Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 39300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 197(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 197(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
As the nurse ducks out of the room, her laughter trailing behind her, my grandfather turns his scowl on me. "Why haven't you brought her to see me yet?" he demands.
I walk over to his bedside. "Because you're mean as hell. I don't need you running her off."
"To hell with that," he mutters, his gaze sharpening. "You decided to fight for her yet?"
Damn, he cuts right to the chase every time.
I pull up a chair and sit, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees. "That's actually why I'm here. I need a favor."
Suspicion clouds his expression. "What kind of favor?"
"I need you to renegotiate the contract with her father," I explain calmly. "Offer him a ten percent stake in Grady Records, free and clear, if he strikes Triton from any will. He isn't to have anything to do with Evernight Music Group. He doesn't even breathe in the direction of Tempest's company. If Evernight does that, I'll personally hand over ten percent of my shares once I take over."
Evernight will get his piece of Grady Records, just like he wants. More importantly, Tempest and her company will be safe. No merger required, no giving up anything on her end. What she does with the company should be her choice to make, not his.
Right now, merging with Grady Records isn't in her best interests. Her father may not have faith in her ability to continue running Evernight after he's gone, but I know better. She's already the one running it.
The old man's jaw drops, his eyes bulging. "Have you lost your mind, boy?" he sputters. "That'll mean you're giving up majority ownership. You and Lena will both have a 44% stake in the company."
Rising to my feet, I nod. "I know. But this has always been a family company, Gramps. Maybe it's time for it to have more than one majority owner."
And it's not like Lena gives a damn about running things anyway. All this does is ensure she owns every bit as much of it as I do. It's only fair. She's family, too.
And after all this shit with Tempest, I want to make damn sure my baby cousin is protected the way Triton should have been protecting his. No company, nothing, is worth fucking over family.
"You…" He gapes at me, his voice raspy with emotion. "You just called me Gramps."
I smirk, heading for the door. "Did I? Huh. Interesting."
"You haven't called me Gramps since you were a kid," he says hoarsely.
Glancing back, I meet his watery eyes, the hope and surprise in their depths gutting me.
"Guess a lot of shit is changing around here…Gramps."
His throat works as he swallows hard, his hands trembling in his lap. And in this moment, I glimpse the grandfather I remember from my childhood. Before the grief and stress turned him hard and bitter. Before I locked my heart up tight, refusing to open it for anyone else.
And fuck, seeing that man again…that's fucking worth it.
I swallow the lump lodged in my throat as I step out into the hallway. "I'll bring Tempest by tomorrow. Try not to be a complete asshole."
"No promises," he mutters gruffly. But the pleased gleam in his eyes gives him away.
Maybe, just maybe, we're going to be all right.
Chapter Eleven
Tempest
"Are you still pouting?" I ask, a smile on my lips as I glance at Dalton, who is muttering under his breath as we stride hand-in-hand toward his office.
He scowls over at me. "He fucking kissed you," he complains. "Right in front of me."
I bite my lip, fighting laughter. "He's your grandfather, Dalton. And he kissed me on the cheek."
His office door closes behind us, his eyes narrowing on me. "Are you laughing at me, baby?"
I hold my thumb and forefinger an inch apart. "Little bit."
"Oh, really?" He stalks toward me, yanking me into his arms. I collide against his chest with a muffled laugh as his hand slips into my hair, craning my head back. "Let's see how loud you laugh with your mouth full, Tempest."
I moan at the heat blazing in his eyes, my core clenching. "Yes. Let's do that."
He smirks, walking me backward across the office until the backs of my knees collide with the sofa. I land on my ass on the plush cushion with him looming over me, far too damn sexy for words.
He's happy in a way I've never seen, settled in a way that looks damn good on him. The last week has been the best of my life. Despite everything—despite Triton—I'm happy. We're happy. We haven't heard from my cousin. I doubt we will. He's never been good at dealing with the wreckage of his choices. Dalton thinks he's a coward, but he isn't. Triton, though? Well, that's a real coward.
"What are you waiting for, wife?" Dalton arches a dark brow, staring down at me. "Unzip me. Pull my cock out. Fucking suck me."