At long last, the explanation of what they were voting on wound down and they were invited to mark their ballots and bring them up to the ballot box. An external auditor would then count the votes while the shareholders enjoyed a specially prepared lunch. Everyone in the room knew it was all being done to satisfy the bylaws. Preston had control over the majority of the shares. What he wanted was what he would get.
Violet lingered in the back while JT voted, hoping to catch him as he left. A muscle jumped in his jaw as he approached.
“I thought maybe you’d mail in your vote.” His gaze searched her face for a second before he leaned forward and kissed her cheek.
The fleeting contact caused a hiccup in Violet’s pulse. She wanted so badly to wrap her arms around him and tell him everything would be all right, but he had his guard up.
“I wanted to be here for you.”
“That’s nice.” JT’s features softened for a moment, but then his father’s laugh reverberated around the rapidly emptying room and JT’s expression became like stone once more.
Violet watched her husband with a sinking heart. For a second she thought he might tell her he missed her. It was what she’d flown halfway across the country hoping to hear. What a fool she’d been to think their reunion would be joyful and romantic. “I’d better go vote.”
“Of course.”
JT’s gaze clung to Violet’s slender form as she walked away. He told himself to go after her. To beg her to love him. Wasn’t her appearance here today proof that she wasn’t ready to give up on him? But was it fair to take and take from her and give back nothing in return?
“JT, I was hoping I’d get to see you.” A stocky man of average height clapped JT on his shoulder. “Sorry about not being able to swing my vote your way, but your father has been running this company successfully for a lot of years.”
Clive Ringwald was the owner of a string of auto parts stores in the Midwest and married to JT’s mother’s cousin. An affable man, he was firmly in Preston’s camp, believing whatever half-truths or outright lies he was told.
“I understand,” he told Clive, but his attention was fixed on Violet.
She’d dropped her ballot in the box and handed some paperwork to the auditor. With a last glance his way, she slipped out the room’s second door.
Watching the door close behind her, JT felt his entire world shatter. What the hell was he doing standing here letting Clive prattle on? He loved Violet. He didn’t care if she’d read his file and knew every shameful thing about him. She’d known who he was and married him anyway. And here he was, acting like such a stubborn fool when he should be fighting for the woman who’d transformed his life.
Cutting off Clive with a brusque apology, JT moved to intercept Violet in the hallway, but she’d already vanished. Figuring she was heading to the restaurant where lunch was being served, JT raced down the hall to the escalator that led to the ground floor. As he rode it down, he caught a glimpse of her passing through the front doors. He was so intent on catching up to her that he didn’t notice Brent waiting for him at the bottom of the escalator until his cousin stepped in front of him.
“The FBI’s here.” Brent’s gaze was troubled. “They’re taking your father in. Do you know what the hell is going on?”
JT immediately thought of George Barnes and a reporter in L.A. who might have some information on a man by the name of Preston Rhodes. “I think I do. Where are they?”
Before Brent could answer, his father appeared, flanked by two men in suits. In dazed silence JT watched the trio approach. They’d handcuffed Preston, but there was no question that JT’s father was not cowed by the treatment.
“Do you know who I am?” Preston snarled.
The man to the left smirked. “Actually, that’s what we’d like to chat with you about.”
Preston caught sight of JT and his lips curled in disdain. “I suppose this is your doing.”
JT shook his head. “I wish it was.” And to his surprise he meant it. “Seems as if all your bad choices have finally caught up with you.”
“Tell my assistant to call my lawyer,” he snapped before he was out of range.
“You’re not really going to do that, are you?” Brent inquired.
“Nope.” JT glanced at his cousin. “Can I get a rain check on that drink? I need to catch my wife before she leaves.”
“No problem. Give me a call later.”
But before taking more than a step, once again, JT was prevented from going after Violet. This time it was the auditor who stopped him.