I was caught off guard.

The press had me while I was exiting my limo in front of The Excalibur. They’d swarmed me before my bodyguard could ward them off. Now, he was trying to rough them up.

I stopped Reno before he ended up in the slammer for harassing the press. But on second thought, I doubted if this was the Forbes or Business Week group. By the looks of them, they worked for the kind that peddled gossip.

“Mr. Landis, are you dating Cressida Madden?” shouted one of the reporters.

Luna, the head of my company’s PR had warned me of this a few hours ago, but I was in the middle of a meeting and didn’t think much of it.

Gossip travelled faster than a fucking virus. But then again, this was no ordinary gossip. This was actually big news on Wall Street as Madden’s case was closely followed by the media.

“Pictures of you dining at a restaurant surfaced on the internet this morning. Was that a date?”

“What is the implication of this with regards to Madden’s case? Are you still pushing for the trial or have you come to a compromise?”

That sounded from someone who worked at The Business Journal. The others were trash-peddlers. But I wasn’t inclined to answer any of their questions.

This was fucked. It wasn’t supposed to come out. I should have known better than to bring Cressida out with me, even within the confines of a club I owned. Some people just couldn’t resist making money out of other people’s business.

“Are you and Cressida going serious?”

Serious? You kidding me?

“Does this mean you and Harper Holcomb are over?

Who said Harper and I had anything going at all? Fuck these hounds.

“Josh, let’s go!”

Reno somehow managed to find me in the middle of the rabid dogs and practically grabbed a handful of my suit to guide me out of the throng and into The Tower.

They came after us with camera shutters hissing like serpents on a hunt for blood. Fuck forbid I’d find my face plastered all over some shitty tabloid tomorrow with Cressida.

“Josh, the complainants want a dialogue with you.”

I didn’t even pretend I didn’t know what Wyatt was talking about. He was at it the moment he stepped into my office.

“Can you hold it off?”

“‘Fraid not.”

Silence.

“What the hell is happening, man?”

I massaged my forehead. I faced Wyatt. He looked grim, awaiting my explanation.

I spread my arms. “What?”

“So it’s true? You’re boning Madden’s daughter?”

“Watch your mouth,” I said tersely, irritated at the way he referred to Cressida. Guy speak was not off-limits in my office. Wyatt could switch from being my henchman to my good friend anytime. But now, I found myself taking offense that Wyatt saw Cressida as one of those women in my not-so-distant past, some I even shared with Wyatt, at their discretion.

“Oh fuck, it’s true.” Wyatt groaned.

“What do they want?”

Wyatt settled himself into an armchair and opened the Cuban cigar box lying on the side table. He lit one and took a deep drag before answering. He propped his feet on the center table like he owned the damn office.

“You’re hot news on prime time with the most famous heiress in America today.”

“So?” I picked the remote control to turn the smoke vents on. I knew what he was getting at and I was stalling. I didn’t know how to explain this to my lawyer.

“They want an explanation, of course.”

“I don’t owe them any explanation. My case stands even without their corroboration.”

“Whoa! Wait a second. What do you mean?”

“I don’t need to explain my actions to them.”

Wyatt stood up, going serious. “What did you expect, man? You have to admit this is ten kinds of fucked up. What the hell? I couldn’t believe it when Luna told me. So, they want to know if your sex life isn’t playing open bar with your business. You owe them that.”

“No, I don’t. My case stands even without their corroboration. I can pursue it without them.” I stood up from my chair and faced the New York skyline. I wondered what the little witch was doing today. Had she heard of this already? Why wasn’t she calling me or anything yet?

“Is there something you’re not telling me, Josh?”

“None that would worry you, Wy.”

“Are you sure?”

I faced my lawyer and friend. “I’m seeing her, yes. But business is business.”

Wyatt stared at me harder.

I glared at him. “What?”

“Seeing her, huh? Just seeing her, nothing more? You shouldn’t be even seen with her at all. It’s a fucking conflict of interest, and you know it!”

