“Accidents are rare. And this is not your call. I do what I want and what I feel is right. I won’t live off of you, even if you have money under your skin.” Facing him off, watching that smile play at the edge of his lips.
Damian brushed his hand down his cheek, lightly grazing that scar above his brow. “Feisty little fuck…”
Gabe’s blood flamed up. “Big boss mouth…” Pushing him a bit. “You will be late.”
Damian stepped back, putting his jacket on. “I’ll deal with you later.”
“I can hardly wait.” Grinning, knowing he could not do anything all dressed up. He stepped close, brushing his hand down on his tie. “Nice tie…”
Damian’s lips curled up. “Ah, ok… you like ties? We’ll see about that.” Kissing him lightly on the lips, leaving before he would jump him right there.
Cassie poked her head in. “Ready to go?”
“Yes.”
“Does Dad know?”
“No. It’s a surprise.”
She giggled, and they left, their hearts flying.
That board meeting dragging like plague, Damian’s eyes lost to the sky, until Harold nudged his leg under the table, scowling. He focused back with a sigh, some kind of presentation running on that screen. Numbers, sales, budget… Fuck…He waited until Wayne finished, sitting down, glancing at the agenda. Next item. Discussing the firm’s future.
Harold stood and went to the head of the table, facing Damian, who had stayed on the other side. “So… with Damian back, we need to start thinking about how this firm is going to be managed…”
Watching them exchange glances, and Damian just sat, waiting, He was almost sure that this was just an act from all of them, and they had agreed on a plan, his eyes on Harold’s small smile. Not letting him speak and play that fake act. “Just spit out what you’ve agreed on and let’s see where we go from there.”
A mild shock on Harold’s face, which he quickly masked with a smile. “Come now… of course we haven’t…”
“Cut the crap, will you?” He gave him a smile, twirling a pen on the table. “Just spit it. That island might have eaten my brain, as you put it, but there might be some left. So?” Waiting, trying to catch their eyes, which kept darting away. He settled on Harold.
Harold swallowed. “Ok… we are not sure that you should step back to lead the firm, at least not straight away… Of course, you need to exist again, that’s a matter of days, but then there are other factors which need sorting, considering the firm’s future and marketing image…”
“Ah… to the point, please?” He knew what he wanted to say, but kept quiet, enjoying a bit that Harold was suffering.
“Well… your family status changed and let’s just say that it would be in the firm’s best interest that you reconsidered your relationship with… that man. And thought of how you want to represent this company in the future… I mean, your family founded it, this must mean something. At least, take that into consideration…” He quieted, a mild worry in him at Damian’s calm.
“I see. What do you offer?”
“Uh… well, break up with him and find yourself a wife, a decent image for the firm. It should not be too difficult with your status…”
“You didn’t get my question, Harold. What do you offer? For the firm.” He looked him square in the eyes, watching him blanch. Soft murmurs around the table.
Harold stammered. “You… you can’t be serious… this was your family’s, it’s yours… I mean, it will go back to you…”
Damian threw the pen on the table, lacing his hands together. “My family is dust. Something you neglected telling me.” He pursed his lips, a vague disgust creeping in. “I am not breaking up with Gabe, so that leaves one choice, really, to you. Buy the firm. I don’t care how you do it. Sell your soul to the devil. Take a loan. Get investors. My lawyer will be in touch.” He almost stood when Harold’s words made him stay in his seat.
“We… we actually already have a proposal.”
Damian just sat, floating a bit. What the fuck am I doing?His mind on his grandfather, his father, what he had given up to be here, for this moment when he could sell it all. A mild thrill, knowing that whatever was left of his life would not be spent filling that bottomless pit of money. “Is that so? Wonderful.”
Harold walked to him in that dead silence and handed him a thick folder. “Here. The lawyer can have a look. No need to decide now.”
Damian just flicked it open and pressed the phone on the table. “Send Harry up from legal.”
He flicked the pages, waiting until a man in a dark suit appeared, a bit flustered, wiping the sweat off his forehead as he walked in. “Sorry… the elevator is stuck again, I had to climb. How can I help?”
Damian pushed the folder in front of him. “Read this and let me know what you think.”
