AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Blackmailing the Billionaire
by
Marie Kelly
Chapter one
Joy sat, legs crossed primly, body stiff and tense, her stomach churning as nausea clutched at her. Across the desk, the powerful 32-year-old CEO of the Calle Corporation stared in disbelief. For what seemed an eternity, the silence stretched out before the man blinked, his mouth setting in an angry line. “Are you out of your mind Miss Reid?”, the words bitten out contemptuously, his dark eyes raking her with disdain. She swallowed, only managing to cling to her calm exterior by her very fingertips, her knees hidden under the table shaking violently. If he could see the way she quaked inside she thought, he would not look so stunned, praying for Ricco’s sake she could hold strong. The thought of him was the shot of courage she needed, Joy raising her small chin, eyes meeting the man across from her and nodding. “That is my offer Mr Calle... Take it or leave it”
The man leant forward, his fingers steepled together on the large, ornate and obviously expensive walnut desk, the thought that it no doubt cost more than she could earn in a year flitting through her mind, not sure why such a thing should register at a time like that.
His deep voice, the slightest hint of an accent making it strangely sexy, interrupted her musings, “So... Let me get this right. For the past six months you have been holding out selling your land... While I have been upping my offer…” Joy nodded in affirmation as he continued, “But now... You are prepared to sell at the ORIGINAL price... If I agree to be your boyfriend for some unknown period of time?”
When the offer was laid out like that even Joy could see how crazy it sounded, her insides knotting together even tighter, her voice almost a squeak, “Yes” Before her, Carig Calle shook his head, his eyes hard as slate and just as dark. “You are out of your mind Miss Reid. I will get your land by legal means if necessary. You are blocking a major development... One badly needed around here and I will win in the end... Even if the sale has to be court-ordered”
Joy gripped her bag tighter, staring back at the arrogant Spaniard, her tone harder now, her own eyes flashing back, the usually warm brown of them darkening. “Don’t threaten me Mr Calle. You might manage that eventually but we both know that you need to start this project in the next three months”, her head rising as she locked stares with the CEO, not aware how glorious she looked, Carig Calle frowning at the change in the little mouse who had walked in with her ridiculous demand only moments before. “I might not win... But I will cost you so much money in delayed building that even YOU will feel it Mr Calle”
Stopping, she glowered at the man. She hated bullies, and even more so this man and his ilk. Why did rich people think that because they had money they could destroy the lives of others? A flash of pain once more ripped through her as an image of Ricco in a hospital bed pushed into her mind. The fight left her as she lifted a hand, pushing a wayward strand of hair from her face, her voice softening, “If you do as I ask... then you will maintain your schedule and even save some money”
Carig Calle sat back in his chair, one finger absently stroking his lower lip, brows furrowed in confusion. “I do not understand Miss Reid. Why would you want to be my girlfriend? We are strangers”, a light of sympathy suddenly appearing in the inky darkness of his eyes as his voice softened. “Miss Reid... I have heard of this... Of women fixating on people they see in the papers... On TV... This idolisation... ”, the rest was lost as Joy, her emotions still taut, burst out laughing, not sure why she would at a moment like that react this way. Carig’s frown turned to a scowl as she shook her head, “No... Oh God no. Please don’t think that. When I said girlfriend... I meant in name only. I have NO desire for anything else... ”, another giggle left her, tears starting to slide down her face, as she raised a hand in apology, “No... I have absolutely no desire for anything other than being beside you at events you attend... None at all”
Carig sat in stunned shock. While the small woman across from him was most certainly not his type, he did not enjoy hearing as she made it very clear that even the thought of anything else between them reduced her to hysterics, his hand gripping the leather chair so hard his knuckles turned white.