“Wyatt—“

“I advised you to offer Madden a plea bargain. You said no. I’m representing you, Josh. My ass is on the line too.”

“You want to resign?” I challenged him.

His jaw dropped. “Jesus, Josh. I just want to understand what’s going on! You know how I hate being blindsided. I’m your fucking lawyer. Let me do my job properly!”

“Nothing is going on! Schedule a meeting with the complainants tomorrow.”

Wyatt sighed. “So, we’re still on the plan. The Madden-is-getting-the-max plan. YOUR plan.”

I nodded. “Yeah. That’s still the plan.”

I sat facing Madden on the metal table.

He called this meeting today. I didn’t have to come here but something inside me urged me to. Or maybe I was curious of what the man had to say this time. A few months in the slammer could change people. Not that I had high hopes for this bastard turning for the better.

I waited for him to speak first.

“Leave my daughter alone, Landis.”

Ah, he’d heard. Gossip travelled fast in the slammer, too.

“You’re not in any position to make any demands or requests, Madden.”

“She has nothing to do with all this! She’s innocent!”

Innocent. Don’t I know that? “She came to me. I didn’t seek her out.”

“She thinks she’s going to save me.”

“Yeah. A pity.”

Madden’s eyes burned. “If you hurt her, I will kill you.”

I couldn’t believe his audacity. “That is if you’d ever get out of here, old man. And even then, you’d be dead before you could utter those words again in my presence.”

“I’m warning you, Landis—“

“I’ll make this simple, Madden,” I cut him mid-sentence, “And you’d better listen carefully. I will not speak of this again.”

He shut up.

Now, go for the kill.

“Plead guilty for a lesser sentence. You’ll serve a few years and then you’re free to go. Don’t worry, I’ll provide for your retirement. You and your family will still live a comfortable but simpler life, maybe in the Netherlands or anywhere in Europe. You’re finished here in the US.”

“And? I still have to hear the catch.”

I smiled mirthlessly. “Sign over your company to me. All of it.”

“Over my dead body!”

“It will happen whether you’re alive or dead, Armand, so quit struggling. You’re only sinking your ass quicker into the quicksand of your own making. All your investors want me to takeover. The government wants me to takeover. All of America wants you to rot in prison with Rutledge.”

The man’s shoulders sagged. “What about my daughter?”

“I’ll decide if she’s capable of holding a position in the company. She’s quite young. She needs to finish college.”

“Too young for you,” he sneered.

That hit a nerve, but I didn’t care for this man’s opinions nor his feelings. “Think about it, old man.”

I stood up and walked to the door. I paused. “If you agree to my proposal, I think the judge could be talked into granting you bail. I’m sure your wife misses you very much now.”

“Bastard!” Madden raged gruffly, but his voice was brittle. He was at the breaking point.

“If you don’t take this offer, our next meeting will be in court, and I swear, I’ll crush you, Madden. Completely. Think before you speak again.”

The man’s shoulders slumped, his eyes glassy, defeated.

There you go, old man.

“I’m begging you, Joshua. Spare my daughter.”

I was prepared for anything, but not this. Madden begging me.

“She’s a grown woman, able to decide for herself.”

“One day soon, you’ll be a father, too. You’ll know how I feel.”

“I’m glad I don’t have to feel what you feel now then.”

Madden’s tears dropped.

Shit.

“She’s all that I have left that’s good, Joshua. Please, don’t hurt her. I’m not there to defend her. My little girl doesn’t have anyone out there to defend her. I’m all that she has and…look at me…” He spread his arms. “I can barely move here.”

Something inside me shifted, giving way.

Sympathy. Yeah. Dangerous. Foolish.

This man didn’t deserve any.

I stood up before I did something more stupid than I already did. Now I had some explaining to do to the other complainants. But at least, Wyatt would be happy.

Fuck.

“My lawyer will be in touch.”