“Mr. Carter?” He addresses Knox at my side. “I wasn’texpecting you.”
“Why?” I speak first. “It’s important that he be here for this.”
“I’m sorry, Elena, I’m not following,” Rossi swallows as he stands.
“I didn’t give you permission to use my name.” I close the door and turn the lock, leaving just the three of us inside. “You picked the wrong side, Rossi.”
I walk toward the desk, my head cocked as I check the man in front of me out. Greying at the temples, sun-kissed skin, and clean shaven. A cowboy hat sits on the couch by the window, and framed pictures of all his factories and warehouses line the wall behind him.
“Your uncle,” Rossi holds his hands up, “He gave me no choice.”
“Bullshit,” I call. “He promised more money, and your greed decided.”
“What are you going to do?” His voice shakes.
From Knox, I take the papers and pull out the last page. “You’re going to sign here.”
“What is it?” Rossi asks.
“You are relinquishing your role as CEO of Rossi Enterprises.”
“What? You can’t do that!”
“Actually,” I laugh, “I can. You may sit in that seat, but this ismycompany or did you forget that when you made the deal with my father?”
“He told me this wouldn’t happen!”
“Well, I’m sorry, Rossi; he shouldn’t have made that promise. My father is dead, and this ismycompany, and you are no longer part of it.”
“I’m not signing that!” He snaps. “Are you part of this, Carter?”
Knox laughs, “I’ve wanted nothing more than to watch you burn, Rossi. The lady asked you to do something, so I suggest you do it.”
“You can’t do this!” Rossi begs. “This ismycompany. I built it!”
“With my money.” I shrug and I hand him the pen. “I took the liberty of marking the spot where you need to sign, just there at the bottom of the page.”
He lunges for a drawer on his desk, but Knox is quicker, grabbing his wrist and pulling it behind his back, forcing him into a position that has his shoulder jutting up. One move from Knox, and it’ll snap. “Wouldn’t do that.” Knox warns, taking the pen from me to force into his free hand. “Sign.”
“Please.” He begs.
“Sign the fucking papers!” Knox roars.
With a shaking hand, Rossi scribbles his name on the dotted line, dropping the pen onto the desk with a cry.
“Fucking pathetic,” I curl my lip. “You can let him go, cowboy. Help him take a seat.”
Knox shoves the man into the office chair, the wheels rolling with his weight, and it slams back into the console table, forcing the framed pictures on top to fall off and smash. I level my gun with Rossi’s head and, if possible, he pales even further, turning almost translucent.
“Knox,” I catch his attention, “There’s a box at the bottom there, on the contract. I need you to sign it.”
A frown tugs down his brows. “What?”
“Please?” I urge him, “Sign it.”
With a sigh, he picks up the pen and signs his name. “What did you do?”
“It’s all yours.” I tell him and pull the trigger.
