Stolen: Business or Pleasure (Contemporary Billionaire Romance) (6 page)

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CHAPTER EIGHT

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SETH

Adele seemed to be trying to act like everything was normal at the Monday morning meeting. How could she just shut me out all weekend, obviously spending time with Grant, and then act as if everything is business as usual on Monday? I wasn’t looking forward to another long, bad week. I knew that I had to just confront her about Grant once and for all without throwing accusations and getting angry. I need to just look her in those pretty green eyes and ask her point blank if she is sleeping with her roommate. It’s going to piss her off, but I couldn’t live like this any longer. I got up from my desk with the intentions of going to her office when a courier walked in the door.

“Good morning, sir. Your assistant sent me back. I have an envelope that I need you to sign for.”

“Okay… my assistant usually signs for these. Why do you need my signature?”

“I’m not sure sir, that’s just what the instructions stated.”

I scribbled my signature on his clipboard and he handed me a fat manila envelope. I knew it was going to be bad when I saw Rick Taylor’s company logo across the top. The courier thanked me and left. I sat there looking at it for a long time before finally slipping the letter opener along the seal and opening it. I slid out the paperwork. I could tell at a glance that this was definitely bad.

The first page stated the intent of Taylor Corp. to “merge” with us. This was no friendly merger however which was apparent when I turned the page. That page informed me in no uncertain terms that a “Dawn Raid” had been conducted by the Taylors. They had bought a massive amount of our stock as soon as the market opened that morning. I had already been informed that stock had been bought, but I was told it was by several different brokers. There are regulations about that sort of thing… that much I knew. I didn’t doubt that Taylor had found a way around those, but I’d have to meet with my executives to find out exactly what we could do to stop them, if anything.

I should have known it was Liz.

The worst part of it all was that Adele didn’t know this was even a possibility because I hadn’t told her.

ADELE

I told my assistant that I had a personal appointment I needed to tend to and then I left right after my talk with Harlan. I still wasn’t ready to talk to Seth. I felt like I couldn’t trust him and I wasn’t sure that he would tell me the truth. I needed to go into that conversation with my own facts, and it seemed in order to get those facts, I was going to have to face my nemesis.

I took a cab out to the Hunter estate and I asked him to wait. I didn’t think James was exactly going to invite me to stay for tea… if he would even talk to me at all. I rang the bell and waited nervously until the door was opened by a tall lady with a round, red face and a big smile.

“Hello there,” she said. “How can I help you dear?”

“Hi. I’m Adele Morgan. I was hoping I could speak with Mr. Hunter?”

“Adele? Your Seth’s girl aren’t you?” I wasn’t sure how to answer that. Was I? I finally decided on a non-committal nod and smile. “Please dear, come in. I’ll let Mr. Hunter know you’re here. I’m sure he’ll be delighted to see you.” I seriously doubted that, but I followed her in. She left me in the parlor and as I was looking at photos on the mantle of Seth when he was younger and feeling that familiar aching for him in the pit of my stomach, James Hunter walked in. He stopped in the doorway and looked at me as if trying to intimidate me.

I didn’t let my gaze waver and finally he said, “What are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry, I’m sure that I’m the last person you expected…”

“Or wanted to see,” he said, walking over to the bar and pouring himself a brandy. I tried to resist glancing at the time. I guess it was five o’clock somewhere. “I’d offer you a drink,” he said. “But you’re not staying that long, are you?”

“No,” I said. “I came to ask you something about Seth.”

“And why aren’t you asking Seth? Did he come to his senses at last and get rid of you?”

I ignored that comment and said, “Do you know Liz Taylor?”

He suddenly smiled. It was a big, evil grin like a crocodile who was about to snap off my head. “Of course I do,” he said. “Lovely girl.”

“Did Seth date her?”

James laughed. “You are feeling insecure, aren’t you? Well good… you should be. If Seth and Liz are hanging around together it can only mean bad things for you and great things for MY Company.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Liz’s father owns Taylor Corp. He has wanted a merger with us for years. Seth and Liz did date… yes. But it wasn’t just dating. They planned to marry and not only merge the companies, but the families as well. I don’t know what happened between them then… I suppose that Seth wasn’t ready to settle down. But if they’re back together, you better watch out. Liz would do anything to get and keep her hooks into my boy and if she can’t go about it the traditional way, I can definitely see her using her father’s money and power to do it. She always gets what she wants and she wants Seth and Hunter Corp.”

