CHAPTER 69 - DOORS, SHARE-ING A MEETING AND THAI-LAMB
MICHAEL’S APARTMENT - EVENING
MICHAEL
$400! $400! That’s what it cost me to replace my fucking door! I could not believe it when I got home and saw the bill. “What the hell happened?!” I gape at it. “Why the hell would people need to break into my apartment?!” I snatch off the notice and head to the super’s office.
SUPER’S OFFICE
“Why didn’t you just let them in?!” I repeat.
“Mr Novotny, as I have said to you twice now and in the text, the police required entry. Since I was not here, the entry was forced and they made the property secure. To replace the door costs this much and you are the tenant who caused the forced entry. Therefore, you must pay it. And per the leasing agreement you signed, it will be added to your rent next month.”
“But why was the entry forced?!”
“You would need to speak to the people on that notice.” He taps the paper in my hand. “Now, excuse me.”
He stands up and his sheer smelly bulk forces me to walk backwards but with a final glare, I stomp back to my apartment.
MICHAEL’S APARTMENT
I check my phone again and still nothing from Raymond! I send him another text while opening the windows. It is beyond ripe in here! I look round for the smell but other than the things that I left before I went, there is nothing. Seriously, what in the fuck is that smell?!
KINNETIC - WEDNESDAY MORNING
CONFERENCE ROOM 6
REINHARD
I can't imagine why Kinney would want to see me, unless it's to put the punitive damages back on the table in person. The door opens and a dark haired woman comes in and sits down followed by a dark haired man. Neither of them say a word...well not to me, they confer amongst themselves and occasionally look my way. The door opens again and Vance comes in. He looks as surprised to see me as I am him.
“What’s going on?” He demands and I shrug. I have no interest in talking to him unless it is to tell him he’s off the board!
“What are you doing here?” We both say at the same time as two gentlemen come in.
“Mr Reinhard, Mr Vance. Your titles are only for politeness as you clearly are not gentlemen.” George Schickel bites out and takes a seat. “Mr Reinhard, this is my partner in what was your former business. His name is Randolph Charles. He was gracious to let me handle all the negotiations, while trying to save you,” he pointedly looks at the bald bastard sitting next to me while continuing, “Vance, from his granddaughter.”
I shift slightly and look across at Vance, who has developed a fine sheen of sweat atop his head. “I have settled my case with your son amicably…”
“Settled yes, amicably not so much. She is still pissed and it is her you need to deal with eventually.”
“So we're here to discuss the shares. Will she be long?” Vance swallows hard.
“We are just waiting for one other person.” Randolph replies tightly.
“Kinney.” Vance splutters as he comes in with another woman. “What…?”
So this is Kinney, although I had read up about him seeing him in the flesh is something different. There is a coldness about him...and that makes him dangerous.
“This is my building and I want to see the masters at work.” He smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. Even I have to swallow hard at that look. “Franc, this is Reinhard.”
“Franc, it is…”
“Francesca.” She clips out and doesn't take my hand, causing Vance to smirk.
“So now that we are all present, we’re…”
“Who are these people?” I point to the still silently conferring couple.
“Oh my manners. This is Melanie Marcus and Robin Whist. She is my personal attorney representing Franc, and he is here for training purposes.”
“Training?”
“Like I said to watch the masters at work.” Kinney’s voice drips venom...I have a bad feeling about this!
“So Reinhard, how much have you managed to attain…” Schickel demands.
“Of his shares?” He nods. “30%, which is why I wish to acquire the ones belonging to your partner’s granddaughter so I can be the majority shareholder and deal with him accordingly.”
“However, myself and the board still have 38%. And…”
“You can’t afford it, Vance.” Charles cuts him off. “And the numerous phone calls that the pair of you have bombarded her with crossed the line. Mel, if you please.”
She nods and comes round to our side of the table and puts a piece of paper in front of us both.
VANCE
I look at the paper in shock. “Restraining order?!” I gasp.
“Yes. It is barring you from contacting Francesca Charles-Prince in any shape, way or form. Effective immediately.”
“Immediately?!” Reinhard blusters. “But we're trying to negotiate!”
“Not with her. Not anymore. Franc, you can leave.”
“Thank fuck! Have fun boys and girl!” Francesca gets up and smirks.
“So just who do we negotiate with? Her grandfather?”
“The shareholder.”
“And that would be?” I ask, hoping for Schickel, the way Charles is looking at me is turning my stomach.
“Me. That would be me.” Kinney’s shark smile makes my balls shrivel. “She, unlike you, honoured our agreement but with one little adjustment. She gave them to me gratis.”
Our mouths hit the table at the same time.
“So shall we start? Shall I get some refreshments? You’re going to be here a while.”
SEABIRD LONDON HQ - SAME TIME
RAYMOND’S OFFICE
RAY
I laugh at the text he sent me and shake my head. I forward it straight to dad and then feel a little guilty but come on! If you had the opportunity wouldn’t you do it…
Start of flashback
CAR BACK TO THE AIRPORT
RAY
I feel the tears prickle and I try to blink them back. He said I was good at something! My dad said I was good at something!
“You okay?” Phoebe asks still wary of my intentions, I suppose.
“Yeah. How long have you worked for my dad?”
“8 years. Started off as an assistant and worked my way up.” She says proudly and again, I feel a stab of regret that this is the first time I have ever felt this way.
“Can you remember where he lives?” I suddenly ask.
“Who? Novotny?” I nod. “Yeah, why?”
“Pull over.” I order and then shake my head. Now is not the time to be an asshole, I remind myself. “Please, just pull over? I will be right back. I just need $10 so you can keep my wallet. Even better, you can come with me.” I nod at Rod. After a few minutes, we are running across the road.
