Chapter Thirteen
“I was wondering if you have some time to talk and we need to clear the air. I should’ve done this before we did any of this, but I wasn’t exactly thinking with the head on my shoulders.” He was sitting in his chair heightened at least a few inches over those that would sit in front of him. It was an intimidation tactic and it didn’t seem to be working with Claire. She was quite calm and was reapplying her makeup, which was only getting on his last nerve.
“I can’t believe you’re able to say anything after what just happened. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around what we will do when we are close to each other. It’s almost like we are combustible when we become too hot to handle.” She was a little worried by his tone and how he had suddenly become businesslike.
“I have never given anybody more of my love than I have with you. I could give you a good life, but I know that your independence is very important to you. Information has come to light recently about you. It has me a little concerned.” He had promised his friend that he wasn’t going to confront her, but it seemed more important to get to the bottom of this than to keep his word.
“I don’t know what this is about and it would be best that you just say what’s on your mind. I have things to do and my life doesn’t revolve around the both of us. I will admit coming out from the cold and into the warm embrace of your arms is something I can get used to.” She had the trench coat closed, but she allowed plenty of her long legs to keep his undivided attention. She wiggled her feet in his face showing her pedicure.
“You can’t do this every time we are together, Claire. I know your sensuality is a weapon you use with a degree of precision. It would stand to reason you would put up walls to defend against anybody getting too close.” He was getting close to the big reveal and wasn’t sure what he was going to find when he pulled back the curtain.
“I never had any man complain before. Why do you have to throw cold water on my parade? I have a good mind to get up and leave before you say anything you’re going to regret.” She was in the hot seat and felt emblazoned with her attitude to take whatever she was going to get.
The hot lights and his accusing eyes made her see the jig was up. It was time to mitigate the damage and prevent what was going to become their first fight.
“I’ve made up my mind and there’s no way you’re leaving here before I say my piece. I don’t know what this is going to accomplish, but I need to say something. The information is damning and I need some clarification. I don’t know how quite to say this, so I’m just going to come out with it. Are you scamming me? Don’t answer right away. A lie could be misconstrued. Tell me the truth and I promise that I will listen without judgment.” Eric was waiting patiently and then he witnessed something extraordinary.
Her face became cold and whatever passion they had disappeared within a fraction of a minute. The transformation was scary and had him taking a step back for self-preservation.
“I’m not going to apologize for who I am and this is how I have been since I ran away when I was young. I thought when I targeted you that it would be easy. It wasn’t like that and I tried to pull back in vain. I want something I’ve never had before and I’m willing to sacrifice to get it. There is one stumbling block and I have no right to ask for your help.” There was no sense in pulling off the band-aid slowly when the look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.
“I’m a bit shocked by how easily you confessed and I’m trying to make sense of this. I’ve learned too much to turn a blind eye to your betrayal. In the old days, there was no way that I could ever forgive such a trespass against my person. I want this to work between us. I may regret asking this, but what stumbling block is in our way? Happiness can be short lived and I don’t promise you a white picket fence. I’ve never been one to follow the rules in a relationship and I’m not going to begin now.” He watched her closely and made every effort to try to read her body language.
“I have a partner and he can be quite forceful when he wants to be. I can handle myself, but that’s only until I become no use to him. He already suspects this job is taking way too long. I’ve given him plausible excuses, but he’s not going to be fooled for long. Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting that we kill him, but we have to find a permanent solution.” Her plan to seduce him in his office didn’t go exactly as she was hoping.
“We’ve all had partners who become more like an albatross around our necks. After talking to you, I have reconsidered the merger with a company that will leave me with too many questions to answer. I have an image to uphold and I forget how wholesome I need to be to keep some of my clients happy.” He had already given it a lot of thought and it was time to pull the trigger. He would do it quickly and there would be no going back.
The papers were already drawn, but the ink was not even dry on the signatures. There was a clause leaving him 24 hours to change his mind. This was courtesy of his PR specialist and he thought she was overreaching her authority. There were still eight hours on the clock to change his mind and it wasn’t going to be received favorably.
“You’ve never had a partner like Nicholas. To be completely transparent, I have been physical with him in the past, but it was mostly to get one out of the chamber. We’ve all had those in our lives that have become a port in the storm. Money is the only thing he understands.” She was suggesting that a payout of a significant amount would become a way to finally rid them both of Nicholas. He had become a bad example of what happens when you drink too much.
“I don’t normally give into demands, but maybe this time there’s a way for us both to get what we want. The lucrative contract I was set to sign will no longer be an issue after I make this phone call. I’m not going to do it with a text message. I get the feeling they might be having cold feet. They want to legitimize themselves, but I don’t see my business faring well from this partnership.” He let everything that was being said stew for a while.
He called to nullify the contract. There were some angry words, but nothing that couldn’t be ironed out over a few drinks.
“I heard what he was saying to you and how you could sit there and take that abuse is beyond me. You never raised your voice or gave into the temptation of screaming in retaliation. I’ve heard about your mood swings, but maybe having me in your life is a good influence.” She was giving herself too much credit, but she saw the smirk of approval coming her way.
