“Unfortunately, no. But we do have a solid commitment from a group of investors.”
“Who and how much?”
Brigit heaved in a breath. “Spider Holdings has the single biggest chunk of Francesco stock with twenty-two percent. The investors pledged in favor of taking Francesco private. They’re dead set against a hostile takeover.” Her fate was sealed. She’d thrown her full support to Colton.
He tapped his fingers on his desk. “Significant, but not enough.”
“Colton, look. You have to be Francesco’s White Knight. That’s our best chance at stopping MobiCom.”
As he leaned back, he clenched his jaw muscles. “My first business venture failed because I invested too heavily in a company that went belly-up. I vowed never again.”
“This is different. You believe in Francesco and in Crockett Boxes.” She stared into his troubled eyes. “And I believe in you.”
After holding her gaze for several seconds, he strode to his picture window. With his back to her, he continued. “I’ll do it, but only to keep that son of a bitch Montgomery from winning.” He turned. His eyes were brimming with so much hatred she trembled.
“I thought this was about Francesco’s success and Crockett’s innovation. When did things become personal?”
“The moment Wilson Montgomery stepped into the picture.” He walked over and smiled. But she didn’t believe his plastic expression. He offered his hands.
The second she clasped them, a chill shot down her spine. They were ice cold.
He escorted her into her office. “Run a report of my holdings and we’ll see what damage we can do before the market closes for the week. Sell whatever is necessary.” Without a smile or his signature nod, he headed back toward his office.
“Wait.” She walked over and looked him firmly in the eyes. “Something isn’t right. In good conscience I can’t completeanytrades if you’re not behind this decision.”
They stared at each other for a long minute. When she ran her hand down his chestthe tight lines around his eyes softened. “Wilson Montgomery is coming after me,” he bit out.
“I don’t understand.”
His jaw muscles clenched as he shifted his attention past her and out the window. She waited and waited. Finally, she broke the silence. “Please, Colton.” Again she touched him, this time caressing his shoulder.
Slowly, his gaze met hers. After a long pause, his eyes softened, his jaw relaxed and color flooded his cheeks. The man she’d come to admire and respect stood strong. She breathed.
“I didn’t know who Montgomery was until I met him at the gala,” Colton said. “He was a complete stranger, but the threatening tone in his voice gave him away.”
Perplexed, she furrowed her brow. “Who is he?”
“After twenty-three years, my good-for-nothing father has returned with a motherfucking chip on his shoulder.”
“Oh, God, no.”
“Wilson Montgomery is Wilson Mitus.”
48
INTIMATE
Dressed in his robe, Colton opened his bedroom door to a dimly lit hallway. It was Monday, after midnight, but he couldn’t sleep. In several hours, he and Brigit would fly to Ohio for Francesco’s special shareholders meeting scheduled for Tuesday. By a simple vote, the shareholders would decide his future. Either the Francesco Company and Crockett Boxes would be his, or they’d be MobiCom’s. The thought of Wilson Montgomery winning soured his stomach.
“You’ll never amount to anything, you stupid, useless child.”Those words haunted Colton’s dreams, but, by day, they’d turned him into an indestructible powerhouse. Pushing past the bitter memories, he set off down the hallway.
With the exception of Francesco stock and his real estate holdings, Brigit had sold every position in his portfolio. But even with the millions on hand, Colton didn’t have enough to match MobiCom’s inflated offer.
After spending the weekend analyzing possible scenarios, the Mitus team and Francesco executives agreed on a strategy. Mitus Conglomerate would pay shareholders a three percent premium over the current stock price. That offer was five percentage points lower than MobiCom’s, so to sweeten the deal, shareholders would be given options to repurchase up to twenty-five percent of their current shares after one year at the Mitus purchase price.
Everything hinged on convincing shareholders that the impending success of Crockett Boxes made their options of greater value than MobiCom’s quick cash. Colton’s chances of winning were slim. He’d risked his entire career on believing that somehow, some way, those shareholders would see the value of long-term financial gain in lieu of making a quick buck.
Light spilled into the hallway from the bottom of Brigit’s closed bedroom door. There was never a moment he wasn’t drawn to her, but he wasn’t looking for a late-night booty call so he padded downstairs.
