Page 103 of Second Chance for Mr. Alden

I stepped away and pushed her toward the door. When she didn’t move, I opened it and shoved her outside. A tightness formed in my shoulder blades. I couldn’t see them, but I knew James and Gage would be there soon. I promised to get Lexi out of here alive and intended to keep that promise.

She gave me one last sad look and left.

I closed my eyes and drew in a deep breath before turning around. When I did, I made sure a smirk was firmly in place on my lips and put an extra sway in my step as I moved toward Jareth.

His dark eyes looked me over.

“So, now that we’re alone why don’t you tell me why you’d commit a felony to ‘talk’ to me.” I made sure to use air quotes around talk. “This seems a little extreme when a date for coffee would have been less of a hassle.”

“How do you suggest I do that when you completely disappeared?” He strode forward. “And this is a time sensitive situation, Jess.”

“I’m sorry, but are you justifying kidnapping my friend and forcing me here against my will?” I crossed my arms over my chest. My eyes shot daggers at him.

He laughed. A deep, rich sound. “Not in the least. I had no other choice.”

“Then please explain. I’m a captive audience.” I mustered up as much sarcasm as I could.

He smiled. “That you are. Would you care to sit down?” He gestured to a few seats off to the side of the room.

I started to walk around the room. Taking note of some of the old machinery still left behind. “I’m good.”

“Suit yourself.” He sat down. Clearly, he wasn’t threatened by me or the thought that maybe I hadn’t come alone.

“So what is this, a shotgun wedding? Are my parents on their way?” A sudden thought hit me. “Did they have something to do with this?”

A grimace graced his face, not detracting from his good looks, almost enhancing it. “In a way.”

Anger vibrated through me. “I fucking knew it. Why are they so intent on me marrying you?”

He shrugged. “Their reason is probably far different than my own.”

I stopped pacing. Something in his tone had me on edge. “Explain.”

“They think a marriage to me would be advantageous for them. I would help them run the company and work to keep you from getting the majority share.”

I snorted. “That wouldn’t be too hard to do since I only have two percent to my name.” It wasn’t enough to haveanypower.

He silently regarded me. “What do you know about the provision in your grandmother’s will that goes into effect on your thirtieth birthday?”

I rolled my eyes. “There isn’t one.”

“That’s what I thought.” He turned to one of the two men that stood silently at the back of the room and gestured for him. “Please go get the papers I pulled together for Jess.”

After a few minutes he returned with the papers. Jareth came forward and handed them to me.

I scanned the top page. My name and the date of my upcoming birthday jumped out at me. “My birthday is in three days.”

“It is.” He folded his hands, and steepled his fingers, waiting for me to see whatever it was he wanted me to see.

I flipped through the first and then the second page before going back to give it a thorough read. Or at least I tried to. There was so much unexpected information that I was on overload and struggling to take it all in.

My hands shook as I skimmed the first page again. “How did you get this?”

“Your parents don’t withhold much from me.” He never once looked away. It was unnerving.

He wasn’t wrong. The proof of how much they trusted him was laid out within the documents in front of me.

“So my grandmother intended to give me a piece of the company all along,” I whispered. Tears pricked at the back of my eyes and tightened my throat. All this time I’d been angry that she’d chosen to leave it in the hands of my parents.

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