Billionaires Dollar Series

Karli gives a stiff nod, staring at him. So am I. The hotel we’d met in must have been his. The hotel bar had been his. How had I missed just how much power he exuded? It’s sucking all the air out of this room.

Karli doesn’t back down, though her voice softens. “Thank you, sir. It’s nice to hear, but all the good intentions in the world won’t change the facts.”

I have to resist the triumphant smile I want to send his way.

“Right you are,” Cole says. “That’s why we’re proposing a compensation scheme. Tyra?”

The blonde opens her binder and pushes another binder across the table at us. “As the owner, Mrs. Stiller, we’ll compensate you for the loss of income for six solid months after the bookstore closes. If you’d like to continue your business elsewhere, our realty team is at your disposal for finding a different locale. The agency fee is waived for life.”

Karli reaches out to take a sip of her water, and I can tell it’s to buy herself some time. These offers are generous-and entirely unexpected.

Cole’s handsome features are straight-laced, impassive, professional. He’s certainly managing to be civil. If the fact that I’m here bothers him, he’s not letting on. Maybe he’s used to having women stare at him with murder in their eyes.

“And I don’t have to provide anything in return?” Karli asks, and I want to tell her no, that she’s already giving up her business so they can build their multi-million-dollar project.

Tyra seems to agree, because she shakes her head. “No. This is part of Porter Development’s corporate policy to all of those negatively affected by our developments.”

Cole runs a hand over his square jaw. “As I understand it, the bookstore has been operating for decades. I’m sorry that it must come to an end.”

The bastard. I was the one who told him that-I did. He’d let me stand there and flirt with him about our one-night stand, all the while knowing he was responsible for my soon-to-be unemployed state.

I see red. “Must it, though?”

Four heads turn to me, all wearing various expressions of incredulity.

“Skye,” Karli whispers, her face letting me know that my tone was neither civil nor professional.

I cross my arms over my chest and ignore her, my eyes locked on Cole. He leans back in his chair, his gaze daring me to continue. “Miss Holland?”

“The bookstore is old, as you pointed out yourself. We have a small but loyal customer base. It has… old-world charm.” I use his own description and watch in satisfaction as his eyes narrow. “It could be incorporated into your hotel.”

Bryan lets out a small chuckle. “I’m sorry, miss, but that’s not possible. The plans for the new hotel are already drawn. We have apologized, but we-”

Cole raises a hand to cut him off. “We’ve looked over your financials,” he says with infuriating calmness. “The bookstore is not profitable, Miss Holland. It hasn’t been for a long while.”

I can feel a flush rising in my cheeks. It’s been a hard few months, that’s true. “It brings in enough,” I say. “It’s been a staple of the community for decades. Give us these two months to turn things around.”

Karli is staring at me, her horror evident in my peripheral view, but I can’t look away from Cole. He’s the only one I need to convince. Not Bryan, not Tyra, not the corporate entity we’re sitting in. I just need him to agree to this.

Cole’s eyes narrow. “You’re pushing it,” he says, and he’s not just referencing the bookstore.

I spread my hands wide and try to soften my voice. “Look, if we’re not financially sound in two months’ time, feel free to tear the store down. You’ve run the numbers, and you’re the captain of industry here. I’m sure you’re right. But… on the off chance that we’re right, we get to stay, incorporated into your new building.”

Bryan is shaking his head at me, like he can’t believe what I’m saying. Karli is a statue next to me. But Cole… he’s staring at me with something unfathomable in his eyes, a challenge that reminds me of the night we’d spent together. Do you like it when I touch you like this?

“You want to make a bet, Skye? Is that it?”

“Yes.” My mouth is dry. “What do you have to lose? Either you get a profitable new business as part of your new hotel, or your development goes ahead exactly as planned.”

His lips twitch at the way I’d said hotel. Maybe I’d emphasized it a little bit too much. And in his eyes, there’s depth and pride and arrogance. And something else, something buried deep. Dark amusement.

Bryan is the one who finally speaks. “Sir, this is highly unusual.”

“It is. But then again, as Miss Holland and Mrs. Stiller have reminded us, their bookstore is as well.” Cole’s lips finally give, stretching into a smile just shy of being predatory. In the hotel bar we’d been on equal footing, two strangers meeting. Here, in the company he owns-the company seeking to ruin my life-he’s legions above me. “We accept, Miss Holland. If you can prove that your bookstore is profitable in two months’ time, we will reconsider.”

“Reconsider?” Adrenaline is pumping through my veins. “I want your word.”

He arches an eyebrow. “You want me to promise?”

“Yes.”

His eyes flicker. “You have it. Is this acceptable to you as well, Mrs. Stiller?”

Karli gives a quick nod. “Yes. Yes, it is.”

“Then I consider the matter settled.” He shoots Bryan and Tyra a professional nod. “Draw up the appropriate paperwork and have it sent to Mrs. Stiller by the end of business tomorrow. Will that be sufficient?” The question is to Karli, but his body is angled towards me.

God. What have I done?

“It is.”

“Then this meeting is concluded. I’ll escort you out.”

Cole stands, ignoring the looks of incredulity both of his employees shoot him. Karli and I pick up our papers and follow him in silence, down the hall, into the elevators. He strides easily through the office, a king in his kingdom, ignoring the daggers I stare into him. He doesn’t seem remotely impacted, but I persist, hoping he might miraculously buckle under the pressure.

Cole might have agreed to my challenge, but I knew better than to think he’d honor it. Porter Development doesn’t think we have a chance in hell of succeeding. He’s gone from being my fun one-night stand, the perfect sexual memory, into a mistake. Worse than a mistake-an enemy.

“Well, ladies,” he says, holding the elevator door open for us. “That was an interesting meeting.”

Karli hums in agreement. “I appreciate you giving us this opportunity.”

His eyes slide to mine, but I refuse to meet them. The anger in me is rising, and seeing the smugness on his handsome features would send it blasting. “Well,” he says. “You two made a very convincing argument.”

Karli’s laughter is half embarrassment, half pride. “Yes. Skye and I practically spent our youths in that place.”

“I understand.”

Does he? Somehow I doubt it. Asshole, I think again, hopefully loud enough to send it across the airwaves in his direction.

Cole walks us through the lobby. He’s more than a head taller than us both, his strides long and sure. The need to tell him off is burning under my skin, warring with embarrassment and anger, but there’s no way I can admit to Karli that the one-night-stand guy I’ve told her so much about is Cole damn Porter. It already feels like a betrayal.

“Well, ladies,” he says, voice deep and untroubled. “This is where I leave you.”

I can’t avoid his gaze any longer. It’s heavy with meaning, referencing the things left unsaid between us-no doubt he can see the lashing waiting on the tip of my tongue. I know you’re angry, his gaze says.

I meet it head-on. He might be used to intimidating employees, developers, servers. Not me, though. For good reason, my gaze replies. Asshole.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Thank you for today.” Karli shakes his hand, the picture of manners, and I’m forced to do the same.