AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I huffed and sat down to humor him, but I would not let him ruin his career for me.
“This is a win-win situation. I’ll start a hedge fund company. I’ll no longer need to answer to that fucking chair ever again. He’s been trying to get rid of me for a year now, so I’ll beat him to it.”
A hedge fund company. If he had enough clients, he could be hugely successful. With his reputation in the trading world, investors would line up to throw their money at him. It would be totally different from his CFO position, but with his personality and brilliant mind, Steven could make it work. And he could potentially make even more money than he did now.
But he would be doing it alone, without his best friend and business partner. “But Wealth Asset Group has been your life for over twenty-five years. You can’t just quit like that.” Not because of me.
“I promised I would protect you, and I will. You’re worth it. This is the only way. Unless you also want to quit and come work for me as an analyst.”
An analyst’s position? I hadn’t even done two months of internship. Was I ready for that? No. I didn’t want the job because my boyfriend offered it to me. I wanted to earn it. “I want to finish my internship. But not if you have to quit your job.” This was too big of a change for him. He might end up regretting it. Might end up resenting me. “I’m not sure about this, Steven.”
“Then let’s discuss it more tomorrow. It’s almost midnight, and I want to enjoy myself.” He plucked a chocolate-covered strawberry from the dessert platter and reached over to me. “Here.”
He was right. We could talk more tomorrow. Maybe then he would come to his senses.
I grabbed the strawberry with my tongue, licking his fingers as my lips closed over them, and winning myself a wink. My teeth bit through a rich layer of decadent chocolate and sweet juicy strawberry, the flavors mingling on my tongue.
He picked up his champagne glass and pointed to mine with his head. “A toast. To my beautiful Laura. May the New Year reward you for all your hard work. My wishes for you, a permanent position at a top firm after your internship, a portfolio that doubles in size, and”—he lowered his voice a few octaves—“lots and lots of sexy time with me.”
I didn’t know what the future held. I wasn’t sure his plan could work.
But I wouldn’t ruin our night. So, I played along.
“Thank you. Thank you. Andyes, please!” I thought about wishing him luck with the hedge fund, but that didn’t feel right. He was forced into this decision because of me. “What wishes should I grant a man who already has everything?”
“I don’t have everything. Not yet.”
“Then what are your New Year’s resolutions?”
“I don’t make resolutions. That’s a recipe for failure. I create and implement strategies to reach my goals. This year’s plan is a game changer. The stakes are higher. But the rewards should be beyond anything I’ve ever imagined.”
“Fine. Fine. Mr. Fussy Pants. Then what are your goals for the new year? Besides your entrepreneurial endeavors.” My arm was getting tired of holding up the glass, waiting for the clink.
“Something I’ve never had. Something I’ve secretly wanted my entire life, but I stubbornly never made time for. A wish that never came true.”
He gazed into my eyes. A sweet, nervous smile curled on his lips. “I…thought it would…be obvious by now.”
I nodded. “Yes. Yes. Your own company. To be your own boss.”
“No.” He shook his head and swallowed hard. “Love.”
My heart skipped a beat. We hadn’t said the L-word. Yes, I knew I loved him, and I would do anything and everything for him, even sacrifice my career. And I thought…felt that he loved me too, especially since he was willing to quit his job to protect me. And not only to protect me, but to let me hold on tomydreams. He was ready to sacrifice the position that took him years of corporate climbing to achieve so I could have my chance. So, he didn’t have to say the words.
“You, Laura. I want you. A life with you.” He gazed at me adoringly. “I love you.”
I gasped. Even though I knew he would say it, I still wasn’t ready for my reaction when I heard his deep voice say those words.
My glass hit the table with a thud, and the champagne spilled out on the crisp white tablecloth. My heart raced. The butterflies in my gut, which seemed to be my constant companion these days, fluttered with excitement.
He loved me. And I believed him. Believed I’d be safe with him. He looked at me with the kind of adoration that my father had never had when he looked at Mom. Steven would never hurt me. He would never leave me. The proof was that he was willing to make sacrifices for my happiness.
He was the opposite of my dad, who expected everyone to change their ways to please him. Even Kenny wouldn’t have done this. He would have made sacrifices for me, sure, but according to what he felt was best for me. Not taking into account what I wanted. That’s why he’d always tried to talk me out of coming to Wall Street. He wanted me to marry him so I could stay home, where he could keep me safe from the world. That wasn’t love. That was control. He thought he knew better than I did what was best for me.
But Steven wasn’t like that. He was sacrificing himself so I could pursuemydream. A man whose sole ambition for the past twenty-five years was to lead a multibillion-dollar global corporation had suddenly changed his priorities.
Not because we got caught.
But because he loved me.
