“Then why kowtow to both your father and to other businesses?”
“Because assuaging clients is what we do in business every day. I’m certain you’ve done so yourself.”
“If you mean accommodating their preferences at the expense of my personal time and more than once at considerable expense, yes. But I would never fall victim to personal acts of extortion, which is what they’re doing to you and to your corporation. That’s something you should think about.”
He studied me with such intensity I felt uncomfortable. “Do you like what you do, Vanessa?”
“Very much so.”
“Well, so do I. I realize you think of me as some brutal, intolerant egomaniacal asshole who enjoys stepping on people.”
“And you’re not?”
He glanced toward the fountain. “Even I was taught looks can be and are usually deceiving. My father is a hard man. There is no denying that. If I could venture a guess, I’d say your father is as well as evidenced by your bitterness toward him. I admit that surprised me.”
When he locked eyes with me again, I felt the weight of his world briefly. He was also in unchartered territory.
“My father is a complete asshole.”
His laugh seemed hollow. “Then we do have something in common. I’m good at what I do. I enjoy the work and the time spent.”
“Yes, destroying companies for profit.”
He inched closer and I resisted taking a step away from him. “That was before. Things have changed. I didn’t lie to you about how Elliot Enterprises grew to our level of profit by taking failing companies and tearing them apart.”
“No, you didn’t. What you left out is how much you enjoyed doing so.”
“What I didn’t share with you is that in doing so, we offered each and every owner more than what their company was worth. In addition, we did offer severance pay to every single employee. However, they were all required to sign NDAs given they were privy to sensitive proprietary information or trades secrets about our company.”
If he was telling the truth, that’s why there hadn’t been any positive details in the various articles written about Elliot Enterprises over the years. “I wish I could believe you.”
“I wish you could as well. I assure you they were treated very well even if a few disgruntled former employees suggested otherwise. As I said. Don’t believe everything you see or read. If that were true, I’d suggest your father was guilty of merciless activities as well.”
He was practically gloating.
“I’ll keep that in mind.” He was right and I hated him for it.
“Why don’t you come into the kitchen with me.” He was obviously agitated I’d figured out that he was trying to please hisfather. I could only imagine what threat had been issued. Maybe Christian’s job was on the line.
Why did he drive me so crazy I couldn’t breathe around him?
As he studied me, I felt even more uncomfortable.
“You really don’t trust me. Do you?” he asked, more with amusement in his voice than anything else.
“Why should I?”
“Because instinctively you know you can.” As he moved closer, the look in his eyes changed, becoming more possessive than he’d been the night I’d lost my mind.
With every inch, my body tingled where I’d been hoping for my skin to crawl. Around him, my body’s reactions were involuntary.
The man was dominating and rugged.
Completely powerful.
This was his element, his domain and now, I belonged to him.
Suddenly six months seemed like a lifetime.
