Page 19 of Savage Suit

Guy shifted in his seat. “It is about consistency, Noah,” he said quietly. “Years ago, you worked closely with us on two campaigns. Since then, Dorset has been our project manager. Now, he has jumped ship to Sauncier. He knows us.”

“Sauncier also offers a better deal,” Hugo said. “How do you Americans say? More bang for your buck?” He nodded, deciding he’d said the phrase correctly without affirmation. “You are not even a division head of KMG.”

“I have a project manager specifically for your account,” I lied, annoyed by my predicament.

“Where is he?” Claude jeered, exaggerating his glances around the small room.

“They had a prior meeting.” I enhanced my untruth, once more thinking of Ryan Hagen. What would they do if I unleashed her on them? The idea pulled a smile from me. “You called for this appointment at the last minute.”

“And, yet, you are here,” Claude taunted. “We call, and you scramble.”

There would be no fairness from Claude Amage. Attempting to negotiate with him was futile. “I adjourn the meeting,” I bit out, starting for the door to go to my legal department and order the move-in on the Amage Group.

It wouldn’t be a Keegan Enterprises acquisition. This was personal. My procurement would be as well. If the shareholders proved difficult, I’d form dummy companies and perform buyouts under assumed names. Fuck Claude. I had the will and the wherewithal to fuck him a thousand ways.

“Noah!” Sacha called, panicked. His brother had fucked with me once too many. “What if we ask Claude to step aside during the decision process?”

I’d just passed the table. Sacha’s words halted me. “Do you take me for a fucking fool?” I demanded, glowering at him. “There’s no fucking way I’d cede my control to anyone for one project or twenty, so I doubt your brother will give up his power in this matter. He isn’t an idiot, whatever else Claude might be.”

The brothers glanced at one another, then stared at Claude. He clasped his hands together. “You will need to put any takeover attempt to a shareholder vote. I know there are acquisition clauses in your bylaws. You must have a two-thirds agreement in these matters.” A smug smile curved his lips.

“You forget yourself. I have the will and the wealth to do as I fucking please. I can move-in on you since it wouldn’t be a company takeover. It will be a Noah Keegan acquirement.”

As my words dawned on him, horror washed away his fucking arrogance. He grabbed the silk handkerchief skillfully placed in the small pocket of his suit jacket and mopped his brow.

“This has been your intent the entire time,” he accused.

“No, it hasn’t. Otherwise, it would’ve been done. My mother carried a special fondness for the Amage Group. She was a wearer of your perfumes for many years. I would not wish to dishonor her memory, but she understood opportunities.” My mother had been an ace at wheeling and dealing. “She’d see the wisdom of taking advantage of your instability, moving in, and then selling off your assets one by one, little by little,” I said with quiet menace, enjoying how the color dropped from his face, “until Amage became a recollection in the annuls of fashion and cosmetics.”

“You would still sully her memory if—”

“No,” I interrupted. “My mother would understand my patience with your shenanigans has ended. I will bid for the contract fairly and compete against Sauncier, but on my terms.”

“Explain to me this perfume you want,” he demanded. “How different is the composition? What of the packaging? The bottle is most important. And the name? Tell me this now or—”

“Tais-toi, Claude,” Leo demanded.

Claude shut up at once, just as Leo ordered.

They spat words back and forth, but I ignored them. I understood French because of my mother. Among all her children, I was the only one who took an active interest in her native language. The girl at the ball and our conversation rose in my head. I ruthlessly shoved away the memory, yet Ryan invaded my thoughts again. She had been the closest I’d come to a project manager since the man I had trusted jumped ship and ran to the enemy.

Ryan hadn’t been my only interview. Since I’d met with Graham Morgan, I’d had six others, four men and two other women, who tired of waiting and left without an interview. The men hadn’t struck me as having the insight needed on this project to sufficiently honor my mother.

The contract with Amage had worked so well because Claude and I hadn’t had to cross paths. I didn’t have the patience to deal with him. Not having an employee to put distance between Claude Amage and me seemed stupid and irresponsible. Besides the perfume I wanted for my mother, the Amage contract wouldn’t make or break me. But it was the principal of Claude’s treatment. I needed a perfume house.Hestood in my way. Money bled from Amage’s coffers. Had he thought I’d suddenly jump at the chance to meet with him without doing my due diligence?

I had discovered more about the brothers, their holdings, financial status, and personal lives than I would ever need. Yet, instead of taking my good faith and fair play into account, he’d fucked with me.

Mopping his brow again, Claude nodded. “I have misused your decency. You had choices and chose the high road by competing for our contract. We are no longer in the position to antagonize you.”

No, they were not. Once, the biddinghadbeen fair. They had been in the position to be as vicious as they wanted. They had ruined smaller companies and made laughingstocks out of media managers who didn’t meet their standards. The first contract between Amage and Keegan Media Group had been a hard-fought battle that had sown the seeds of hate between Claude and me.

“It will be your way, Noah,” he added into the silence. “We are willing to partner with you for Réjane’s parfum under certain conditions.”

Without answering, I nodded to Lemon, who called in the floor manager.

A moment later, Elroy Woodson opened the door. He was a tall, thin young man who had worked at Keegan Enterprises for six years, fresh out of high school.

He served as my assistant during my visits to the fourth floor, once my mother’s domain. It housed part of the advertising division.