Chapter 5- A Wager and a Warning
1053 Words
Their food arrived. Although it smelled absolutely wonderful, her stomach was knotted too tightly to even think about eating. She could already feel the champagne churning dangerously.
The waiter left, and Kate leaned forward. "You are joking, right?" she said in a strained whisper.
"About what?" He put a chunk of steak into his mouth. The chef had taken his instructions seriously. The meat looked like it had barely touched the grill.
"About the bet. And the million dollars."
"Not at all. One, with six zeros behind it. Cash or wire, your choice." She stared at him. There was not even a trace of humor on his face. Her heartbeat sped up a little, and she shook her head. "You are going to lose."
Sighing, he put a hand over his heart. "You wound me. Would you truly condemn me to eating alone for the next four days?"
"Oh at least that, if not forever."
A boyishly charming smile lit his face. "Is that so? Then it is a bet?"
As they gazed across the table, Kate felt something stirring inside. Mason’s abrupt ending of their relationship had made her feel undesirable and sad. He had said all the right words while they were dating, how it was better to take it slow, make sure they were on the same page, wanting the same things out of life, and she had never once suspected he would toss her away like a piece of trash. Her mother wanting her to suck back up to him for a few extra votes had not helped.
But now, this magnificent man across the table was putting a million dollars on the line just for a chance to date her. It made her feel like getting back into the game again, showing the world what she had.
Holding his eyes, Kate pushed her fork into her steak and drew the knife through it slowly and carefully. She held up the cleanly cut piece of meat and said, "You are on."
---
The next morning, Gray entered his office and saw Everett Locke, his best friend and right hand man. The morning sun gave Everett a small platinum halo over his blond head. Thin wisps of steam rose from a mug of black coffee by the seat he was leaning in. Everett never sat, but he did not exactly slouch, either. It was an effect only he could create. The posture made him look lazy and easygoing. His golden choirboy looks and laughing blue eyes further hid his true corporate raider nature.
"You are getting lazy in your old age," Everett said.
Although he was American, he had lived in England long enough to pick up just a hint of a British accent. He adjusted his gray Savile Row suit jacket. Ready made suits were not an option because of his enormous shoulders and narrow waist, a legacy of the amateur bodybuilding phase of his life.
When Gray raised an eyebrow, Everett added, "I have been here for at least half an hour."
Gray snorted. "Elara said ten minutes, max."
"Traitor." Everett’s affectionate tone belied his words. "I even brought her a box of Belgian chocolates."
"She knows who signs her paychecks." Gray walked around and sat behind his desk. "When did you land?"
"Late last night." Everett opened a pocket sized notebook and twisted his pen until the silver tip emerged. "So what is it that you want me to do here?"
"The Thornes."
Everett’s eyes sharpened for a moment before returning to their usual relaxed state. It happened so fast most people would not have caught it. Gray did.
"Is that why you got rid of Richard and Victoria?"
"Partially."
"I presume you are going to handle the takeover personally?"
"Yep." Gray could almost taste the victory, the completion of his revenge against Vivian Thorne. An eye for an eye. He wanted her to suffer as much as his family had. No, that was not true. He wanted to return the pain tenfold.
Gray’s fingers drummed on the thick stack of paper on his desk. It was a new valuation of Thorne International. "One way or the other, I will have it."
Everett sipped his coffee. "Okay. So I guess you will want Jennifer to work with us on this as well."
"No. She is staying in France."
"Then who is replacing Victoria?"
"Kate Vance. She used to work under Richard and Victoria." Gray saw Everett’s eyes narrow. "Do not worry, she is sharp. She will be fine."
Actually, more than fine. Gray would have liked nothing better than to have had her for dessert last night. Only the knowledge that he would win the bet by the end of the week had prevented him from acting on his male instinct.
Everett was looking at him. "You want to get her in bed."
"Crossed my mind. So?"
"So she might be in bed with the Thornes."
"Why do you think that?"
"It makes no sense that Richard would make so many mistakes and lose two big contracts to Thorne International. Someone must be feeding information to the Thornes, and Kate is a logical choice. She has easy access to the right information."
Gray leaned back in his chair and put his fingertips together. "I have considered the possibility." That had been one of the reasons he had sought her out.
"But you do not think she is to blame."
"No."
Everett shook his head. "Do not let your attraction to her cloud your judgment. Willing women are a buck a bushel."
It was true that she intrigued him, and maybe that was affecting his thinking. But Gray’s instinct told him Kate was not the mole. Still, a woman had been the cause of his father’s downfall, a man who had been invincible otherwise. "I know what I am doing."
"Okay." And just like that, Everett dropped the topic, his eyes turning bland again.
"Invite Kate to dinner later this week."
Everett’s mouth quirked. "Spanish Inquisition?"
"No. You need to brief her on her new responsibilities."
Everett rose from his seat, a lazy smile making him look utterly harmless. "Thursday all right?"
Gray nodded.
"Should I let her know who is coming?"
"Why would you want to do such a thing?"
Shaking his head and laughing, Everett left.
- Writer
