The chairperson goes into all the requisite information and instructions that need to be said before the vote. No one is listening. They’re all preoccupied by what’s about to happen. My gaze is on Ivy the entire time. What wrench is she about to throw? I make a mental count of all the votes in my favor. I am two ahead. Fairly comfortable buffer even if she votes with Nolan.
“…And finally, we come to the vote.” People shuffle their feet and straighten in their seats. The chairperson starts by counting Carey who’s sitting next to Ivy. He votes against the purchase. The next two votes are also against it, followed by the next, but those are the people firmly in the Hawthorne camp. Then the following group of votes are the ones in my camp. The numbers tick up in my favor until we hit a snag. My Parisian friend, Lynette, goes with Nolan. Fuck. Seems like Nolan got to her. Then comes another who was undecided but somewhat in my camp. A hedge fund manager. He goes with the Hawthornes. That’s not good. Which means by the time all the votes are cast, the votes for and against the acquisition are neck and neck. And wouldn’t you know it? The tiebreaker is Ivy.
“Ivy?” Nolan says impatiently, “What’s your vote?”
Ivy’s big eyes dart between me and her brother. She toys with her fingers. “Umm…”
“Well, what did Raine say?” Levi asks.
“He didn’t say anything.” She inhales sharply. “I’m going to need a minute.”
I do not trust her at all. It’s obvious she is nervous and a little overwhelmed. She glances around the stony faces in the room. Her eyes are weary and when they land on me, I notice something else. A plea. Some innate instinct rises from deep within my gut. A need to protect her.
I turn my gaze to Nolan. “Clear the room.”
“Excuse me,” Carey says, “According to the vote, you’re not the boss of us yet. Maybe you might never be. And besides, the only person whocan clear the roomis the chairperson.”
“Everyone out,” Nolan says. No one budges until he repeats it. Carey is the first to rise. Followed by Levi until everyone shuffles out of the room. When it’s finally just Nolan, Ivy, and I, Nolan says, “Let me call Raine.”
“He gave me the right to vote whichever way I wanted to.” Ivy’s voice has a wobble to it, but it is strong nonetheless. Nolan ignores her, whips out his phone, and dials. After a period of silence where three of his calls aren’t picked up, he curses and throws the phone on the table. Nolan leans over the table.
“What did he say, exactly?”
“He called, and I asked how he was. We spoke about the meeting and he asked me to be his proxy. And when I asked how he wants to vote, he said, the choice is up to me.”
I scoff. “You’re lying.”
Ivy glances at me. “Believe what you want, but it’s the truth.”
Nolan leans back into his chair and crosses his arms. “So, how are you going to vote?”
Ivy looks down. “I don’t know.”
“Perfect!” Nolan jumps out of his chair, laughing hysterically. “This is your revenge, isn’t it? Bring him back,” he gestures at me, “help him do a stealth buy, give him a board sit while you coax Raine to make you his proxy.”
“That’s not true,” Ivy shouts.
“Really? So you’re not angry at me for taking the love of your life away from you?”
Ivy’s cheeks redden as she whips her head to face me and immediately casts her eyes down. The love of her life, huh? Nolan is clearly basing this on the old-school girl crush she used to have on me. I used to think it was cute. She would buy me all these gifts to show her interest in me and I would try not to do anything about it, no matter how sweet it was. She was too young. Too innocent. That view of her changed that fateful night.
She looks up.Do you want him to leave?As though there’s some telepathic link between us, I ask her a question with my eyes. Her eyes glisten, as though to sayyes.
“Leave us.”
“You don’t command me, Sinclair.”
“I want to talk to him alone,” Ivy cuts in.
Nolan stands up and straightens his suit. He marches over to Ivy and says, “Remember who your real family is,” and leaves the room in a huff.
The energy crackles now that it’s just us left. There’s an invisible pull between her and me that makes me want to flip over the desk like a savage and pull her into my arms, strip her of the pinstriped suit she’s wearing and drop her down on my cock. All of this is mixed in with the need to hold her in my arms and comfort her. Oh, and I fucking hate her too. Irrational. Fucking irrational.
She stares at me for a long time, saying nothing. When I think she’s going to say something, she gets up and starts pacing. She paces. Stops. Looks at me. And then paces again.
“I might help if you tell me what you’re thinking.”
She pauses mid-pace, facing me. She leans forward and grips a chair. A pose that looks powerful and turns me on. “If I offer you something in return, will you leave my family alone?”
