Page 321 of Hate Mates

She leaned back in the chair and looked up at me. “What are you? Two?” When I just stared back at her, she rolled her eyes and continued, “We need to discuss the event scheduled for next month.”

Circling around to the front of the desk, I sat in one of the two matching leather chairs and put my feet up on the desk,lacing my fingers together over my stomach. “What do you want to know?”

“I read the synopsis in the basic report that was emailed by your second, but I want to hear your expectations and plans for it. What, other than money, are you hoping it will do for the business? For Paradise, not the family.”

Leaning my head back onto the edge of the leather chair, I smiled at her. “Everything is about money for the family. Money and power.”

“Power is an illusion.” She had been comparing invoices, one of which had been padded for family business. Elin let out an irritated huff and her lips thinned. “I also need to know when invoices are modified to cover shit for the family.” I glared at her, but she didn’t turn her gaze to me and continued, “I don’t need to know why, but I need to know so I’m not expecting something to be available for the club, only to find out that it was just a cover.” Her attention flittered across the screen as her fingers worked quickly with the mouse pad to get something else to pop up. The light from the laptop brightened her face, and I swallowed when my cock twitched at how it enhanced her beauty.

Enhanced her beauty? What the fuck am I thinking?

“I know that you and my father had a CPA to cook the books, and I don’t really give a fuck about that. I just want to make sure I receive my fair cut each month and have realistic expectations. Now, I’ve read the reports and seen the lists, but tell me about the party.”

“We’re hoping to bring new blood into the club. Increase membership.”

“Membership is at an all-time high, unless you’ve cooked those numbers as well.”

I shook my head. “No, but the average age is rising. We need to bring in the next generation to keep from phasing out. Guests keep coming in, but memberships are holding steady.”

“Alright. I don’t see any notes about increased security.”

I ground my teeth and said harshly, “The family has it covered.” Elin raised her eyebrows, making me let out an irritated sigh. “Or should I say, a private contractor will be in attendance.”

“It will need to be on paper for the tax write-off.”

“You know that can’t happen. These guys are on Azzaro payroll. They have to stay off the club books. You would know that if you knew anything about the way the family works.”

“I know that you bully people into doing what you want. You should learn quickly that I’m a dominant woman in my own right and won’t take your intimidation. Now, testing is still required for the event, right? I won’t have STDs running rampant because we let someone slip through.”

Now she was just being insulting. “Of course.”

Closing the laptop, she leaned forward on the desk and stared at me. I narrowed my eyes at her before saying, “Do you think I want them spreading here? Even I’m tested monthly, just like any other member.”

“Good. I’ll make sure I am too, even if I don’t partake in the club’s benefits. I would hope you wouldn’t want STDs to spread here, but it isn’t like all your morals are pure white. At best, you run in the grey of the world. I wouldn’t say you’re pitch black, but well, you could just kill me and take my half of the business. For whatever reason, you aren’t stooping that low.”

“I’d never kill a business partner, even if she does piss me off and makes me want to throttle her.” What I didn’t say was that there was a part of me that wanted to push her against the wall and show her that having me as a partner had its benefits.Ones that would contain multiple orgasms and her screaming my name.

I shook my head, trying to banish those thoughts. What was it with this woman? She was arrogant, pushy, and getting under my skin. My father expected me to keep a cool and even head. That was usually the situation no matter what, but with her, my fingers twitched to toss her over my knee and spank the brat and arrogance out of her. Now, though, my voice came out in a low growl. “It’s out of the respect I have for your father. He was devoted to the family.”

Shrugging her shoulders, she glared at me. “And I’m not one of your little minions.”

The way this bitch doesn’t back down was insulting. Sitting up, I leaned on my knees and flexed my hands. “You know who I am, right?”

“I do. I just don’t really give a shit.”

“Who do you think you are, coming in here, talking to me like this?”

“An equal fifty percent owner in Paradise Pleasure, LLC.” Her hands folded together as she leaned on the top of the desk. “And you are going to treat me like one, instead of using your family name to compensate for your micro pencil dick.”

“Get over yourself. What is it with women assuming that because a man tells her to stop being bossy, it’s because they’re compensating for things? So, unless you want me to show you exactly how much I’m not compensating —”

“I’ll do what I want, when I fucking want.” She stood up and strode around the desk, her hands on her hips. I had to admit the fire in her eyes was fucking sexy as fuck, but she was going to have to learn her place. “You will treat me as an equal partner. I recognize that in your world, women are to be locked in some mansion, popping out heirs for you and being there for you when you get home all bloody and need to fuck out your emotions. It’stoo fucking bad for you that I’m a woman unwilling to play by your ancient, misogynistic fucking rules.”

Thrusting myself to my feet, I stood inches from her, glaring down at her defiant face. Those deep blue eyes glowered at me, the only sound in the room the thumping of the music two floors down. Gritting my teeth in frustration, I felt blood flood my cock the longer I stared into the depths of her eyes. I took a step toward her, but of course Elin didn’t back up. She held her ground as I said through my teeth, “I’m going to destroy you.”

THREE

Elin

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