Page 10 of Sinful Negotiations

“I work there. I’ve planned the details of this merger for months. James Advertising was started by my father. How is it not my business?”

“You haven’t provided any information of value,” her uncle stated. “Do you have the routing and bank account number I asked for?”

“Unbelievable. No. I’d never give that information to anyone, including you. I’d be breaking several laws. I work for Aidan.” Tessa tossed her napkin on the table. “You’ve never put me or this family first, and I’m sick of it. I can’t believe you’d even expect that.”

“Aidan, is it?” Her aunt asked with a smirk.

“Yes, Aidan.”

“I wasn’t aware you were on a first name basis with your employer, Tessa.”

“That’s none of your business,” Tessa shot back with her uncle’s own words. “Perhaps, if you two would see me as your niece instead of a commodity, you’d know more about my life.”

When her uncle smacked his open palm against the table, both Tessa and her aunt turned to him. “We warned you not to sleep with him. We asked you to provide information on hiscompany for our family. You never listen to us. I am forced to take drastic measures now. You’re no longer welcome in this family.”

She could only pray he didn’t hurt her when he yanked a file from the buffet, stomped to where she sat, and tossed it on the table. Pictures of her and Aidan in their not-so-secret room spilled onto the tablecloth.

Tessa gasped, but her temper exploded. “You had someone spying on me? Your own family?” With shaky fingers, she shuffled through the pictures before stuffing them in the file. All her life she’d tolerated this ridiculous control because of her uncle’s bad decisions. Guilt and her personal life were used as weapons. “So, because I fucked Aidan, you try to destroy him and disown me.”

Her aunt held up one hand, but it didn’t stop her. “What have you done? This makes no sense and doesn’t change anything. Cross Enterprises will be fine with or without this merger. As for my personal life, it’s none of your business.”

Her uncle grabbed his wine glass and threw it at the wall behind her, breaking it into a thousand pieces and splattering red wine all over the white paint. “Because of you, I am ruined.”

“How? Whatever you’ve done wasn’t my fault or Aidan’s for that matter.”

Her uncle gripped the back of his dining chair, and her aunt glared. At a complete loss, betrayed, and hurt, Tessa rose from her chair. If this is how they wanted it, she’d give it to them. More words spoken in anger would only make things worse.

“I can see the truth isn’t an option as usual. You think I don’t know, but I overheard those conversations behind your office door. The affairs? The bad investments? Loan sharks? I am nothing but a means to gain information, I always was, and I’m sick of it. I even created the perfect family in my mind and sold it like candy to anyone who asked. Aidan is a good man. He doesn’tdeserve this, and neither do I. I won’t let you destroy him or the company he worked so hard to build.”

Tessa waited to see if either would try to repair the damage, but they refused to speak. “Uncle? What happened to the man I used to ride with, fish with, have fun with?”

“He’s gone, and you’re not a little girl anymore. You haven’t been for a long time.”

They gave her no choice. Business always came first, so there was no point in arguing. Her aunt and uncle crossed the line this time, and they’d never admit guilt or apologize. “I love you both. Enjoy your retirement. Please have your keys sent to my office or apartment.”

When the room remained eerily quiet, Tessa James grabbed the file containing the photographs, left her family home, her childhood home, shocked and with a shattered heart. It wasn’t Aidan she should’ve worried would break it, but her own family.

Chapter 11

Anxious and worried, Aidan waited for her in the parking lot of her apartment complex. He hated this and didn’t want to be the one to lay the information in her lap, but it was best if it came from him.

She didn’t notice him when she parked. Shoulders slumped and sniffling, she exited her car with her handbag in one hand and a manila file in the other. Something was wrong. “Tessa?”

She jerked at the sound of his voice. “Aidan? What are you doing here? You’ve never come to my place.”

“First time for everything.” He tried to smile but failed miserably. This last week had been terrible without her. He could deliver the worst of information to anyone anytime, and it never bothered him, but not Tessa. “Can we talk? Someplace private?” She already appeared upset, so he didn’t want to do this now.

“Can’t it wait?” Tessa waved the one free hand clasping the file in the air. “No, forget I said that. I need to talk to you too.”

“Have you been crying?”

Her chin trembled, and her eyes were bloodshot. “It’s okay. I’ll be fine.”

Watery eyes were one thing, but actual tears slipping over her cheeks were another. Aidan shuffled from side to side, ran one hand through his hair, and opened his arms wide. The information could wait ten damn minutes, or however long she needed.

She started to turn away but plowed into his chest face first.

Aidan stroked the back of her head, trying to find the right words as she openly sobbed. “Whatever happened, it’s not the end of the world.”

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