Page 119 of Bet On Me, Daddy

Beckett

“Ready for the big showdown?”

Glancing up from his computer, Beckett raised an eyebrow at Jonas, who was sprawled in one of his visitor chairs. “The showdown was yesterday with the board. This is merely a formality.”

Jonas let out a low whistle. “I thought they were gonna riot when you said you didn’t want Kingsley on board.”

“So did I.” And he had a few members of the board he’d be keeping a close eye on for the foreseeable future. While they’dultimately agreed with Beckett’s decision, there were a few of the old guard who had been openly hostile toward him for the rest of the meeting. If he wasn’t careful, he’d be pulling knives out of his back.

Being the boss sucked sometimes.

His phone rang, distracting him from the black cloud hanging over his head as he reached for it. “Yes?”

“Mr. Stone, there’s a Mr. Kingsley here to see you. Should I send him in?”

“Tell him I’m in a meeting and to have a seat. I’ll be down in just a bit.”

Eyes wide, Jonas sat up straighter in his chair. “You’ve got balls of fucking steel making him wait.”

“Men like him need to be knocked down a peg or two from time to time.”

He gave it a full fifteen minutes, shooting the shit with Jonas, before they made their way out into the waiting area down the hall from Beckett’s office. Preston was there, sulking in a chair just across from Sonja’s desk. And when Braden saw how pointedly Sonja was ignoring his glare, he made a mental note to bump up her bonus at the end of the year.

“Preston.” Keeping an easy smile on his face, Braden approached his former white whale without bothering to extend his hand. “I hope we didn’t keep you waiting long.”

“You shouldn’t have kept me waiting at all, Stone. I hope I can expect better customer service from you lot going forward. If not, there are plenty of other investment firms who would appreciate my business.”

It was the perfect opening. “Actually, now that you mention it?—”

“Beckett Stone! What the fuck is wrong with you?”

Whipping around, Beckett stared in shock at the auburn-haired angel of vengeance swooping down on him. “Ruby. What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to tell you in person what an arrogant sonofabitch you are. How fuckingdareyou?” Planting her hands on his chest, she shoved, but luckily he’d braced himself so even with the considerable force she’d put behind the move he didn’t topple backward. “I’ve already told you, I don’t want or need your?—”

Every ounce of color drained from Ruby’s face as her gaze latched on something behind him and Beckett stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her as she stumbled back a step. “Ruby? Baby? What’s wrong?”

“Hello, Ruby.”

Preston’s voice, which always held a smug sort of edge to it that had set Braden’s teeth on edge from the first time he met the man, had taken on an even more sinister note. And like the tumblers of a lock being turned, everything clicked into place.

“Jonas. Take Ruby back to my office. Now.”

“Yes, Sir. Come on, honey. Let’s get you something to drink.”

For once in her life, Ruby obeyed without argument, letting herself be led away by Jonas.

All but vibrating with barely restrained fury, Beckett turned, his vision going red at the edges at the sight of Preston’s smirking face.

“Well, well, well. It seems we have similar tastes in more than just whiskey,” he said with a chuckle that raked across Beckett’s already frayed nerves.

“Mr. Kingsley, I invited you here today so I could tell you, in person, that Stone Investments will not now, or ever, be doing business with you.” That wasn’t exactly how he’d planned for this to go down, but no way in hell was he taking Preston back to his office and letting him get anywhere near Ruby.

Preston’s expression shifted from amused, cocky billionaire to twisted rage in a second. “And why the hell not?”

“We aren’t a good fit.”

“You can’t be serious. Is this about that little whore you’ve got back in your office? Because I don’t know what she’s told you, but she’s a lying, gold-digging bitch. Always was.”

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