“What the hell is that?” Phoebe demands aghast when we get back into the car.
“Never mind, let me just make a call.” Rod winks at her.
Ten minutes later, we are heading to his apartment where a friend is waiting outside. After letting us in, we find just the perfect places to put the fish guts...in each and every room.
I was still laughing two hours later on the plane.
End of flashback
I sling my phone across the desk and punch out a few numbers. “Hi dad. Look, can you authorise a new phone for me? He’s called a few...oh she did. How? Ah right! So it’s a yes to the phone, then? Great! Look, I’ve got to get back to work. Bye.” As he hangs up, I whisper love you dad.
GOLDEN GIRLS RETREAT [AKA RAY’S FORMER HOME], CALIFORNIA - SAME TIME
KITCHEN
DEBS
“No but…”
“Sis, go and sit down and be looked after. You’ve twisted your ankle. It was bad enough finding out how...oh the visual! Thank God, Veri will be here soon.”
“Need I remind you that I came in to find you trying to start a fire with Rodney here using human wood and…”
“Ripped the piss out of me for a fortnight? No, you need not.” Vic laughs before peering at my ankle. “It does look like it’s going down. How’s Carl’s back?”
“I don’t think he’ll be going down for a while.” Rodney chuckles as he comes in. “What exactly was the position you were going for?”
I can actually feel my embarrassment! And I don’t do embarrassed!
“A lady doesn’t tell.” I retort.
“Which is why we are asking you.” Rodney returns, smiling.
“Helloooo! Where is everyone?” Veri calls out.
“Kitchen!” We all yell back.
“Okay so, I will get the finer details from you later. But have other news... Michael is back in Pittsburgh. Ray is back in London, but before he left he sent Michael a little message.”
“What are you talking about?” Rodney asks, taking a seat and much to my relief, putting my foot in his lap.
“So what happened was…”
By the time she finishes telling us, we are laughing though still shocked at Ray’s behaviour. Of all the things we expected him to do, this was not it. Although the fish guts was ingenious. The placing was down to Phoebe in Prada, and damn she was evil!
“So Reginald, who is Hugo, as far as Michael is concerned, is going to stick around. Seems that he and Emmett have struck up a friendship, well a mutual interest in pissing Michael off.”
“Do Brian and Justin know about Ray’s change of heart?” I ask, wiping my eyes.
“Oh crap! Let me call Franc!” Veri laughs.
JUSTIN’S HOUSE - WEDNESDAY EVENING
BRIAN
“Hey! I’m...wha...mmmm.” I find my arms full of Justin and my mouth full of Justin’s tongue but whatever it is he has cooked is delicious! I keep chasing his tongue and in the end have to swap positions to pin him to the door to get every trace of that off him! “What is that? It’s lovely!”
“The Thai lamb recipe but with a couple of tweaks.” He grins and his eyes sparkle. Something has made him very happy and under the robe very naked...well, apart from a leather thong!
“And they would be?” I nuzzle his neck.
“Mel cooked the chops so I had to get another cut of meat. They are lamb ribs but the only thing is you might not like it. But Franc says the fat is in the flavour. Wait, that’s not quite right…” He frowns as he tries to work out what he’s supposed to be saying, while my lips keep his neck engaged. “Anyway, never mind, your dinner outfit is upstairs. Quick shower and down please!” He orders.
I run upstairs to do my master’s bidding and when I come down in my matching outfit, he greets me with a glass of Beam. “Guacamole?” I ask...well, hope actually!
“Not today. Next week, definitely.” The smell of the lamb is delicious and my mouth is starting to water. “We have no cutlery. We need to eat with our eyes and our hands.”
“Fine.”
He swirls some dressing with his fingers before pouring it over the salad and placing it into the middle of the plate and we start to eat. It’s not long before we dispense with our robes.
“Lambs lettuce, red chard, spinach and bulls blood leaves with an avocado oil dressing.” He tells me as I grab another handful. “So how was your day?”
“Great. I’m on the board of VanGuard.”
He stops and stares. “Y-you’re what?”
“Well they couldn’t give me the price that I wanted. So while they were arguing, Rupert bought out the 8% of shares that Vance was holding and sold them to me during the meeting, thus giving me 40% of the company.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Let him sweat for a bit. Reinhard was so fucking pissed. Vance is never going to sell to him so I can do what I want.”
“Which is?”
“See what Schmidt can do with it.”
“Ted?”
“Yeah, he really wants to rip it apart. So I’m going to let him but you should’ve seen his face when I got the shares! So what about you? How was your day?”
“Ray is back in London and won’t be bothering us.”
I pause and look at him. “What?”
He crawls towards me, smiling. “Seems that his dad persuaded him that he had been had by Novotny and he left a goodbye gift for him! Now that’s enough about that. Let me get the main...and no complaining mister!”
When he comes back with a plate heaving with lambs ribs dripping with fat, I want to cry about how much jogging I am going to have to do. But then I taste it and now I don’t give a fuck! The meat is soft like butter and there’s a smokiness he says is from the paprika. But oh my god… “You know this with the guacamole would...ummmph!” Now normally I have a problem with someone passing half chewed meat into my mouth but it is one of the sexiest experiences I have ever had with him. We pass it between our mouths before it is all gone. Our chins are covered in lamb fat and I am sure my hair is, too. I have him pinned underneath me, slowly kissing him. And although the thought it is slightly making my dick soft, I have to admit that I have to say thank you to Michael when I next see him! I may never have met my equal in all things, including my hedonistic tendencies if it wasn’t for Michael being Michael.
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