“Take over Tremaine Corporation.”
Another bark of laughter. “You don’t give up, do you?”
Aleks forked up another bite of fish while he waited for St. John’s response.
“I wouldn’t, of course. Don’t get me wrong. Phillip Tremaine was a bastard and I hope the man rots in hell, but the company itself isn’t a reflection of the man. I trust Portia to lead it out of the shadows.”
Shadowswas such an interesting word. Aleks was sure it was doing the heavy lifting in that sentence. “What about Dizzie? Could she lead the company out of the shadows?”
The change in the other man was instantaneous. Aleks’s easygoing, laughing lunch companion had been replaced with a steely-eyed, tight-jawed man.
“Watch yourself, Lind. Dizzie isn’t a pawn to be moved around a board. When—and if—she wants to be involved in running the Tremaine Corporation or any other company, that will be her choice. She doesn’t factor into your schemes—or those of your employers. Stay away from her.”
Convincing Dizzie to meet her grandparents was his primary mission, so staying away was going to be impossible. He’d prefer not to go up against Killian St. John, but he would if he had to.
“You’d think she would be glad to see the company that held her captive go down.”
“You have no idea what she wants or doesn’t want.” St. John’s tone was pure ice.
“Does she want to meet her grandparents?” Aleks changed the subject deliberately.
This time St. John’s response was more measured. “She hasn’t decided yet.”
That wasn’t a no. Which was more information than Aleks had before the lunch. “I need to meet with her,” he said.
“I won’t push her,” St. John said. “She’ll make up her mind in her own time. Dizzie doesn’t owe you—or them—a damn thing.”
Aleks took another bite of his meal, pondering the best way to deliver the next message. Ultimately, he realized that there wasn’t one. “They won’t stop,” he said quietly, repeating the same message he’d given Portia. “It would be better for her to meet them on her terms.”
St. John dropped all pretense of civility and glowered at Aleks. “Are they a threat to her?”
Aleks leaned back and spread his hands. “I believe that they truly want to meet her and they don’t wish her any harm. But I’m afraid that they’ve never been rational about their daughter’s death or anything to do with the Tremaines. Dizzie is their last tie to her. I can’t predict what they’ll do.”
“Fuck!” St. John stood. “Damn Phillip Tremaine for his schemes and games and complete lack of morals.”
He strode away from the table before Aleks had a chance to stand. He shifted to watch Killian leave and contemplated his options.
The waiter hurried over. “Mr. St. John said to enjoy lunch with his compliments.” He gathered up St. John’s unfinished meal and glass as he spoke.
Well, that solved that problem.
“Thank you, Michael.” When the waiter disappeared, Aleks took St. John’s seat.
Now that he had a wall to his back, his shoulders finally relaxed. Aleks returned to his lunch.
He honestly hadn’t believed that St. John would sell any of his shares, but it would have made Aleks’s life much easier. The Solveigs wouldn’t take being thwarted well.
They were determined to end the Tremaine Corporation and take care of their granddaughter, no matter what.
Chapter11
“As far aswe are able to determine, the Solveig Consortium will not be able to infiltrate our computer systems. They’ve tried before—numerous times—and they’ve always failed,” Tremaine’s head of cybersecurity said, then glanced at the man standing next to him, as if waiting for confirmation.
The other man jerked his head in a nod. He’d been introduced as Mendez, one of the cybersecurity team. Portia knew that meant hackers. Ash Cutter, a freelance hacker who worked for her on occasion, probably knew him, had likely worked with him. Maybe she’d ask. And maybe—most likely—she wouldn’t. She was still pissed about his role, however unintentional, in Tommy’s death.
“Are you willing to bet the company on that?” she asked.
The department head swallowed hard but nodded. “Yes, ma’am, we are.” His voice wavered. From the corner of her eye, Portia saw Mendez smirk.
