Page 77 of Defending Love
“None taken.” I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the wall. “Forget I’m here.”
“Dani,” Damien protested.
Chapter
Thirty
Dani
* * *
“Will Grace be back by tomorrow?” I asked.
Damien nodded, his dark blue eyes still on Eli.
“Hey. Eli is just doing his job. Talk to me about Preston.”
Damien’s stance relaxed. He pulled the latex gloves from his hands and dropped them in the trash can. “If we’re all going to discuss this, let’s go back out to the living room. It’s a little close in here.”
Damien led the way. When I looked up at Eli, I had the feeling he was still suspicious of my brother. If anything, what was just said made me feel less suspect. Damien admitted to touching everything in the safe. He remembered the photo album, and he never mentioned the letter. That meant he didn’t know about it.
The letter was hidden under the felt at the bottom of the safe. When he and Stephen cleared it out, they probably didn’t look beneath the felt.
Back in the living room, we retook our seats.
Damien inhaled and leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees. “Stephen thinks Ayers is a good fit. He’ll bring a new level of prestige to the executive board, and he has some thoughts on future endeavors. Stephen also thinks we should encourage Mom to retire from the board.”
What?
I sat taller. “And replace her with who?”
“You.”
“Me.” I blinked. “I…” I didn’t know what to say.
Damien sat taller. “Think about it, Dani. You should have been on the board years ago. With Dad gone, Mom doesn’t want or need the pressure of Sinclair Pharmaceuticals. You on the other hand are part of the everyday workings. You know more than anyone on the board about how Sinclair operates.”
My gaze went to Eli and back to my brother. “I know a hell of a lot more than Preston Ayers.”
Damien scoffed. “You do.”
“If Preston is such a good fit, why didn’t his name come up when Gloria Wilmott stepped down?” I asked.
“Dad and Preston didn’t see eye to eye on a litany of subjects.”
I furrowed my brow. “Like what?”
Damien’s eyes went to Eli and back to me.
“Everyone from Guardian signs an NDA,” I said. “Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of Eli.”
“It’s old hat,” Damien said. “It doesn’t matter now. What matters is that we walk into the meeting tomorrow ready to put this dark chapter behind us and move forward. Our stockholders need to see that we’re progressing. What I’m about to say makes me sound like an ass, but I’m going to say it. If we go in there and propose adding you to Dad’s seat, despite your overqualifications, there are people who will scream nepotism.”
He did sound like an ass, but he was right.
“Preston Ayers in Dad’s seat will show our willingness to grow. You in Mom’s seat will then be better accepted.”
“Have you talked to the other members of the board,” I asked.
