The Bad Billionaire's Seven Kiss Negotiation

Chapter 5

Caris sat in her work meeting fuming as she looked at the note her admin assistant slid to her. Her mother had now called reception eight times in the last hour looking for her. She had called her cell phone over twenty times while she’d been in court prior to racing back to attend the late morning meeting. She was ready to throttle her mother until her scrawny neck snapped.

As the meeting wound to a close, she started to stand up when Boone shook his head at her, and she sat back in the seat frustratedly. He was far too observant and frankly, in this moment, a pain in her ass.

As the last person left the room, her admin assistant closed the door behind her, and Caris waited while Boone stretched out at the far end of the table and glared at her. It was a staring contest. She was sure of it, but she wasn’t backing down.

Finally, he gave in and swore, “what is going on for Aileen Walker to call the front desk eight times? She actually asked to be put through to my assistant to make sure you’re actually at work today because you’re avoiding her.”

“I’m not avoiding her. I have a job. I was in court and now I’m in a meeting.”

“Why is she hounding you?” Boone studied her intently, “what aren’t you telling me.”

She sighed deeply and slid her palms along the table, “I’m getting married.”

Boone sat back as if she had slapped him and then narrowed his eyes, “don’t you say it. If you say Killian Young I’m going to puke in my mouth.”

“Killian Young.”

He punched the air frustratedly, “Why Caris? Why? You owe that family nothing!”

“Agreed,” she shrugged, “the alternative is they offer up Maris as his child bride.”

Boone’s curse was so loud, Caris noted the woman walking past the board room looked into the room in curiosity and Caris shook her head at her warning her to keep walking. The less witnesses the better. Boone was likely to strangle her where she sat.

“Explain, I need details now.”

“Somehow Killian and Garth have lost the confidence of the Board. The Board has suggested his lack of a serious romantic partner impacts his ability to be CEO.”

“He’s been CFO for years. He’s a god-damned financial wizard and is brilliant. He’s a f*****g boring asshole but he’s a genius. I call bullshit. There’s something else going on.”

“I don’t pay enough attention to Walker-Young to know either way. All I know is, he has to get married and if he doesn’t, he can’t be CEO.”

“Thus, they decide to offer you? What’s the exchange? Does Garth get two cows and coin purse of gold?” Boone slapped his hand frustratedly against the solid mahogany of the boardroom table. “Caris, this isn’t the sixteen hundreds in the English countryside. What do you get out of this?”

“The knowledge my eighteen-year-old sister doesn’t have to do the nasty with Killian Young to legitimize a marriage?”

“It’s bordering p********a. How is marrying her going to make him CEO?”

“Demonstrates commitment to doing what the Board wants?”

“It’s ludicrous.”

“Agreed.”

He stared at her, his dark brown eyes angry and frustrated. “Caris, you’re my blood. I can’t just sit by and do nothing.”

She nodded, “I know.”

Boone Bryant had attended her law school and had given a presentation as a favor to her law professor. She’d asked some incredibly good questions and when the class was over, he’d asked her what her intentions were after she graduated. He invited her to intern at Bryant Law and she’d jumped at the opportunity. When she’d gone to HR to fill out her paperwork, he’d been passing by and had stopped to say hello. She’d dropped her birth certificate and when he picked it up, he noticed her father’s name on the certificate. She’d been hauled unceremoniously to Virgil Bryant’s office by the arm where it had been revealed to her, he was her uncle. Virgil Bryant had been estranged from his family since around the time Caris had been born. He immediately promised she was one of his now, part of his family and promised to protect her from her family.

If Aileen had any idea Virgil was related to her father, she had no idea and the woman had never made any comment on it. Caris never brought it up. In the four years she’d been with the firm, Virgil, Boone and Brea, Boone’s twin sister, had made her feel more like family than her own had.

“What are they compensating you for marrying this guy? Jesus, Caris, you’re going to die of boredom in a month.”

“I don’t know about compensation. We didn’t even get that far. I just agreed and stormed out. We had dinner Saturday night and supposedly they want to announce it on Saturday.”

“They want to announce it. They? You do realize it’s your life. You should be announcing it.”

“Boone, you’re not making this easier.”

“Prenup?”

“Yes, we already agreed there would be a prenup. Garth is supposed to send it over today.”

“I want to see it.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“I love you, Caris. You’re my other sister. Brea is going to lose her god damned mind.” He motioned to the door.

“Anything else?” she tried to change the subject.

“Yes, HR called me. You didn’t take four of your five weeks of vacation last year and you haven’t booked any this year. We’re already in May, Caris. Book the vacation time.”

“I’m busy.”

“Book at least last years. It’s an order.”

“Fine.” She folded her arms over her chest angrily knowing he damn well didn’t take his vacation last year either.

“Go to work before I decide to be as archaic as the Walker Clan and kidnap you and put you on a long boat to somewhere they can’t manipulate you.” As she reached for the doorknob he called out, “and call your mother before she shows up here and I end up saying things I’ll regret later.”

She moved quickly back to her office, grateful to escape the irritation of her cousin.

She turned her cell phone on and dialed out to her mother. “Why are you hounding me?”

“Where have you been? I’ve been calling you since seven thirty this morning.”

“Mom, I’m literally at work. I was in court and then in a meeting. What is going on?”

“We want to have a party Saturday night to announce your engagement. Killian refused to agree until we discussed with you. He mentioned you told him Saturday night you work a lot of hours, and he wasn’t sure if you’d be free two Saturday evenings in a row. What the hell, Caris?”

