Page 94 of Burning for You
“Caro, I invested in HPI, but I had no hand in dealing with the rancher. And I am going to bail out.”
I present Josh with a photo of the foreclosure notice of the Holt ranch, with Austin’s blood splattered all over it. “You and Rupert had a hand in murdering an innocent man!” I shake with rage. “Austin Holt took his own life because he was coerced into selling his land.” I shove the image at his face.
“I never heard of him,” Josh says dryly.
Levi darts up from the seat and then, leaping like a tiger, he grabs Josh out of his chair and pushes him to the corner of the room. “You have now,” Levi says, punching him in the gut.
“Your Montana dream is over,” I say, looming over Josh’s cowering body. “On paper you’re still CEO of Brilliance, but you don’t have a voice here. I told the Board the absolute truth. I carried myself with integrity and honesty, as the clause in our agreement said. They have released Random Valley.”
He chuckles. “It’s not that easy, Caro.”
“Of course not. It never is with business,” I say. “HPI owned half of it. If it only had just the two of you as investors, this would’ve dragged on longer. But, you must’ve realized your ambition was way beyond your means. I’ve gotta give it to Rupert, he used his connections well and managed to line up some worthy investors.
“If you’d done your math, you would’ve known those other investors made up fifty-six percent of HPI ownership. They hold the majority votes. Realizing the illegality of your land seizure, and the tax issues Rupert was drowning in, they yielded.”
Josh gets up under the close watch of Levi. “Ambitions are always beyond your means,” he says, getting back to his seat with a slump. “You’ve been there. If it wasn’t for your daddy, you would’ve been just another failed businesswoman.”
“I got my help wisely. This time,” I say.
“I know how to play, Caro.”
“The land belongs to the Holts—and it will remain that way for as long as I live, as long as we live.” I glance at Levi.
Turning to Levi, Josh seethes, “My God! You’re her lover, aren’t you?”’
“Are you surprised?” Levi says, holding my hand.
“You don’t know what I’m capable of, Caro. I built this company, I’m not gonna let a bitch like you ruin it.”
Levi scoops Josh’s head, strikes his face and then pins it against one of the development plans scattered on the meeting room table. Blood and drool smears the HPI and Brilliance logos.
Once Josh stops squirming, Levi lets him go.
With his nose likely broken and his pride definitely dented, Josh leans back to his seat. He says, “What will they think of their chairperson sleeping around, deceiving people? Deceiving me into letting you own fifty-one percent of Brilliance?” He turns to Levi. “Do you know what she did? She’s not all that saintly, you know. She duped a man called…”
“Anton Mendez,” Levi rages. “Unlike you, Carolyn and I talk.”
Josh stops mid-breath. Then he sighs. “It’s too late, Caro. The Board of Brilliance doesn’t like scandals. You were part of them, so you should know. They will find every loophole to get rid of you, and I know you still have shame. Eventually you will sell back your shares.”
“Yes, it is too late. For you. I’ve sold my shares and opened an employee share program. It’s been a success.”
“Benson is going to pull out, and you can say goodbye to your Big Apple dreams. Remember he wanted you at the helm?”
“On the contrary. The mayor actually favors the move. They’re proud to be associated with an organization who values its employees,” I say, indulging myself in Josh’s frustration. “Besides, my dad still owns twenty-six percent, and you know how much Benson trusts Albert Meyer.”
Josh makes a forward move, both his fists on the table. “You bitch! I will release that disgusting recording between Mendez and you.”
Levi soon stands between us.
“It’s okay, Levi,” I say, slowly tugging his hand. “You do whatever you want, Joshua Bright. It’s not gonna mean much. Yes, my reputation might be tarnished. But like everything in the media, it’ll never last.”
“I’m still holding a lot of cards, Caro. Don’t you think you can get away with this.”
“Well, it’s done. So there is no getting away. I guess you might’ve moved a little too slowly to destroy me. All this time, you still needed my name to see Project Bitterroot progress just a bit further. But you underestimated the Holt family. They were the ones who told me my kitchen was burning, and they’ll make sure the fire will never restart.”
“Maybe, and I underestimated your willingness to whore yourself to that peasant! All you care about is cocks, right, Caro? A new one every couple of years or so?”
Levi abandons his seat and comes at Josh, pulling at his collar. “I’ll take your eyes out of their sockets!” He then throws Josh back into the chair and returns to my side.