Kane put a hand over his heart. “Ouch.”
“So, let’s talk business,” Red said, finally. “This boat is beautiful and so is the scenery, but we’re not here for a cruise. We’re here to figure out if we can make a deal.”
“Fine, let’s go inside, talking into this wind will make us hoarse.”
They went back inside the boat, and into a large living area where there were several large couches, chairs, a coffee table and TV. Everything was white, with blue trim, even the couches. Nicole had to stifle a smile when she realized that Kane’s outfit actually matched the interior design of his boat.
Nicole and Red took a seat on one of the couches.
Kane asked if they’d care for a drink, and Nicole declined. Red and Kane had a glass of scotch.
As Kane sat down, he handed Red his drink, but the older man’s eyes were focused only on Nicole.
She couldn’t help but notice, once again, the intensity and hunger there. So much like Red, she thought. And then she wondered what else he would do like Red, which made her angry with herself.
Nicole couldn’t deny that Kane Wright was a powerful, charismatic man. But she didn’t want to even have a passing thought about him in that way, because she was in love with Red and it felt like a betrayal to even think such things.
Kane settled into his chair opposite them. “So, here we are, at last,” he said.
“I’m open to hearing your offer,” Red told him, crossing his legs and taking a small sip of scotch.
“My offer is so simple,” Kane replied. “I will purchase your company from you, leaving you with perhaps ten percent of your stock. I will own a controlling interest in Jameson International and all its subsidiaries. However, I will largely allow you to continue to run it as you’ve been doing these past ten years.”
“Why would you do that when I’ve run it into the ground recently?”
Kane glanced to Nicole. If Red noticed, he didn’t react.
Suddenly Nicole got a gut feeling that something was wrong here. Why was it that just now occurred to her that Kane’s entire reason for bringing them to this yacht was for her benefit?
Nicole felt panic starting to rise in her, and wondered if it were really possible or if this was just her ego going totally out of control.
It was crazy enough for one billionaire businessman to be interested in her, let alone two. Still, she couldn’t shake the sense that Kane Wright was far more interested in her than he was in Red—like the only reason he’d taken this meeting was so that he could spend time with Nicole.
Which was ridiculous, she told herself. And yet, she couldn’t shake her suspicions.
“You didn’t run your business into the ground,” Kane said to Red, oblivious to Nicole’s rising discomfort. “I ran your business into the ground.”
Red smiled. “I didn’t realize you were the cause of the Euro taking a nosedive.”
“I may not have caused the Euro to drop,” Kane said. “But when it dropped, I knew how heavily exposed your company was—I was aware that you’d invested heavily in the EU markets. I kept my eye on your next move, and when I saw you take the risk on acquiring Aufrührerische Kreativit?t for nearly a hundred million, I knew I had my chance.”
“How kind of you to share your tactics with me,” Red said.
“I’m willing to put all my cards on the table,” Kane told him, glancing once more at Nicole.
“You say that a lot, but somehow I don’t believe you,” Red replied.
“That’s unfortunate, because I am doing my best to reassure you that my intentions are good.” Kane stood up. The boat was swaying a little now, giving Nicole a strange feeling in her stomach. The boat was pitching one way and then the other, and she didn’t much like it.
Red leaned forward. “What guarantee would I have that you’d allow me to have full autonomy in running Jameson International?”
The older man put his hands in his pants pockets and went to the window. “Looks like there’s a storm moving in,” he said.
The boat pitched and yawed as if agreeing with his assessment.
“Answer my question, please,” Red said.
“I never claimed I’d give you complete autonomy. Of course I’ll provide some guidance, because I’m older and wiser and I have knowledge to pass on to you.”
“And what if I disagree with your advice? Would you force me to make strategic decisions that I didn’t agree with?”
“Perhaps,” Kane responded.
This time they rode a wave that felt like a rollercoaster. Nicole realized she was getting nauseous. Her mouth was filling with saliva and she closed her eyes.
“Baby, are you okay?” Red asked.
She nodded. “I’m fine. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”
“You sure? What’s wrong.”
“Just…feeling a tiny bit seasick.” She opened her eyes and saw that the sky outside the windows had turned dark and was spitting rain.