It hardly seems possible that a woman as fucking perfect as Eliza has fallen into my life.

You know when things seem too good to be true? That's what I'm talking about.

Before Eliza, I went through women quicker than you change your nail polish. She may be my stepdaughter, but now … well, let's just say she's the only woman on my mind, and you know what? I feel on top of the fucking world. Like I'm standing on the spire of the Empire State building.

It's a good fucking feeling.

All of the small things that normally drive me fucking crazy and can derail a day—like people taking their time crossing the street, or when I step on a wet floor in my socks, or seeing people eat with their mouths open—none of that made me flinch this morning.

I even absentmindedly applied shaving cream to my toothbrush, and you know what? I shrugged it off. Can you fucking believe that?

This morning I walk up to my office wearing my favorite dark gray Tom Ford suit, and I'm feeling like a billion fucking dollars. Fuck, I’m practically skipping, if you can fucking believe that.

I nod at the receptionist and give her a quick smile as I head into my office and close the door. I sit in my leather chair, and lean back, breathing in the euphoria of it all, thinking of Eliza—her seductive perfume, her firm tits in my fists, my mouth resting on the pulse of her neck as it flutters beneath me, her deep kiss, her moist lips wrapped around my cock, and—

My thoughts are interrupted with a knock on the door. It's a quick tap, and I know who it is.

"Come in!" I call out, and the door opens.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Stackford," my secretary says. There's a worried look in her eyes. "But I think you should check your inbox."

My inbox? What could possibly be so fucking important that my secretary is urging me to take a look? It's out of character.

"Thanks, Julie. I'll go through my messages now."

She gives me a quick nod, and exits just as quickly as she arrived.

As I wait for my laptop to power on, I pull out my cell phone and scroll through my messages. Just as I'm wondering what the big fuss is about, I see it … the message that she's referring to. This is definitely what she was referring to. It's addressed to me, but Julie is cc'd on the message.

Carter … that fucking bastard, I say to myself.

Instantly, I feel my pulse kick into high gear.

The subject line of the email reads: "Pump and dump?"

When I open it, I see it's an alert from one of my hedge fund managers. The email reads:

"One minute, stock in Global Dynamics is through the roof, and now? It's hemorrhaging, Derek. This is really bad. What's going on?"

Sure enough, I look up the price for the stock and I see that it's plummeting. It's sinking as fast as a lead pipe in a swimming pool.

I know that Carter is the majority shareholder at this company. He must've dumped a large number of shares, but why?

And then it hits me.

Of course. He’s fucking getting back at me … for being with Eliza.

Suddenly, my phone starts ringing with investors panicking and wanting answers. It's amazing how quickly your day can fucking change. I look at the QuoteTracker software on my computer and I see the stock spiraling out of control right before my eyes. I'm watching the numbers and it feels like a giant, granite bolder has lodged itself into the pit of my fucking stomach.

You know that feeling you get when a roller coaster throws you over that first peak and your stomach feels like it's falling out from under you? That about sums up what I'm feeling right now.

Calm down, I tell myself. Calm the fuck down. I need to think rationally.

Remember when I told you that I was competitive? Well, I meant it, and I'm not going to sit here and let Carter get the best of me.

I'm going to stop the bleeding. Right now.

I call up the manager and ask him to buy up all of Carter's shares.

"Are you sure you want to do that, Mr. Stackford?" he asks, disbelief in his voice.

"I said do it!" I shout, slamming down the phone. My patience is running thin. If I'm going to prevent this run, I have to act fast.

I know Carter is trying to get back at me. I pick up my phone and dial my secretary.

"Julie, find out where Carter Blake is," I instruct.

"Right away, Mr. Stackford," she replies.

I hang up the phone and sit back in my chair. I look out across the city skyline just outside of my office windows. Carter is out there somewhere, and I'm going to find him. Within a minute, Julie calls me back.

"I have some information," she says.

"Go on," I say, pacing my office now like a caged tiger.

"Your spy … in Carter's office … has informed me that he's going to be visiting Eliza this afternoon to go over some financial matters."

Hearing that news makes the blood in my veins boil. It takes me a minute to realize that my fists are balled and my jaw is clenched. That slimy, two-faced, backstabbing fucking bastard. He doesn't realize what he's in for.

That's all I need to know.

"Thank you Julie," I say, and I hang up the phone.

Fucking with my company is one thing … and now he thinks he can go and weasel his way back into Eliza's life? That's a fucking joke.

I knew he could be a coward, but I never took him for a fool.

If it's a fight he wants, that's what he's going to get.

Carter Blake, I’m fucking coming for you.

And it's not going to be pretty.