She closed her eyes and inhaled slowly, “are you telling me, the reason for your thirty plus calls, and calling my boss to see if I’m at work, is because Killian was being considerate of my schedule?”

“I do not understand why you are not taking this seriously Caris. The wife of the CEO of Walker-Young will have far more important things to do than play lawyer.”

“Are you suggesting I’m supposed to give up my career?”

“Yes, you must! Caris, you and Killian will have children and you’ll need to be there.”

“I’m hanging up. I’m not quitting my career I’ve trained hard for and have wanted to be since I was six years old just because you think I should be a housewife. Also, you don’t get to school me on the requirements of parenthood. Piss off, mom.”

“Wait, what about the party?”

“I don’t know. I have to ask my fiancé what his plans are. It’s called being considerate, not as if you’d understand the word.” She hung up on her mother and gave an impatient shriek. She and Killian had texted a few times on Sunday, and she quickly flipped a text to his number before setting the phone on her desktop and started reviewing emails.

Her phone rang and she wondered if it was her mother calling back but then noted Killian’s name on the display. She hit the speaker, “Hi Killian.”

“Does your text message actually say your mother wants you to quit and stay home to raise babies?”

“Yes. She just called to inform me I shouldn’t be playing lawyer. She is also in a hurry for us to procreate.” She looked at the phone to see if they were still connected and sighed. “Please tell me you are not expecting this of me?”

“God no.” Killian hissed out. “Caris, I admire how much you love your job. I fully support you wanting to work forever. If you become a judge and join the supreme court and work until you die, I’m supportive. As for kids,” he took a breath, “Caris, I want to be a hands-on dad the way my father couldn’t be. I can’t settle into the role of CEO and be a dad at the same time. It’s going to take me a couple of years.”

“So, we agree. No babies before I’m thirty?”

“Yes. Wholeheartedly.” He chuckled at her, “apart from your lunatic mother, how is the rest of your morning. Court go okay this morning?”

“Yes, it was fine. The morning’s been busy but it’s normal.”

“Would you like to have dinner with me on Wednesday evening?”

She looked at her calendar, “I have a client meeting until about six. I can meet you somewhere.”

“How about I cook?”

“You cook?”

“Yes, I cook. I’ll make beef wellington and I’ll even provide dessert. All you have to do is show up and I’ll feed you.”

“Why did you not lead with this the other day? This changes everything! I’m all in,” she giggled at his laugh. “I’ll be there!”

“Great. Also, would you mind if I called you tonight to say goodnight?” he asked seriously, “I’m wanting to start the habit now of connecting you each day. I think it will be important for us.”

“I’d like that,” she cleared her throat at his request. “Also, I’ll tell mom I’m good with the party Saturday if you are.”

“Okay. Have a good afternoon, Caris. We’ll talk later.”

The rest of her afternoon went by quickly and she admitted she had gotten into a groove with no further interruptions from her family other than her mother’s smiling emoji at her text they could do the gathering Saturday evening.

She was signing out of her computer system when a knock on her door caught her ear and she looked up and smiled widely. “Virgil. What are you doing here?”

“Boone called me.” He frowned at her, “what are you thinking?” He didn’t wait for an invitation and strode purposefully into her office, his long legs making short work of the distance from door to desk.

“I’m thinking the alternative is my sister being a virgin sacrifice.” She met his gaze head on and sighed when he sat down in the chair opposite her. “How’d you know I would still be here. It’s nearly seven.”

“Because you work harder than Boone and he’s still here.” Virgil folded his arms over his broad chest. “Do you really think Garth would offer up Maris?”

“Not only do I think he would, but they’d all discussed it before I arrived. Apparently, they expected me to refuse and were already making preparations. Poor Maris looked ready to die.”

“He’s such an asshole.” Virgil stroked his chin, the goatee peppered with black and silver hair, “but even I wouldn’t have thought he’d be this cold. Did you get the prenup yet? Boone said he hasn’t seen it.”

“No, Garth emailed me to say his lawyer got caught up in something else, but it’d be here in the morning.”

“Do me a favor? Don’t sign anything yet. Let me dig into this a bit.”

“Virgil,” she started to argue.

“I’ll be discrete. I promise. What do you have to lose? You’re going to marry him in what a month? Before you sign the prenup and announce the engagement, let me investigate. Give me until Saturday. If I can’t find anything to say this is bogus, I’ll offer to walk you down the aisle myself.”

“I might let you just to screw with Garth.”

“You know Killian Young is boring. Are you sure he isn’t gay?”

“He says he isn’t.”

Virgil threw his head back and laughed, “I’m not surprised you questioned him. He’s such a geek.”

“He’s a good-looking guy and he’s smart. My mother is convinced our babies will be beautiful.”

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just make a comment which instantly made my skin crawl.” He stood up. “Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.” He dropped his arm over her shoulder and hugged her to his side. “You know I like you better than my own kids, right?”

“So, they tell me.” She grinned as she wrapped her arm around his waist. “You know I like you better than I do my own parents.”

He gave a mock scowl, “it’s like saying you like rose petals better than the thorns.”

“It’s still true,” she tiptoed and kissed his cheek as they got to the elevator. “I’m glad you and Boone found me.”

“Me too.” He pushed the button. “Give me until Saturday Caris. I’ll find a way to get you out of this.”

As they stood silently in the elevator, she felt a strange sense of unease things were going to get significantly worse than they were already.