Page 162 of My Big, Fat, Hot Billionaire Enemy

47

Christopher

Her lips are soft against mine, yielding yet resolute.

She tastes like forgiveness.

Like possibilities I’d almost stopped believing in.

I debate whether I should take her right there. As I’ve done in the past.

I decide to wait. Her and her legal team need to process what happened with my father.

Hell, I need to process it.

I pull back, and I see a momentary flash of disappointment in her eyes.

“Okay, Ms. CEO,” I murmur. “Back to work.”

She laughs softly. “Don’t call me Ms. CEO.” She gently pushes my chest. “But you’re right. I need to get back in there with my legal team. We need to figure out the next steps…”

“Dinner?” I ask, releasing her reluctantly. “My place. Tonight. We have… things to discuss. Properly.”

A slow smile spreads across her face. “Yes. Properly.”She hesitates. “I need to stop by the hospital first, check on Dad again…”

“Of course.”

She gives my hand a quick squeeze, before opening the door and heading back towards the conference room. Already shifting back to CEO mode.

I watch her go, a complex mix of possessiveness, pride, and… something else… churning inside me. Hope?

Fuck.

It’s a dangerous commodity.

The ride downtown is quiet. Victor navigates the city streets with his usual unflappable calm. My security SUV follows like a silent shadow.

Inside the sedan, my mind races. The recording. My father’s forced retirement. Lucy. The framework we agreed on. It’s a whirlwind, but underneath it all, there’s a strange sense of… clarity. Like shedding a heavy, suffocating weight I didn’t even realize I was carrying until it was gone.

My phone buzzes. It’s Dominic Rossi.

I pick up.

“Heard the news,” Dominic says immediately, a note of something almost like awe in his voice. “Mark Blackwell, retired? Effective immediately? Forced out of his own company? Holy shit, Chris. What did youdo?”

“Leveraged a strategic vulnerability,” I reply dryly. “Exposed a pattern of behavior detrimental to shareholder value.” Corporate speak for ‘caught the old bastard admitting his crimes on tape and used it to hang him’.

Dominic whistles. “Ruthless. Even for you. Especially against family.”

“He made his choice when he came after Lucy,” I state flatly. The protective instinct surges again, fierce and absolute. “Some lines shouldn’t be crossed.”

“The Executioner is back,” Dominic chuckles. “And he’s bigger, badder, and meaner than ever!”

“No,” I retort, irritated. “He’s become someone else. Someone he was always meant to be.” I pause. “You asked me before if she had influenced me. Changed my approach.” I stare out at the blurring cityscape. “She has. Fundamentally. Made me realize building something, protecting something worthwhile, might actually be more satisfying than just… winning.” The admission feels strange, like speaking a foreign language. “The only way I could do that was to shed everything I was before. I had no choice but to sever ties with my father.”

There’s a long pause on the line. Finally:

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Dominic murmurs. “Christopher Blackwell, discovering his inner philanthropist. Or maybe just his heart.” There’s no mockery in his voice this time. Just… surprise. “Good for you, Chris. Seriously. Let’s grab a drink soon.”