Getting past the security guards at Light Energy was just as easy as Peter had predicted. When Peter demanded access to the building the guards obeyed without even a token protest, and they even went so far as to provide directions to Andrew Silkwood’s office.
“Thank you,” Peter said, walking past the security desk and into the elevator with Merchant by his side. They made their way up to the executive floor, Peter exiting the elevator first and heading right for Andrew Silkwood’s office.
Silkwood’s secretary was seated at the desk right outside his door, and when Peter and Merchant approached she looked up and froze.
“Is Mr. Silkwood in?” Peter asked, imbuing his voice with every ounce of authority he possessed. The secretary’s eyes widened, her whole body frozen like a deer caught in the headlights, but then she nodded.
Peter grinned, the smile about as far from nice as you could get, and barged into the office.
“What are—”
Silkwood snapped his mouth shut at the sight of Peter and Merchant, looking more confused than scared. Merchant closed the door behind him, coming to stand next to Peter and crossing his arms over his chest.
Peter studied Silkwood. The man looked like his picture, though it hadn’t really done him justice. He had dark blond hair, a square cut jaw, and a body that spoke of many hours spent in the gym. He might be a corporate suit, but he was a good looking one.
“Can I help you?” Silkwood asked. He sounded nervous, but not nearly as nervous as he should be. Given what he had ordered done, Silkwood should be pissing his pants right about now.
“In a manner of speaking,” Peter said, moving forward and sitting down in the seat in front of Silkwood’s desk. While he did that, Merchant walked around the desk and positioned himself behind the beta, putting his hands on the man’s shoulders. Silkwood went tense; though he still wasn’t the blubbery mess that Peter would have expected him to be.
“You tried to kidnap my mate. I would like to know why.”
Silkwood’s eyes widened and sweat started beading on his brow.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Silkwood said, his voice surprisingly steady.
Merchant shifted his hand from the beta’s shoulder, sliding it down over his chest and grabbing his tie. He twisted the length of fabric around his hand, using the grip to pull Silkwood’s head back so that he could look into his eyes.
“You want to try that again, pretty?” Merchant asked, leaning down and putting his face dangerously close to Silkwood’s face. The beta swallowed, the sound loud and conspicuous, and Merchant cupped his free hand over his throat. The move was inappropriately sexual, but Peter didn’t tell Merchant to stop.
“They weren’t going to hurt him!” Silkwood blurted out, his voice frantic. “They were just supposed to hold him long enough to for you to vote no on the merger.”
Peter leaned back in the chair, studying the beta and wondering what was going on.
“Why Chad?” he asked, tilting his head questioningly. Merchant was rubbing Silkwood’s throat, the hand that had been on his tie sliding down to grope and feel his pecs. Merchant was obviously enjoying himself, and Peter had no plans of stopping his fun. Not while it served his purpose.
“Who?” Silkwood asked, closing his eyes when Merchant leaned in and licked along his jaw.
“My mate,” Peter said, catching Merchant’s eye and shaking his head when the alpha started putting his fingers into Silkwood’s mouth. He was fine watching Merchant molest and hurt the man, but outright sexual assault was off the menu.
Merchant pouted, but he removed his fingers from the corner of Silkwood’s mouth, standing up and fisting both his hands in the beta’s hair. He pulled Silkwood’s head back and pinned him to the seatback of his chair.
“I don’t know. I just asked them to target whoever would be easiest to convince to vote no.” Silkwood was crying now, snot dripping from his nose.
Now that didn’t make sense at all. There were several people on the board who would have been much safer targets for an attempt like this—Peter’s parents among them.
What was going on here?
“Who isthem?” Peter asked.
“I don’t know. Our CSO gave me the number. I only ever spoke to him on the phone,” Silkwood said, his breaths coming hard and fast. “And anyway it’s been called off. They wanted more money to finish the job and I said no.”
That was good. Chad would be pleased to know that he wasn’t in danger and that Aiden could be sent home.
“Did your CSO know what you were planning?” Merchant asked. Silkwood shook his head.
“No. I just asked him who he would use if he needed something taken care of.”
“Give me the number,” Peter demanded, nodding at Merchant to let the man go. Silkwood cringed away the second Merchant’s hands were out of his hair, bending down and opening the bottom drawer on his desk. He was shaking so bad it took him several triesto get it open. Merchant leaned over and watched what he was doing, so Peter was confident he wasn’t about to have a gun pointed at him or anything like that.
