Chapter Twenty-Two

Carrie

I take the subway to my meeting with Elijah, which is at a popular bar near the courthouse. The minute I exit the tunnel, I check my messages and find nothing from Reid or anyone for that matter. I dial Reid again and end up with his voicemail again. “I really need you to call me back, Reid,” I say, ending the connection.

“Damn it, Reid,” I murmur, but I remind myself that he has clients. He’s doing two jobs and once I’m the CEO of the company, there is no Reid to call for help. I don’t need help anyway. This is me making sure we aren’t getting sideswiped in some way. I don’t want Reid to think that I’m sneaking behind his back. I dial him again and when his voicemail picks up, I say just that. “I’m meeting Elijah. I don’t want you to think that I’m sneaking behind your back or breaking a promise. I want to find out what I can so he can’t come at you, which like you said, means me. And he said something about my father. I really need to know what he meant. Call me when you can.” I hang up.

One block later, I enter the restaurant bar on the bottom floor of a building near the offices of Woodson Cable News Network, which Elijah recently took over after his father’s retirement. If I rein in Elijah, I always felt I’d get his father, too, but I’ve accepted that at least during this window where Reid sits at the helm, that won’t happen. The bar is dimly lit, clusters of tables here and there, snowflake-looking lights dangling from the ceiling. I don’t really understand the snowflakes as a year-round lighting option, but I guess it’s a way to remember this place.

I scan the room to find Elijah sitting in a booth. He spots my approach and stands, greeting me warmly, but then, on our two prior encounters, he did that as well. He extends his hand, expensive cuff links adorning his pressed white shirt that he’s paired with a black suit. I accept it and we sit down across from each other. “You look beautiful as always,” he comments. “Though please don’t take offense. I, by all means, do not mean to downplay your skills, nor my own professionalism.”

He’s not a handsome man; his features sharp, brown eyes hard, but he wears his age, which I know from my past research to be thirty-nine, with confidence and grace. “I’m not offended and thank you. I am, however, eager to understand why, after I’ve stalked you for years, you’re suddenly willing to do business with me.”

“Timing is a big factor,” he says without hesitation. “I have a project I’ve been trying to bring together and the real estate investment firm I was dealing with is dragging their feet.”

“What’s the project? Because I thought you wanted me to bring one to you.”

“I’m open to you doing so, but in this case, I’m looking to develop world-class high-rises in China and Japan, both markets where we’re rapidly expanding. We’ll run our operation from the building and sell the rest of the space as residential. I’m talking about buildings with such large price tags that we will want to partner with a handful of wealthy investors to make it happen.”

Asia. The location and the magnitude of the project do not sit well for me. It’s a cesspool of potential legal issues with red tape that can take years to cut through, while tying up financial resources.

“That’s a big and exciting project,” I say because it is to most. “And as for the timing of this meeting, you mentioned my father, who of course, has manned many Asian projects.”

“Correct.”

Correct? That’s his response? “Why did my father leaving play a role in you coming to me?”

“He wasn’t in the game anymore. I could see it in his eyes. He wasn’t hungry, but you are.”

I reluctantly accept this assessment as reality though it feels like a half-truth. “You knew if you worked with him, you’d work with me. You could have asked for me.”

“He was the decision maker and your father didn’t instill confidence in me.”

“And now Reid’s in charge.”

“Ah, yes. The elephant in the room. Reid is in charge, but he won’t be around for long.”

He won’t be around for long. I don’t like this statement, which doesn’t feel matter of fact. It doesn’t feel like confidence in me, but rather confidence in Reid’s departure. I want to ask how he knows him, but that feels like a betrayal to Reid. I want to hear it from Reid. “He’s in charge now and that means I need to run all projects by him.”

“Why? You take this to the board, and you take over. It’s pretty cut and dry.”

“You clearly underestimate my loyalty to those who I’m close to and underestimate Reid’s power.”

“You mean you’re afraid of him.”

It’s at that moment that my phone beeps with a text message. I grab my phone. “Excuse me,” I say, reading the message from Reid: Get your pretty little ass up and walk to the bathroom. NOW.

I wet my lips and swallow. He’s pissed. He’s really pissed, and since he wouldn’t know where to find me without listening to my messages, he clearly doesn’t care that I tried to communicate. Actually, I never said where I was going. Now, I’m pissed. He’s having me followed.

“Everything okay?” Elijah asks.

“I have a little problem at the office. Can you give me a minute to make a call?”

“Of course,” he says. “Can I order you a drink while you’re gone?”

“No thanks,” I reply, slipping my purse over my shoulder. “I never drink and talk money, and that’s what we’re here for. Money.”

Approval lights his eyes, though I can’t say I welcome his approval when I should. He alone represents enough money to ensure I keep the West family brand. “How about coffee?” he asks.

“Coffee is fabulous,” I say, though I am certain Reid’s mood right now is not.

Steeling myself for the confrontation the tone of the text message says is coming, I stand and head toward the bathroom sign behind the bar, the idea that I’m trying to create trust with Reid while he has me followed drives my anger and my steps. I enter a narrow hallway and turn right, only to have Reid grab me, and pull me to him. “What the fuck are you trying to pull?”

“Check your messages and you’ll know, and really, Reid?” I grab his tie and tug hard. “You’re having me followed?”

“I’m not having you followed, sweetheart. This was a set-up. The question is, were you a part of it or not?”

My mind shoots to that comment Elijah made about Reid not being around long. I don’t ask questions. Not now, not yet. “Whatever this is, I’m with you. I’m not with them. I swear to you, Reid.”

“You can prove that to me later when we’re alone. Right now, we’re walking out there together, and I’m going to introduce you to the stockholder that just tried to bully me into Elijah’s deal. Interesting timing, don’t you think? And he chose the location for the meeting.”

Understanding washes over me. “It looks like I was plotting behind your back because I was here with Elijah when you just said you wouldn’t do the deal.”

“Exactly.”

“I was not plotting against you, Reid. Have you listened to your messages?”

“I’ve been with our stockholder.”

“And of course, you assumed the worst of me. Your phone transcribed my messages. Read them now.”

“I’ll read them when we’re out of here.”

“Of course you will. What do you want to do?”

“We’re going to walk out there and say goodbye to both of them and then leave together.” He leans in near my ear. “And then we’re going to talk.”

My anger flares hot again. “Oh yes,” I assure him. “We’re definitely going to talk.”

“You will tell them both—”

“I know what to say. You made that clear last night.”

“And yet, you’re here,” he reminds me.

“Listen to your messages, asshole.” I turn for the door and he catches me from behind, his big body pressed close to mine, his lips at my ear. My body is now as hot as my anger, and he warns, “Do not let them see your anger.”

“I’ll save it for you.”

“Good,” he says. “If you can get past mine.” He releases me, and I start walking.