Page 106 of Ten Day Affair
He hangs up before I can respond. I stare at the phone.
There goes that thread.
The last real shot at finding a buyer who might’ve kept some shred of the Evelyn Taylor Wing intact.
The door opens without a knock. Dorian strolls in, loosening his tie.
"You've got people asking questions."
He drops into the chair across from my desk and crosses his ankle over his knee like he owns the place.
"What the fuck does that mean?"
"Harrison's assistant reviewed the last minutes of the vote meeting in Palm Beach and flagged them for him. He just called me, so I had to come back up here to ask you myself. You tried to derail the deal?"
I lean back in my chair, keeping my expression neutral. "Just like I said in there, it's smart business. Opens up new buyers."
Dorian raises a brow. "Has nothing to do with your neighbor, who happens to have the last name of Taylor?"
The casual way he mentions Sam again makes heat crawl up my neck. How does he know what her last name is?
"It was a strong program. It made the hospital more than just another boutique health club. I was exploring its value. I didn't call for a vote or make an amendment, I only posed a question."
"Cole." His voice drops. He pauses for dramatic effect. Or, maybe he's waiting for me to say something. I don't.
"This board doesn't want vision. They want ROI. And you've got a whisper campaign starting."
My hands tighten on the armrests of my chair. "What kind of whisper campaign?"
"The kind that says you're getting soft. That maybe your judgment is compromised. Harrison's already asking questions about your time in Palm Beach." He leans forward.
Something dark and violent unfurls in my chest. These bastards think they can question me? After everything I'vebuilt? I'm the CEO of this company and the brains behind every successful acquisition we've done.
"Then tell them to say it to my face. I'm not some fucking intern. IamKings Holdings."
The words come out harder than I intended. Dorian's eyes widen slightly, and he holds up both hands.
"Easy, man. I'm just giving you the heads up. You know how these things go."
I know exactly how these things go.Board members whisper during smoke breaks. Side conversations at dinner parties. Votes of no confidence dressed up as strategy sessions.
My fists clench hard enough that my knuckles crack. "I built this company from nothing. Every deal, every acquisition, every fucking dollar in their portfolios came from my vision."
Dorian stands slowly, like he's dealing with a wild animal. "I know that. You know that. Just watch your back, okay?"
He backs toward the door, shaking his head. "And maybe consider that the neighbor situation might be more complicated than it's worth."
The door clicks shut behind him. I look down at my hands, still clenched tight enough to crack bone.
The whiskey tastes like regret.I've been standing on this balcony for three hours, watching the city lights blur together as the bourbon does its work.
My bare feet stick to the cold stone tiles. The wind cuts through my dress shirt until I finally strip it off and toss it through the sliding door. Now it's just me, the scotch, and a mile of floors of nothing between me and the street below.
My phone sits heavy in my palm. The screen lights upwhen I tap it, showing Sam's contact. No messages between us since before everything blew up. Just that photo I took of her on my deck, wearing my Harvard sweatshirt and smiling like she trusted me.
My thumb hovers over the keyboard. I start to type.
Thinking about you.
