Kitabı oku: «The Dare Collection June 2019», sayfa 7

CHAPTER FOUR
Neve

JUST FOR THE fun of it, I went toe to toe with him on the next pitch before making a tactical withdrawal.

He knew what I was up to, of course, and his gaze grew increasingly assessing as the next contestants entered the den.

I redirected my gaze to where Chinese screens with colourful frames were being erected. There were six in total and, having learned on the first day to take my cue from the crew’s excitement, I paid closer attention. I’d researched the past shows, knew there was a solitary gem that stood head and shoulders above mundane pitches.

My instincts screamed this could be it.

Surreptitiously, I noted Damian’s interest and plastered on my poker face as the crew finished setting up, noting the mastery in the hand-stitched embroidery etched in the red silk cloth that covered the frames.

The cameras started rolling.

A man and woman of similar height and colouring entered, their smiles open and friendly.

‘Hi, Raiders, I’m Sam Weston and this is my brother Tyler,’ the woman said. ‘I earned the right to speak to you first today because I’m three minutes older than him.’

‘What she means is, she didn’t really give me a choice,’ Tyler replied.

Chuckles echoed through the room, lightening the mood.

I angled my body subtly towards Damian, crossed one leg over the other, and immediately sensed tension rise in his body.

‘We’re here to ask for a seven-hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar investment in return for a twenty-five per cent stake in our business,’ Sam stated. ‘It’s a huge sum, we know, but what we have to offer in return will blow your socks off.’ She shared a smile with her brother. ‘Please allow us to let your fantasies come true.’

They approached the Chinese screens, drew them to one side and, in sync, tugged away the silk cloth to reveal a set of large photographs.

One picture was a replica of a scene from Alice in Wonderland, the other a Victorian-era agency parlour. They unveiled the next frame to reveal a French boudoir, and the one after that a late-nineteenth-century Wild West drinking saloon.

The last two were equally eye-catching, every vivid detail in the picture depicting scenes familiar to book and movie lovers.

‘Our business is called Fantasy Rooms. In short, we give you the room of your fantasy in any hotel room of your choice. You can be a Regency duke or an explorer for the duration of your stay and, with just three days’ notice before you check in, we can transform any room to suit your ideal fantasy and provide the costumes and the props required to make your stay one hundred per cent authentic.’

A wild dart of excitement arrowed through me. When I was a child, my one guaranteed escape from the unpleasant roller coaster of watching my mother and the revolving door of unsuitable men she entertained had been through the magic of books.

My library card had been my most treasured possession almost from the day my father had walked out when I was eight. And as soon as I could afford it, I’d filled my reading tablet with more romantic fantasy books than any other.

The idea of bringing those two worlds together, incorporating them into my business, wrapped itself around my heart and held on tight. I needed to use my business head for this but I took a moment to indulge in the possibilities of what this could mean for me. For Nevirna.

I snapped into focus.

‘Three quarters of a million is a hell of a lot of money. Why such a big budget?’ Nate asked.

Tyler stepped forward. ‘We’ve only worked with a few small hotels on the East Coast. We’re looking to expand to the West Coast and eventually go international. The budget will go towards investing in manpower for a year. Ideally we’re looking at six teams, four in each team, to be available to transform the rooms with the three-day notice we aspire to. We’re also looking at hiring costume designers to produce bespoke equipment that isn’t readily available on the market.’

‘Bespoke,’ Damian echoed. ‘That’s expensive.’

‘But ultimately worth it,’ Sam replied.

‘You said you’ve been working with smaller hotels. Who are they?’ I asked.

Tyler named a chain of hotels based in Florida. They were good but not worthy competition.

‘I want an exclusive partnership.’ I boldly staked my claim.

Damian glanced my way but I kept my gaze trained on the Westons. They exchanged smiling looks before glancing my way again.

‘Nevirna Resorts is on our dream list, and, yes, we would consider an initial exclusive arrangement.’

My stomach dropped. ‘Explain initial,’ I pressed.

Sam smiled. ‘We really admire you, Miss Nolan. You cater to the type of clients we’re after. We’ve done tons of research and know you’re working on expanding your resort into Europe and the Caribbean. Our dream is to be bigger eventually and we’d welcome the chance to grow with you but we don’t want to be locked in if...things don’t work out. We need to start somewhere and we think that your resort would be a good fit for us for a couple of years. Ideally we would both grow together.’

Disappointment welled up. Their concept could be huge with the right partnership. But I wasn’t done fighting for the right to be their long-term partner even if all they were offering right now was two years. ‘I’ll offer half a million for the twenty-five per cent stake for a five-year exclusive contract with Nevirna,’ I stated boldly.

‘This hasn’t been tested on a large scale, has it? It could be a success story or it could be a huge money pit. Convince me it’s not the latter,’ Damian challenged.

‘It’s new and largely untested, yes, but we believe in the concept and in our ability to make it worthwhile to your clients. We’ve also had strong interest from the Stardust group of hotels. But we think a partnership with the Raiders will better fit us.’

