Her head was spinning with the information Derek had given her and the implications of it all. “Slow down. How did he know you made the offer?”
“Investigation.”
“Does that mean Spencer’s no longer chairman?”
Derek nodded, the pleasure he got from that change evident in the broad smile on his face. “Your father hadn’t yet finalized your brother’s transfer of power in writing. He was still in charge of the company, and of course, he still holds majority stock. He can make any decision he chooses. And he chose to sell to me. I, in turn, chose to throw your brother out on his entitled ass.”
“I’m speechless,” she murmured.
“Good, because I’m not finished. I have more to say.”
She blinked, sensing something big was coming. “What is it?” she asked.
“I’m signing the company over to you.”
“What? You can’t do that!” she said, her hands beginning to shake.
“I can. I only wanted it as a means of revenge. Storms Consolidated means everything to you. This way nobody can take it away from you ever again.”
Tears leaked out of her eyes. “Derek, no. That’s too generous. Beyond generous. Put me in charge if you want. I won’t argue. I’ll step up and make you money on your investment. That’s all I really want.”
He unwound his arm from behind her and turned so they were face-to-face. “You told me to think about what it meant to have you in my life. And that’s all I’ve done since you shut me out.”
“I didn’t…” She closed her mouth. Opened it again. “I did. But I needed you to consider how you felt about the baggage that came with me.”
He shook his head. “Silly woman. Does my past come along with me? My family?”
“Yes.”
“And if things were reversed, would you walk away from me?”
She shook her head. “Of course not.” She furrowed her brows, her forehead wrinkling. “I was being ridiculous.”
“You could say that.” He tapped her nose.
“I panicked. I spent the entire day working on a rebuttal article to what Spencer printed. I laid out the truth of what happened, with my brother’s faults and lies.”
“Princess, you can’t prove he did it. He could sue you for libel. Your best bet is to let my kicking him to the curb suffice as his punishment. That and I’m sure your father isn’t going to be funding his lifestyle anymore,” Derek said, sounding satisfied with that outcome.
“I can live with that.”
“Good. Now, I have a solution to you not wanting to let me gift the company to you.”
Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest, her love for this man growing exponentially with every word that came out of his mouth. Nobody had ever looked out for her before. Put her first. Cared about what she wanted in life and gone out of their way to make sure she got it.
“What’s your solution?” she asked.
He grasped her hand and held it tight in his. “Cassie Storms, I love you and someday I plan on marrying you. I realize it’s too soon, and we have a long way to go getting to know each other better and building something solid and real. But when I do make you my wife, what’s mine is yours. And then, you’ll take the company as a wedding gift.”
Her breath caught in her throat. Again. “Derek,” she said, hardly able to believe the words coming out of his mouth.
“Not what I want to hear. ‘Yes, Derek. I agree,’ is about all I’ll accept.”
Her heart felt full to bursting. “Yes, Derek, I agree.” She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. “Because I love you too. And I can’t wait to spend my days … and nights with you. To build memories and work toward a future,” she said, happy tears building behind her eyes.
He slid his hand behind her head, pulling her close. “Promise me you’ll never pull away again. We have an issue, we talk it through.”
She nodded. “I just wanted you to make a clear, rational choice.”