“Morgan & Hunter Inc.,” I said, stupidly. I was stunned.

He laughed. “For now,” he said. “I think Hunter/Taylor has a nicer ring. Or, if Seth does give in and marries her… just Hunter; the way it should have always been.”

“You’re an awful man.” I told him.

“And you’re a pathetic excuse for a CEO but that won’t last much longer,” he said. “I intend to encourage Liz and Seth as much as I can. Have a nice day Miss Morgan. You can show yourself out now.”

I sat in the back of the cab on my way back to the city completely stunned. It would seem that I was right not to trust Seth. He’d never mentioned Liz, or Taylor Corp. and he was meeting her behind my back and kissing her. I pictured the glee on James’s face when he realized what I’d come to him for. That was such a mistake. All I had done was given him more ammunition to use against me. Sometimes I wish I’d never met Seth Hunter. I used to be so focused and so above emotional meltdowns. Now, it seemed as if I was having them at every turn. I promised myself today that I’m not going to cry over this. I was going to find out what was going on and I was going to face it head-on. The old Adele… or maybe it was Erin… was back. I wasn’t going to lose my company. I was wrong to let him into my life the way I did. I won’t make that mistake again.

When I got back to the building, I found Seth in his office. He looked agitated or anxious, and not happy at all to see me. “What is it Adele?” he said, as if I were just one of his employees.

“I was going to work on the numbers for the overtime budget. I was wondering if you wanted to do that together so that you could give me your input.”

“I don’t care. Do what you think you need to with it. Work with Harlan… I’m swamped today.”

“With what?”

“What is this, Adele? You don’t speak to me all weekend and suddenly when I have work to do, you want to… what? I’m not sure what you want from me.”

I shook my head. “Nothing, Seth. I don’t want anything from you.” I left his office and then I went to mine and gathered my things. I told my assistant that I was ill and I didn’t know when I’d be back, but she could call me at home if she needed me. On my way out I stopped by Harlan’s office. He looked up when he saw me in the doorway.

“Well hello again, Adele. Are you okay? You look pale.”

“Not really,” I told him. “I think I may be coming down with something. I’m going to take a day or two to get my strength back. Do you mind checking with Carlie when you have some down time and seeing if there are any pressing matters you can take care of for me?”

“Of course,” he said. “But wouldn’t Seth be more suited to that task?”

“If there’s anything that needs Seth’s input you’re welcome to take it to him. Thank you, Harlan. I appreciate it.” He watched me leave, curiously.

SETH

I had my chance once again to tell Adele what was going on and instead I’d let my emotions get the best of me… again. I should be focused on nothing but the matter of this takeover. Instead, I’m still waiting and hoping for an explanation as to why she ignored me all weekend. I wanted her to tell me she wanted to be with me. I wanted her to say there was nothing between her and Grant. I wanted her to help me stop this damned merger.

Monday afternoon I finally left my cave and found my way to her office. When I got there, her assistant looked up and said, “She’s not in there, Mr. Hunter.”

“Where is she?”

“She left ill. She said she was going to take a couple of days to recuperate at home.”

“She’s sick?” I felt sick myself. My stomach was churning.

“She said so. She did look a bit pale and she’d just come back from an appointment, so maybe her doctor suggested it.”

“Okay, thanks Carlie.” I left there and as I wandered down the hall, I ran into Harlan… literally. “Damn! I’m sorry, Harlan. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

“It’s fine Seth. Are you okay?”

“What? Yeah… I’m fine. I was just lost in my thoughts.”

“Okay… because you look as pale as Adele did when she left earlier.”

“You saw her before she left? Did she say anything?”

“She said she wasn’t feeling well. She asked me to help out with anything that might need to be done around here.”