“I was going to say the same thing about you. Words are sometimes not enough to convey what somebody is trying to say. I promise you from the bottom of my heart that what we have is more than a passing fancy. I could never see myself getting bored of you and trading you in for a younger model.” Everything was starting to fall into place naturally.
“It’s a touchy subject and I don’t want to give you the wrong impression. I’m not just saying this because I need your help with Nicholas. He’s dangerous and there’s no telling what he will do when he learns how I have changed my ways. I suggest a public meeting where we can talk about this without interruption.” She didn’t expect the meeting to go well and getting him there under false pretenses was going to cause some dissension.
“You don’t have to tell me you’ve had a tough life. It’s written across your face. I can’t even begin to understand what you’ve gone through. I have no reference. My life was privileged. I’ve tried to give a little of my worth to causes dear to my heart. We could probably learn a few things from each other.” He wasn’t angry, but he felt like there was still more for them to uncover about each other. They had time, but only if Nicholas was no longer a part of the equation.
“I look back at what I have gone through and I’m curious to know how I have survived. The one thing which has become a saving grace is that I didn’t have children. I can’t even take care of myself let alone someone depending on me unconditionally.” Her biological clock was ticking like a time bomb. She never thought of it often, but the sound of the pitter patter of little feet did make her smile.
“I’m no stranger to doing things I regret in the heat of the moment. It could be a business deal that sours or someone I have taken to bed without thinking about the perception of others. There was a time when I looked into a woman’s eyes and saw nothing but a vacant shell looking back. Those days are gone.” He could hear the sound of his own voice. It made him understand how this woman had found a way into his heart.
“I do feel it’s necessary to tell you that the property you have been interested in has never been for sale. I found out they were on an extended vacation in Europe and I used that to my advantage. Growing a conscience wasn’t what I was intending. I’ve always been a nomad, never staying in one place for too long and for good reason. I have a checkered past and there’s no telling when someone feeling slighted will come calling.” She’d never felt more at ease about telling the truth than she did in front of Eric.
“I had a feeling, but I guess I was just deluding myself into thinking it was possible to be that lucky. If I had been looking at things more clearly, I would have seen how hard you were working not to look too eager. I only have myself to blame.” He wanted to tell her to leave and never return, but the words didn’t make it out of his mouth.
“I’m the one at fault and I take full responsibility for bringing this to your doorstep. If you want to be mad at anybody, then turn your attention towards me. Nicholas has the gambling monkey on his back and I thought that he had control of it. I was wrong on so many levels.” There was no point in leaving anything up to his imagination. It was a relief to tell him the gory details and she left nothing to chance.
“Nicholas sounds like a force to be reckoned with, but he hasn’t met anyone like me. I will gladly shell out enough money to make him leave you alone. It’s a matter of finding that sweet spot where he doesn’t feel like he has been cheated. You might be able to shed some light on a particular number.” He waited and found her silence to be deafening.
“I would suggest going in with a lower number than expected, but that could only end with him feeling like he is left with no other choice. Violence is the only answer you will receive for misjudging him.” She saw his hand extend and she was hesitant for only a moment.
They finally looked at each other and the truth was ugly, but at least the rose colored glasses had come off.
“You’re going to have to be the mediator. How exactly would you like to handle this? I’m a little out of my depth, but business negotiations can be utilized in many factors in my life.” He saw the wheels turning in her head.
“The meeting you request might not be the answer. It would be best for me to bring him what he doesn’t think I’m going to be able to get my hands on. I can cut ties with him and we can wash our hands of this ugliness once and for all.” Everything had taken a left turn veering off course and dangerously close to becoming a disaster.
“You expect me to trust you with a sizable amount of money after everything you have revealed to me? A part of me knows you’re telling me the truth, but another part fears this is just another way to save face. I’m going to take you at your word. It might be the stupidest thing I’ve ever done in my life.” The merger was no longer on his shoulders and he could turn his full attention to what he was blind to when he first met Claire.
“It might feel that way, but I can assure you my motives are pure of heart. I’ve never had a man who I was willing to fight for. I’m a little out of my element, but I’m doing my best with what I have.” Their fingers were entwined and she held on for as long as she could before pulling out of the trap of her own making.
“I’m giving you a blank check as a sign of good faith. I can only hope you will come back into my arms. I know a lot has changed, but the one thing that will never change is the way I feel about you. Claire, a woman like you cannot be found anywhere else. I don’t want to lose the one thing that has become more important to me than money.” He scribbled his John Hancock and handed her something that was either going to prove her fealty or leave him with skid marks on his psyche.
“I swear this won’t be the last you see of me. I will have to lie low to give him the impression there’s nothing to worry about. I don’t know how long that’s going to take. I hope that you can be patient with me and I know I’m asking a lot. I’ve never been this vulnerable. I can give you a million reasons to wake up by my side in the morning, but I can’t give you one to make you trust me.” She saw the hesitation in his eyes, but could also see the love shining through like a beacon for others to emulate.
She exited stage left, leaving his office and finding the staff a little too curious for their own good. One look and she confirmed that many of them were already thinking with a dirty mind. She was thrust into his world and wasn’t expecting to drown in those glaring eyes of disapproval.