Breaking Beauty: A Second Chance Romance Page 6

  Mr. Featherstone is as good as his word and emails the details of daddy’s will across and I spend the next few days poring over every paragraph. Luckily, there is enough food in the cabin to keep me going for weeks, so I don’t move and just study every word of a bitter and twisted man’s last wish. The thing I love the most is that my family will be reliant on the company doing well. It strikes me that if I ran the company into the ground, we would all end up with nothing. It’s tempting, so tempting and I relish the images of mom and Anastasia’s faces as I inform them there are no profits to keep them in the lifestyle they love. Hmm, maybe I could demand they actually work for once—for me. Yes, that would be fun. However, even the thought of having contact with them is a punishment not worth contemplating, so my mind runs in circles as I struggle to decide on the right thing to do.

  Exactly one week later since the will was read, I make contact with Mr. Featherstone.

  The next day we meet and I sign my life away.

  Then at 8 am the very next morning, I park my truck in the parking space that has my father’s name on it and walk with purpose toward the revolving door of Johnson’s plastics. It’s time to start work.

  The minute I enter the polished reception of my father’s company, I almost turn and head back outside. Any doubts I had resurface and laugh in my face. What was I thinking? I can’t do this, I’m no chairman, hell, I was serving drinks in a bar a few weeks ago and now I’m bold enough to think I can run a company the size of this with no experience. It’s a nonsense.

  The receptionist looks up with curiosity as I make my way across the polished floor and I know I look the part if nothing else. My tailored suit is fitted, and the skirt falls just above the knee. The crisp white shirt I’m wearing is smart but unbuttoned just enough to preserve my modesty but demonstrate my femininity. My hair hangs long down my back and my makeup provides the mask I hide behind as I say in a strong voice to disguises my nerves, “Good morning, I’m Angel Johnson and have come to take my father’s place. Please can you arrange the necessary security clearance and direct me to his office?”

  Her eyes widen and she looks at me in disbelief. I give her a moment to process the information and just stare at her with a hard expression before she stutters, “Um… of course… please accept my condolences, Miss. Johnson for your loss.”

  I just nod as I watch her trembling fingers punch something on her computer and then she says into her headset, “Excuse me, sir, this is reception. I have a Miss. Johnson here who is… um… here to take Mr. Johnson’s place.”

  She listens and I see the relief in her eyes as she passes the burden onto somebody else and visibly relaxes as she turns to me and says kindly, “Somebody will be down shortly to escort you upstairs.”

  She pushes a book toward me and says sweetly, “Please can I ask you to sign in until we arrange your ID and security clearance.”

  I do as she says and then take a seat as I wait for whoever she called. All around me the workers arrive and head for their place of work and I wonder about their lives. What they do, their families - their lives. This company provides the wages that make those lives bearable and I wonder if they are paid well for turning up here every day. As I sit and watch, it heaps a whole load of responsibility onto my shoulders as I feel the burden that’s been thrust on them weighing me down. The self-doubts creep in and my breathing comes fast, reminding me I’m way out of my depth. What was I thinking, this isn’t a game, people’s lives are at stake? Maybe I should just leave and let Anastasia bear this burden because I’m not sure I can see it through.

  “Miss. Johnson?”

  Looking up, I see curiosity in the eyes of a smart woman looking at me with a kind expression. She smiles, and it settles my nerves a little as she says kindly, “I’m pleased to meet you. My name’s Dora and I am—sorry—was, your father’s personal assistant. Please may I extend my most sincere condolences for your loss? He was a…”

  “Bastard.”

  I see the shock in her eyes and almost laugh out loud. Standing up, I smooth down my skirt and smile. “It’s ok, Dora, you don’t have to pretend around me. We both know what he was like and I must give you credit for sticking this job out, it can’t have been easy.”

  I watch her lips twitch and hold out my hand. “You can call me Angel; I’m pleased to meet you.”

  She grasps my hand and shakes it warmly and then nods toward the bank of elevators. “Follow me and I’ll show you to your office. I expect you have many questions and I will try to do my best to answer them.”

  I follow her and feel my heart settle a little. She seems nice, not what I expected at all. Maybe this won’t be so bad, she can fill me in on how things work and as soon as I can, we will start advertising this position because I’m not deluded enough to think I can actually do this. No, as soon as possible, I am hiring someone who can and intend on just setting things up so this company runs itself. Then I’ll sit back and watch the profits roll in while I get on with my life—my way. Yes, my mind was made up somewhere in the early hours because this is my big chance and I’m not going to waste it. I will prove my daddy wrong when he said he was disappointed with his family. I am going to do what’s right for me and me alone and to hell with the lot of them.

  12

  Dora seems pleasant enough. I follow her into the elevator and watch as she presses the button for the top floor. Typical. I’m guessing my father set himself up in his ivory tower relishing the fact the workers were literally beneath him. As we travel past the many floors, I try to ease the tension that’s building, mainly inside me and say brightly, “How long have you worked here, Dora?”

  “Ten years.”

  “Wow, you deserve a medal.”

