Page 27 of Boss

“Smart and beautiful. She belongs to me.”

Yegor smirked. “I understand. He uses a woman against you? He’s done this before hasn’t he?”

Tarek’s cool demeanor faltered. It was the first time Kassidy saw a flash of anger cross his face. Yegor chuckled and kept eating. “American’s and their fucking drama. Thank God I have no brothers. Good thing you aren’t born from Marshall blood. That’s why I think you and I can do business Tarek. Why I am willing to listen. But your brother disappoints me. And if I tell my father, he won’t be so tolerant of explanations. You see he’s been itching to settle matters with your family for decades.”

“There is no explanation. Dale pushes you out of Deadhorse and MGS works with LuxeOil. The government will back it. I can convince LuxeOil to allow a buy in instead. I just need the meeting.”

“So all of this is true? After all these years your father wants to fuck over my family? He hasn’t learned anything?” Yegor asked.

“Not father. He’s in a hospital bed drooling into a cup. This is Dale. And I can stop him, before you have to trouble your father with this news. I rather you bring him a deal that will make us both rich.”

Yegor nodded. Kassidy gathered that this father of Yegor’s was the real big-bad, and Tarek and Yegor were just playing soldiers in this meeting. But she listened and ate in silence.

“Of course I will want something in return,” Tarek said.

Yegor stopped chewing. He narrowed his eyes on Tarek.

“If the goal is to push LuxeOil out and move MGS in I have a lot of federal contracts to undo. It can be complicated,” Tarek said.

“So?” Yegor asked.

“It’s a sizeable investment and my numbers say it will take close to a decade to recover profits if MGS assume all the risk.”

“As you should!” Yegor barked. “It was your fucking brother who stuck his nose in my business here.”

“Agreed. But Deadhorse isn’t the only capital investment. The Campos Basin. Haven’t you wanted to get into South America? I’m close to sealing the deal there. And if I do, with my brother and father silenced I can bring you into the contract. A Seventy-thirty split of the controlling shares.”

“Sixty-forty,” Yegor countered.

Tarek nostrils flared. Kassidy watched him. “Seventy-thirty for the Basin in my favor. And sixty-forty here in Deadhorse. That is the only deal I can sell to my shareholders.”

“But I will be your shareholder too. And so will the Brotherhood. You understand what that means?” Yegor’s smile turned wicked. Kassidy had the urge to disrupt the meeting. Stop Tarek even though he was a complete self-serving jerk, from making a deal with the devil. But she remained silent.

Tarek nodded. “I’m ready. Like I said. Ms. Brown will help us put Dale in his place.”

“We shall see,” Yegor slopped up more of his soup. Kassidy fumed. She felt like a pawn on the table for these two men to move around the board.

“I’d like to go to my room please,” Kassidy announced.

“Something wrong with my company?” Yegor asked.

“No. The time difference has me feeling a bit light headed. I need to lay down.”

“Ah, yes, it’s gets to you at first. You’ll adjust.” Yegor’s big head turned. “Vsevolod, take them both to the room we set up for Mr. Marshall. Make sure our lovely lady is comfortable.”

“Yes, boss,” Vsevolod replied.

“I’ll join her,” Tarek announced. Kassidy would have preferred he didn’t. But she said nothing. She had to resist the urge to turn around and shove him to the ground.

“Tarek? We leave in ten minutes.” Yegor spoke. “Business.”

“I’m ready when you are,” Tarek said. He put his hand to her back but she walked a bit faster to make it fall away. She didn’t want to feel his touch.

Kassidy ignored the stares that were glued to her backside. And endured the whispered comments as she passed several tables with men. She walked as fast and assuredly. She understood only one thing. Tarek pushed her into a war that had nothing to do with her and he planned to do it.

They were taken upstairs to where she imagined all the rooms were located. The one assigned to her was a modest size chamber with a Queen sized bunker bed. It had a television too and a bathroom. She paused to see Tarek’s luggage next to hers.

“I would like my own room,” she said.

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