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“I was about to do that anyway.”
I suppressed a grin over her response as she moved out of the door, making way for my surprise visitor. He was escorted in by Henry, one of my security officers, who remained in the office after closing the door behind them.
William raked a hand over his hair—seemingly even more gray than it had been the last time I saw him—glancing between me and Henry. “I was hoping to have a private conversation,” he said.
Ignoring that, I gestured at the chairs across from my desk. “Have a seat, Mr. Stark.”
“But—” he attempted, and I shook my head.
“This is as private as it gets. Henry is very well paid for his discretion. The only two people who might carry our conversation beyond these walls would be me or you,” I assured, not bothering to entertain other possibilities.
I didn’t negotiate with weak men.
“I—”
“Have a seat,” I spoke over him, before he could get out whatever rebuttal he was still trying to push. “Or you can vacate my office so I can get back to important things.”
From the way his eyes narrowed, I could tell he picked up on my clear implication,this isn’t important.But he apparently had a point to make. He walked up to the desk, taking one of the seats I’d pointed out.
“Speak your mind,” I urged, lounging backward in my chair, arms crossed.
“I have an offer to make,” he said, sitting forward. “Everybody walks away a winner.”
I smirked. “That’s doubtful… but I’m listening.”
“I can sell youNectar.”
Bullshit.
I kept my face impassive, but my mind went to work immediately, picking apart the possibility of that.
“I know what you’re thinking. I don’t have the shares in the company to do that. But what Idohave is control of the executive board,” he prattled, trying to get as many words as possible out.
“Not for long,” I countered. “That’s why you’re here. You know you’re getting voted out at the top of the year, right?”
On my part, it was purely conjecture, but if I were Nalani,thatwould be my first move.
Getting rid of the incompetent CEO.
“Even more reason to take the offer now,” he pitched, and I shook my head.
“What benefit would that hold for me, hmm?” I asked, running my fingers through the coils of my beard. “You try to sell this company—from under your own children, at that—and I accept, thefirstthing coming my way is a lawsuit.”
“One you’ll win.”
He was confident; he’d thought it through.
“I don’t like lawsuits, Mr. Stark. They’re time consuming, annoying, and expensive. So when I can, I avoid them,” I said. “So you tell me why onearthI would take this new offer, when I already have a perfectly good deal already in place?”
“If you takemydeal, I can stay in place as CEO, work for you—”
William’s words trailed off, overshadowed by the volume of my laughter.
“You’re shittin’ me, right?” I asked once I’d regained my composure enough to speak. “You don’tbelieve I’d allow you on my payroll, do you?”
“Nectarhas been a staple of the Blackwood community—”
“No thanks toyou,” I cut in. “Let’s be absolutely serious here,Mr. Stark… yourwifeand her family are the reasonNectaris what it is. Your executive board operates out of love and respect forhermemory.Shewas one the community adored and put up plaques for, not you.”
