Series: Werewolves of Wall Street Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73722 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
“Nickel, good of you to join us so early in the morning.” It’s before dawn in California. “How’s the weather?”
“Sunny with a slim chance of mergers.” Nickel spends the next few minutes outlining the mood around Benson insurance. “Benson Senior is furious about his son’s actions. Junior was supposed to show up to a meeting here but blew it off. They’re trying to get a hold of him now. His shares give the Adalwulf’s more voting power, and Aiden is against the merger.”
I crumple the printed agenda into a ball. “We need something to clinch this deal. We cannot lose to the Adalwulfs.”
“We spent too much time trying to sweet talk the son,” Nickel says. “We need another way in. There are no bad ideas.”
Madi opens her mouth but hesitates. I wouldn’t notice it except I’m tuned into her.
“What?” I bark, pointing to her.
She flushes, but her voice doesn’t waver. “According to my research, Benson Junior was never driving this deal. Benson Senior is the deciding vote.”
“So?” Billy scoffs. “We know that.”
“So… he wants to retire. He spends half his time on the golf course with his CFO and COO–who apparently were both his buddies in college,” she says. “The deal you offered has no mention of securing a position for them.”
“Because once we take over a company, we clean house,” Billy says.
“Exactly.” Madi sits up straighter.
“You think Benson Senior is torn?” I outline her thinking. “He wants to get on with his golden years but also doesn’t want to leave his friends behind?”
She angles her body in my direction. “If you were to sell Moon Co., would you take a deal that might cut out your CFO and COO?” Her voice is low, like she’s speaking only to me.
“That’s different,” Billy argues. “We’re founders. Co-owners.”
“So are Mr. Benson’s friends, in his mind,” she replies in her smooth, confident tone. “So prove to him you’ll treat them well.”
I glance at Vance, who shrugs. “We could do it,” he says. “We were planning on keeping them in place anyway. We can guarantee them positions.”
“Legacy leadership to shepherd in Benson’s new era.” On the video screen Nickel waves a hand, presenting the spin.
“That’s it. Vance, Billy, fly out to help Nickel. Show them we’re serious.”
Vance and Billy nod.
“In some ways, this is simpler now,” Nickel says. “When we get Benson Senior on board, we close the deal.”
“Let’s do it.” I rise to see my top team out. When I return alone, Nickel is still on screen, looking a lot more confident.
“I have a good feeling about this,” he says.
“Do you need me?”
“No. We got this.” He knows as well as I do, it looks more powerful for me to stay behind while my lieutenants close the deal. A show of strength and loyalty the Adalwulfs can’t match. “Keep an eye on Adalwulf.”
“Will do.” I lean back in my chair. “Full moon tonight.”
“Yes. You going for a run?” I use our code for finding a safe place to shift and run as a wolf.
“Yes. Our old friend has space here for me.” He means Lucius the vampire king. I wouldn’t call a leech a friend, but a century ago, my ancestors negotiated a truce. In a world full of humans, we monsters need to stick together to keep our existence a secret.
“Good. Vance and Billy will head to the preserve as soon as they touch down.”
“And you? Heading back to the Berkshires before midnight?”
“Yes. Jake and Sully and the rest of the pack will be there. And I need to run.”
It’s a myth that we have to shift on the full moon. If we live our lives in balance, letting the wolf out to run on the regular, we can make it one night in the presence of humans without betraying ourselves. We’d have to spend extra time in the woods the day before and after, but it can be done. Some packs have a careful rotation so their members show themselves at all times of the month. In the city, we don’t have to bother. Most humans don’t notice the changing of the moon. Most humans are so self-absorbed, they barely notice anything about their environment at all.
Madi might notice. She’s smarter and more observant than any human I’ve known. But I have ways of keeping her distracted.
Nickel and I talk strategy through lunch, then I hang up and take the rest of my meetings. The top floor has an empty feeling to it. Other than an analyst team and a few assistants, everyone’s gone. All my pack brothers are busy or in flight to close the deal.
Madi slips back into the conference room, tucking a lock of dark hair behind her ear. I pin her with a glance, and she halts, freezing like she can sense my wolf is ready to pounce.