Dirty Arrogant Boss by Terri E. Laine

Twelve

Hugh

The woman hada great gut shot. I wheezed for air as I hadn’t expected that. A part of me cursed her because I hadn’t done anything wrong. She hadn’t given me a chance to explain.

On the other hand, I could see how she’d felt ambushed. But so had I. I’d had no idea she’d worked for Arthur. Then again, his firm was the most prestigious in town.

Over the next week, I called, begged, knocked on her door, and she wouldn’t see me. I even sent flowers. Nothing.

A man has his pride. My final act was to send her a letter. A goddamn handwritten letter sent via mail. Then I left her alone.

If she wasn’t willing to hear me out, what more could I do?

The next sucker punch came when I was informed my ex had sold her shares in my company to Ryan. My cousin, the man I’d once thought of a brother, had won.

After two weeks waiting patiently for Molly to cool off, I lost it from this news. I hit bottom and spent the next three nights on a bender, calling out sick to my admin. I’d lost it all. My company and Molly.

The woman had burrowed deep in my heart in a matter of weeks. I saw her everywhere in my house even though she’d only lived here a short time. I missed her fiercely.

Luckily my cleaning lady was in when the knock came. I gave her instructions to tell whoever it was to go the hell away.

I sank in my office chair, trying to decide what my next move was, when Helga came into my office. “Sorry to bother you, but they won’t leave.”

“They?”

“A Mr. Ryan and Miss Chloe.”

What the hell did they want? Well, I knew what Ryan wanted—to gloat. Was that what Chloe wanted too? I knew she was pissed at me, but she’d never seemed like the vindictive type.

They walked in hand-in-hand. What a fucking sweet little package they made, I thought bitterly. “Ah, there he is. The man who stole part of my company.” I scrubbed a hand over my face, knowing I looked like shit.

Chloe smiled at Ryan and he took a step forward. “Hugh—”

I held up a hand to stop him. “Are you here to ruin me completely? It’s bad enough you bought half of my company, but now you’re here to tell me you’ve won? That you’ve gotten her pregnant and are taking all of Grandfather’s wealth?”

The guy was a good actor, as he paled slightly. “It’s not what you think.”

I huffed. “So she is pregnant with the next heir to our family’s fortune?”

“Yes, but—”

My laugh was a bitter pill I was forced to swallow. “It doesn’t matter. Money means nothing without her,” I muttered more to myself.

Seeing them both left me haunted by the memory of Molly, who should have received my letter by now.

“Cousin, Chloe is pregnant, but I’ve decided not to fight for the money. I won’t tell the lawyers anything. And the money is yours if you can produce an heir,” Ryan finished.

“Very magnanimous of you, cousin.” I rolled my eyes, done with him, and faced Chloe. “You were the best employee I had. Losing you and my company is worse than I thought possible,” I admitted. Something I should have said before she’d felt the need to resign.

“You haven’t lost her,” Ryan said.

My eyes narrowed. I knew I wouldn’t like what was said next.

“I’m your partner now,” Chloe said with a tentative grin.

Though I loved Chloe as an employee, I wasn’t ready to lose my company to her. “You gave her my company? And I’ve lost everything that matters.”

Ryan held up a hand, as if that would make everything better. “Isn’t she a better partner than your ex? You just said she was the best thing about your company. With her, you’ll have someone who wants to make a difference. It’s not like you’re losing anything except your ex meddling with your company. You’ve gained something far more.”

Though what he said made sense, I’d never seen my ex as my partner forever. I’d been trying to buy back my shares for a while now.

Chloe stepped forward. “I’d be willing to sell it back to you if you don’t want me. I don’t want bad blood between us. You will be a cousin… let’s just call you an uncle to our child.”

I glanced between them. “You’d sell me your half?” I asked, calmer now.

She nodded. “I want you at our wedding.”

Holy shit. “You’re getting married?” I looked to both of them, waiting for an answer.

“Yes, and I want you there. We don’t have much family left. I want us to mend fences. You used to be like a brother to me,” Ryan said.

Ryan had still won. I stared at Chloe’s flat stomach a second, wondering if Molly was pregnant. If she was, would she tell me?

“Hold onto her, cousin. You don’t want to know what it feels like to lose the only woman you’ve ever loved,” I said, rubbing at the ache Molly’s absence had left in my chest. I turned to Chloe. “I regret so much. I poured all the work onto you because I knew you would get it done. Maybe you are what this company needs. At least now I’ll share it with family.”

Chloe came over and wrapped me in a hug. I held on because I’d felt lost and alone. Without my parents and grandparents, I’d had no one. Molly had been that lifeline for me. Though I wanted her, I kissed the top of Chloe’s head. She was a good woman and Ryan was a lucky bastard.

I reluctantly let her go, seeing Ryan’s jaw flex. “A wedding, huh?” I asked again. They nodded. “I’ll be there. And Chloe, I expect to see you at work tomorrow. We have a lot to do.”

With my absence at work, and without Chloe there to keep things going, who knew if we were on track for our next publication?

She grinned and Ryan clasped my hands. “I hope you find someone. It’s the best thing that’s happened to me.”

Then an idea formed. “About that, I have a favor to ask.”