Got it,” he rasps, dropping his gaze as he sips his water.

I take a steadying breath and lower myself to my seat. Lincoln goes to speak, eyes bright and eager, but Shane interrupts him.

“Let’s order, then discuss business.”

As it did in our meeting at Athena, Shane’s deep voice captures my attention and I turn toward him. There’s something striking about his focused gaze, something steady and calm in the way he carries himself that draws me in.

My answering smile is tight. “Let’s.”

Our server stops by a few moments later to collect our orders. As she walks away, I look up to find three intense pairs of eyes on me once more. Tingles prick along my skin, my breath catching at the weight of their attention. Ignoring the way the fine hairs on my nape rise in reaction, I draw the folder containing the offer from my bag. Lincoln reaches out a hand, but Shane gives him a warning look. Lincoln blinks and drops his hand, watching silently as Shane offers his instead. Interesting.

“This is a formal offer from Athena.” I hand Shane the folder, who accepts it with a slight bow of his head before setting it on the table, his eyes never leaving mine. “We’re offering twelve million dollars for a twenty-five percent stake in Solum Technologies.”

I sense both Lincoln and Declan shift, as though gearing up to speak, but Shane holds up a hand. “Go on, Lex. Please.”

His simple command of the table, which the Wilde brothers defer to without protest, is as sexy as it is unexpected. I appreciate a confident man. I fight the urge to smile, surprised by my reaction. Taking a sip of water, I give myself a moment.

“We all know there’s more at stake here than just your product and professional future,” I go on. “Given my personal investment in your success, I’ll be handling your account myself. At least until launch.”

“We’d be honored.” Shane’s voice is arresting. Both quiet and deep, it somehow fills the space. “Do you have a launch date in mind?”

“I do, and it’s another condition. You’ll launch at the Green Innovation Summit in Paris.”

“That’s only three months away,” Lincoln cuts in.

I glance over as Shane casts him a stern glare. “It is indeed.”

“We’ll be ready,” Shane affirms. “What else?”

The gentle dominance in his tone sends electricity skittering along my skin. I struggle to keep my expression passive as I answer.

“My availability is limited, but weekly in-person progress meetings will be necessary. We’ll have to be creative with scheduling, including early mornings, late nights, weekends.”

“Not a problem.”

I tilt my head, trying to read his neutral expression. Declan was who I’d expected to lead negotiations, despite Lincoln driving our last conversation. In our first meeting years ago, Shane was silent, the quiet, though obviously brilliant, lead engineer. Now, I have the overwhelming feeling there’s far more lurking beneath his surface.

“I might be handling your account to start, but this deal is with Athena. My team will have carte blanche access to your data, and I need a facilities tour within forty-eight hours of accepting the offer.”

Shane’s look turns thoughtful as he considers my words, and I look to Declan.

“And I need you to do the same with the business records. Don’t think I missed that you’ve been less than forthcoming so far. You need to walk me through it, then provide me access to your files so our team can get up to speed.”

Declan’s eyes narrow briefly before darting to Shane. His jaw clenches in response to whatever look he receives before responding tightly. “Alright.”

What the fuck is his deal? I return my focus to Shane, patience wearing dangerously thin.

---