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He studies me a moment and then wraps his arms around me. “Then I need you to take care of both of the offices. Get Connie and pair up with her. I’ll meet you at the press conference.”
“What are you going to do?”
“I need you to trust me and let me keep this all in my head right now. It’s part of how I process when I’m under fire. I’ll explain later. But I’m done with this, and yes, we need a dog for our cat and a wedding date. This ends today.”
His words are hard. His jaw harder. The Reid I know is not the Reid going to battle. There’s a shift in him, a dark side of him present right now. This is the Reid that shut out emotions for a decade and can operate with precise, cold actions. Elijah made a mistake by awakening this side of Reid, by awakening the beast I’d tamed that is always a part of Reid.
I couldn’t stop the beast right now if I wanted to, but I don’t.
I want this over.
Chapter one hundred six
Reid
Idress in one of my most expensive blue and gray pinstriped suits with a silver tie. A suit that says I’m powerful, I have money, I will fuck you over if I have to and today—I have to. I shave close to the skin. Speed is important today and yet I take every stroke slowly, calculation in my movement and thoughts. Carrie doesn’t push me to explain myself. That she understands my need for quiet and concentration is just another reason to love her. It also speaks of trust, as does her cool, calm reaction to what we now face.
At my request, Savage arrives at the apartment to shadow Carrie. I greet him at the door, and when Carrie, dressed in a conservative pink dress, joins me at the front door, he smartly gives us space. My hands come down on her shoulders and I pull her close. “Take care of West Enterprises. The Maxwell team knows me. They know I’m not going down. The merger is still under wraps, but this will cause it to leak. It’s public record. Elijah will leak it just to create panic.”
“I’m sure he chose today to do this to ensure panic.”
“Agreed,” I say. “If it feels right at the time, we can announce the merger at the press conference. We’ll decide together beforehand. Just be ready in case it ends up on the internet. Tell the staff if you have to tell them or don’t tell them. Do what you feel is right at both offices.”
“I get it. I have to go with the moment. I appreciate that you trust me enough to handle that.”
“I sought you out because I could see what you were capable of. I know what you can do and it’s damn comforting right now. Your team needs reassurance. Focus on them. Our partners are all fat cats right now after this Bennett deal. They’ll run cover for us.”
“I can handle the staff,” she assures me. “If you need Gabe, I can handle both offices.”
And she can. I know she can. I cup her face. “I know you can and I’ll handle Elijah and any accompanying problems. There won’t be backlash.”
Her hands cover mine. “I know you will do what is necessary, and the very fact that you are as thoughtful and calculating as you are right now, tells me it will be just that, necessary. Not rash. Not angry. Not vicious. Necessary.”
“Vicious can necessary, baby.”
“I know that and if it is, it is. Just go make sure everyone is safe and clear the path for another furry baby and our wedding.”
“I intend to.” I kiss her, hard and fast, and then I set her free. “Savage,” I call out to where he’s standing at the kitchen island. “Take care of my woman or else.”
“Never lost a woman yet,” he assures me. “Just a few men.”
I scowl. “Not a good day for a joke.”
“I’ll kill anyone who comes near her,” he says. “And I’ll enjoy it. How’s that?”
“Better,” I say, and refocus on Carrie again. “Call me if you need me.”
“I won’t call you unless it’s critical.”
I grab her because I just can’t fucking help it, and I kiss her again. “I’ll see you soon,” I promise, and this time when I release her, I exit the apartment. My phone buzzes with a text from Blake that reads: Stairwell. I cut right and enter the stairwell to find Blake and Gabe waiting on me.
“Your sister is on her way through the lobby,” Blake says. “I didn’t think you’d want to deal with all that love right now, no matter how much you might appreciate it.”
“No,” I say, thinking of my focus, that would have broken. “Not now. Later.” Gabe and I exchange a look and Gabe’s stare is as hard and focused as mine. He knows where my head is. I know where his is. Wherever the fuck I need it to be and probably one shade darker. People don’t know how dark my brother is. I do.
“Did we confirm the source of the story?” I ask, refocusing on Blake and getting right to business, damn thankful neither of these two are going to try to talk about what I feel right now. What I feel is focused and done. This stops. The end.
“We did,” Blake confirms. “I tracked an email exchange and several calls between Elijah and the reporter that broke the story.”
