This dress was going to be nothing but trouble.
10
PATRICK
Jackson laughed, his glee clear to see as he threw his head back. “So yeah, I saw far more of your brother than I’veeverwanted to see,” he finished, as he told Davina the story of me finding him on the pool the second morning in a row.
And it wouldn’t have been so bad, but it was the third fucking time he’d told the story. Still, each time he told the story, my cock seemed to get bigger, so maybe I could live with the repeated humiliation.
I glanced away, oddly unperturbed by everyone else having such fun at my expense. Usually, it grated, but tonight, my mind was on other things. I resisted checking my watch. It would only open me up to more teasing.
“So, your nose is wide open for this new Gold Moon CEO?” Davina raised an eyebrow, then flared her nostrils as if taking in a scent. “You do know that you’re supposed to be buying the company, not fucking the new owner, right?” Hidden behind her amusement was the usual degree of censure that I was used to from my younger sister.
I must have earned her disapproval years ago, and now it was the one thing I could depend on.
There was little I did that she didn’t have an opinion about — especially when it came to business — and usually, I valued that part. But less so on this occasion.
I really didn’t require her thoughts about my personal life. If I had it my way, she wouldn’t know about it at all. No one would.
Part of me didn’t care, either. She could judge me as much she wanted. Right now, my hunger for Jo was a burning need inside me, and I wasn’t sure what would assuage it. It was like I was insatiable for some reason.
Jackson laughed, only it was more like a chortle. “And you won’t believe what he’s done now. I think he might have actually lost his mind over her.”
“Oh?” Davina swung her attention to him, her eyes narrowing. “Really?”
“Yeah.” Jackson laughed again, and I scoffed as I glanced away. “He’s given her six months to audit the company records and make a counter offer.”
“What the hell?” All amusement vanished from Davina’s expression, but because she was younger than me, I could happily ignore her displeasure. It was an unearned perk of being the eldest.
And I’d been doing it her whole life, after all.
I shrugged. “You got a problem?”
“Too damn right.” Her eyes flashed but she lowered her voice as she leaned over the table to talk to me. “This isn’t the way Apex operates. We take companies over. We don’t pussy around letting them audit and taking their time.”
She leaned back as though she was finished, but I remained quiet, watching her, and she took the bait, talking again.
“We talk to banks and politicians, remember? We involve anyone of influence if it means getting our way and compelling the company to submit, to sell to us at the price we choose. We set the terms, we set the price, and we control the narrative. It’s the way it’s always been. We’re not in this business to be nice, and there’s a reason our takeovers are calledhostile.”
Jackson laughed. “Go, Davina.” He whistled. “Tell us what you really think next time.”
“And don’t think you’re off the hook.” Davina looked at him. “Next time my brother is being so dumb, come to me early enough so I can stop him. This is all because you let him think with his little head instead of his big one.” She looked at me again. “We need to be business as usual. Don’t take your eyes off the prize. Apex wants Gold Moon and we’re going to get it. A quick fuck with the new owner doesn’t change any of that.”
I waved away her concern like it didn’t matter and her eyes flared again. We’d always shared the same temper, but it amused me to see it so active in Davina over something that shouldn’t matter to her at all. Because Jo was literally none of her business.
“Okay, maybe you’re forgetting something. Most of our takeovers are intentionally hostile, you’re right about that part, but the reason is because we’re dealing with criminals.” I spread my arms, completely sure of my judgement here. “And I can tell just by looking at Josephine Everly that she isn’t a criminal. She’s completely new to this situation, and she deserves a chance to understand it. Maybe even rectify it.” That really wasn’t hard to understand, right?
But Davina rolled her eyes instead of agreeing with me. “Yeah, right,” she mumbled. “And I’m sure you thought exactly the same thing about giving Saundra the benefit of the doubt all those times.”
At the mention of my ex-wife’s name in the same conversation we were having about Jo, my control over my temper deserted me. Angry heat flared through me. I slammed my fist against the table. Davina didn’t know what the fuck she was talking about, and she had no business at all poking that bear.
“It’s none of your business, Davina.” I kept my voice as low as I could, but it was a furious growl. “Jo isn’t Saundra, and this business situation has nothing to do with anything that’s gone before.” Comparing the two women did no one any favors, and I didn’t want Jo tainted by association. “I’m in full control of my emotions here, and the decision I’ve made is strictly good business.” I glared at Jackson. “And you stop stirring. If you’re that damn bored, you obviously haven’t got enough shit to do.”
I would have given him another piece of my mind, but the familiar scent of fresh jasmine in a summer storm hit me. I glanced toward the door in time to see Jo and her two most familiar employees enter the bar. She’d brought her reinforcements in the form of Charmaine and that guy Wes, who hung around entirely too often. Still, at least she had people watching her back.
And it was good that she had people she so obviously trusted.
I could allow some gratitude for that. She’d need them if there was corruption in the company she’d just inherited.