Page 46

“Dramatic.” Caleb takes my phone, scanning. “Oh, he made graphs. That's dedicated crazy.”
“He's going to blow up the entire acquisition if I don't contain this.”
“So contain it. Take him to dinner. Get him drunk. Let him vent his spleen over pasta.”
“He doesn't trust me. Thinks I'm the antichrist.” The solution forms even as I resist it. “I'll need Layla there as a buffer.”
Caleb's expression turns gleeful. “How convenient.”
“It's necessary. She's the only one who can translate his hysteria into English.”
“Right. Necessary.” He hands back my phone. “Nothing to do with the fact that you've been looking for an excuse to see her outside the office all week.”
“This is about?—”
“I know, I know. Business.” He stands, brushing invisiblelint from his suit. “But since we're being honest, can I make an observation?”
“Would it matter if I said no?”
“Not even slightly.” He moves toward the door, then turns back. “You're treating this like a hostile takeover when it should be a merger.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“It means you're so busy protecting your assets that you're missing the opportunity for something better.” He pauses. “She's not trying to acquire you, Bennett. She just wants you. There's a difference.”
“Caleb—”
“I've known you twelve years. I've watched you turn yourself into this perfect corporate machine. No feelings. No weakness. No messy human connections.” His voice softens. “Maybe it's time to consider a different business model.”
“This from the man who literally dragged me away from her at the festival?” I lean back, studying him. “And interrupted us at the bar? You've changed your tune pretty dramatically.”
Caleb has the grace to look slightly sheepish. “That was before I knew who she was. Some random woman who gave you a fake number? Classic gold-digger move. I was protecting you.”
“And now?”
“Now I know she's the real deal. Smart. Fierce. Fights for her people.” He shrugs. “And more importantly, she had no idea what you're worth. Did you know she googled you after the acquisition? Jenna went through her search history when she was digging up dirt for you. First time she'd ever looked you up.”
That stops me cold. “That wasn’t in the file.”
“She didn’t think it was relevant to her ability to do her job. But I like that she didn’t know who you were until after you'd already started circling each other like horny teenagers.” His grin returns. “Which means she wants you for you. Not your bank account or your connections. Just you.”
“There is no just me. I am my company.”
“And that,” Caleb points at me, “is exactly the kind of bullshit she's going to call you on. Which is why you need her.”
The door clicks shut before I can tell him to fuck off. Which is probably for the best since he's right.
I am treating Layla like a threat to be managed instead of... what? An opportunity? An investment?
Christ. Even my metaphors are fucked.
I dial her number before I can overthink it.
“Bennett.” The way she says my name goes straight to my cock.
“Your father's one email away from calling a press conference about corporate vampirism.”
“Oh God.” A heavy sigh. “What's he done now?”