“I got to know him.” I shrug. “How could I not love him, the person he is?”
Peter chuckles and asks, “You’ve known him… what? A week?”
“You learn a lot about a person when shit’s intense.”
We sit in companionable silence for several moments.
“How come you never told me about the FBI investigation?” I ask, taking a large bite of a chocolate frosted brownie.
“I couldn’t risk anyone knowing about the investigation, sweetheart. I didn’t even tell Mom,” he says, placating me again as he reaches for another brownie. “I didn’t tell her until I called her to come to Paris with me.”
“Will she ever forgive you?” I tease. Taking another delicious bite, I mumble around my mouthful, “Because we both know she made these for me.”
“I think helping bring you home safely has earned me some brownie points,” he says with a cheeky smile, taking a large bite.
I giggle into my cup of tea.
“Thank you,” I tell him seriously, my throat tightening. “I needed her—I needed a mom.”
We continue enjoying our tea and brownies for several minutes.
“Are you ready for tomorrow?” Peter asks.
An emergency board meeting is being held tomorrow afternoon to officially give Peter status as the company’s CEO and to recognize what my father truly wanted in his will.
“No,” I reply, setting down my mug. “The last thing I want is to be in a room with people who know what’s happened to me.”
“No one knows about… about Hong Kong,” Peter tells me gently. “They know about Mayer and how he’s defrauded the company, but that’s it. As far as they’re concerned, you’ve been studying in London this entire time.”
“Good. You know, I keep thinking about the company motto.”
“Integrity in practice,” we say together, chucking.
Before we had lunch, I showed Peter the letter from my father, and we both got emotional reading his words. I plan on framing it to hang somewhere I’ll see it every day.
“I know we can get us back there,” I tell him earnestly. “I’m not sure how I’ll fit in, what I’ll contribute. I never wanted to follow Dad’s footsteps. I still don’t. But that doesn’t mean the company does matter to me. It does. It’s a part of him, so I want to find my place within it. I just don’t know what that is yet.”
“You have plenty of time,” Peter says. “And I’ll help you.”
“I know how much the company means to you, too.”
“There’s something I wanted to talk to you about,” Peter beings slowly, turning to face me fully.
“What?” I ask cautiously.
“It’s about the company.” He pauses. “But I don’t want you to feel pressured to agree.”
“Peter.” I reach out and touch his arm. “There’s no one I would trust more with Dad’s company than you.”
“Sweetheart,” he murmurs softly, telling me how much my words mean to him. I know he loved Dad as if he was his own father.
“Are you sure you don’t need me to stay?” Aunt Kitty asks again as I help her load her luggage into her SUV.
“I’m going to be fine,” I tell her, my heart warming at her concern. “I have Peter and Finn.”
“Yes, the boys will look after you,” she agrees, pulling me into a hug. “And I’m only a five-hour drive away.”
“I love you, auntie.”
“I love you too, sweetie.”
Chapter Fourteen
~ Finn ~
The atmosphere walking into MacKay International corporate offices today feels different than it did two weeks ago—more vibrant and alive. The security guard smiles, greets me by name, and lets me pass without a question. Taking the elevator, I head up to Peter’s office.
He called me earlier and insisted I attend today’s emergency board meeting. It makes no sense for me to be there, but after receiving Lily’s text, I agreed. I’d do anything for her.
The purpose of the meeting is to officially recognize that Lily will take over—once she’s met the will’s requirements of graduating college. She has been thrown into something that she knows very little about and needs all the support she can get. I had planned on taking them all out to dinner afterward to celebrate the new leadership of Lily and Peter that MacKay International is now under.
Walking down the hall, I see Lily at the other end wearing a tight knee-length dress—which may be professional attire but looks sexy as hell on her—and her father’s silk scarf tied around her neck. My cock twitches in interest. Every part of my body misses her when we’re apart.
She is gazing up at a large portrait on the wall. It’s of Arthur and Mayer standing outside of the building, on the day they opened. They both have their arms swung across the other’s shoulders, with wide, hopeful grins on their faces.
“That should come down,” I tell her, making my way over to her.
Lily spins around and smiles brightly at me. “I’m going to cut Dad out and burn the rest.”
“I’ll get the matches.”
Anchoring my hands on her waist, I lean down and kiss her gently. Her hands glide up my arms, and she wraps her arms round my neck, pulling herself closer. Falling into the kiss. We nip, lick, kiss, and tease each other’s lips for several long moments.
Lily pulls out of the kiss and says, “I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Me too.” Leaning in, I kiss her forehead. Moving down, I nuzzle her neck and whisper, “I love you.”
“You too, stud,” she breathes, moving her head to capture my lips with her own.
Snaking my arms around her waist, I pull her against my body. My woman’s soft curves melt into me, and my cock twitches. I press my lips firmly to hers before pulling away and asking, “Are you ready?”
“No,” she answers, her voice shaking slightly. “I feel like a fraud.”
“Princess,” I murmur. “All you’re going to do is go in there and do what Arthur truly wanted. Which was for you and Peter to continue his legacy.”
“But I haven’t even fulfilled his will’s requirements yet,” she says, exhaling heavily. “Why should they even listen to me?”
“Because most of them have known you your entire life, and they adore you. Plus, they respected Arthur,” I tell her truthfully.
“Do I look alright?” she asks, running her hands along my chest and unconsciously twisting my tie, and then says in a rush, “I didn’t have much to choose from and—”
“You look gorgeous.” I interrupt her with a quick kiss. “I can’t wait to get you home.”
She giggles softly, her entire body relaxing into mine.
My job’s done.
“Miss MacKay, they’re ready for you,” the secretary calls from the end of the hall, taking several steps toward us.
“Thank you,” I reply.
Turning to Lily, I grab her hand, kiss the back of it quickly, and lead her down to the other end of the hallway where the large board room is. Letting go of her hand, I pull the door open and allow her to step inside in front of me.