“Before you walk of out here, listen to my offer,” Rees said. “You’ll regret it if you don’t.”
I opened my mouth to tell him, no, I didn’t think I’d regret getting away from his crazy ass, but I shut it again.
I didn’t have an easy life. My parents died when I was four, and I was raised by my grandmother. But she was old, and she struggled to take care of the both of us. I was on my own a lot, and we didn’t have much. She made barely enough to survive, and I had to put myself through college, and through law school. I was up to my ears in debt, and although grandmom was still alive, she hadn’t been doing well health-wise for some time. I knew the day would come when I’d have to take care of her financially.
Things hadn’t been easy for me, and so I’d learned some hard truths. The most important was this: when rich ass people wanted to give you something, it was sometimes best to shut up and listen.
“I’m listening,” I said.
“We’re going public in one month,” he said. “Because of Giana, several of my key investors pulled out, and now I’m left scrambling. I need some big money before we go public. Otherwise, the stock price will be cheap, and other investors might think twice about getting involved. I need to court new money, and I need to do it fast. That’s where you come in.”
“I should leave for this,” Jack said, interrupting. He stood and gave me a long look, clearly torn about something. “Millie, I’m sorry about whatever he’s going to say, and please don’t think it reflects the rest of this company. And please, please don’t sue us.” He walked out, shoulders slumped forward, and I almost felt sorry for him. He must’ve spent the majority of his life cleaning up after Rees’s messes, and based on this short meeting, there were probably a lot.
I sank back into my chair and crossed my arms, lips pursed, suddenly very aware that I was alone with Rees in this conference room, with the door shut the blinds drawn.
“Five million,” Rees said, drawing my attention back. “If you help me, pretend to be my assistant and help spread some rumors that we’re happily dating, and have been for quite some time, I’ll pay you five million dollars.”
I let that sink in.
Five million. That would change my life. I could pay off my debt and take care of grandmom during her last years. I could provide her any comfort she wanted and then some, and still have money left for myself. It was the sort of thing I dreamed of, back when I was a little girl, when we were poor and struggling, and I wore all second-hand clothes that either didn’t fit right, or were way out of fashion. I dealt with the bullying and the teasing, pushed into the mud because of my cheap, patched jeans and my off-brand sneakers, and sometimes I’d sit along in my room and stare out the window, picturing some rich man, a knight in shining armor.
And here he was, my rich man, my knight in shining armor, except he was a total asshole, and I knew this was a really, really bad idea.
I mean, seriously, a terrible idea.
But five million dollars.
But Rees was a dick and he wanted me to lie to investors.
Pretty sure that could land us both in jail. And I should know, being an almost-lawyer and all.
But five million dollars, and grandmom.
“Pay off my student loans,” I said.
He tilted his head. “You’re negotiating.”
“And I want a three percent stake in your SPAC.”
“You’re really negotiating.” He grinned at me, and seemed delighted, which I didn’t understand. I was pushing him for more money, since now I knew his plan, and I could screw him if I wanted. And yet he didn’t seem to mind one bit.
“Five million, pay off my student loans, and a three percent stake in this SPAC, and I’ll do it,” I said, putting as much confidence into my voice as I could manage.
He watched me, and the silence felt as thick as the carpet. I was insane and I knew it. If this went wrong, so much could happen: we could go to jail, or get sued to smithereens, or both our reputations could be destroyed, or any number of equally horrifying endgames. I could just take the freaking bar and become a lawyer. That would be so much simpler, and there was way less risk.
And yet I knew this was the right thing to do.
I needed the money. My grandmom needed help. And this was my best bet, short of taking the stinking bar and working myself to death in some big law firm.
“You have a deal,” he said, stood up, and shoved his hand out at me.
I stood and met his eye. I honestly couldn’t believe this was happening. He hadn’t even tried to talk me down. Handsome man, evil, handsome man. I knew what handsome men could do: whatever they wanted.
And I liked that.
I shook his hand. “What am I now?” I asked, meaning, was I his assistant, or his fake girlfriend?
He held my hand tight, and pulled me slightly off balance. I took one step toward him, and he leaned forward. I caught his scent: wood smoke and potpourri.
“You’re my everything now, darling,” he said with a wicked grin.
I took my hand away and gathered my things as he sat again, running his hands through his hair. I blushed like a stupid school girl and mentally berated myself for it. If I