  She laughs softly. “Not really. I started as a junior secretary in the Accounts department and gradually worked my way up.”

  “Do you like working here?”

  “I do as it happens. Mr. Johnson was demanding but diligent. Mainly I like my co-workers and as jobs go, it’s not a bad one.”

  “Yes, you’ve summed up my father perfectly, demanding, definitely and diligent was a word created to describe him. I expect the staff are worried now he’s gone, I mean, nobody likes change, right?”

  “I suppose so.”

  She smiles, and it strikes me that she doesn’t seem bothered at all. In fact, it must be weird for her talking to somebody who has blown in off the street and made herself in charge. Credit to Dora, nothing appears to faze her.

  The elevator reaches its destination and my heart thumps as I follow her outside. The marble tiled floor, indicates that my father liked the finer things and the painted walls are bright and welcoming. We pass various doors and I see brass name plates on them and yet I don’t recognize a single one of them. Come to think of it, none of us knew what our father did when he left in the morning. I feel a little excited to find out and discover the man the people inside this building knew far better than his own family.

  Finally, we reach his office because the name outside reveals it. Dora stops and smiles and to my surprise raises her hand to knock. She looks almost apologetic as a deep voice shouts, “Come in.”

  As she pushes the door open, my jaw hits the floor because sitting behind my father’s desk, looking so cocky it makes my heart bleed, is Sebastian Stone.

  I barely hear the words they exchange before Dora leaves, closing the door softly behind her. All I can think of is the pain twisting inside me as I see the cocky son of a bitch staring at me, looking so hot I almost want to rip my clothes off and demand he takes me right here on that desk. However, that would be over my dead body because I would rather kill myself than allow him near me after what he did, so instead, I use words to hide behind and snarl, “You’re in my seat.”

  He sits back and appraises me which irritates the hell out of me as he looks me up and down. I feel stripped bare by that look as he rakes me from head to toe and leaves me panting inside. He always was good-looking but the last five year
s have developed him into some kind of Adonis. His sharp suit hangs well on him and the white shirt unbuttoned just enough to reveal a tantalizing glimpse of hard flesh makes my knees weak. The stubble sits well on his face and his dark eyes flash as he shoots me a look loaded with so much desire it takes my breath away. Then he smiles, but it has no humor in it and says in a deep voice, “Sit.”

  He gestures to the seat in front of the desk and I snarl, “I’m not a dog for you to command. How dare you sit in my chair and issue me orders as if you’re in charge? Now get out and don’t come back.”

  “Sit!”

  I stare at him incredulously and his eyes twinkle making me so mad I could rip my stiletto off and embed it in his skull from across the room. Taking a few deep calming breaths, I say in a low controlled voice, “I asked you nicely and still you sit there issuing your orders like the complete idiot you are. Now, I will ask you again and this time you will do as I say because You. Are. Sitting. In. My. Seat. Please leave.”

  To my surprise, he does as I ask and stands. As he ventures out from behind the desk, I swallow hard. Without breaking eye contact, he prowls toward me and my legs start shaking at the power in his stare and as he reaches me, I almost close my eyes and offer my lips to his willingly before he takes hold of my arm and propels me toward the chair. Then he forces me into the seat and holds me in place, saying firmly, “I said sit you infuriating woman and listen because god help me, if you challenge me again, I will put you over my knee and take great pleasure in spanking that fine ass of yours until you can’t sit down for a week.”

  I open my mouth to tell him exactly what I think about that but before I can his mouth covers mine and his tongue ties mine in knots as he kisses me so hard and so deep, I forget even my own name. Despite everything that’s happened between us I kiss him back. I can’t help it because he makes me weak. He makes me forget all the strength I stored up in anger over the past five years and makes me forget everything but him. I feel so disappointed in myself because I can’t deal with the emotion he puts me through. I am just not strong enough to win this war because he still owns my heart and I have to figure out a way to snatch it right back before I can possibly win against him.

  The cold air rushes between us fanning the flames as he pulls back and retreats behind my desk. Taking his seat, he stares at me with a look so hot I get an immediate tan as I stare at him in shock. “Now I have your attention we will begin.”

  I say nothing because I don’t have words. I don’t have anything because he has beaten me and he knows it. I see the arrogance of a man who always liked to be in control and if nothing, it has just intensified over the past five years and so, I let him speak—at last.

  “It’s good to see you, Angel.”

  I shrug and it annoys me to see the amusement in his eyes as he leans back. “Congratulations on your inheritance, it must have come as quite a shock.”

  Still, I say nothing and he shakes his head. “Fine. Enough of the pleasantries, it’s time you learned the facts. You inherited your father’s company which actually amounts to a share of 55% of it.”

  I try not to let him see the shock his words bring and just focus on the picture of my hated father on the wall behind him. “My father was Harvey’s partner and in fact, set up the company alongside him all those years ago. However, circumstances meant that his share dwindled over the years and now our family own 25%. The other 20% was sold to various shareholders over time to raise much needed capital.”

  The bitterness in his voice makes me look up and the look in his eye tells me this isn’t some cozy little tale he’s about to tell.