“Okay, thanks Harlan.” I heard him still talking to me as I walked away, but I didn’t process the words. I went back to my office and picked up the phone. I didn’t even try her cell. This time, I called the apartment directly. It was the middle of the afternoon and Grant answered the phone. Without thinking I just blurted out, “Don’t you work?” The S.O.B. laughed.

“Well hello to you too, Seth,” he said. “Yes, I work very hard. That’s why they gave me this week off… I needed a vacation.” It was quite convenient that Adele’s “sickness” came on right when Grant was home on vacation. I felt like she was making a complete fool out of me. I slammed the phone down and ran my fingers through my hair, pulling at the ends of it. This woman made me crazy. I looked down at the papers on my desk. I couldn’t keep this to myself any longer, but if Adele didn’t care enough about her company to be at work, I would meet with the shareholders and executives on my own and handle it. I picked the phone back up and called my assistant. I told her to arrange an emergency meeting with them all first thing tomorrow morning.

“Okay sir, should I also notify Miss Morgan?”

“No, I’ll take care of that,” I lied.

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CHAPTER NINE

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ADELE

“Your boyfriend called again. He didn’t sound happy that I was home with you,” Grant told me.

“Good, I’m glad he’s not happy. He has no right to be worrying about what I’m doing or with whom,” I said, more confidently than I felt.

Grant rolled his eyes. “Okay, this is getting ridiculous,” he said. “You have to talk to him. Talking to everyone else has gotten you nowhere except hiding out at home. You cannot keep living like this. Bring that old fiery red-head back out. I liked her better.”

“Wow, that’s kind of mean,” I said. I knew he was right, I was pathetic… but he’d hurt my feelings.

“I guess I’m going to have to be mean to get you to go do what you need to do. You’re so afraid that he’s going to tell you that you’re right and he is cheating on you but the fact is that you may be wrong and you’ll never know for sure if you refuse to talk to him.”

“You’re right.”

“I know,” he said. “I always am. You can be sure that what I tell you is in your best interest too doll, because you know I love you, right?”

“I know,” I told him. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

He grinned, “Neither do I, but don’t say that in front of your boyfriend. I think he’s already just a tad threatened by my manliness and my boyish charm.”

I laughed, “When I have a minute to breathe, we’re going to have to talk about that poor self-confidence of yours.”

“You know you love it. It’s part of my charm.”

“It is,” I told him, sincerely. “I love you, Grant. Thank you.”

“I love you too,” he said. His face changed for a second and he lost that smug, self-assured look that he usually held there. “Adele…”

“What?”

“I… Never mind. I want more than anything for you to be happy. You deserve it.”

“Thank you, Grant. I know you do. I will never be able to thank you for everything that you’ve done for me.”

“Just be happy. That’s all I want.” He hugged me again, this time squeezing the breath out of me. Then he said, “Now get out there and get that man back and your company. Sheesh! You’ve been my role model for too long to stop now.”

I grabbed my bag and headed back out. When I got to the office, I found Seth at his desk again. He was on the phone and when I walked in, I was sure I heard the name, “Liz.” I stood in front of the desk and waited for him to hang up.
When he did, I said, “Before you snap at me, we need to talk.”

“I wasn’t going to snap,” he said. He got up and came around the front of the desk. I had a mini fantasy that he was going to take me into his arms and we could just forget about the past few weeks. Instead he walked over to the leather sofa and said, “Let’s talk.”

I took a seat and he did too. Then I said, “I’m not sure where to start.”

“Are you sick?” he asked, looking worried.

“No, I’m just tired and anxious and upset. Seth, I came back on Friday afternoon to talk to you. I was going to ask you to dinner and I was going to accept your proposal to move in with you…”

He looked confused as he asked, “Then why didn’t you? And why do you still act like you’re upset with me?”

“Because when I got here, I stepped off the elevator in time to see you with a blonde in your arms.”

“A blonde?” If I wasn’t mistaken, he was genuinely confused.

“Liz Taylor?” I reminded him.

“Oh no! Adele! No!”

“No what?”

“You didn’t see what you thought you saw. Liz was here and she kissed me… yes, that’s all true. But I stopped it right away. I told her that it wasn’t going to happen and that I love you.”

