“I’m sorry, but did you say Rusty Lockwood? A meeting?” he repeated.
“Yes. I called last week and your assistant said you were out of town, so I wanted to catch you first thing this morning before your schedule got too busy.”
Wait...what? Was she for real? Just calling out of the blue on behalf of his main rival and she wasn’t even starting with a “Hi, how are you?” All of this was unbelievable, not to mention disappointing. How could she have any dealings with such a bastard?
“You work for Rusty Lockwood?” he double backed to ask, as he was still confused. It was too damn early for this bomb to blow up in his face. His past and present colliding to conspire against him? Oh, hell no.
When he and Maty had parted ways, he’d been in college and she was heading off to law school, set on changing the world. And where had she landed? At the door of the most crooked man Sam had ever known.
What the hell happened to the woman he knew?
“I’m his new personal attorney,” Maty answered, still using that professional, polished voice. “Which explains the nature of my call. I’d like to set up a meeting to discuss my client’s generous offer to purchase your distillery.”
Sam snorted and dismissed the ludicrous idea. He took a seat in his leather desk chair and opened the next piece of mail.
“Your client is well aware that I’m not selling now or ever, so your call and this meeting are irrelevant.” He pulled open a handwritten letter and smoothed it out on his desk to read. “Is that all you needed to discuss?”
“Sam,” she said, her tone going from poised to nearly pleading. “I’m only asking for five minutes.”
Five minutes. He wasn’t giving Lockwood five seconds. The man only wanted what he couldn’t have, and Sam was tired of playing this game. Sam refused to sell his distillery, and Rusty refused to take no for an answer.
“What the hell, Maty?”
“Excuse me?” Maty gasped.
“How did you get messed up with a man like Rusty Lockwood?” he asked. “He’s not a good guy.”
Silence greeted him on the other end and Sam shoved the letter aside as he came to his feet, waiting to hear a defense from her side.
“My professional status or my reasoning behind my position are none of your concern,” she informed him. “My main focus is getting this meeting set up.”
There she went again with that tone. Sam gritted his teeth and clenched his fist at his side as he turned to stare out at the mountainside and the creek running directly behind the distillery. This place was his everything and he’d be damned if he let anyone get their hands on it...especially Lockwood, even if he wanted to do it by way of Sam’s ex.
“What the hell kind of game are you playing?” he demanded.
“Game?” she repeated. “I’m not playing any game. I’m simply calling on behalf of my client. Can we meet on Wednesday at one? I’ll come to you.”
Sam shook his head and laughed. “I’m not meeting you, Maty, but I will give you a piece of advice. Find someone else to work for instead of that bastard.”
Sam disconnected the call and slid his cell back into his pocket.
What the hell was going on and what was Maty Taylor doing back in town and working for the devil himself?
Sam wasn’t the same love-struck eighteen-year-old he’d been, chasing after the sexy blonde four years his senior. He’d been naive enough to think they’d be together forever. What a joke. She chose law school over him, but looking back, her leaving was the biggest and best life lesson he’d ever had. He’d learned to guard his heart, focus on his career and build his brand.
Sam stared at the pile of mail he still needed to go through. The handwritten letter still sat there, but he didn’t care about that. No, his mind was on the woman who’d contacted him out of the blue. He knew full well that wasn’t the last time Maty would try. Rusty was a persistent bastard and Maty didn’t give up on what she set her sights on, either.
Sam looked forward to seeing her again after all these years. He only hoped she’d prepared herself because he was stronger, more powerful and much more experienced than the last time she’d seen him.
“Damn it.”
Maty muttered her curse, but frustration coupled with fear and anxiety pumped through her. Sam had the nerve to laugh at her and not even attempt to work with her on a meeting. Is that how he conducted all his business?
Even though he’d been a complete jerk, he still had that low, gravelly voice that made every nerve ending stand up. Damn him for still being sexy.
And she knew he was sexy because she had seen enough photos of him over the years, and time had most definitely been kind to him.
Sex appeal or not, he still didn’t have to blow off her request like she meant nothing to him. They’d shared a past, yet he couldn’t find time to meet with her?
Too damn bad. She had too much at stake to let Sam call the shots. Granted her situation wasn’t his fault, but he was the only solution. If there were any other way to save her brother, Maty certainly wouldn’t be contacting Sam again. But Rusty couldn’t be dissuaded and his blackmail scheme was impossible to get out of so she had to get Sam to see her, and then she had to convince him to sell his distillery to Rusty Lockwood.
Giving up wasn’t an option, so Maty would just have to go to Sam.
Rusty made it clear, in very certain terms, what her duties were as his new attorney. What she’d have to do to protect her brother.
No, she didn’t like being blackmailed, but she had no choice but to do Rusty Lockwood’s dirty work. Since coming to
