Page 18 of Accidental Theirs (Alpha Billionaire Daddies #6)

Chapter Fifteen

DOMINIC

I couldn’t be happier to be heading to the Carter Holdings headquarters, knowing Olivia will be there. I haven’t heard from her in weeks other than the odd text message response here and there, saying she’s busy at work.

And maybe she is.

This merger has everyone running around like chickens with their heads cut off, but after what happened...

I can’t even think about it without a dark cloud descending over me. Because it isn’t just me she wants, and that hurts.

I’ve always been the jealous type, and I’m surprised I was even able to go through with it without freaking out.

But she’d wanted it. She wanted it so much . Loved every second of it.

And I have to admit, that despite my jealousy, it was incredibly hot to watch her being pleasured like that, until she could barely think.

Someone knocks on my window, and I jump.

It’s the valet at Carter Holdings. I've driven up to it without even thinking .

Shit. I’ve got to get it together.

I’m here as head accountant for Titan, here to work out all the details and see what we’re standing to gain. Or lose.

There have been rumors…

Even so, it’s really just routine, but I’m hoping to talk to her. I’m hoping that night went a long way to making up for what I did. I’m hoping she wants to get back together.

But I’m afraid to hope for it, especially since she’s been so distant.

I get out of the car and hand the valet my keys.

He nods, and I head up to the security gate, showing my ID badge to the guard, who waves me through, and I walk up the stairs to the catwalk.

The accounting department happens to be nowhere near Olivia’s office, and I curse under my breath.

I’ll have to think up some kind of excuse to go see her, but that should be easy enough after I look over all the documents.

An elegant blonde woman, maybe in her late thirties, sits at the front of the accounting department. She looks up at me and gives me a small smile.

“We’ve been expecting you, Mr. Hayes. I’ve got everything you need.” She puts an intimidating stack of papers on the desk, and my eyes widen.

“Is there a room I can use?”

“Of course.” She stands up.

Her heels click in the big room, and I follow her, hefting the considerable stack up in my hands.

I’m led to a nearby conference room, where I sit at the head of the table.

She doesn’t linger, shutting the door behind her.

I can understand why Titan is interested. Carter Holdings runs like a well-oiled machine. But since they’re a much smaller company than Titan, I’m a little worried that the rumors might be true.

My direct supervisor, a rotund man named Edward Marks, told me to look deeply into their finances and to give him a detailed report. Something about the way he phrased it in the email made me concerned, and I’m nervous when I open the first file folder.

All of this is online, of course, stored in their computers, but I don’t have access to the files until the merger is completed.

So, old school it is.

I pull out a red pen from my pocket and start the long, tedious process.

By the time I come up for air, it’s hours later.

I suck in a sharp breath, staring down at the numbers on the calculator I’ve been inputting, and I know for sure what recommendation Edward will give to the higher-ups.

Carter Holdings is nearly broke. It’s not enough to keep operations open for another six months.

As soon as I turn in this report, Edward will recommend dissolving Carter Holdings.

Does Olivia know? She certainly doesn’t act like it.

I have to talk to her. I have to let her know that everything she’s built is crumbling around her.

I put the files back together haphazardly, not caring that they might be out of order, and make my way to Olivia’s office, a floor above the accounting department.

I’m fuming in the elevator, thinking about Damien and how he must know what’s going on.

He’s been lying to her, and even with all his muscles, I could wring his neck.

When the elevator doors open, there she is, standing outside her office, her head thrown back, laughing at something Roland said .

Fuck.

I’m going to ruin her good mood, but it can’t be helped. She deserves to know the truth.

Olivia turns as I walk up, her smile fading.

“Dominic? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I need to talk to you.” I put the files under one arm and take her by the elbow to lead her into her office.

“If this is about this quarter, you should know there are a lot more clients paying out at the end of the month?—”

I shake my head quickly. “It’s not about this quarter, Liv. It’s about the last few years.”

“Wh-what are you talking about?”

She goes paler than she already is, and I swallow hard, not sure how to tell her this.

I put down the files on her desk, shuffling through them to find where I’d circled a number with my red pen.

I point at it with my index finger, and she frowns.

“This is what you have for the next six months.”

