You can forget about ever getting your hands on it. I’m going to make sure that never happens.”
He stands and leans forward on his desk, palms resting on the wood surface in front of him. “You forget who’s in charge here, boy.” His voice is full of dark menace.
“I know exactly who’s in charge. And that’s me.” He opens his mouth to speak, but I raise my hand up to stop him. “Unless you want the rest of the board to know about your hefty investment in Sunfire Solar and Wind.”
His face falls at the same time his ass drops back into his chair.
Gotcha.
“That’s right, I know all about your ownership in the company. Though, good job trying to hide it. As I understand it, all those shell corporations and accounts in other countries made it difficult to find. Difficult, but not impossible.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He’s slowly losing his control as his eyes frantically shift around the room like he’s looking for a life vest on a sinking ship.
“Actually, I do. It wasn’t until I looked up Sunfire that I realized that’s what you were looking at on your computer that day I dropped by the house. I saw the logo in the reflection in the glass, but it didn’t mean anything at the time.”
This is the first time I’ve ever seen him speechless.
My father owns a fair stake in a wind and solar company, which wouldn’t be a big deal except for the fact that he’s the head of the board for an oil company. It’s clear in our contracts that we can’t own any stakes in competing technologies in the energy sector. If the board found out about this, it would result in his removal from the board and he’d be fired as president of the company.
My father loves his money and power, but the one thing more important to him than both those things? His ego.
“You can’t do anything about it. I’ve got just as much shit to hang over you and your friend’s heads, so don’t go getting any ideas, son.”
I grin at him. “I’m willing to take my chances, though. What about you?”
He balks for a second, then narrows his eyes. “You’re full of shit.”
I tilt my head. “Am I, though? Are you willing to test that theory?” I stare at him in stony silence, hoping he’ll see the truth of my words.
I meant it when I said I’d do anything to protect Isla. And if that means me going down to bring him down with me, then that’s what I’ll do. I’d rather take my chances in the courtroom than take the chance that he could hurt Isla.
He sees that I’m serious because he says through clenched teeth, “What do you want?”
“I want you to leave Isla alone. Accept that you’re not getting that property and don’t try to use her, her mother or me to change that.”
His nostrils flare and his fists tighten. “And if I do that, you’ll keep this information about Sunfire to yourself?”
I nod. “Correct.”
It’s clear that he’s at war with himself. On one hand I’m sure his ego is telling him not to let me win, but on the other, he’s probably envisioning what the headlines will read if he’s yet another disgraced CEO. Not to mention that all that press would surely send journalists digging, and who knows what they’d find?
He keeps his gaze locked with mine, but I don’t look away. Let him test me. I’m not fucking around.
“Fine,” he grits out.
I stand and button my suit jacket. “I’m glad we have an understanding.”
Walking toward his office door, I turn and look at him once my hand grips the doorknob. “And don’t try anything because I’ll be watching. I’ve got an email ready to go to all the members of the board. I just have to press send.”
He grunts, his face bright red with anger.
I turn the handle and leave, slamming the door behind me. When I hear something smash against the other side of it, all I can do is chuckle as I walk away.
Step one complete.
Now I have to figure out how to win my woman back.
46
Chapter Forty-six
Isla
Every day has been awful since my split with Garrin, but today feels especially so. Today was supposed to be our wedding day. I’ve tried not to wallow in the grief over my father’s passing and the end of my relationship with Garrin too much in the weeks since the end of Ford’s campaign,