Page 43 of Vicious Games

I rose as well and clinked his glass. “We do.”

We both drank, then crossed the room to set our empty glasses on the sideboard.

As I turned to leave, Richard stopped me. “I believe we are both planning on bidding on that biotech firm that’s going on the chopping block in a fortnight.”

“Callahan?”

He nodded. “That’s the one.”

“Well, you were going to be bidding. I was going to be winning.”

Richard rolled his eyes. “Perhaps we should consider a joint bid?”

I stared at him. This was the first time he had ever even hinted at wanting to be anything other than business adversaries. Not wanting to let him know how much the gesture meant to me, I shrugged. “It would make sense. We each control technology the other would need to truly succeed in the venture.”

“I’ll have my solicitors contact your solicitors.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

I turned to leave, but as I placed my hand on the doorknob, I turned back. “I am truly happy for you, Richard. Elizabeth seems like a lovely girl.”

It was the first time I saw him genuinely smile. “She is.”

I nodded. Before I could leave, he countered, “I could say the same thing about Aurora. I hear she is an accomplished pianist.”

“The best I’ve ever heard. She truly is remarkable. Every piece she plays comes from her soul. You’d be enthralled listening to her play Beethoven alone.”

He nodded. “Perhaps we could arrange that… someday.”

“Perhaps.”

“It sounds as if I will be offering you congratulations soon as well.”

I clenched my jaw at the subtle reminder Aurora had turned me down, not once, but several times already. While most wouldn’t count a proposal made while I was cock deep in her tight pussy, I did.

What I had planned was brutally ruthless, but I had warned her. Repeatedly. She should have known by now that I was not the type of man who would simply take no for an answer. If anything, what was about to happen was her fault.

She’d pushed me to this extreme.

If I had had my way, she would have said yes, and we would be making plans for a wedding far more spectacular than my brother’s. But she’d said no. Repeatedly.

And now she would pay.

There was a risk, of course, that I was crossing a line. That if she learned of my involvement, as she would inevitably do, she would never forgive me. However, by then she would be my wife and hopefully be pregnant with our first child. I would link her to me in the eyes of God, man, and in blood. There would be no going back. She would truly be mine.

And after all, she had forgiven my involvement in her parents’ deaths. There was no reason to believe I couldn’t persuade her to forgive what I was about to do as well.

Chilling memories of Aurora launching herself toward our bedroom balcony, intending to throw herself over to escape me, stopped my wayward thoughts. For the briefest of moments, I reconsidered moving forward with my plan.

Perhaps this was a game too far?

Richard broke into my thoughts. He quipped sarcastically, “That is assuming you could manage to persuade such a lovely, accomplished woman to accept an arrogant asshole like yourself?”

Although said in a teasing tone, the barb stung.

It hardened my resolve.

“Trust me, I’ll give her no other choice but to say yes.”

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