Page 62 of Takeover
“All the right answers, huh?” William was smiling in a way that turned Sam’s blood cold.
What the hell did William know? And how? Sam racked his brain. “What are you talking about?”
William set his cup down on the table before replying. “On one of my visits to Four Rivers, I checked out the gym.”
Fucking hell. Sam forced himself to breathe normally, to remain relaxed. He hoped to God it worked because showing panic now would do no good. “And?”
“And I heard you. With him.”
William knew. He had known for more than a month. Sam’s fear—all the voices from his past—yelled and screamed, then twisted, cracked, and melted away. He couldn’t afford that emotion, not with William. “And?” He spoke softer than before, but that single word made William step back.
Sam smiled. This role—the asshole CEO—he could do. “Are you trying to blackmail me?” William might be ignorant of technology, but he played politics as well as anyone at his level.
“That depends on whether you actually care about Mike Sebastian.”
“Perhaps I do. Perhaps I don’t.” Sam spoke through the dizzying panic that dwelt in the back of his mind. “How much are you willing to risk your reputation to find out?”
“My reputation? I’m not the one fucking my employee.”
Sam chuckled and swirled the coffee in his cup before taking a drink. “If he were a woman, you’d be patting me on the back and asking for details.”
William face reddened. “That’s different.”
“No, it really isn’t.” And it wasn’t. Like it or not, Sam’s relationship with Michael wasn’t proper or ethical, even if he had fallen for him. “And knowing you, you’d congratulate me, then stab me in the back with it, just like now. What is it that you want?”
“Four Rivers.”
Sam nearly choked on his coffee. “Sundra has Four Rivers. I saw you sign the paperwork myself. I can’t deliver something you gave away.”
“I mean I want the office. To manage.”
The position that was Michael’s to take. That should have been Michael’s from day one.Shit.“You don’t know the first thing about routing. Or engineering.”
“I don’t need to. All I need to know is how to get people to work. I’ve done that. This deal is proof.”
And how to syphon funds. Sam didn’t crush the paper cup in his hand. For one, it still contained good coffee. He drank the remains. “I’m not so sure Sundra sees it that way.” Hell, if Four Rivers had followed William’s plan, only the intellectual property would be on the market, not the talent. Sundra wouldn’t have bought.
“That’s where you come in. You’re going to recommend me.”
Like hell. More like drop enough paperwork at Sundra legal to bury William. “Why would I do that?”
“Because if you don’t I’ll let everyone know what kind of man Sebastian is. How the upstanding, well-loved Mike bent over to get ahead in his career.”
Sam’s heart stuttered and the cold edge of fear surged in. All thoughts of handing William over to Sundra faded.Shit.
Michael didn’t deserve to have his name dragged through the mud because Sam had lost discretion. Even if Michael were right about Pittsburgh and how well the community knew him, companies would notice. The scandal would limit his career choices. And Sundra was larger than just Pittsburgh.
There was something worse than being gay in business—cocksucking your way up the ladder. That it was Sam who ended up with a dick in his mouth didn’t matter. Everyone would assume the other way around.
It would destroy Michael.
“What happens if you get what you want?” It was a sign that Sam had caved, but he had to know.
William grinned, his teeth too white. “Your friend Mike keeps his job. You leave town. Everyone’s happy.”
Not acceptable. Nor was punching William in the face. Sam chewed on his tongue and said words that tasted of bitter, bitter defeat. “Let me have some time to consider.”
All fang and gloat, William had the aura of a predator with his muzzle in a kill. “You had better make up your mind by lunch, because you’re going to give a glowing recommendation to Dr. Malik then.” William picked up his coffee and walked toward the conference area. “See you later, Randell.”