Her eyes flit to mine. Her pupils contract. “No, it’s not. You missed something. Some of the contracts probably haven’t been inputted?—”

“Everything’s current. I double-checked. Triple-checked.”

Her tongue darts out to wet her lips. “It can’t be. You’re wrong. Check it again.”

I let out a frustrated breath. “I’ve spent the last five hours checking it, Liv. It’s right. I wouldn’t be here telling you this if it weren’t. If I’d known the rumors were more than just rumors.”

Her frown deepens. “Wait, what rumors?”

I look away, hating the fear in her face. “Word around Titan is that Carter Holdings is going under. Titan will dissolve the company, use the merger to gain your contracts and this building.”

“You can’t be serious. ”

But I can tell from her face that she knows I am.

She sits down hard in her chair.

“Liv—”

She shakes her head. “I think you should go for now, Dom.”

“Olivia…”

She looks up at me, her green eyes piercing. “Please go. I’ll call you later.”

I run a hand over my face, frustrated. “I can help you. We can work this out, talk to Damien?—”

She shakes her head. “ I’ll talk to Damien.”

My throat works as I look down at her.

She’s trying to do this alone.

I know that she must be crumbling inside right now, but she doesn’t trust me enough to break.

“Liv.” I approach her, kneeling in front of her desk chair. “Let me help.”

She takes a shuddering breath, searching my face. “You didn’t know about this? You promise?”

“I didn’t. Not really. I just knew about the rumors. I had no way of knowing they were true.”

Her eyes go to the big window. “Someone spilled company secrets. Someone here doesn’t want to be here, wants me to fail.”

I take both of her hands in mine. “Don’t jump to conclusions, honey.”

The pet name slips out before I can stop it, but at least it makes Olivia look at me again.

She looks shell-shocked, her eyes wide, pupils dilated.

I squeeze her hands. “It’s going to be okay.”

“How?” Her voice trembles. “How is it going to be okay? They’re going to take everything from me.”

“I won’t let that happen.” This is my promise to her.

I pull her into my arms .

She stiffens only for a split second and then melts into me, pressing her face against my neck. She smells like lavender and fresh soap, and I breathe deep, my heart aching.

God, I’ve missed her so much.

“What are we going to do?” She pulls away.

I keep my arms loosely around her.

I look at her for a moment, unsure what to say. “We find out who is spreading the rumors. See if there’s a leak. And we talk to Damien.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t want you talking to Damien.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Why not?”

Olivia huffs out a breath. “Because I know you’ll get hot-headed about it. I can be calm about this.”

“Can you?”

She lets out a long breath. “I hope so.”

“What do you need from me, Liv? Anything.”

She runs a hand through her dark hair. “Find out what you can at Titan, and I’ll work on looking for the leak. Stall them if you have to, tell them that you need to review the accounts more or something. I can’t let this merger happen if Carter Holdings will go under.”

I nod. “Of course.”

“Thank you.” Her voice is soft and low, and she leans toward me, and I can’t help myself.

I lean forward and kiss her, gently, no hunger to it. I just want her to know I’m here for her. I want her to know how much I love her, that I’d do anything to keep her happy.

She kisses me back, her tongue sliding into my mouth, and my heart skips half a dozen beats.

I want to draw her closer, deepen the kiss, maybe take her right here on her desk, but this isn’t the right time.

She’s vulnerable right now, and I won’t take advantage of that. No matter how much I want her .

I pull away first, and Olivia gives me a small smile.

“Thank you, Dom. For keeping me in the loop. You could have just gone back to Titan and told them everything.”

“You’re more important than Titan.”

I let go of her, standing up and picking up the stack of file folders on the desk. “You’ll keep me updated?”

She nods. “I promise.”

“Don’t be a stranger,” I warn, giving her a grin, and she smiles back weakly.

“Sorry. Just been?—”

“Busy. I know.”

I tear my eyes away from her and leave the office.

On the way back to Titan, I keep thinking about the fear and hurt in her eyes, how she’d hugged me so close when I held her.

As much as I hate myself for it, I’m almost glad something like this happened. Maybe it’ll bring us back together.

There’s a light at the end of the tunnel for us.

But will that light be enough to help me find a way to keep Carter Holdings afloat?