AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’ll tell you, Nala,” Orion spoke in a singsong that made it much harder to keep my hands to myself. “You can’t afford it.Nectarhasn’t operated in the black in…years.”
“What?!” The word came out in a whisper that defied the intensity of what I felt. “How is that possible? We get more new customers every day, we’ve been having record sales numbers. We have investments, we should havesavings—”
“Not with your Daddy’s gambling problem.”
My hand was out before I could stop myself.
The entire room went quiet and still, reacting to the fact that I’d just smacked Orion Sterling dead across his fucking mouth.
He put a hand to his lip, checking for blood before he gave me a brief nod. “That’s youronetime.” Looking past me, he pinned a glare at my father. “It’s time to wrap this up.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked.
“It meanspack your shit.The old lease has a ninety-day grace period. Figure it the fuck out.”
Immediately, my mind started racing.
I didn’twantto go that route, but I could pay a few months of rent on the store until we figured things out. But beyond that… what was going to happen?
“What about our charities that run through this store? Our employees, their kids? It’s fucking… it’sChristmastime, you—mmmm,” I grunted, buttoning my lips to keep myself from saying something that might cross a line while still trying to appeal tosomehumanity in this man. “Why are you doing this? You have abilliondollars and more market share than we could ever dream up. Whyus? Why now?”
“Oh, don’t get emotional on me, Nala, I was just starting to respect you,” he said, taking a step back before he tossed his hands up. “It’s not… personal. It’s business. This space is already prepared for grocery sales, one of a kind in an area like this. Do you know how hard it is to get this much commercial space in the city? Nearly impossible, unless it’s being practically given away in under-the-table deals,” he added, with a nasty smirk at my father. “If we got our hands on any other space, we’d have to do major renovations, wait for permits, this and that. It would take years and I’m not a patient man. Like I said, this store is already here, and it was ripe for picking. You even already have such aloyalcustomer base, community support—”
“These people willneversupport you,” I quipped. “They’ve loved this family, this store, fordecades. And when they hear theunderhandedway you pushed us out, and I promise, I will make it my life’s work to make sureeveryoneknows, they will go literally anywhere else to avoid shopping at your knock-off Whole Foods.”
Instead of that putting even a tendril of fear in him like I’d hoped… he smiled.
“You’re right,” he said, coming back into my personal space to tower over me again. “Which is why… I have another possibility for you.”
TWO
NALANI
There wasno possibility I was going to like thepossibility.
I knew that as soon as the words crossed his lips.
And yet, with the most obvious path being painfully clear, there was nothing I could do but cross my arms and glare, waiting for him to keep spewing bullshit.
“You might want to take a seat,” Orion suggested, but I didn’t move.
I stayed right where I was,on my feet.
I wasn’t about to have him towering over me any more than he already was.
A little smirk spread over his lips. He was amused by my obstinance, but it wasn’t for his benefit, or some damn show. He wouldn’t get my legacy without dragging me, clawing and screaming and biting,everystep of the way.
“Is this better?” he asked, taking his seat first. Once he’d given up his height-implied dominance, there was no reason for me to remain standing either. Unless, of course, he was about to say something that necessitated a quick escape, which I somehow doubted.
Reluctantly, I sank into a seat several chairs away, waiting to hear about thispossibility.
“Nala… you and I have a lot in common,” he started, prompting an immediate raised eyebrow of skepticism from me. “There’s the obvious of the shared industry, of course, but outside of that, we’re both well-educated, well-groomed, attractive, and enmeshed in… a certain social stratum,” he said.
“We don’t run in the same circles,” I commented, shaking my head. “I’m quite sure your family bank accounts have several zeroes mine will never see.”
“That’s one of the pros of this situation, of my proposal,” he clarified.
“Which is what?” I sat forward in my chair. “Let’s cut through the bullshit, because I don’t give a fuck about whatever little spiel you’re building up. What is the other option besides you destroying my family’s business?”
