“Carl,” I greeted him as if I didn’t want to rip the man’s throat out.
“William. How nice to hear from you. I was hoping we’d have a more cordial relationship than I had with your father.” I could hear the undercut in his voice. “After our last meeting, I wasn’t certain we would.”
Tori rolled her eyes, but I kept my hard mask on. “I have a meeting in Tyson’s Corner this Friday afternoon with one of my property managers,” I said, ignoring his dig. “I was hoping to stop by and say hello before I leave.”
“Let’s see Friday…I’m free after four. Stop by. We’ll have a drink and start fresh.”
“Sounds great.”
“I’ll let the front know to expect you. Safe travels.”
I disconnected, and Tori sat back, crossing her arms. “What are you up to? I thought we agreed to let this lie.”
“We did, but I need to remind him that touching and threatening the woman I love is behavior I won’t tolerate. I may not be my father, Tori, but I’m very much like him when it comes to asserting my power in this world.” I adjusted my jacket and took the three strides back to her door. “I won’t go after him, but he needs to know I can, and if he ever steps foot near you again, I’ll drag him so far under he’ll never emerge.”
Wide eyes stared at me with a hint of desire behind them.
“Dinner tonight?” I asked her.
“I…umm…yeah.”
I gave her a sideways grin and left her still gaping at me.
My shoes echoed on the marble floor as I walked from the elevator. The top floor of Carl’s building was a garish display of money and assumed power. Gold patterns, crystal light fixtures, designer furnishings in bright colors. A stark contrast to the reserved, elegant style my father had always preferred.
I stared out the window at the view while I waited for him. Tori was down there somewhere with Reid, shopping like I’d suggested. She needed a dress for tonight, and Reid needed a suit, both of which I’d forgotten to have her pack.
“William, so nice to see you.” Carl extended his hand, and I took it, my skin crawling now that I knew his secrets. It was menlike him, with their despicable behavior and expectations that they were above the law, who gave all men a bad reputation.
He walked me to his office, which was the only one on the floor. Surrounded by glass, it offered a view that extended over Tyson’s Corner.
“Have a seat. Can I get you a drink?” he asked, heading to his bar and gesturing to the seating area.
“I’m good. This isn’t a personal call.” My demeanor had changed since greeting him, and his vision snapped to mine. Beady eyes waited for me to explain. I studied my cufflinks as if I didn’t have any other cares. “You slapped my CFO with an NDA under the threat of smearing her reputation and ruining her career.” The same thing my father had threatened to get me to leave her. That was likely the only thing the two men had in common. As much as I hated my father, I respected him as a businessperson. He had never acted like this man did. While he had his own faults, including misogynist beliefs and ignorant biases, he steered clear of anything that could hurt his reputation or our family’s.
“NDAs aren’t unusual.”
“No, but using them to keep women quiet about your misconduct is.” He went pale. “And before you threaten anything, my lawyers have unraveled your precious contract and will bury you in the courts if you dare go after her.”
His eyes narrowed as he lowered his glass. “What do you want?”
“Stay away from Victoria. If I find out you’ve laid a hand on her again, dared to even speak to her, or so much as looked at her wrong, I’ll knock you from your pedestal and bring your company down around you.”
His laughter filled the room. “You can’t touch me. You’re a boy playing in a man’s world. Grow up and come back to me in twenty years.”
He returned to pouring his drink.
“Do you think my father was ready to give me his company? Ready to retire so early? I can be a thorn in your ass just like I was to him, Carl. I have enough on you to send your stock plummeting. A few leaks to the press about how frequently women leave your employment or your history of buying off your unacceptable behavior, and I’m sure you won’t be sitting so comfortably.”
He stormed over to me, but I stopped him, grabbing him by the lapels. “I wouldn’t try it. You’ll lose, and my attorneys will have a field day suing your ass for attacking me. I’ll make this simple, Carl. Stay away from Victoria. I don’t want you anywhere near her or anything of mine for that matter. You’re not welcome within ten feet of my properties. In return, I’ll maintain a civil business relationship with you when necessary and keep your secrets quiet.”
I released him and smoothed his jacket. “Understood?”
Clenched jaw and silence. It was almost like talking to my father. “You don’t know what you’re doing, William.”
“Oh, I know exactly what I’m doing. Removing the scum from my properties and protecting what’s mine.” I stepped closer to him so that I towered over him. “And Victoria is mine. Don’t even dare think otherwise, or you’ll feel my wrath.”
“So, you’re sleeping with your CFO, and you have the nerve to threaten me because you have some claim on her? Childish, just like your father.”
