“You must be out of your mind.”

I stood opposite Sutton in his oversized, overpriced living room and met his eyes as he tried to stare me down. “There’s simply no fucking way. You have no right to commit so much of the company’s assets without my approval. And half my fucking salary? You’ve lost your goddamned mind, Chase. I did what you wanted… I got Pam to back off and I had my lawyer send a letter to a few of the rest. I apologized… without admitting anything they could act on legally. They’ve backed down… there’s no fucking scandal. It’s over, Chase. We can forget the whole ugly mess now, and just move forward.”

“Without paying the price, or learning the lesson?” I asked, dully. “And you just go right on the way you always have. No consequences… no compassion.”

“You can’t run another man’s life for him, Chase. I get it, you’re all wrapped up in this sense of guilt and some sudden concept of morality…”

“I’m talking about integrity, Sutton. And conscience. A sense of responsibility,” I shot back. “I can’t tell you how to live your life, but I am telling you this. If you want Envisager to survive, if you want to continue as a partner, you’ll do everything I’m fucking telling you to do. I’m giving you one last chance. If you don’t take it, I’m walking. Away from you, the company, everything. And you can deal with the consequences on your own. All on your own.”

“You’re fucking bluffing,” he spat back. “There’s no goddamned way you’d walk away from your half of a multibillion dollar company. Even if you did, I could drag your name through the mud right along with me.”

“Threats only work if a man had something to lose,” I replied, coolly. “No company, no billions…

No leverage,”

“You didn’t need to come for my sake,” Emi said, reaching up to run her fingers along my jaw. “But I’m so glad you did.”

In a moment, I forgot the discomfort of my collar and my general dislike of formalwear. She pressed her body against my stiff white shirt and I felt the rest of me go stiff as well. We stood in the church kitchen as Reese put the final touches on the wedding cake. The ceremony had finished a few minutes ago and the happy couple were being photographed. We had ten, maybe fifteen minutes before the reception would begin. I used precious long minutes, kissing her hard. Everything in me wanted more… And by the time I let her go, her tender mouth was pink and swollen, my heart was pounding a deafening rhythm in my ears…

“Consider this fair warning,” I breathed into her hair… her neck. “When this wedding is over, I’m taking you with me, back up to the cabin.” I worked my fingers along the tiny bones of her spine and the first eager drops of fluid seeped from my cock. I stopped my hands in the hollow of her back, just above the curve of her ass. I was throbbing, trapped between the heat of our bodies. “Last time was only a taste,” I whispered. “Nothing compared to the plans I have for you… for us…”

She wrapped her arms around my neck and pressed her breasts against my chest. Even through our clothes, I could feel the hard nubs of her nipples. Her eyes were dark, dilated… I knew she was as wet and ready underneath her prim black skirt, as I was… straining against my zipper. The only thing she wore that broke the severity of her serving uniform was a tiny white apron with a delicate lace edging. For a brief second, I allowed myself the image of her… wearing only that…

“I’ve got to take the cake in now,” she said, breathlessly, pushing at my hands. “I’ve got to go… I can’t wait…”

“Neither can I,” I said, reluctantly letting her go. “But I should get back out there too. Ben’s waiting for me. And Sutton’s here,” I said darkly, “though I can’t figure why. He’s got no connection that I know of, to the bride or the groom.”

“Did he back down?” she asked, her hand on my arm. I could feel her fingers gripping tight. “When you told him you’ll walk if he doesn’t cooperate?” Her eyes were brilliant, intense.

I swept a strand of soft brown hair out of her eyes. “He’s weakening,” I said. “He knows he’s cornered and there’s no way out but the truth.” I shook my head. “He can make things right and keep his head above water. Or he can keep on heading for disaster. I’ve made his choices clear enough.”

“And if he refuses?”

I smiled. “I haven’t shown my whole hand. Not yet. I hope he won’t take it that far, but my lawyers have all the papers ready. He fucks up one last time and I’ll sign them.”

“And give up your own company? It isn’t right, Chase. For him to have that kind of power.”

I took her back into my arms and inhaled her sweet, warm scent. She was soft, delicious, curving perfectly to fit the hard angles of my body. I took a long, deep breath and felt my whole heart expand inside my chest. “He has no real power,” I said, looking into her eyes. “I started one company… I can always start another.

I have the only thing I need, right here. I love you, Emi. I can reinvent myself, my whole life a hundred times over, as long as I have you next to me. Whatever else I lose is a small price to pay for everything I’ve gained…”

She leaned in one last time, taking my face in her hands and kissing me hard. “I do love you, Chase,” she said, passionately. Her body radiated heat and her eyes were shining. She bit into her lip, drawing my eyes, and I felt my whole body respond.

“Meet me in twenty minutes,” she said, smiling. “Up in the choir loft. I have a surprise…

Don’t keep me waiting…”