Page 23 of Succumbed

He chuckles. “You can say that again. But we were all in, you know? Ready to make it happen. And Anne-Marie told such a good story. She started booking meetings for us left and right, getting us in front of investors and press.”

My heart aches at the hurt in his voice, the dejected slope of his shoulders. This girl, this ambitious, selfish person, clearly did a number on them when she made off with their formulas. My fingers flex in my pockets and I shift minutely closer, our shoulders touching, a small attempt to offer comfort.

“She’s not the one who reached out to Athena, though,” I muse.

“I wondered if you knew.” He glances over at me, his smile tinged with pride. “That was all Dec. Early on, we talked about our big goals. Investment from Athena was definitely one of them. We all challenged each other to get out of our comfort zones; reaching out to Athena on our behalf was one of those things for Dec.”

“And then Anne-Marie botched it.”

“And then Anne-Marie botched everything, Lex. Shortly after that first meeting with you, we had our first blowout fight. We wanted to go back to the lab, focus on solving the issues causing people like you to question investing in us.” He looks over with a self-deprecating grin. “You were right to be skeptical. The more we pressure-tested the product, the more we realized we needed to reset. But Anne-Marie was adamant we forge ahead.”

“So, it wasn’t Declan who chose which VCs to approach for your first seed round.” The story came together, suspicions forming about the true cause behind Declan’s defensiveness.

“No, Athena was the only investor he specifically targeted. The rest was Anne-Marie. She used her connections, and, as you’ve seen since she got picked up by Greenstar, her identity as a woman in tech to get her foot in any door she could. We were on board with it until she started lying.”

We round a bend on the trail and head back toward the facility. It’s a good thing, because it’s nearly dark.

“At first it was little things, stuff we could chalk up to a simple mistake. Then she started making claims we couldn’t substantiate, suggesting we pitch to high-profile firms and projects without disclosing the flaws. She and Dec were constantly at each other’s throats. He was listening to me and Shane, recognizing we needed to focus on R&D before we made any more promises we couldn’t fulfill. She didn’t want to hear any of it. Just shut us out and kept taking meetings.”

“How did it all fall apart?”

He laughs, but it’s an ugly, bitter sound. “She called me. It was fitting, honestly, because she wouldn’t have even been involved if I hadn’t brought her in. She told me she was sorry, but she couldn’t let us hold her back anymore. Said our tech had too much potential and we were fools to get bogged down in the details.”

“She was the fool,” I mutter, frustration on Lincoln’s behalf welling in me.

“She was. Is, if we’re honest. Anyway, she told me she didn’t need us anymore and thanked me for introducing her to her destiny. Two days later, Greenstar announced their partnership. So who knows how long she’d peddled our work as her own, all while we thought she was with us.”

“Jesus, Lincoln. I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault.” He puts a hand on my elbow to steady me as I stumble on the unlit path. “Sorry, not my best idea to go for a walk so close to sunset.”

I lean into his hold, feeling emboldened by the dark and drawn to his openness. “I don’t mind a bit. I’m used to being out in the dark. Four am is usually my only time to get a run in.”

He gives me a long look, and I feel it like a caress on my skin. My body reacts to him so naturally, a sense of rightness between us that catches me off guard. Sex has been transactional for me for years, something I seek when I need release, and never for more than a night or two. But the way this man gazes at me, as though his world has narrowed to me and nothing else? It’s intoxicating. Add that to his heartfelt conversation, playful humor, and clear care for his family, and it’s like the universe is serving him to me on a silver platter. Who am I to deny the universe?

“Anyway,” he continues, dragging his eyes back to the path, “Declan has always felt responsible for everything that went down with Anne-Marie. It was his decision to sell my parents’ company, his choice to trust her with the investor meetings and strategy conversations. He thought they were aligned, so he wasn’t always present. He spent a lot of time with us in R&D, working through the kinks and experimenting.”

“I hope you’re not making excuses for him and his abysmal attitude,” I tease to diffuse the tension, bumping into him again.

His laugh is soft and velvety. “Wouldn’t dream of it. Just thought some context might help the next time he puts his foot in his mouth. Because he’s going to keep fucking up for a while, I think.”

“Do you know why he sees me as the enemy?”

We reach the parking lot, and the light from the street lamps illuminates Linc’s wry expression.

“He sees everyone as the enemy right now, Lex.” He runs his hand through his thick dark hair. “He’s convinced it’s all his fault, and he’s the only one who can fix it, even though that’s the furthest thing from the truth.”

His assessment rings true. Though he fought me at every turn, I can tell Declan cares deeply for both his business and his partners.

“This can only work if he gets on board, Linc. With enthusiasm.”

He dips his chin. “I know. He knows it, too. He could've thrown in the towel by now, but he hasn’t.”

“That may be, but I refuse to be the one bearing the brunt of his bullshit.” My eyes harden as I look up. “I’m serious, Linc. I won’t stand for his insults or attempts to walk all over me.”

“Damn straight you won’t.” His sharp jaw ticks. “Believe me, you aren’t the only one holding him accountable.”

Even though I know so little about them, I believe him. Something in my gut tells me Lincoln is an earnest, honest man. And I listen to my gut. It’s gotten me this far.

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