Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 74597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74597 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 298(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
“You don’t ever post anything,” she complained.
“Well, then you’ll both have some troubled nights, won’t you? Maybe she could hire a private detective to follow me around.”
Deanna’s expression went mulish. “Well if she did, she probably would do it because she’s worried about you getting your heart ripped out of your chest by some British skank out for your money. And I know your mother is British, but she had all that Weston money behind her, so we know she married your father because she lost her damn mind, not because she needed money.”
“Nina isn’t a gold digger.” He kept his voice down because they were out in public, and despite the fact that he was sure Deanna had sent the PI, he wasn’t giving anyone more ammunition if he could help it. “She’s my fiancée, and if you can’t treat her with respect then we’re going to have a problem.”
“We’ll have a problem anyway,” Deanna said under her breath.
“What?”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. You didn’t answer my texts. The stock you wanted to buy bottomed out an hour ago, but I can’t give them the go-ahead to buy without your signature, and the Nikkei opens in a few hours. If we don’t get it at open, we’ll pay a much higher price because the sharks will be circling.”
He took a deep breath. She had a good reason for hunting him down. He held out a hand. “Give it to me.”
She gave him the authorization papers. “Good, because I’m worried Jordy is going to try to undercut us.”
He started to look them over. “Jordy Burton? The asshole on my leadership team who was so worried about my daddy that he showed up in my hotel room this morning? That Jordy?” He knew it shouldn’t surprise him.
“Yep. I’m not entirely certain, but I heard him talking to someone about stock, and he mentioned the company you’ve been looking at. I don’t know how he knows. I wouldn’t tell that massive ass a thing.”
“Then why did you let him in my hotel suite?” He didn’t like the idea that Jordy had somehow figured out his plans to buy up stock on a failing Japanese tech firm. They had some software that JT believed they were underusing. He wasn’t certain so he wanted a deal, but if he was right, Malone Oil would have another technological edge.
So where had Jordy gotten the idea to go after the same firm?
She sighed. “I let them in because I was worried too. The Malone family closed ranks and I was on the outside. I know we’re not exactly friends, JT, but I’ve worked for you for a long time. I spend more time with you than anyone else in the world. Forgive me for being worried.”
“About me, or the company if my father dies?”
“I wouldn’t worry about the company. You’ve been running it for the last few years. If anything, I wish you would take it all over because your dad is stubborn as the day is long and won’t listen to any idea that doesn’t come from a dinosaur.” She gave him a pen. “Although now I’m worried because instead of dealing with this very important stock purchase you were doing something in the dressing room that made all the salesladies stand outside like they were listening to a sex show. Probably because they were.”
“I get to have a private life.” He finished looking through the documents and signed his name on the line.
“Not in the dressing room, you don’t.” She took the papers back and stepped away. “I hope you’re telling me the truth and you really know this woman because I would hate to see her ruin the good work you’ve been doing. I’ll get this filed and see you in the morning unless you’re planning on ducking work to play with your…fiancée.”
“I’ll be there in the morning.” Though he and Nina did have work to do. “Mid-morning.”
Deanna sighed. “Yes, that’s what I was worried about.”
She turned and walked away.
“Mr. Malone, should we try more dresses?” the saleswoman asked.
He still had a ring to buy. “No. We’ll take them all.”
He had very little time to win Nina over. He wasn’t going to waste it.
Chapter Six
Five days later, JT stopped before the big circular drive where there would almost certainly be a valet waiting to take his truck. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Am I okay that the last of the prep time for the op we begin tomorrow is being taken up by a sham, hastily thrown together party for a fake engagement? Of course I am.”
She was not. Even he knew that. “I’m sorry. My mom thought this would be the best way to help with our cover.”
His mom wanted to get a look at Nina. His mom had likely talked to Michael, who would have told her he was in way over his head, and she knew the only way to take control of the situation was to force him to come home.