Page 75 of See You Maybe
Atlanta—Present Day
Declan hadn’t missed the momentary fear in Olivia’s expression when her ex-husband reached for her, before she quickly masked it. Several pieces came together in his mind forming a very ugly picture. Only a lifetime of control kept him from pulling out his gun.
But if what he suspected was true—Kyle Armstrong’s days on earth were numbered.
“What does this mean?” Stuart asked. “For the company?”
Declan spared a glance at the balding man, but didn’t answer. His gaze slid back to Olivia. Her color had returned to normal, but the look on her face was enough to cool the violence simmering inside him.
Olivia looked like she was planning a murder of her own. His, if the death glare she was giving him was any indication. For some reason, that made him want to smile. Her Grandma Rose would be proud.
“Are you going to dissolve my company?” Richard Armstrong asked in a quiet voice.
“Not entirely. However, there will be massive restructuring.”
“You mean eliminating divisions,” Olivia said.
Declan gave a small nod. Her eyes flashed fire at him as gasps filled the room. “Yes.”
It wasn’t the way he would have preferred to let the Armstrong Electronics employees know, but it was done now, and there was no point in dwelling on it.
He lifted a hand to silence the murmuring and exclamations that filled the room. “My team will work closely with the Armstrong leadership to determine where changes will be most effective. Generous severance packages will be given to anyone who is determined to be redundant.”
“Redundant. I suppose that determination will be based on your educated analysis of a company you just discovered.” Olivia’s voice dripped with sarcasm, and pride flared in Declan’s chest even as the other people on her side of the table widened their eyes.
She wasn’t going to give up without a fight.
He was looking forward to it.
“First of all,” Declan pinned her with a hard stare, but Olivia didn’t wilt as so many typically did. Her chin tipped in challenge.
It might be the sexiest thing he’d ever seen, and he pressed his lips together to prevent the smile that threatened.
“I’ve had my eye on this company and XEROS for almost four years.”
Olivia’s lips parted slightly as she registered what he said. He’d known where she was years ago, and Declan saw the pain in her eyes before it was hidden again. Declan wanted to throw everyone out, and kiss those rosy lips. Tell her it would be okay… He cut the useless thought off at the root.
No one, not even Olivia, could know how he felt about her.
“Second,” he continued. “I hope this board will work closely with me to adequately assess the true financial state of your operation.” Declan saw the second the barb hit, and Richard shared a look with his son.
Olivia cocked her head. “Will you listen? Or is this a game you’re playing to get rid of us with no fuss? Tell us what we want to hear, and then do whatever the fuck it is you have had planned this whole time?”
“Shut up. What is wrong with you?” Kyle snapped, and then turned to Declan with a chuckle. “I apologize for my wife. She’s just surprised and spoke without thinking. You know how women are.”
Blood thrummed in Declan’s ears. How had he not known? He’d let Olivia down. Was the truth about their marriage in the dossier he had refused to read for his own selfish reasons? If it was, he would never forgive himself. He should have done a better job of making sure she was safe and happy even if it wasn’t with him.
“Ex-wife.”
Kyle blinked, confused. “What?”
“Olivia is your ex-wife.”
Kyle’s mouth rounded in an O, and then his expression turned cunning. His eyes raked over Olivia in a way that made Declan want to grab Kyle’s tie and slam his face into the table repeatedly.
“I see.” The man’s insinuating tone made it clear to everyone in the room what he was implying.
Slashes of red appeared on Olivia’s cheekbones.