Chosen for Power (Women of Power, #1) (7 page)

“Good evening, Mr. Charles,” Ray said as he reached for the container holding his cell phone.

“How are you doing, Ray?” Drake asked while he pulled his cell phone out and turned it on.

“Doing right well, thank ya.” Ray smiled and Drake returned it. Ray was a good ole country boy from just outside Atlanta. His mother had gotten sick and he’d picked up this second job to help the family out. “You have a good night.”

“You, too, Ray. And tell your mom she can send in cookies anytime she wants.” She had baked some cookies before Christmas and people where still talking about them.

“I’ll tell her, but you may be buried in them now that she knows you like them.”

“Ah, but what a way to go.”

Drake headed out of the lab and started reading all the text messages from Phillip about his schedule tomorrow and then the messages from Elle. He almost laughed out loud when he read them. She started this afternoon telling him she was going out with the girls at Maggie’s. Then came the texts from Maggie’s. He was pretty sure Elle had made the cardinal mistake of leaving her phone on the table. One of the girls must have grabbed it before it locked.
Come over here you sexy beast
just didn’t sound like Elle. Making the last-minute decision to see if she was still there, he walked out of his building and started walking the three blocks to Maggie’s.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Elle set down her drink and tried to swallow as she laughed at Bree’s latest story from the construction site. Her sister’s no-nonsense attitude, mixed with her uncanny ability to tell dirty jokes, tended to throw the male workers off balance. Simpson Steel was in the middle of a construction job, and Bree was working with a new crew who had just caught on to her dry sense of humor.

“Oh my gosh, it’s almost ten. I better get home. I have meetings in the morning with the old fogeys from the bank we took over last year. They are always so hard to deal with. I mean, can you yell at someone with bushy eyebrows who can hardly hear? But, I swear, if they call me ‘little missy’ one more time, I’m turning Shirley loose on them,” Elle joked as she grabbed her purse.

“Sorry, sis, you always like financials. I, on the other hand, will be shopping for the fall collection. Really throw them off, wear something sexy,” Allegra laughed as Elle rose and gave them all hugs.

“They’d probably have a heart attack, and I don’t think that would be good for business. Thanks for the night out, ladies,” Elle called as she headed out the door.

Elle’s smile still lingered on her lips as she dug around in her purse for her cell phone. She had to call Drake and explain the texts from Mallory. Good thing she loved her best friend. While she loved spending time with Drake, after a day like today she needed her goofy girl time.

Umph!
Elle slammed into a strong male chest and stumbled backward before she was able to catch herself. She looked up into the eyes of Chord. Perfect. Her great evening was ruined by Chord’s sneering face.

“Excuse me, Chord,” Elle said as nicely as she could. She would not stoop to his level and start an argument. She gave him a tight smile and walked past him before she felt his hand close just a little too tightly over her upper arm.

“All alone again, Ellie? I guess money can’t buy happiness.” He squeezed her arm a little more and Elle couldn’t help but grimace.

“I see money can’t buy manners either,” Elle shot back to him as she yanked her arm from his clutch. She fought the urge to rub it but refused to allow him to see how he affected her. There was something in his sneer of menacing evil that told her he'd take pleasure in seeing her hurt.

“You know, the company I’m working for, Titan Industries, is interested in forcefully taking you over. I’m sure you already know it, though. I just want to make sure you know when they take you over, I'll be involved. I thought you'd like to know when they start looking up your skirt, so to say, that I told them I knew from personal experience they’d like what they see.” Chord leered at her and Elle suppressed a shudder, knowing she’d had sex with this man. She had been fooled by him and allowed him into her heart and body. She fought back the nausea building in her stomach and stood her ground.

“Why don’t you remind them what happens when someone comes after me? Eager to be unemployed again?” Elle managed to ask with enough steel to her voice that Chord’s sneer fell from his face.

There was no mistaking the anger in his eyes as he reached for her again. Elle stepped back and right into someone else—someone tall and strong from the feel of his hard chest against her back. She only hoped he wasn’t with Chord. But by the way Chord’s eyes narrowed at the intrusion, she had her answer.

