Page 48 of Ruthless Financier
My hands curled. This was his last-minute maneuver to save face, but it also threw a wrench in my plans.
Indigo’s face fell and she glanced at me as she said, “I’ll sure Jacob will run the company, without needing my opinion—”
“The takeover documents will say otherwise, but it doesn’t matter. You’re both happy and in love.”
“Right,” Indigo said and pressed her lips together.
My father’s shoulders puffed out like he won. He patted me on the back as if we were friendly when he said, “I’ll get the paperwork started. Have a good night, lovebirds.”
I stilled. He had already set this plan of his in motion. No wonder Howard hadn’t said a word. My hands went into my pockets so no one could see my fists, and I stared at my wife. “Indigo.”
She swallowed and her gaze met mine. “We should head out.”
Good. I was thinking the same thing. If my father put everything in her name to throw a wrench in my calculated plans, then either he intended to maintain silent control, or he intended to sow chaos.
In no reality would he walk away from his powerhouse willingly. My mind raced to figure out his real game. He had not only evaded my takeover plans. He had also just empowered my wife with a means of having far more money than our contract provided.
Alone, later, we’d talk. Since I’d gotten to know her, I’d realized her goals were always about the love she had for her family and her causes. And my father’s goal, almost certainly, was to cause dissention and expose our marriage ruse.
Despite my fantasies, she didn’t love me. And I shouldn’t have been so damn trusting with information. Now she had the means to take far more than my heart that she didn’t want.
As we stepped onto the lawn, she shook her head and said, “This doesn’t matter.”
The door was still open and partygoers were still within earshot, mostly laughing and chatting. I tapped my phone to signal the driver to come and I walked beside her, without touching her, as I said, “Let’s talk at home, away from anyone who might hear us.”
“Okay.” She nodded, but her coloring was still pale. “That’s a good idea.”
We hopped into the limo and sat in the leather seats for the short ride home.
Indigo sucked in her lips and alternated between staring at me for answers and glancing out the window at the waving palm trees.
I had nothing to say, and I couldn’t touch her. I knew better than to believe she might fall in love with me. I shouldn’t have trusted her. Now she had the reins, and I was tense.
I couldn’t pull the trigger on my takeover now that she’d be a target. I’d lost my ability to destroy without feelings.
I’d fallen in love with a woman who’d stomp on my heart to protect her family, and I could tell when she glanced at me that it wasn’t because she cared.
My shoulders were tight and a knot of pain formed between them and spread down my back. We made it back to the house and I stretched as I stepped out of the car. I stayed next to her as we walked up my own driveway in silence.
As I opened the door for us, she stepped in and took off her shoes. She went to the yellow leather couch and massaged her heels and said, “Even if he did sign things over to me, our contract was for twenty-five million and that’s all I get out of any deal.”
No mention of love, but then that wasn’t part of the deal. I plopped beside her and massaged my temples. “He’s smart. I’m sure the paperwork is going to have some hook to trap us, or he’s going to ensure there is some avenue for him to swoop in and take his bank back.”
She turned to face me and her knees pressed into my thigh. She said confidently, “You’ll figure out how to stomp that out. Don’t let whatever he’s plotting stop you from celebrating. You won.”
No. I didn’t. I lost. I was likely in a love with a woman who only wanted the money, because I’m a damn fool. And my father was finding a way to turn Indigo into a weapon against me.
This wasn’t on her. I’d been the fool who’d begun to hope that she’d loved me too. Even though she’d been clear that wasn’t possible, that she didn’t believe in love. I didn’t blink as I met her gaze. “I don’t have your faith, not until I figure him out.”
She lowered her head and continued to press against her heels. “I don’t have a trusting heart like my sisters Georgie and Stephanie. They studied finance in school, but they trust that they’re good in relationships without falling apart.”
I stood up quickly. I’d failed in ripping Frozen Assets apart if I didn’t stop his plan to undermine my authority. Her answer had confirmed it. She’d never love me, so I shouldn’t depend on her. I swallowed and said, “You being involved could complicate my ability to control my father’s empire.”
She stood and tried to take my hands, but I stepped back.
She said, “I’ll run PR for whatever you want, and stick to our twenty-five-million-dollar agreement, and in five years we go our separate ways.”
Wow. I’d ended up falling for a woman who didn’t care about me at all. Five years might be too long. It was possible that if I didn’t let her go before then, I’d become so addicted to her that I’d turn into the monster my father had been. My entire body was hollow. I turned away and let my shoulders slump. “Nothing’s changed for you, then. You’ll honor your word.”
