In Bed with the Boss

Chapter Five

She grabbed for her briefcase and took out the papers she had neatly stashed inside. She had to make an emotional appeal to Lockwood Corduroy because he was unable to feel anything. She would give him figures as he was a man of numbers. You won’t keep investing because you haven’t made any money thus far. But the cafés are doing well. They claim to speculate to accumulate, isn’t that right?

‘Do they?’

She flushed and forced herself to keep talking despite his bored tone and the unsettling glitter in his eyes. “We’re currently breaking even, but soon we’ll be making money,”

‘Is that right?’

Something about the way he was staring at her made her disco comfort, soar. “When we start making money, you’ll start making money too, “Her voice tailed off as she saw the grim set of his mouth. What did it take to make the man smile? I’ll be really honest right here. The process has taken longer than I anticipated, and the numbers aren’t accurate. The cafés are all so crowded; I don’t know how we aren’t already making money.

‘Can you not?’

His soothing voice gave her a slight boost, and she decided to be honest. ‘I probably made a few mistakes at the beginning. Our operating expenses were excessive higher than I planned. I spent more money than I ought to have. We’re growing, so it’s simpler to strike fair bargains now. Give me a bit longer. You won’t regret it.’

‘I already regret it. I don’t like the way you do business, Miss Bella.’

Shocked, she stared at him. Do you mean that it has taken a while for the business to get going? All right, I accept that but give me a little longer. I have a lot of thoughts I want to share with you. I’m confident I can turn Cafe Brazil into a profitable venture.

‘But at whose expense, Miss Bella?’ She scowled at the question he asked softly.

He was a billionaire. She still hadn’t provided him a financial return on his investment, but surely it couldn’t be that big of a deal? I understand that you have Geneva a sizable quantity of money, but we will return it with interest as the firm expands. I would greatly appreciate the chance to go through the numbers with you and show you our plans. I hope that when I’ve given you a full picture of where we’re going with Café Brazil, you’ll agree to extend your involvement.’

‘Why would I do that?’

‘Because you’ll see that it’s worth it for you.’ She placed her briefcase on the desk. It’s that simple: If you withdraw your investment, the company will fail. And if the company goes under—’ ‘You lose your enviable lifestyle.’

As she considered the fourteen-hour workdays she had been putting in for the company, she scowled a little. Was that what he meant? She added, “I’m lucky to have a business I love,” but quickly withdrew the grin after noticing the icy look in his eyes. He held out a hand. ‘Show me the accounts.’

Her heart lifted. There was hope, after all. Why would he ask to examine the finances if he wasn’t thinking about increasing the loan? She hated that her hands were slightly trembling as she hurriedly opened the case. She was on the spot and he was trying to catch her out. It was like going back to school. Back in that dreadful torture room, where everyone was awaiting her demise.

You’re stupid, Maria Blake. Thick. Concentrate, you brainless girl.

She took a deep breath and reminded herself that she wasn’t in school anymore and that she had improved greatly since those terrible times.

And she wasn’t going to fail.

She handed her father the orderly stack of documents that she had painstakingly assembled by reaching into the case.

He flicked through the pages with lean, bronzed fingers. You still have five minutes, Miss Bella. Keep talking.’ Didn’t he need a moment to concentrate?

She attempted to look aside and ignore his presence as she described her plans because she envied how quickly his eyes swept the figures and took them all in at a glance. He heard about the additional locations she had discovered and her intentions to expand each café.

Revealed her dream.

And received no reaction from him. He took out a pen, jotted a few notes, turned the page, and finally raised his head. “Miss Bella, you inspire me.”

From the ashes of disappointment, she felt a warm glow of hope. ‘You do?’

‘Yes. I always admire people with nerve.’ She could see the strength in his hands as he examined the papers in front of him. “Under the circumstances, I would have expected you to be hiding on the other side of the world,” I said.

Maria pressed her shaking knees together. ‘Hiding?’

‘I’m not a very nice person when I’m crossed.’

She had the distinct feeling that she was missing something. ‘Then I won’t cross you,’ she mumbled, the smile that had been on her face beneath his icy gaze now gone. “The accounts should demonstrate to you the enormous potential of the business.”

‘These accounts show me that you’re very busy.’

‘Very.’

‘But not making a profit.’

She pulled a face. ‘Not yet.’

It’s interesting, don’t you think, that you’re busy but not profitable.

Maria stared at him. ‘I suppose that’s the nature of business. Sometimes it takes longer to get going than you anticipate. You can tell from the numbers that we’ll shortly turn a profit.

‘I’m well-acquainted with the figures, Miss Bella.’ The accounts were left on the table by him. ‘And I only have one question.’ One question?

Maria straightened in her chair, feeling a wave of relief. She had mentally prepared herself for a barrage of inquiries that would probe deeply into the firm accounting. And she’d been dreading it. ‘Please ask your question.’ She grinned at him cheerfully, and he gave her a brief moment of his undivided attention.

‘Tell me, Miss Bella, how do you sleep at night?’

the persistent background noise that surrounded them after the helicopter left. Jungle ground. Yelps, calls, shrieks, chirping, and warbling. It appeared as though the whole forest was alive. ‘It sounds as though someone is being murdered out there.’ She turned to face him with a smile on her face, trying to establish an emotional bond but failing from the outset.