Page 41 of A Billionaire Dom

Davin

I hadn’t thoughtit was possible to dislike the Ciardis more than I already did, but they were proving me wrong already. They’d essentially bullied their way into an appointment by telling Dad that they’d go somewhere else if they had to wait to outline the main points of what they wanted.

I hated people who did things like that, which meant I was already pissed off when Dad said they’d insisted on meeting with me. Remembering how Loretta had leered at me didn’t make this any better.

Now, there was this.

“We’ll only go with your company if you personally handle our account,” Theodore said for the second time, like I must not have heard him the first time since I wasn’t falling all over myself, grateful for their insistence.

Like I didn’t have plenty of more important things to do at work than cater to every little thing these two would think of. They’d get an agent all to themselves, or maybe someone who was finishing things up on another account.

But Dad would be pissed if they walked away because I wouldn’t do what it took to close the deal. We put in whatever work needed to be done because we had a name, a reputation, to uphold.

I wasn’t averse to hard work, but I also wasn’t superhuman. There really was only so much I could do. “Let’s take a look at everything you want us to handle, and we’ll see where things can fit into my schedule. As CFO, I don’t usually handle entire accounts from beginning to end.”

Neither Loretta nor Theodore looked happy by my statement, but I wasn’t going to add more hours to my already insane workdays just so they could feel like they were getting special attention.

The expression on their faces told me they had had other special attention in mind that might make up for my lack of enthusiasm at the prospect of working my ass off for whatever it was they wanted.

“Our lawyer is drawing up the papers about what we want from Holden Enterprises.” Theodore went on, reaching over to put his hand on Loretta’s leg. Since I was the only other one in the room, he didn’t even bother being discreet about the fact that he was pushing up her skirt.

“But here is one thingnotin the contracts that we have to have before we’re ready to sign,” Loretta said, arching her back so that her breasts were more prominently displayed, something I wouldn’t have thought possible.

I didn’t want to know what she had in mind, but I had a feeling I wasn’t going to get away with not hearing it. I was also mostly sure what it was. They’d been hinting at it from the first time we met. I supposed it was better to finally get it over with.

“I’m just going to lay this out there,” Theodore said. “You know, instead of being tactful like usual.”

I was actually too stunned by this proclamation to even process an appropriate reply. “Um…”

“I want you to fuck my wife.”

Okay. Thatwasblunt.

“More specifically, I want to watch you fuck my wife.” Theodore did something to Loretta with his hand that I was glad I couldn’t see. “It turns me on, seeing her with another man. Being fucked in all sorts of ways. I mean, trust me, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen your woman taking it up the–”

“I don’t get involved with clients.” I was going to need bleach for my brain if the conversation kept going this way.

“If you want us tobeyour clients, Davin,” he spoke through gritted teeth, “you’re going to fuck her where I say, how I say, when I say.”

“I’m sorry.” I forced myself to keep my tone polite and professional despite wanting to add a few choice words. “But I’m not part of any negotiations. What you and your wife do is your private business, and I respect that line. I won’t cross it for any price.”

Loretta’s lips twisted into what I assumed was supposed to be a scowl but only made her look constipated. I didn’t care if she was offended by my refusal. The proposition itself was offensive. I wasn’t for sale.

Theodore stood, a flush creeping up his thick neck. “I’d been assured by your father that you’d do whatever it took to close this deal.”

I seriously doubted that he’d told Dad any specifics about what he wanted me to do. Me handling their account personally was the kind of thing Dad would expect. Having sex with another man’s wife was something else entirely.

“It’s too bad you don’t have the balls for it,” Theodore continued. “You could’ve made a lot of money.”

I almost said that I’d rather keep my self-respect, but that would’ve just made the situation worse. At least, this way, I could honestly say that I’d handled the situation professionally.

As expected, less than fifteen minutes after they walked out, Dad stalked into my office and nearly slammed the door behind him, checking himself at the last minute so that it closed naturally.

“Care to explain why the Ciardis just walked past me and said they’d be going somewhere else?”

“Their demands were excessive and unrealistic.” I put it as succinctly as possible and hoped he wasn’t going to make me spell it out.

“We do what it takes to close the deal, Davin. I thought you understood that.” He sighed. “I told them that you’d do whatever it took, and now I look like a liar. I don’t like having people question my integrity. The integrity of this company.”

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