Page 72 of His Rules

Steven’s harsh look reminded me of that. He turned his head, studying me briefly. “Sebastian and I want to buy back the firm at pennies on the dollar.”

Pops almost choked on his drink. “Tell me how in God’s name you think you can do that. Charles is a tough businessman.”

“Who is apparently working with my partner, Drake Caffrey, in trying to put me out of business. Didn’t you once tell me all is fair in love and war? Well, this is war.”

He was more than surprised at what I’d told him. “What are you thinking about?”

Now I was the one who glanced from one side of the room to the other. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to get wind of what was on the table.

“We’re expanding, Pops. And we’re rebranding.” As I explained what I had in mind, I could see a light flicker in my father’s eyes I hadn’t seen in years.

Yes, we’d disappointed him by going our separate ways, determined to make names for ourselves. It was funny how everything came around in a full circle.

After the news settled in, my father said something very unexpected.

“I’m proud of you, both of you. Together we’ll make a lot of money.”

I locked eyes with Steven. This was either going to be the best decision I’d made or the worst.

Either way, it felt good to consider family first.

And I had one saucy blonde to thank for my rebirth.

CHAPTER 19

Kacey

Had Mr. Kane called? That was the question on the tip of my tongue since Sebastian hadn’t volunteered it since calling me into the office.

His expression was a blank canvas. At least I could tell by the sparkle in his eyes something was going on. I only hoped it was something positive.

While the afternoon had seemed to drag on, excitement continued to build. I was eager to hear what kind of plans Sebastian had churning in that head of his. He’d left around noon for a business lunch, but it had been well after three-thirty when he’d returned. I’d already assured myself he wasn’t returning to the office.

He’d walked in with a scowl on his face, yet I’d noticed a twinkle in his eyes. Up until twenty minutes ago, he’d remained behind closed doors.

Alone.

If he’d been on the phone, he’d used his personal cell as his office line wasn’t lit.

When he’d invited me in, he’d simply asked me to go over conceptual pricing.

I’d enjoyed lunch with the girls and finally felt as if I’d found a business home. I’d certainly read about Winston Winfield’s successful hospitality company, but I honestly hadn’t realized that at the height of his career, he’d owned hotels in several countries. Over the years, he’d sold off many of the locations to competitors, but had kept a core.

Then he’d sold out to World Hospitality Corporation. They were doing well from what I could tell, but nothing like what Winfield Properties had been in their heyday.

I wondered why neither Sebastian nor his brother had taken over. And why did I have a feeling that decision had been the bass notes humming along for years prior to Drake attempting to dethrone someone he’d called a friend?

I’d seen Drake leave right after Sebastian earlier in the day and I’d almost followed him. Now I wished I had. It was well after hours and almost everyone else had already gone home. Sheila had come through with the hotel receipts. The location was in the heart of the city, one often used for conferences. I’d tried to snoop, but as expected, I didn’t get anywhere. Information on guests was kept highly confidential.

“I think there’s missing money, but I’ve yet to find how it’s occurring.” I thought my statement would surprise him, but he didn’t act as if he was bothered in the least.

He took a deep breath, nodding a couple of times. “You think or you know?”

“I know small amounts are missing. A few hundred here, a couple thousand there. Nothing large, but enough my hackles are raised.”

“Okay. Give me your thoughts on why.”

“Honestly? It’s minuscule dollars that don’t equate from one sheet to another. Nothing significant and if I wasn’t attempting to do a deeper dive into the books from a learning statement, I’m doubtful I would have found the discrepancies. I just can’t determine the source. Maybe the money was being used as a test to see if anyone would find out.”

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