Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128313 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
“And yet it’s still a no,” I said, just as direct. “I don’t mix business with pleasure, Alexis. You know this.”
She rolled her eyes. “Darling, you’ve fucked a million women on the circuit, so let’s not tell fibs.”
“Anyone I’ve fucked on the circuit was a fellow competitor, not an employee or someone I do business with. I keep things professional when it comes to Golden Oaks.” I took a sip of my coffee to stop myself from telling Alexis to fuck off and take her business elsewhere. “Plus, that version of me is a far cry from the man I am now.” Alexis’s smug smile fell, and I could see the residual annoyance in her eyes. “Now, how are you? You’re here to see the newest foals, yes?”
Alexis smoothed down the arm of her coat and said, “I’m great, Jasper, and my business is doing better than ever, as you probably know.” Alexis reached into her bag. Pulling out a bound A4 document, she placed it on my desk before me. “Speaking of, I have another offer for you,” she said and sat back, exuding the confidence of a businesswoman who was sure she had already secured a deal.
“Alexis,” I said, curtly, “my business is not for sale—any of them.”
Alexis crossed her arms over her chest and nodded at the document, urging me to take a look anyway. Anger surged through my veins, but clenching my jaw, I opened the document and read the offer. I held in my surprise, kept my expression neutral. Alexis really wasn’t here to play games. She’d offered more than I’d expected, probably over what Golden Oaks and our stud farm was worth if we ever had it appraised for a sale.
“I want Golden Oaks, Jasper. I want this place, and I want the stud farm and all that entails.” Alexis leaned forward and looked me square in the eye. “You’ve had a rough couple of years, Jasper.” I tensed at her faux-empathetic tone. “That money will set up your family for several lifetimes.” She waved her hand toward the contract. “Take it, Jasper. You’d be a fool not to. Leave the strife of the past behind and start again.” She shrugged. “Work on getting Genny better, whatever you want.”
“Don’t,” I snarled, my voice deep and laced with venom. “Do not bring Genny and her accident into this. Ever.”
At my reaction, Alexis fought a smirk. I swore this woman didn’t feel empathy. Taking the contract, I tossed it back, the document slapping on the desktop in front of her. “We’re not for sale, Alexis. I won’t tell you again. Now,” I said, and got to my feet, “do you want to see the foals or not? I have more meetings to get to today. Believe it or not, you’re not the only one who is busy.”
Alexis left the offer on the desk—a power move if ever I saw one—but got to her feet. I opened the door to outside and gestured for her to go first. As she passed, she placed her hand on my arm and squeezed my biceps. “So sullen, Jasper,” she said, and I fought the urge to physically recoil from her touch. “And yet still so enticing.” She lifted that same hand toward my face, but I pushed it away from me before she could touch me.
“Don’t,” I warned.
Alexis’s eyes narrowed in anger. Good, I was glad I’d pissed her off. She’d done that to me the minute she pushed my stud manager out of the way like Charlotte was beneath her. “Your loss,” she said, and sauntered past me and out into the yard of the stud farm. I took another deep breath and followed her out into the smack of cold air.
“The foals are in the field with their mothers,” I said, and gestured toward the golf buggy nearby. “I’ll drive us there.”
Alexis slid into the passenger seat, and I slipped behind the wheel. We were too close for comfort, so I got moving to shorten the time I had to spend in her company. We had only just moved a meter, before she asked, “Where’s Forrest? Is he around today?”
My patience was now wafer-thin with this woman. “He’s away today,” I said. If it wasn’t my dick she was after, it was Forrest’s. Unlucky for her, my cousin felt the same about Alexis as I did.
“How’s Richard?” I asked, inquiring about her father, changing the subject.
“Still alive,” she said coldly. I looked at her from the side of my eye. She was staring out into the fields around us, assessing the many mares and stallions of the stud grazing on grass.
“You’re blessed he’s still here,” I found myself saying. Alexis turned to me and stared at me, expressionless. Ice cold. She was ice cold.
“Now I’ve taken over the business it’s better than ever. Daddy’s soft heart was going to run us into the ground.” I fought the urge to shake my head in disgust. Who the hell talked of their father that way? She forgot that I knew Richard. He was a good man, and their business had been successful; it had been respected. The way she talked of him did him a disservice. “That’s probably why his heart gave out.” She shrugged. “He spends his days on the golf course now, and I’m growing our empire. It all worked out in the end.”