  “You see, Angel my father was a very weak man. He may have been good at his job but he, as it turns out, wasn’t good at life. Where your father relished the cut throat nature of the business, mine did not. He preferred to adopt a more passive role in the company and allowed your father to deal with the unsavory details of building an empire.”

  I almost pity him and say softly, “I’m sorry, I never knew; he always seemed so competent.”

  Sebastian’s eyes flash. “He was. Competent, I mean but he lacked the killer instinct your father had. The reason his share value dwindled was because he gambled it away. He kept it a secret from everyone, even your father and the shares he sold weren’t sold through the usual channels.”

  This conversation is unexpected and despite my anger toward him, I feel sorry for the man before me. He looks destroyed and I can tell he is hating every moment of his little speech.

  “Your father discovered that a local mobster now owned a fifth of his company. My father had gambled it away over time and he was happy to allow him. You see, Tobias Moretti is the type of man who scars men, both physically and mentally. He recognized the weakness in my father and exploited it.”

  Interrupting, I say quickly, “So, you’re saying we have to do business with a… criminal?”

  Nodding, Sebastian sighs heavily. “It appears so. You see, there are three of us in this partnership, you, me and Tobias.”

  He must see the fear in my eyes because he says in a softer voice, “However, Tobias is not interested in heading up a company, he is more interested in running a crime family. He has mainly left the business of managing Johnson’s plastics to our fathers and is just keen to receive the dividends his share brings. The trouble is, now your father’s um…”

  “Dead.”

  “Yes - dead, he may not be so trusting. I’m sure that when he hears the terms of your father’s will, he’ll be demanding a meeting and we may not like what we hear.”

  Shrugging, I cross my legs and lean forward. “I’m not afraid of him.”

  Sebastian looks angry. “For fuck’s sake, Angelica, this isn’t a game. Don’t you see we are in a bad situation here and I don’t think you realize how serious it is. You have no experience of running this company and are vulnerable. You don’t stand a chance against a man like Tobias and neither do I.”

  “What about you, Sebastian, what has any of this got to do with you, anyway? Your father owns a quarter of this company, not you, so, where is he? Why isn’t he sitting in my daddy’s chair and taking charge because surely he’s the best man for the job?”

  “He’s dead.”

  I see the pain in Sebastian’s eyes and it hits me hard. My first instinct is to run and comfort him because I know how much Sebastian loved his father. Where I hated mine, he adored his and I know how devastated he must be.

  I make to move toward him but he holds up his hand. “Don’t bother, I don’t need your pity.”

  His words surprise me and he laughs bitterly. “It’s been four years now; I can cope with it; I don’t need anyone to hold my hand and tell me everything will be ok.”

  He turns away and looks out at the city that lies beneath us and says in a dull voice.

  “Whatever you think of me doesn’t matter now. You have a decision to make and you had better think with your head rather than your conflicted heart.”

  “What decision?”

  My words sound cold and hollow even to my ears as I recognize something’s changed since I walked inside this office. “Sign your share over to your sister and walk away back to the new life you made and keep yourself safe.”

  “Or?”

  He spins around and I almost gasp as I see the pure torture in his eyes. “Or stay and fight but know this battle may be one you lose.”

  “What battle, you forget I’m the majority shareholder, he can’t touch me?”

  “Keep telling yourself that, Angelica because you’re not strong enough to play with the big, bad, boys, no matter how much you think you are.”

  His words irritate the hell out of me and I stand, feeling so angry I can’t breathe. Thumping my fist on the desk he sits behind, daring to try and chase me out of town, I snarl, “I don’t care what you think, Sebastian. You may think your stupid story will chase me away but it won’t. You obviously have an extremely low opinion of me, well, right back at you. You know, y
ou would love nothing more for me to spin on my heels and leave you to your happy ever after with my sister. I get it now. You’ll marry my hated sister and gain control of the company. She is weak and willing and would be only too happy to let you take charge, while she sits in the mansion you provide and plays dress up. I’m not stupid and this is all probably just a horror story you’ve made up to scare me off. Well, fuck you because this is now my company and you are sitting in my seat!”

  Just for a moment, we lock eyes in a battle of wills. He is furious, I can see that and I feel a sense of victory as he realizes there is nothing he can do about the situation we are now in. Shaking his head angrily, he thumps the desk and yells, “For fuck’s sake, Angelica, open your eyes and do the right thing. Back off and let me deal with this.”

  “It’s Angel now you complete and utter butt head, why can’t you grasp such a basic fact. Now, as I said, you’re sitting at my desk and if you don’t mind, I want to start work. So, run along and do what someone who is second in command does with his day because I’m in charge now and things are about to change.”

  To my surprise, Sebastian stands and moves away from the desk, saying roughly, “Fine, have it your way - Angel.” His tone is sarcastic as he says my name. “Have it your way but I give you until the end of the day before you come begging me to come back and help you out of the hole you’ve just jumped into head first. Do it your way and this company will destroy itself in less than a week. Then we’ll all have nothing.”