Page 6 of Hostile Takeover

“Sabotage?”

I shake my head. “Sabotage is a strong word… We’ll just make this Brandon Raven guy see that our company doesn’t share the same values that he does. We’ll make him see that we’re not a good fit for his massive portfolio.”

Aisha grins. “Yeah! Sabotage!”

She starts playingSabotageby The Beastie Boys on her phone and a big grin spreads across my face.

Brandon Raven will never want to step foot in this office again after I’m done with him.

He’ll rescind the offer and flee down the street in his fancy little designer suit.

“Yes,” I whisper as we both get up and start dancing to the catchy song. He’s going to regret coming after my turf.

I’m going to make him rue the day.

For Aunt Linda, of course.

It’s all in her best interest.

That’s why I’m doing this.

Sabotaging this deal and getting this Brandon Raven character out of our lives is the most altruistic thing I can do.

She’ll thank me one day.

I’m sure of it.

ChapterThree

Brandon

“You must be Mr. Raven,” the woman at the reception desk says with a big smile when I walk in, flanked by my team. “Right on time. I’ll get Linda right away.”

I give her a polite nod as she quickly picks up her phone.

“Linda,” she whispers. “The VIPs are here.”

I’m only in the lobby, but I’m taking everything in—the decor, the vibe, even the way people are walking in the office. Are they slumped over waiting for the bell to ring, or are they zipping around with purpose and energy?

“Look at that,” my older brother Oscar says as he bumps my arm with his elbow. He chuckles as I look up.

Hanging high on the wall is a giant photo of a woman in her underwear. She’s not your typical model with her flat breasts, wrinkles, greying hair, and large cellulite-riddled thighs, but she’s beautiful nonetheless. Her body is a canvas that’s experienced life. That experience is written all over her.

“This place is weird,” Oscar whispers to me. “This doesn’t fit in with anything we’re doing. Let’s get out of this deal and bounce.”

Everyone else seems to agree. My top lawyer, Sakura, my head accountant, Mike, and my marketing director, Candice—they’re all looking confused as they look around this place.

“She’s The Sun?” Sakura whispers when she reads the sign. “Isn’t that a lyric from The Beatles? Might have to check copyright on that one.”

“Mr. Raven!” Linda McCaffrey says with a big smile as she walks into the lobby. “Thank you for coming.”

“Call me Brandon, please,” I say as I shake her hand.

“Brandon,” she says with a warm smile. “We’re up in the conference room. Please, let me show you the way.”

We follow her through the office and all eyes dart to us. This place is so unlike any of my other companies that I don’t know what to make of it.

The Hammerhead Group owns hundreds of companies, but seventeen are beauty-related companies—some small, some large, some medium like this one—and they all share the same kind of vibe. A luxurious, fashionable vibe of elegance and class.

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