Page 11 of She Devil
‘Perhaps you’re right—fucking each other against a wall wasn’t a great idea,’ I agree, walking towards her so we’re standing only feet apart. ‘I guess the resentment between us finally reached a point where something had to give.’ I flash her a grin. ‘And it turned out to be your underwear.’
I see something flare in her eyes and heat rushes through my body, making my cock throb with interest at the memory I’ve just described. I tamp down the feeling, knowing I need to keep my head on straight here.
‘But, seriously, I agree it was a moment of madness,’ I say. ‘If I hadn’t been off my head with grief after losing my father, I would never have even entertained the idea.’
Her throat moves as she swallows, and I wonder whether she’s trying to gulp down a retort she wants to make but knows she shouldn’t.
‘So can we talk seriously? Business person to business person?’ she asks stiffly.
Is she feeling the same sexual tension I am? I bloody hope so. It’ll make my job a lot easier if she’s distracted by her desire for more adventures against the wall.
‘Of course. That’s what we’re here for. Business,’ I murmur, smiling at her.
She looks disconcerted by my affability, but I’m guessing she assumes I must be hard up for money to cover my father’s death duties if I’m trying to sell his business so fast, and that therefore as a potential buyer she has some power over me.
Think again.
‘And we can put our personal differences aside for the duration of this meeting?’
‘I can if you can.’
A flicker of doubt in her expression tells me she’s sceptical about that.
It seems I have some work to do here.
‘Okay. Well, putting all my cards on the table, I’d like to buy your father’s business and I’m absolutely positive that DH Worldwide will be able to top any offer you’ve already been made,’ she says, giving me the sort of determined gaze I’ve come to know well over the years.
‘Oh, I don’t know. I’ve had some pretty interesting offers made already.’
‘But you’re still open to hearing an offer from me.’ She delivers this as a statement, as if she’s sure there’s no way on earth I’d even consider cutting her company out of the running. Typical April—completely convinced she’s right, no matter what.
‘To be honest, it’s going to take more than money to convince me that your company is a fitting contender.’
‘What do you mean?’ She genuinely looks baffled by that.
I fold my arms. ‘I mean you’re going to have to convince me that you’re the best person to nurture and grow my father’s business. It meant a lot to him personally and I know he’d hate to think I was selling it to just anyone. Especially after what your father did to his first company.’
For just a moment she lets down her guard and I see a hint of panic flash across her face. ‘That was years ago. Surely you recognise that the business world can be cut-throat and not every company survives? At that point I believe there was only room for one of us to provide that particular service and it so happened my father managed to take the crown.’
‘He did everything he could to sabotage my father’s company until he was forced to file for bankruptcy,’ I point out.
She shifts on the spot and I notice she’s bunched her hands into fists. ‘You need to understand that he was in a very dark place after my mother died and wasn’t as considerate in his business dealings as he could have been.’
‘He’s never considered other people in his life,’ I counter, interested by the fact she suddenly looks so uncomfortable. But I know now isn’t the right time to bring up the questions surrounding her mother’s death. I need to bide my time. But at least I have a way into that conversation now, given she was the one to bring it up. But later. When she’s relaxed and off-guard.
Her hackles are up now, though, I can tell, but she knows she’s in a tricky position here. If she keeps arguing for her father’s past actions, this meeting’s going to be over before it’s begun and she’ll be travelling back to England with her tail between her legs, which I’m sure her father won’t be at all pleased about.
It seems I’m right because she forces her mouth into a strained smile and says, ‘I can assure you, this time the integration of your father’s business will be treated with the respect it deserves. It’ll become an integral part of our portfolio. I promise you, it has a strong and profitable future with us.’
‘Is that right?’
‘Yes. It is. I accept that your father and mine have had their differences in the past, as have you and I, but we can’t let that get in the way of a deal that’ll benefit both families in the long run. Anyway, I think your father would have liked the idea of you fleecing my family for every penny you can get.’ She flashes me a conspiratorial grin, as if we’re in on a joke together.
I can see why she’s so good at her job. She has a way of putting real conviction behind her words that instinctively makes you believe she’s going to make whatever needs to happen bloody well happen. It’s actually pretty arousing.
She takes a couple of careful steps towards me, her hands raised and her palms towards me, as if trying to show me there are no tricks up her sleeve. That she’s as genuine as they come.
Yeah, right.
