Authors: Priscilla West
Wildfire (8 page)
“You sold me? Without asking me?”
“I was pretty sure you’d approve. I sold forty percent of the shares, for a hearty sum, to Robert Clank. He really likes you and thinks you’re a great risk. The rest of the shares I can sell back to you. Of course, the money will have to change hands at some point to make it legit, but I’m sure we can work that out over time.”
“Me? You want to sell the rest of the shares back to me?”
“Yep. So, you’ll own 60 percent of Lynx now. You have the majority control. Robert is going to be a silent partner owning 40 percent. His backing will make sure you make it through any lean times, and the Wall Street story is going to carry you to the top.”
“Mark!” I jump up from my chair and walk as quickly as my blissfully sore insides will allow. “You gave me back my company. You kept your promise.”
“I kinda wish you didn’t sound so surprised,” he chuckled and pulled me onto his lap so he could hold me in his arms. “I love you, you know.”
“I know,” I say as I see the remnants of the vase all over the floor. “I’m so sorry about tonight.”
“Don’t be. It definitely shows us what we need to work on, besides your pitching arm.”
“Thank you,” I kiss him again, enjoying the slow movement of our lips together. “And thank you for Lynx.”
“It was the smart move. Besides all the dust your story is going to kick up, it wouldn’t look right if my company held majority control of the magazine owned and edited by my future wife.”
“Yes,” I agree, before realizing what he said. Wait, did he actually say that? “Future wife”? A huge smile starts building on my face. It wasn’t a proposal but it’s good enough for now. I beam at him, feeling warm and fuzzy inside.
“It’s like I told you before. We don’t have a deal or a contract to lean back on. You don’t need anything from me, and I hold nothing over you. The only way we can keep going down this road is if it is your choice.”
I pause for a moment, letting my finger outline the bridge of his nose.
“You know,” I finally manage to say. “When my father died, and I thought I lost Lynx, and you – I thought I had nothing left. Everything was stripped away. Without it all, I found me. That was me standing up at my father’s funeral. That was me going into the lion’s den to get that folder. That was me sprinting through the courthouse without shoes. That was me controlling my emotions when I could have spit in Blake’s face. That courage, that honesty, that control, that passion, that power – that was all me.”
“Yes, it was,” Mark nods his affirmation. I take his hand and hold it open.
“Now, this is me,” I say leaning over to kiss his palm, then put his hand over my heart. He looks at me quizzically.
“This is me – choosing you.”
Sign up for my mailing list to find out when my next book is released!
Email me!