Page 84 of Playing A Risk
“Hunter loves you. Every day, he falls harder for you. If you don’t intend to ride this thing through, end it so you don’t destroy him.
“Don’t drag your relationship into the boardroom and put it on display for everyone to see just so you can walk away. He’s risking too much, and I’d hate to see him humiliated on top of it.”
The sting of Jonah’s words slaps me in the face. There’s so much I want to respond to, but I start with the obvious.
“What exactly is Hunter risking? If anything, I’m the one with all the risk.”
Jonah smiles and shakes his head. “Not true, Dori. Hunter won’t tell you this, but he signed legal papers stating that if you ever get fired for breach of contract, he’ll personally pay your severance to the tune of fifty million dollars. And if you sue, he’ll pay that plus the settlement, and the business gets handed over to me.”
My heart drops. I take a step closer to Jonah. “What are you talking about?”
“When your contract goes before the board to remove your clause, Hunter will make it right by you if something goes wrong and you get fired. Whatever your price, he’ll pay. He set it all up with my dad so that you’re protected. The papers are signed and being held with our legal department.”
“But… I can’t believe it.”
“Dori, Hunter’s risking everything to be with you. So I’m asking as your friend and his brother, if you don’t want to be with him because of how you feel about Jamison, end it before the vote takes place so none of his nonsense can be acted upon.”
The air leaves my lungs. “He did that? You cannot be serious.”
“I never joke about our business or money. He’s putting everything on the line for you.”
A strike of anxiety zaps my blood.
Why would Hunter do such a thing?
“I would never sue the company, Jonah. You’ve got to know that by now.”
“Yeah, I do. But it’s interesting that’s the part you’re defending.” He raises his brow and shrugs.
The look on his face is enough to tell me he thinks I’m going to destroy Hunter. A ton of lead rests on my chest. It’s too much to take in. I can’t breathe.
“There you two are,” Hunter says as he and Melanie rejoin us.
“Will you excuse me? I need to use the restroom.” I rush away before they acknowledge me, pushing through the festive crowd.
Instead of going to the bathroom, I find an empty balcony to escape and get some air.
Hunter’s arranged it so I’m set up financially for life if I get fired.
Does he think that’s what’s going to happen?
And why does Jonah think I’ll hurt Hunter?
Maybe Melanie’s been telling him things about Jami and me. I can’t get my head around it all.
I peer out past the edge of the stoop. A twinkling Eiffel Tower shines in the distance. It’s like the scene in a fairy tale. Maybe it is.
Warm hands run up and down my bare arms. I jump and twist to see who it is.
Hunter’s leery eyes stare down at me. “Beauty, we need to talk.”
CHAPTER 21
HUNTER
“Hunter, why did you do it?”Dorothy’s gaze roams my face.
I furrow my forehead. “Help me out here. Do what?”
