Page 1 of The Bargain
Chapter One
Ethan
One hour earlier…
I’mpissedwhenIenter the lobby of my father’s office where I find his secretary behind her desk. Tabitha is her name, a pretty brunette, who is always six feet deep in cleavage, and I suspect is fucking my father. I don’t like her for no good reason. I walk past her, as she calls out, “He’s on the phone.”
As if I give two fucks.
I burst into his office, hotter than I have been in a long time and shut the door behind me. “What the fuck, Father?”
“I’ll need to call you back,” he says to whoever he’s talking to, replacing the receiver on the cradle. “Good morning, Son.”
His shirt is crisp. His blue suit more expensive than some cars. At fifty-eight, his dark hair is thick and neatly styled, only a hint of salt and pepper at the temples, but I don’t miss the thickening lines around his eyes, that do nothing to mute the arrogance radiating from the depths of blue stare. “What did you say to Sofia?”
“That’s the newest one’s name?”
“Whatdid you say to her?”
“I believe a direct quote would be ‘leave the bitch in the room.’ I thought I was talking to you.”
“Of course you did.” My tone is pure condemnation. “Now she thinks she’s one of many.”
“Is she?”
“What is your problem?” I demand, stepping to his mahogany desk, opposite him.
“You know how to get me nice and spicy, Son. You keep blowing me off.” He leans forward. “I come before your cock bath in some woman.”
“She’s not justsome woman. And you started the relationship out by making her think you’re a total dickwad.”
He studies me a long, hard moment, his tone softening. “Who is she?”
“I have no desire to share that with you right now. Maybe not ever.”
“I’ll apologize. I was, as noted, feeling spicy. I’ll send chocolates to your room with a note for Sofia. I’ll mend the broken fence.”
“Just let it be. What was so damn important in the first place?”
His scowl is instant, as if I’ve reminded him of the problem standing in front of him. “Edward told me you spoke against Grant’s new cybersecurity project. Why are you trying to work against your brother?”
I sigh and sink into one of two leather chairs, this one to his right. “This is what was urgent enough to insult Sofia?”
“So it is Sofia?”
“Yes, Father. It’s Sofia. Not bitch.”
“I told you—”
“Focus on why I’m here. In theory cybersecurity is a hot industry for Dalton to invest in, but the company he’s trying to onboard is a shit show. I suspect they have a second set of books and something funny going on in the background.”
“Can you clean it up?”
Now I’m the one scowling. “Why would we want to clean it up? Why not start our own cybersecurity division? Or buy a company that offers a better outlook?”
“Your brother has already done the legwork on this one.”
“Do you know how many companies I look at and discard before I bring them to you or the board?”