With a compulsion I couldn’t stem, I turned my head. Surely enough, Damian was staring at me, a hard, shrewd smile twitching his lips.

He knew I wanted this deal. Knew it and relished taking me on.

Tyler cleared his throat. ‘If we may be so bold, our ideal objective would be to secure a semi-exclusive partnership with Nevirna and The Mortimer Group.’

Hell, no. ‘That doesn’t work for me at all.’

Damian’s gaze veered from mine to lock with Sam’s. My heart dropped to my toes. He was about to chop me off at the knees.

But I wasn’t down and out yet. ‘I’ll offer you six hundred thousand for a thirty per cent stake and a three-year exclusivity agreement,’ I countered. ‘But more than that I’ll offer you a true partnership, not one where you’re just another gimmick that’ll easily get overlooked in a big conglomerate’s fanfare. The Mortimer Group is impressive, sure, but do you want to get lost in all their noise before you have a chance to make your mark?’ I challenged.

Damian stiffened and his wisp of a smile evaporated.

‘Can you give us a moment, please?’ Tyler requested, his voice buzzing with suppressed excitement.

They retreated to confer with muted voices. The camera followed them, leaving us alone for a minute.

‘It makes good business sense to partner up,’ Damian murmured from beside me.

I turned the full force of my glower on him. ‘Not to me, it doesn’t.’

‘Why not? Your obvious animosity aside, are you seriously suggesting you don’t think that this could work out for both of us?’

I shrugged. ‘It probably would if I trusted you as far as I could throw you. But I don’t.’

His expression bordered on furious. ‘I guess I was wrong about your ability not to let past encounters get in the way of a sound deal. I’m...disappointed.’

To my infernal annoyance, my heart dipped. As if his opinion mattered. As if the echoes of my mother’s voice in his words were real.

I wanted to slap the look off his face. But despite myself I was fascinated by Damian’s effect on me when no one else so far, besides my mother, had ever made me doubt myself. Wasn’t that why I’d acted so out of character that night in Boston?

Despite having reached into my burgeoning business and yanked the heart out of it, he still both terrified and thrilled me.

Every time he looked at me, whenever I smelled that intoxicating aftershave, I got that stupid urge to trace my fingers over his square jaw, intimately acquaint my skin with his stubble.

It was insane.

I really needed to get it together.

‘Even if I trusted you, which I don’t, five years is a long time in business. I don’t want to be stuck with an absentee partner. You evaded my query earlier so here’s your chance to quash the rumours that you’re relocating back to England shortly.’ His reputation as a genius with the Midas touch was unquestionable, but still...

His shrug was laid-back but the tension vibrating from him told a different story. ‘I’m part of a family that runs a multibillion-pound conglomerate. Even if I were permanently based here in New York, I’d still have varied business interests that demand my attention. But regardless of that, we have an opportunity here that’s guaranteed to be wildly successful with me as part of it.’ His voice brimmed with arrogant confidence.

‘You’re very sure of yourself, aren’t you?’

‘I don’t need to crow about my successes, Neve. They speak for themselves.’

‘Spoken like a true egomaniac.’

Far from being irritated by my waspish response, he gave an insanely sexy smile. ‘Keep giving me compliments like that and I might just fall for your charms.’

‘Sorry. My one compliment started and ended there.’

His smile slowly dimmed. ‘Shame.’

Before I could ask what he meant, the Weston twins returned to the stage.

Sam smiled and I cautioned myself not to get excited. ‘We love everything you stand for, Miss Nolan. My best friend and her fiancé stayed at your hotel the week before they got married and they adored it. We really want to go with you...’ my heart dropped as she paused and meshed her fingers together ‘...but on the basis of a two-year deal with The Mortimer Group attached as a possible future partner and Mr Mortimer as a consultant. For that we’ll offer Mr Mortimer a ten per cent share of our company.’

Damian shrugged. ‘It’s not the perfect deal but it’s interesting enough. I’m in.’ He glanced at me. His gaze wasn’t challenging. It was almost...hopeful.

Silence thrummed through the charged space.

Aware of the cameras trained on me, I cleared my throat. I was a strong, intelligent businesswoman. I couldn’t afford to crow at the win I sensed within reach or exhibit my fierce reluctance to have Damian attached to my business.

Besides...wasn’t this the perfect opportunity? His professional involvement would be abstract but he’d be within reach of the sexual plans I had in mind long enough for me to deliver that final coup de grâce my soul, and my pride, needed.

I plastered on a smile, aware that the fifteen-second suspenseful silence we’d agreed with the production team to add extra drama to the show was slowly ticking by.

Again, I met Damian’s gaze. Hope had given way to blatant, challenging hunger. One that dared me to come out and play. My skin grew hotter, that insane urge to tangle with him and win this time rushing through me again.

A two-year deal with the twins and Fantasy Rooms was the best thing that I could deliver to my hotel right now. It was the perfect platform from which to launch myself internationally, to show my mother that I could make an even better success of her parents’ business despite her doubts.

