But there was something about Josie that made him want to spend more time with her the more he saw her.
He couldn’t get her out of his mind and now that his brother’s life had calmed down and their business -both the public facing and their private operative side was handled -, it was time to make it clear to Josie exactly how he felt about her.
“Ares, there you are!I thought you had run out the door because you knew I was coming.”Drustan Tennyson set his briefcase down on the kitchen table.
Ares exchanged the man’s handshake.“And miss you?Not at all Drustan.I’ve had this meeting circled on my calendar for the last month.”
“Yeah, in fear,” Xander said, striding into the room.“Drustan.No need to sit.You won’t be here that long.”
“I always said you two were funny!Not many people can boast about knowing you before you built your empire.”Drustan slapped Ares’s shoulder.
Ares gritted his back teeth.Drustan was one of those fist pounding guys.The guy who wanted to take you to the football game and then snort a line.
Unfortunately, he was also had a brilliant technical mind, and he was the CEO that gave Xander’s scheduling app the go ahead.
Ares’s only part of this success was buying stock in Drustan's company and shares in the app.Even if it mortgaged their father’s estate.At the time, Ares couldn’t think of a better way to use the money, because fuck the bastard.He and Xander washed that money away as quickly as they could.
“The answer is still no, Drustan.Even if Axis Management did have the technology, you think we do, it’s not for sale.”Xander leaned back in his seat, giving the appearance of being all casual.
“Everything is for sale, Xander,” Drustan placed his hands against the back of his neck and stretched.“Everyone has a price.”
Xander leaned forward, making eye contact with the man.“No.You might have heard that we’ve been too busy developing break-proof glass technology.”
“Which is why I know you have your fingers in the nanotechnology field.The call for better nanotechnology application is a loud one, and the need is great.If someone was to replace the increasingly outdated conductive film used in every touchscreen, there is a boatload of money to make.I know you like a challenge, Xander.”
“I don’t know if I need any more challenges,” Xander said.
“Okay, pretend that you didn’t hire the leading expert in nanotechnology.”
“We hire a lot of people, Drustan.Is this the point of your meeting?”Xander said.
“No.I have an offer for you.You let me in on this nanotechnology you don’t have before going to Henri or anyone else.”
“Unless I’m out of the loop, you don’t manufacture screens,” Ares said.“Even if we do have this technology, it’s meant for electronic devices and wearable technology.What do you want to do with it?”
“I want to get ahead.”Drustan grinned at them like a shark enjoying a meal.“If there is an equivalent to indium tin oxide that is workable, I want in on it.I want to take it to the government.”
Ares forced himself not to react and willed Xander to keep his cool.
His brother didn’t let him down.“Drustan, I am only an inventor who got lucky once or twice.What you think we have is above my head.”
“You can’t play that modest card with me, Xander.Maybe you got the rest of the world to believe that you are only an inventor, a technology company, and maybe they were gullible enough to believe that you rescuing Mulberry Stevens was a one-time thing.I know better.”
Chills broke out across Ares’s spine.
There were few men who could hurt them.Frankly, the armour around Axis Management and the depths they went to hide Xander’s background should be impregnable, but there was always a risk.
“Drustan, maybe we have something you’d be interested in,” Ares said.
“Yes!I knew it!What is it?”
“Two conditions.One, you don’t tell anyone, including your mistress or your shareholders, about this and two, you have to agree to come on the deal with Henri.”
“Done and done.What is it?”Drustan stopped pacing, leaned forward on the table, his gaze like a hungry puppy going from Xander to Ares.
“We are working on nanotechnology,” Xander said.
“I knew it!”Drustan thumped the table with his fist.
