Page 55 of Taming the CEO

"Something like that," he admitted.

"So this is why you came to find me today?"

He shook his head and then touched my face with the back of his hand. "I was honestly hoping I wouldn't see your car at the park at all. That you would already be safe at home. But I'm so damn glad I stopped by."

"So am I. I got lucky," I whispered.

"I'm the lucky one, Cami. I'm the fucking luckiest bastard in the world."

His gaze was on my lips. I let out a shaky breath, and he stepped back.

"Let's turn on the oven,” he said.

"Right away."

He prepped everything surprisingly quickly. I really wasn't much use besides stirring the mulled wine.

As I peered inside the pot, my phone beeped again. I instantly checked it, wondering if the message was from Dad or Miriam.

It was from Bill.

Bill: Hey. Hope you’re safe from the storm. You didn’t reply the other day about selling the property. We can give you 10% more than what we offered the first time.

My eyes bulged. I swear to God, this guy has some nerve! Bill was always persistent, and I couldn’t be as abrasive with him as I wanted.

Cami: The offer is way too low, Bill.

Bill: But wouldn’t you rather the property go to a local?

I drew in a deep breath. I needed to nip this in the bud.

Cami: Not at any cost.

Bill: Well, that’s how much the property is worth to us.

"What’s wrong?" Maddox asked.

I shrugged, pushing my phone away. "Bill got wind that you want Essex Adventures. He... well, his family offered to buy the land once, right after Mom died. Their price was truly ridiculous. Dad got super offended. I think they just thought we’d be so distraught that we’d sell it to the first person who offered."

He set his jaw. "Go on."

"Anyway, now he says they're still interested and are offering 10 percent more than what they originally did. What a joke."

"I did have a bad feeling about him, but this is insane."

"I agree. I can’t tell him to go fuck himself, though."

Maddox grinned. “I can.”

I laughed, stirring the pot again. “Trust me, you can't, or else he’ll delay or disapprove your permits.”

"No, he won’t." He said this so seriously that I was tempted to tease him. Then I remembered Whitley Industries was a huge-ass corporation. Someone like Bill couldn’t push them around. "If he’s bothering you, just say the word."

“I don’t want to talk about Bill anymore, okay?”

He leveled me with his gaze.

“Really,” I insisted.

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