I wasn’t sure that I believed that. I wanted to, desperately. “So, she came here to start things up with you and you said no. Did she come here uninvited?”

He looked nauseated as he said, “No. I invited her. But it had nothing to do with her and me getting together. She called me on Monday of last week. She started talking about an old merger that my father and hers had wanted. She said she wanted that too now that she was CEO. I told her that we were not looking to merge. She started making threats and knowing her the way that I do, I thought they were just idle ones.”

“And how do you know her, Seth?”

“I’m sorry? What do you mean?”

“Just what I said. You said, ‘Knowing her the way I do.’ Do you know her intimately?”

“Yeah Adele, I did. But that was way before you and only because our father’s pushed us into it…”

“Your father says that she’d do anything to get you back.” I hadn’t meant to say that out loud. I saw the look on his face and regretted saying it instantly.

“My father? You spoke to my father about this?”

“Yeah. I went out to see him because I needed to know the truth.”

“And you didn’t think you could get that from me?”

“Obviously I was right. You didn’t tell me any of this until I confronted you with it.”

“Adele, that’s because to me, Liz is nothing. She’s a non-issue all-together. As far as the merger goes… I should have told you, I know that. You have been so suspicious and angry all the time lately at me that it was hard for me to talk to you, but mostly, I was hoping that I could fix it before I had to tell you. You cannot stand my father and he treats you like dirt. For you to be willing to face that instead of me, that makes me feel like we’re even worse off than I thought.”

I hated to admit that he was right. I had been unapproachable lately. I wasn’t buying into that this was all my fault, but I did have to shoulder some of the blame. But this was my company too damn it! Something this important… “So what is happening with the merger?”

He got up and went over to his desk. He handed me a manila envelope and said, “It’s now become a hostile takeover. I called an emergency meeting with the shareholders and executives for tomorrow morning.”

“Oh my God!” I stood up. “You weren’t even going to tell me this?”

“If you’re roommate didn’t tell you… I called your house after you left today. I knew you were gone because I went to talk to you in your office, about all of this. You chose to leave and go home and be with Grant rather than to talk to me and figure this mess out together. I am so sick of having to think about you being with that guy…”

“Stop it! I am not with Grant! Once and for all you need to get that through your head. It’s insulting to me that you would keep insinuating that.”

“Every time I turn around, you’re with him. You live with him. You see him every morning and every night… you tell him everything. You hardly talk to me at all, Adele. What was I supposed to think?”

“I guess exactly what you think,” I said. “The same way I thought what I did about you and Liz. But you know what, Seth? This conversation about whose cheating on whom is juvenile when we have something as large as a pending takeover looming over our heads. We can’t lose this company! You risked that happening by taking this on yourself and not talking to me. That can’t happen.”

He looked like he wanted to cry as he said, “All I’ve ever wanted was for you to see that I’m not just some spoiled rich kid that daddy handed a job to. I wanted a chance to prove to you that I’m a man that you can depend on. I wanted you to see how loyal I was to you and to this company! I went about it the wrong way, but damn it Adele, I tried! I tried because nothing means more to me than how you see me. I want you to be proud to be with me. I want you to want to be with me always.”

He had tears in his eyes when he finished. I was torn between wanting to throttle him for the mistakes he’d made and the assumptions, and wanting to take him in my arms and tell him how much I love him and how proud of him I am. I made mistakes too, and I made my own assumptions. What the hell was I supposed to say? For the first time in my life I was finding over and over again, that I didn’t know what to do. I was at a complete loss. I didn’t want to make the wrong decision again. So instead of doing the wrong thing… I did nothing. I turned and walked away and left him standing there, looking after me.

Holly Rayner

The sequel to this story is available now!

Stolen: Meant To Be -
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00WRTSNPG

With her business, and her relationship threatened, Adele must quickly work to secure everything she holds dear. Seth, on the other hand, goes to confront his father, and tell a few home-truths. Can the two lovers pull together long enough to fight off the malevolent forces coveting their company? And can Adele find a solution in the unlikeliest of places? 
Whatever happens, they're about to find out whether they're truly meant to be.