“This is a private conversation and you’re interrupting,” Chord said in a tight voice.

“Really? Did you know conversations involve words and not assaults, or do you need someone to teach you some manners?” Elle felt relief flood her. She knew that voice and she was definitely safe.

“Funny, I just told him he needed to learn some manners, too,” Elle said as she looked up at the man giving her support.

“Well, you know what they say about great minds.” He smiled down at her.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Chord asked angrily as he realized he was suddenly being ignored.

“I’m her boyfriend. Who are you?” Drake asked in a voice that had Elle shivering as if from frostbite.

Chord took in Drake’s jeans, beat-up black leather jacket, and slightly messed hair, and smiled triumphantly. “What, you work in the mailroom or something? Have to go after the hired help now, Ellie?”

Chord didn’t bother to hold out his hand. Instead he flicked his business card at Drake. “Chord McAlister of Titan Industries.”

Drake grabbed the card and stuffed it in his pocket. It had taken a lot of restraint not to punch this guy as soon as he saw his hand clamped around Elle’s arm. Drake had broken into a run the last block to reach her as quickly as possible. When he saw her say something that changed the man's face from taunting to anger, Drake stepped out of the shadows and behind Elle. He wanted to be there in case Chord decided to act upon that anger.

While Elle hadn’t said his name, he knew all about Chord. When Elle had told him the story of the attempted takeover and how she had handled it, he had been so proud. The business world was out for blood and Elle had solidified her place in it when she had decimated the company that had come after her. That kind of story spread like wildfire, and Chord’s name had been attached to it as the man who had assisted the owners in their underhanded attempt.

“Chord?” Drake contemplated. “Nope, never heard of you.”

“You didn’t tell him about us, Ellie?”

“Ellie? Guess you weren’t with her long enough to know she hates that nickname. Wait?” Drake looked down at Elle and grinned again. “Chord,
the
dumbass that tried to take over your company and then had to leave the state after you utterly destroyed him without saying one word?”

Chord’s face twisted in anger and Drake enjoyed the direct hit.

“Well, I’m back now. In fact, I was just telling my Ellie here how we’re going to be spending more time together. The company I work for is interested in Simpson Global. It looks like I may be your boss soon,” Chord said happily.

“Oh, I doubt that on many levels. Sorry, where are my manners? My mother will have my hide if she finds out I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Elle’s boyfriend, Drake Charles.”

Drake watched with pleasure as recognition of his name hit Chord. His eyes shot between Elle and Drake and then locked where Drake’s hand cupped her hip in a clear sign of intimacy.

“Drake Charles?
The
Drake Charles?” Chord stuttered.

“Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Chord. Have no worries, Elle’s in much better hands now. Good night.” Drake squeezed Elle’s hip before placing his arm on her shoulder and tucking her against him as they turned away from Chord and walked down the street.

“Thank you,” Elle whispered as she laid her head on his shoulder.

“Haven’t you figured out I’d do anything for you?”

Elle stopped and looked up at him. “Then take me home and make love to me. Make that the way I end my day—with happiness and love.”

She was so beautiful, inside and out. He ran the back of his finger from her cheek to her chin where he lifted her face a fraction to place a slow, deep kiss on those perfect lips. “I can definitely do that.”

*     *     *

Elle sat back in the leather chair and crossed her legs. The old trustees of the bank she was talking to had called her
little missy
eight times,
li’l darlin’
five times, and
doll
three times. Pretty soon she was going to crack. But for now she just maintained her pleasant smile and waited for them to vent all their frustrations at the fact
li’l darlin’
was now in control of the bank they had run into the ground. For some reason, she couldn’t get them to understand people’s money in those banks was what should matter, not if the annual meeting was held in Atlanta instead of in Hawaii.

The soft knock at the door had her looking up as one of the bankers droned on about how unfair it was that Elle refused to pay for the exclusive golf club membership that had previously been paid out of company funds.

Jessica popped her head in and one look at her normally unflappable assistant had Elle rapping her knuckles twice on the table. “Gentleman. I understand your concerns. But in order to bring the financials up to an acceptable level of stability, we need to make sacrifices.”

