Me: You’re here?
Charles: Come down.
I stand, making my way out of Griff’s office and back down the elevator. When I step outside, I glance around, but I don’t see Charles anywhere.
Me: I don’t see you.
“Walk,” a deep voice says moments before a hand grips my arm. I start to jerk away but realize it’s Charles.
“Hey.” I try to turn to hug him, but I can’t ‘cause he’s pulling me along. “That hurts.” I try to pull my arm away, but he doesn’t let go.
“Calm down. Trust me.” He keeps pulling.
“What are you doing?”
“Griff kidnapped you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“He’s been using you.”
“Stop it, Charles.” I try harder to pull out of his hold.
“Vivian, listen to me. He’s been using you to get control of our family money. I’ll show you everything, but we have to get out of here.”
“No.” I shake my head. “Let go,” I hiss at him as emotions start to overwhelm me.
“Why do you think he doesn’t let me near you? I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“I texted you yesterday with my new number. Why didn’t you say something then?”
“Because he would have tried to trick you.” When we get to the road, he finally stops walking. A van pulls up, and the door slides open. I try to back away from it, but I stumble, and Charles shoves me toward it.
“Stop, Charles!”
“Trust me. This is for your own good. I promise.” A man inside the van grabs me, pulling me inside. I try to kick and fight free, but it’s useless. I feel a small prick in my arm seconds before my vision begins to blur. I scream as loud as I can, but my greatest fear comes for me. Darkness takes over.
23
GRIFFIN
“The merger isn’t something you can refuse.” I twirl my pen between my fingers, my thoughts going back to Vivian despite the cutthroat business going on in this room. “Without the assets I’m offering, your company goes belly up.”
“There’s no reason for my company to suffer just because I refuse your terms,” Mr. Telfair snarls on the other end of the conference call. “I’ll still have clients, plenty of them.”
“Not when I tell them you’ve been cooking your books. What will they do when they find out that last year was a bust and this year is shaping up to be another one? No one will want to do business with you then.”
“My books are fine!” he bellows.
I sigh, tired of his bloviating. “Listen Telfair, either you agree to the merger for the benefit of everyone on this call or I’ll sink you. It’s as simple as that.”
He grumbles, spewing curses in Greek as his voice rises to a fever pitch. Then he slows down and settles. When he finally goes silent, I tap my fingers on the table.
Linn enters the room silently, a large file in her arms.
“If we do this deal, then I need your assurances that you will manage my personal portfolio from here on out.”
“I’m not an investment advisor, Mr. Telfair.”