“Then what the hell are you talking about?”, his icy tone sloshed over her like a bucket of freezing water, the laughter dying instantly as she once more became solemn, “I want to attend events with you... Meet the right people and generally gain access to your social group Mr Calle” Anger broiled deep within Carig, fired by her blatant disinterest in him as a man, not sure why when the idea was abhorrent to him he would have such a reaction. “No. I find your offer unacceptable Miss Reid”, his eyes flitting down her with no attempt to conceal the disgust in them, “I have my reputation to consider and certainly have no desire to drag around an ugly duckling like you as my ‘girlfriend’”
The moment the words were out he felt shame, Carig not someone who took any pleasure in hurting others. It did not help the way her large brown doe eyes filled with hurt and pain, her heart-shaped lips struggling to keep the small tremor from them before she shifted in her seat, trying hard to hide her upset as she pulled open the small bag she clung to. From within she extracted a letter before nervously unfolding it with fingers which shook handing it over to him. “I thought you might not be keen, and you should know Mr Calle, that I am determined. I will do whatever it takes to get what I want... Even if that means fighting dirty. I contacted Mr Lucian of the Barella Corporation and he was most kind... and generous”
Carig took the letter from her, his eyes scanning the words, lifting his shocked gaze back. “He is offering you twice what I was... You know why he is doing this don’t you?” Nodding, she sat stiffly once more, “I understand that Mr Lucian would like to block your proposed plans... And yes, he is being very generous” Carig’s thunderous voice made her flinch. “This project will provide much-needed jobs in this area Joy... You know this... YOU are putting the whole future of this area in jeopardy... Why the hell would you do that?... These people are your friends and neighbours”
Her eyes held his steadily. “You were right when you said that I could not fight you... But he can... And he will. You and I both know that he has the resources to hold this up forever” Dropping her head, guilt shot through her. He was right. She was playing with the future of the entire area. The future of people she had grown up with, many already having turned on her. Farming was no longer the industry it used to be in the English countryside, most farmers struggling to compete with cheaper imported produce. The development the Calle Corporation proposed would see a huge golf course, five star hotel and resort bringing hundreds of jobs to the area, and jump-starting the tourist opportunities for the many pretty villages scattered around. However, this was the only way... The only way to help Ricco, and she was going to see it through, no matter what. Taking another steadying breath she looked back up, a pleading light in her eyes. “Please Mr Calle. This may seem crazy to you... But I have my reasons. I have no interest in selling to Mr Lucian... As you can see from my offer... None at all. I would much rather sell to you... But I will sell to him if you force my hand. This will be over in a few months, three at most... Then you will have your land and will never have to see me again”
His eyes once more dropped to the letter, anger at having been outmaneuvered filling him with cold rage. What choice did he have? She had backed him right into a corner. Dropping the letter, his look rose to hers. “Fine. Seems I have little choice Miss Reid. However, I want this agreement in writing. I will have my lawyers draft something up for this afternoon”
Relief swamped Joy, her shoulders drooping as the tension and a long sigh left her body. The smile she gave radiated from her, Carig stunned at the difference it made; how it elevated her from his initial impression of being pretty, despite his earlier brutal words, to beautiful. Scowling, he turned away. No he would not think of her like that. This woman had played him to get her still yet-unknown way, and nobody – least of all a small slip of a girl from some backwater farm – did that to him. With mouth set, he watched as she leapt to her feet, sliding a small piece of paper across to him. “I put my cell phone number on here, and look forward to hearing from your lawyers. The sooner we get started the better” He leant forward picking up the paper, his mind thoughtful. He would make her pay for this.
The rest of the day rolled by in a blur for Joy, she only having time for a tea in a small coffee shop close to the intimidating Calle building before her phone rang, the officious lawyer requesting her presence in an hour. Sitting sipping the much needed drink, her mind played over the events of the meeting. Things had gone far smoother than she could possibly have hoped for, her lips quirking at the memory of the anger in his eyes. He was even more handsome up close than in the many pictures she had seen of him on the internet. In most, he was accompanied to special events by stunning blondes, another chuckle escaping her lush lips. He did seem to like blondes, her fingers capturing a lock of her own dark hair, lifting it, a rueful curl to her mouth. No, she was certainly not his type.
