“I don’t like it,” a white-haired man who looks to be about seventy-something says.
I recognize him—Randle Shaw, CEO of National Discovery. His picture was in the hall on my way here.
“Sure, these places are nice,” he says in his gravelly voice, “but we don’t want nice. We want exotic, interesting places that take our audience on a journey they could never afford to go on themselves. We’re National Discovery, for Christ’s sake! We have a brand to uphold.”
Every network executive at the table nods in agreement as grumblings echo around the room. My heart sinks as I focus on breathing. I don’t want to cry, not here, not in front of these heartless bastards.
Then I feel a hand on my knee. I look up, and Elsie is grinning. I don’t know why she is, but she leans over and whispers in my ear, “Pay attention. This is what it means to be the Queen Bitch.”
“Gentlemen,” she says as she comes to her feet. She walks to the front of the room, and I expect something to be displayed on the screen behind her, some part of the presentation that will change their minds, but it remains blank. Despite standing in front of all thesepowerful men, as tiny as she is, she looks absolutely fearless. “What we’re proposing would save the network sixty-two percent. Your margins would be up seventy-four percent, and that’s the low end of the projections. How much did you go over budget in New Zealand?”
Sheepishly, the men look to each other as they shift in their chairs. Not missing a beat, Elsie leans down and rests her palms on the conference room table with a steely glare that says she hit a nerve and she knows it. Then, with the badass confidence you’d expect from a self-made billionaire, she adds, “When it comes to this kind of project, it’s obvious you don’t know what you’re doing.… but I do.”
And that’s it. She doesn’t say anything else. She calmly returns to her seat, and no one says a word.
I’m struck dumb, not knowing what to expect now. Then she leans over and whispers in my ear, “Wait for it.”
After a moment Randle Shaw clears his throat and swivels his chair to face Elsie. “Seventy-four percent?”
Elsie doesn’t answer. It’s like she refuses to repeat herself and the eyeroll she gives him says she gave them the numbers, and now it’s up to them.
The CEO narrows his eyes at her like he’s caught in a dick measuring contest and he’s afraid he’s losing. What the hell?
“We have shareholders to consider,” a man on the other side of the table mutters, breaking the awkward silence.
“Exactly,” another man adds. “If they hear we turned down a deal this good, they’ll revolt.”
“I like this proposal,” a short, round man comments. “I didn’t expect the margins to be this good, but she’s right. New Zealand was a disaster.”
Elsie takes a moment to look around the room. If I had to guess, she’s sizing them up, but for what, I have no idea. Then she leans forward and addresses everyone. “Gentleman, I have important business to attend to. I’m about to make my friend here very rich. I can make you rich, too, but I need your answer, and I need it now.”
At only twenty-eight, she owns this room. But when the CEO hesitates, she stands and motions for me to do the same. “Last chance, gentlemen. It’s now or fuck you!”
I have to cover my mouth to hide my surprise at her cavalier attitude. Holy shit! She’s everything they say she is.
No one seems surprised at her language. How could they be? She’s known for it.
Soon, one man laughs. Then another. And it doesn’t take long before the whole room is laughing.
Finally, Randle Shaw stands with his hand extended. “I guess you have a fucking deal, then.”
When Elsie extends her hand to accept his handshake, the room erupts. I think they all love being able to witness firsthand the fierce Queen Bitch who everyone in the business world is talking about.
But I don’t care about any of that. The only thing that matters is the deal is done and for the first time in months, I can finally breathe.
Riggs rushes over to me. We both know what this means. Everything that was standing in our way is gone now. We can finally be together.
The big guy is standing in front of me, looking as handsome as ever. “I missed you so much. I hope you’ll—”
“Shut up and kiss me.”
My feet fly off the ground. He’s twirling me around and kissing me with so much passion I could take him right now, right here on this big-ass table in front of all these crusty old men. God, I missed this.
“You’re welcome,” Elsie says.
Ash joins us as Riggs sets me down and turns to his sister. “I can’t believe you brought her. What if the network said no?”
She gives him a look like he was dropped on his head. “I wasn’t going to give them a choice. Besides, you know I’ve always looked out for you two. Someone has to. God knows you’re not capable of looking out for yourselves.” She gives me a wink, then turns serious. “I hate to do this, but I need to steal Maddie for a minute. We have a contract to sign.”
