I get right on it and half an hour later, Harrison is leading the board members into the room while I quickly finish up. They all take their seats, leaving the head of the table empty for Colton.
A smug grin stretches over my face, knowing that having Colton in that seat is going to grate on their nerves the whole way through the meeting.
Colton strides in a moment later looking like fucking fire. My mouth waters as he wears the suit I’d picked out for him like a fucking boss. He walks right up to his seat and looks around the men sitting before him. “Gentlemen,” he says, not bullshitting around.
Colton takes his seat, his eyes briefly flicking across to me as I fill seven glasses of water and begin handing them around the table. “Let’s get this meeting underway.”
One of the men scoff and I can’t help but notice how similar this man looks to Charlie. “I think not,” he says. “We will wait until your incompetent help has completed her tasks, but if you ask me, she should have been finished ages ago.” he looks at me. “Are you not aware that my time means money? If I’m going to be wasting my time on a girl like you, you better be making it worth my time.”
Fucking bastard. I don’t give a shit who he is. After what happened with Jude, no one in this world will get away with sexualizing me.
I give him a pleasant smile as Colton’s eyes darken at the way he addressed me. “I apologize,” I say, reaching for a glass of water to place down in front of him and accidentally spilling it all over the bastard. “Oh, no,” I gasp, hurrying for a napkin to mop up the spilled water. “How clumsy of me.”
The big version of Charlie flies up out of his chair and the men around him scurry to save the paperwork laid out on the table. “OUT NOW, YOU INCOMPETENT FOOL,” he hollers, raising his hand.
It flies toward my face but Colton is there a second later, catching his hand and holding it out like a steel vice. “Touch her and I will end you. I don’t give a shit that your son is my best friend.” He looks around at all the men. “That goes for all of you. Oceania is mine to deal with how I see fit. If I say she remains in this damn room, then she remains. Is that understood?”
They all nod and I watch in amazement as these executive businessmen fold to his will like little bitches. Colton looks back to Charlie’s father with an intense stare that demands respect and has everything south of my border clenching. “Now, I suggest you sit your ass down so I can get this bullshit excuse of a meeting underway.”
He narrows his eyes at Colton and after a moment of hesitation, he finally relents and takes his seat.
Colton turns and starts walking back toward the head of the table and as he does, his eyes come to mine and man is he pissed, but there’s also a hint of amusement. My arousal is as clear as day and I know he sees it which only makes his eyes flame with need.
‘Stay’ he mouths as he passes me.
My back straightens. Stay? What the fuck? Why the hell would he want me to stay? It’s not as though I can offer anything to this meeting. I don’t even know what Carrington Incorporated is or what it does—nor do I care to. There must be another reason he wants me to stay, so I keep myself looking busy for as long as possible.
Colton reaches the head of the table and instead of taking a seat, he leans over it. He presses his knuckles against the hardwood and stares down at his board members, refusing to remain on the same level as them. “Let’s keep this short and sweet,” he starts, the authority in his tone having me nearly dropping to my knees and ready to submit to his every wish. “You’re all here assuming that I’ve spent the last week mourning my father’s death, claiming that you’ve waited out of respect for my father, but you’re going to listen and you’re going to listen well.”
There’s a short pause where his eyes flick to my grin when he uses those exact words. His disloyal subjects stare, patiently waiting to hear whatever Colton has to say and damn it, I’m waiting with bated breath as well. I know Harrison is standing just outside the door listening just as intently, all of us dying to see if our boy has what it takes to truly dominate in this world.
I stop what I’m doing and give him my full attention, listening to every last word.