And by the end of that term I’d prove to the twins that they were better off with me in the long run than with Damian.

‘Have mercy, Neve. The suspense is killing us all,’ Damian mocked with a half-smile. ‘I know this is a TV show but do you want your potential new partners to have heart attacks before they sign on the dotted line?’

A little embarrassed, I glanced over at the twins, who were staring at me with identical expressions of apprehensive hope.

Tyler’s imploring brown gaze met mine and a part of me grew excited for them because their dream was coming true.

Perhaps it was a little foolish to lay my heart on the line for them but I intended to protect their business just as fiercely as I would mine so they’d never know the kind of betrayal I’d felt at the hands of Damian Mortimer.

Fortified by that belief, I nodded. ‘I’m in.’

Sam gave a shocked, ecstatic gasp. Tyler’s smile stretched wide as he fist-pumped. My own smile widening, I stood and approached them.

‘Thank you,’ Sam gushed.

‘I’m excited...we’re both excited you’re on board,’ Tyler said as he held onto my hand, still grinning wildly.

The camera zoomed in, and I sensed Damian approach. My stomach dipped as I felt heat from his body caress mine.

‘Congratulations,’ he offered, shaking Sam’s hand.

His gaze slid to where mine was still held in Tyler’s and narrowed imperceptibly.

The observation sent a pulse of electricity through me but I ignored it. The other Raiders joined us, offered congratulations of their own.

Damian thrust his hand at Tyler. They shook hands abruptly as the director shouted cut.

‘We’re so glad you’re on board, Miss Nolan. You’re our inspiration, the reason we decided to come on the show,’ Sam said with a wide smile.

‘I’m beginning to feel like a spare part,’ Damian drawled, brittle amusement tilting his lips.

‘No,’ Tyler piped up. ‘We hoped you’d be on board too but Nevirna was always our target. No offence.’

‘None taken. For your sake, I hope your gamble pays off,’ Damian said in a cool tone.

‘So what happens now?’ Sam asked me.

‘Now I get my lawyers to put together a contract package. I expect Mr Mortimer will also do the same. But before that I’d love to see a real-life sample of your work.’ I already had my ideal fantasy room in mind.

‘Of course,’ Tyler responded immediately. ‘We’d love to show you a full scale of our work. We put a few of our outfitters on notice on the off-chance we might need them. We’re at your disposal to start immediately if you wish.’

Impressed by their forward thinking, I reached into my jacket and handed over my business card. ‘You’ll have my email with specifications within the hour and I’ll tell my hotel manager to expect your call. She’ll have a room ready for you to start on tomorrow. But that means you’ll have to travel to Westport tonight.’

‘No problem,’ Sam said.

‘And when you’re done with Neve’s place, you will do one of mine,’ Damian added. ‘I’d also like a demonstration before I fully commit.’ He addressed the twins but his gaze was fixed squarely on me.

Immediately lewd images invaded my brain, supplying reel after reel of every hot, dirty fantasy I wanted to indulge in with him.

‘Will it be at Mortimer Plaza?’ Sam’s excitement broke into my lurid thoughts.

Damian’s gaze darkened, as if he’d read my filthy fantasies. ‘I’ll decide on a location later. But we’ll both inspect the finished work to make sure we are on board. Which means I’m coming to Westport too. Any objections?’ He directed the question to me.

I forced an easy shrug, despite the wild blaze invading my pelvis. ‘Not at all.’

Damian shot a few pertinent questions at them. I parried with a few of my own. Then we parted company.

The moment our mics were taken off, Damian stepped closer. Against my will my breath caught, every sense vividly aware of the way his broad shoulders blocked out the rest of the room. Hell, even his five o’clock shadow made my fingers itch for its rough bristle against my skin.

‘You think you can let go now, express how you really feel?’ he rasped.

‘Excuse me?’

‘The buttoned-up poker face thing is great when you don’t want to give yourself away but surely you can crack a smile now you’ve won?’

‘I’ll consider it a true win when you’re not affiliated with any of this.’

Dammit.

I pressed my lips shut but it was too late.

Laser eyes narrowed. ‘Why does my presence bother you so much?’

‘It doesn’t,’ I snapped with excessive heat and instantly knew I’d left myself wide open to the dark speculation growing in his eyes.

‘Then you won’t object to a sit-down tonight to discuss the best way forward with this deal,’ he parried smoothly. So smoothly, I didn’t feel the shackles closing in until I was trapped.

He knew I’d planned to return home to Westport tonight, having heard me say as much to the director when we’d discussed the final segment of shooting.

But he wouldn’t throw me that easily.

I made the exaggerated show of looking at my watch. ‘I can delay my car service for an hour...’ I raised an eyebrow when he shook his head.

‘For a deal worth over half a million dollars, surely you’ll want to devote more time than a measly hour to this?’ he drawled in that laconic way that was at odds with the dangerous fire gleaming in his eyes.

I sucked in a slow steadying breath, aware that his gaze was moving over me again, lingering at my throat, on my breasts. Making me hot and hungry when I needed a cool head.