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A Bad Boy Romance
By Nicole Elliot
Beauty and the Billionaire Badass
Copyright © 2017 Pink Empire Publishing
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places or events are entirely the work of the author. Any resemblance to actual persons, events, or places is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Please purchase only authorized editions and do not participate in piracy of copyrighted materials.
Parts of this book were previously published as Beauty and the Beast from Lily Larue
1
Carter
“We’re almost there, sir.”
Carter sighed heavily. With each turn of the town car he felt the weight lifting off his shoulders. Soon, soon it would be his turn for revenge. Soon he would own everything.
The town car was long and sleek, much like its owner. It was a pure shade of black, so deep that it appeared to be blue, much like the hair of the man riding in the back. Carter Braxton’s eyes however, were a bright blue set in a deeply tanned face. His Greek origins were easy to see, not only in his features, but also in his frame, tall and lean with sculpted muscles. In a different era, he would have been a Greek God. Hell, he still felt like he was.
The town car glided to a stop in front of the entrance where Carter’s Personal Assistant and bodyguard exited the vehicle first, holding open the door for his employer. He was a huge, muscular man with dark black skin, a smoothly shaven head, and tattoos running down both arms.
Carter could feel Darren’s presence as he followed him up to the door and rang the bell for him.
“I have an appointment with Mr. Terini,” he told the maid in his low gravelly voice.
The young maid trembled when he spoke. She took his trench coat and Darren’s jacket while bowing her head, apparently eager to avoid looking at his face. Fear, of course she was afraid. Rocco probably treated his staff horribly. “I’ll announce you right away.” She led them into a extravagantly decorated study. “Mr. Terini will join you shortly.”
Carter took a seat in a wingchair in front of a massive mahogany desk rolling his eyes at the extreme lavishness of the estate. Stupid old man, spent all of his damn money.
Darren remained standing a few feet from Carter. When the door opened, Carter watched intently as his hand fell automatically to the gun in his holster, but he stopped short of drawing it, clearly deciding the situation had not become hostile yet.
Rocco Terini was a man of average height with the beginnings of a paunch, well concealed by his tailored Saville Row suit. Carter watched as he surveyed his guests for a moment before stepping confidently into the room. He was an idiot for being so confident, but Carter allowed him to have this moment. At fifty-seven, he was still imposing, even if his hair had turned an iron shade of gray and his stomach protruded. “Mr. Braxton.” He extended a hand to his visitor, his gaze not leaving the silver mask Carter Braxton wore.
The hand was coldly disdained as Carter fixed a pair of burning, blue eyes on Terini. “Rocco.” His voice was smooth, with an underlying hint of steel. This was going to be fun.
Frowning, Rocco took a seat behind the desk. “I’m afraid my secretary didn’t give me any details of this meeting, Mr. Braxton. Her only note is urgent, so you’ll have to tell me what this is all about.”
A grimace flashed briefly across Carter’s mouth, while he allowed just a hint of his hatred to show in his dark eyes. Rocco shivered slightly, and his smile grew. “It’s about Terini Electronics.”
Looking puzzled, Rocco said, “I don’t have much to do with the day-to-day operations anymore, Mr. Braxton, but I’ll try to help you.”
“Yes. I’m aware of your lack of interest in the company, Terini. Is it not strange that ten years ago you were willing to kill for the company but today, you can’t be bothered to stop by your office more than once or twice a week?” Carter observed Rocco carefully.
“Excuse me?” Rocco grasped the arms of his chair with white-knuckled fury as he surged to his feet. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, and unless you can get to the point, this meeting is terminated.”
“Terminated—what an interesting choice of words. Very well. I won’t draw this out. As of this afternoon, I have acquired ninety-percent of the shares of your company, Terini. I’m well aware of your financial troubles—that you’ve been discreetly selling your shares for years. Each time they became available, I purchased them by any means necessary…short of murder and intimidation, of course. That’s really more your style, isn’t it, Rocco?”
Rocco sagged back into his chair. “Why have you come?”
Carter smiled, feeling genuine warmth in his stomach that did not reach his eyes. “To inform you that you are no longer the CEO of Terini Electronics. In fact, you are nothing in the company. The other ten-percent you own is not enough to oppose me or my plans for the company.”
“My father built that company.” Rocco turned a furious scarlet. His eyes moved to Darren, and he leaned back in his chair. “I’d always planned to purchase the stocks again, once things were straightened out,” he added cooly.
“I’m afraid that is no longer an option,” Carter said. “Your company is going to be dismantled with each part sold to the highest bidder. I’m only taking one thing from your company—the memory chip that I invented that you stole from me ten years ago.”
