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FORTY-TWO
REBECCA
I powered up a laptopwith photocopies of Sunrise’s financial details. Gil built this device special for me. It wasn’t connected to the internet so it couldn’t be hacked.
I sat with Caroline, my general counsel, and Felicity, my deputy CFO, who’d taken over the financial oversight of Domenico Holdings when I became CEO.
“Let’s assume the worst.” I handed Felicity the laptop. “We do a straight termination and lose our initial investment.”
“There’s no chance for any kind of refund?” Felicity asked.
“We’re too close to the shipment date,” Caroline said, based on the details I’d shared with her. “That money was for R&D, production, and the initial shipment. It’s sunk costs for them.”
“I don’t want to sound callous, but fuck them.” Felicity sat back. “It’s the Philippines. What can they do to us?”
“We’re part of a global economy these days,” I said. “Even third-world industries have power and leverage. Felicity, what will that do to our liquidity?”
“A small dent,” she answered.
“Can we cover the other investments? Daria at least, if they came to us.” I wasn’t worried about Messina or Byrne. As far as I was concerned, their fathers had it coming. Richard though... A man who’d been so kind to me, I couldn’t let my father’s manipulation take him down.
Felicity scrolled through her iPad. “That wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Should we be worried where these drugs will go if we don’t buy them?” Caroline twisted the pen in her hand.
“Sebastien is angling to terminate for cause. We intend to tie them up in the international courts and get an injunction to halt production. That will scare off other buyers and they’ll have no choice but to dump the product.” I stroked my throat, talking about Sebastien. All my fantasies about him these past five years were not in vain. He was every ounce the powerful lover I remembered.
And more...
“The mayor called,” Caroline said, sitting back and crossing her legs. “He’s announcing his candidacy for president. He wants our support.”
My father bankrolled New York politicians for years because it helped us here in the city. Now we could use help in Washington, namely the FBI and DEA. “Sure.”
I smiled softly, thinking of how I brought Anthony Jr., Giancarlo, and now Sebastien to my side. Julian Russo would be my next target if MATOHN actually shipped, and we were indicted.
“I’ll find out how much they’re looking for.” Caroline made notes.
“Nothing that will stand out.”
“Mr. Daria is here to see you, Miss Domenico,” Leah-Anne announced through my desk phone and my heart pounded.
He’s come to his senses. Had time to think. Doesn’t want me. Doesn’t want us. And by us, I meant the four of us.
I needed all three of them. I loved all three of them.
Caroline and Felicity stood.
“I’m hoping to get Messina, Byrne, and Daria’s signatures on that termination letter this week,” I said, walking to my desk. “Send him in, Leah-Anne.”
The audible gasp from my senior managers turned me around.
I’d woken up in Sebastien’s arms, both of us naked, feeling as if I’d woken up in heaven. Now, seeing him in his double-breasted light gray suit, his biceps challenging the sleeves and a gold tie that brought out the flecks of sunlight in his eyes made me grip the side of my desk.
“Mr. Daria,” Felicity said, smoothing the back of her neck and blushing.
“Good morning, ladies,” he said with a deep voice that cut through me.
All business. Here to discuss business.
Caroline, who’d been with me longer, eyed him suspiciously, but nodded as she too left.
The door clicked shut and Sebastien rushed me, held me against the wall. His mouth crashed down on mine and his tongue claimed me. The firm grip on the back of my head and my lower back shocked me.
“Good morning,” I said, catching my breath.
He pressed his forehead against mine. “It was a good morning, wasn’t it?” His deep husky voice felt like a warm salt scrub, rinsing away the dead skin that had built up from the last five years.
“It could be a good morning, every morning,” I whispered.
“Mmmm.” He kissed me again. “How... How is this gonna work? We can’t pick up where we left off.”
“I know.” I nodded, running my fingers through his silky chocolate curls. “We’re different now.” I lowered my hands and smoothed them across his arms, remembering all the marks I saw last night. Even with his skin completely covered, it was as if I saw right through the raw silk suit jacket. His bruised and damaged skin was something my eyes couldn’t unsee. “Those scars... Did you do all that because of me?”
His dark eyes crawled into my soul. “Yes.”
I pressed my face into his chest. “I’m so sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” he said, holding me, stroking my hair.
No, it was my fucking father’s fault. “Please tell me you’ll stop. Or if you have those urges, you’ll call me. I’ll drop whatever I’m doing.” I looked up at him.
He rubbed my bottom lip with the tip of one finger. “A queen has more important things to do.”
“Bullshit. You’re my...” I swallowed. “My lover. My love...”
“But there’s a line,” he said with humor in his voice.
It still felt like a dream, being involved with all three of them. “I think we figured out I can accommodate all of you at once.”
He snorted a laugh. “That...looked a little rough for you.”
Anthony in my ass, Sebastien in my pussy, and Giancarlo in my mouth was more about them each claiming a piece of me. While I claimed them right back.
“I don’t think it will always be like that. A girl’s gotta breathe.”
He laughed and kissed me again, sweeter, deeper, his lips reminding me who he once was. “I want some alone time with you.”
“That can be arranged.” I felt his erection pressing into my stomach. “Right now?”
Heat blazed in his eyes as he went for his belt. I lifted my dress and made sure the Ruger strapped to my thigh had the safety on.
“Oh honey, that is hot as fuck.” He lifted my leg. “Girls and guns. Shit,” he said when his phone rang in an odd chime. “Dad.”
It rang and rang and kept repeating.
“Fuck me.” Holding me by the waist, he answered with the other hand. “I’m in a meeting, what? Okay. I just said I— What are you talking—” He eyed me oddly. “I’m on my way.”
“Problem?” I said, smoothing my skirt down, severely disappointed.
“I’m so fucking sorry.” Sebastien kissed me while zipping up his pants. “I have to go. He sounds furious.” He held my chin. “Dinner, after work? My loft.”
“Deal.” I smiled, remembering how I loved that apartment and eating takeout Chinese in bed. Laughing with him, watching Jeopardy, and playing Scrabble. It hit me, we could have something that resembled our old life. In bed, he could rule, use, shame, and dirty me up all he wanted.
So long as he let me love Anthony and Giancarlo too. By the looks of last night, he seemed to have come around to the idea of all of us in a relationship.
Fixing his tie and adjusting his cock, he breezed out.
I leaned against my door frame watching him go, a nagging thought sending ice down my veins. Anthony Sr. sent a helicopter to pick his son up. Bastien’s dad just demanded to see him. The way Richard yelled into the phone made me cringe. I snagged my phone and scrolled to dial Giancarlo.
“Hey, baby,” he said, sounding stressed. “You get to work okay?”
“I did. I’m tired.”
“You should be. Listen, I’m in my car going to the Messina building. My father’s on his way there. He called me and told me to cancel everything.”
My breath hitched, thinking Anthony convinced his father to get the partners together to terminate Sunrise. “Sebastien’s father just called him too.”
“We have to play dumb at first, Becca. Then we’ll feign outrage.”
“You mean, you’re not outraged by Sunrise?”
“Shock is a better word. We have to make it seem like we’re hearing about this for the first time. It will be tricky with all of us in the room together.”
“Huh. Could be why they’re doing it that way. Strength in their numbers.” I stared out my window. “Knowing no way would any of you harshly question or criticize your fathers in front of their partners. Smart cards to play.”
“True. But we have the queen. Don’t we?”
