Page 9 of Defiled Innocence

“Let’s start over.” I clear my throat to get rid of the little squeak I heard in my voice. “I’m not going to marry you. I understand that means you’ll only inherit a small percentage of his shares in the firm. However, you’ll have enough shares to yield some power. I just need assurance that you’ll keep the funding for the foundation intact.”

I take a short breath. Appealing to how this benefits him will work best.

“You have a lot of wealth. You don’t need Lucas’ investment firm. So, this way, you don’t get stuck with me as a wife, you still earn good money from the firm, and all you have to do is agree that the foundation keeps getting funded.”

He stares at me a moment; I assume to think it over.

“No.”

“No?” This man is going to make me absolutely bonkers if he doesn’t stop with one-word answers.

This is my future at stake. The future of the Moreau Center that an entire community depends on hangs in the balance. There is more than just me involved here.

He draws in a breath, making himself even larger than he already appeared.

I mean really, the man is at least six two, a full foot taller than me. Does he really need to make himself that much bigger? He takes up the whole room just with his ego.

“I’m not sure you listened to your attorney,” he starts. “According to the bylaws of the firm, the majority of the shareholders needs to remain a member of the Moreau family. Or a spouse of a Moreau family member.”

“Yes, he told me that. But you’ll still get some shares if we don’t marry. So, you’ll still get money.” Why isn’t he listening? It doesn’t make any sense to marry a stranger when he can still have shares and be free of me.

“You’re not understanding. If the majority of the shares aren’t held by a member of the Moreau family, or their spouse, then the firm is no longer obligated to fund the Moreau Foundation.”

He pauses a moment for me to digest the information.

“Without Moreau Investment Firm, the endowment that the foundation is funded by will be the only source of funding. Which means, once that money is gone, the foundation is gone with it.” He explains this like he’s already looked over everything. And he probably has.

I shouldn’t have put the attorney off for so long. Dmitri has had more time to come up with a battle strategy than me.

“The endowment earns interest,” I fight back. “And so long as the investments are well managed, we can continue to survive.”

He tilts his head. “Who has been managing the investments this long?”

My stomach sinks. “Lucas.”

“Your brother has been investing in the foundation for years. Your expenses are more than the yearly interest earnings.”

“Are you saying I don’t run the center well?” I won’t allow that insult to go unchecked.

I may not know the ins and outs of the investments, having been more than happy to let my brother handle that, but I know damn sure that I know how to do my job.

“No. I’m saying the cost of running it is more than interest alone can handle. The money you receive from donors every year helps, but your brother’s yearly contribution has kept your doors open.”

“Then I’ll take over the shares. I’m a member of the Moreau family.”

He waits a moment, like he’s waiting for me to catch up with him.

“What?” I blurt out when he remains silent.

“If you remain unmarried, you lose the inheritance altogether. Which means you can’t take over the shares. So, you lose the company. And without the income from your brother, you’ll be out of money within a year. Your foundation will close, and the center will be out of business.”

He’s a cold-hearted bastard.

Why the hell would Lucas want me tied to this man in any way? He’s completely backed me into a corner. If I had been married by now, my husband would take over the company, leaving me to keep running the foundation while the funding continued to flow. But since I’m not, Lucas picked this man, this arrogant, mountainous man for me. To go against the marriage, I lose everything.

“Why do you want the company? Are you big into real estate investment?” I look around his office. “You seem to be doing fine with your club.”

He lifts a shoulder, like it’s an insignificant question.

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