Traction - Dani Rene Page 0,62
along hers.
The more I deepen the kiss, the more I know I’m falling. The bad-boy racer has a girlfriend, and he’s most certainly just found his match. When I finally pull away from Haelee, I can’t help but smile.
I’m happy. The woman in front of me is everything I didn’t realize I needed in my life. She is the epitome of perfect, of my perfect.
When I walked out of here, I knew I needed to sort my mother out. To show her that she’s no longer anything to me. She hasn’t been for a long time, but now, I’m done. I’ve allowed her to rule over my life, to make me feel like I was nothing to her since I was old enough to know what her cold demeanor meant.
She did it to Dad, and she did it to me, but I will never allow her to hurt Haelee like that ever again. “I’m so sorry for everything. My mother has always been a cold bitch. I grew up knowing what she was, and maybe that’s why I never took a girl home. I thought that if I wasn’t in a relationship, she couldn’t destroy it.”
“I’m strong, but … I guess I wasn’t strong enough to hear what she had to say, or even know what she thought of me.” The sadness in Haelee’s eyes is a clear indication that she’s a gentle soul. If my mother came at me, I would’ve fought back, but that’s what makes me want Haelee so much. Her softness, her affectionate nature. Everything about her is built with love, and that’s because her parents showed her that.
“I took the time away from you to confront her. I’ve given her an ultimatum. She has already left California, and she won’t be back. The two most important parts of my life are safe.”
“Oh?” Haelee arches a brow at me in question, and I can’t help but grin at her sassiness.
“Yeah, the company,” I inform her before kissing her quickly. “And you.”
“Cheesy,” she teases, but her cheeks darken with a blush. “Well, I know how you saved me, but how did you save the company?”
“I had my lawyer draft the contracts. Because I’m the only heir, I hold all the shares, which I’ve decided to keep. My father made sure my mom couldn’t get her hands on the company. She didn’t know about the binding contract set up in my name that basically says she has no claim to any of my father’s assets.”
“I bet she didn’t like that,” Haelee says.
Shaking my head, I explain, “No. She did try to argue with me when I took the document over to her today. She can try to fight it, but I doubt she’ll want to waste her money on a case she’ll never win. I’ve fired the board and will be looking for new members I can trust.”
Haelee’s eyes widen. “So, you’re giving up racing?”
“No, that’s the great part, because I will have people I can trust to run the company, I can still focus on my career while being CEO of Mercer Industries.” When I sat down with the legal team Joshua Paulson brought along to the meeting, I had figured it all out before we even had lunch. I knew I needed a team I could trust, and that’s what we’re going to do. The loyal workers in our management team will go through the paces, and soon, I’ll have a whole new board to meet with.
Thankfully, I’m able to do both things I love—racing and keep my legacy.
“I’m happy for you, Kayden,” Haelee expresses, wrapping her arms around my neck, and I push to my feet, taking her along with me, which earns me a squeal of surprise.
I want to tell her how I feel. The real reason I walked in here today, but I’ll keep it to myself. For now. When she’s ready to hear it, I’ll make sure it’s special, and a moment she’ll never forget.
I lean in to whisper in her ear, “I want to take you back to my place and have you naked in my bed all day and night. And when you’re tired, I’ll feed you something delicious to perk up your strength for more naked fun.”
Haelee laughs, throwing her head back, and I take that moment to steal a kiss. Her neck is smooth, and I suckle the flesh, grazing it with my teeth, which makes her shiver.
“Are you ready?” I ask, setting her to her feet.
“I was