“Now look here, little missy . . .”

“So, let’s focus on the good news,” Elle interrupted. “The banks are getting stable and growth has begun again. Our customers are happy and that’s even better news. Now, I believe we’ve discussed the plans for this year. Please don’t hesitate to call if you have any more concerns. But I have another appointment right now. Thank you for coming in.”

Elle strode from the room and into her office where Jessica was waiting nervously. Elle sat behind her desk and kicked off her heels. “What is it?”

“Um, I don’t know how to say this,” Jessica started.

“How about with words,” Elle said as nicely as possibly. She’d never seen Jessica so upset.

“Okay.” She let out a breath and focused. “This morning after you started your meeting, I got a call from one of the local news stations wanting a comment on your relationship with a rival CEO. I was surprised, but I didn’t say anything. I followed policy and said our standard, ‘I don’t have the authority to issue a statement. But I can make an appointment with someone who does’ line.”

“What then?” Elle asked. She didn’t like where this was going.

“Well, then all the news stations called. All asking about your relationship with this CEO. And then the national stations started calling
and
the tabloids. They were asking about the news that the CEO of Simpson Global was unmarried and pregnant after a one-night stand with a rival company’s CEO.”

Elle felt her mouth drop, but she couldn’t find any words. She sat staring open-mouthed at Jessica as she relayed the questions.

“And now it’s on the news. They are saying Simpson Global has not responded to the story. Are you okay?”

“Oh my gosh, my mom is going to hear this,” Elle groaned.

“Yeah, about that,” Jessica held up a handful of messages. “She already has.”

Elle dropped her head to her desk and closed her eyes. This was not good.

“Are you okay?”

“Don’t worry, Jessica. I’m not pregnant.”

“Are you even dating anyone?”

“Yes, I’m dating Drake Charles. We had been trying to keep it quiet. Crap. I need to call him, too.” Elle raised her head from her desk and into Jessica’s surprised eyes. “Okay. Get the emergency ice cream from the kitchen. I have some calls to make.”

“Rocky Road or chocolate brownie?”

“I think Rocky Road is appropriate. And thank you, Jessica. Continue doing exactly as you are. I don’t need to put out a press release just because I’m dating someone. And I certainly don’t want to stoop to the level of the pregnancy question.”

“Is he nice?” Jessica asked quietly as she prepared to leave.

“He’s wonderful.” Elle smiled.

“Then screw them. I’m happy for you, Miss Simpson.”

“Thank you, Jessica.”

Elle picked up her phone and called Drake first. “Hey, I heard the good news. So, when am I going to be a father?” Drake laughed.

“I’m so sorry. It had to be Chord.”

“I figured that. Don’t worry about it, sweetheart. It was bound to come out sooner or later. I’m just surprised it’s ‘rival CEO’ and not my name. Kind of strange since we’re not even rivals. By the way, my parents are thrilled. They can’t wait to become grandparents,” he laughed again.

Elle looked up as Jessica came into the office with a pint of ice cream and a spoon. She saw the spoon in Jessica’s mouth and knew it was a pint apiece kind of day as Jessica set the ice cream down before hurrying to her desk to the answer the ringing phone.

“Oh no, I still have to call my mother,” Elle groaned and then took a bite of ice cream.

“We’ll talk baby names over dinner.”

“Drake!”

“Fine, I guess we’ll crush my parents’ hearts. No, really, Elle, it’ll pass. You know a little press isn’t going to scare me away. I love you.”

“I love you, too, but I can’t do dinner tonight. I have a dinner meeting with a company we’ve been interested in for over a year. I’ve been trying to get them to join Simpson Global, and they have finally agreed to sell. But now I need to go call my mother,” Elle sighed.

“Good luck. I’ll call you tonight.”

Drake hung up the phone and rolled his eyes as Phillip tried to play off being caught eavesdropping. “Come on in, Phillip.”

“So no bun in the oven?”

“Not yet.”

“Whoa! Yet?”

“Yet. If it were up to me I’d already be married to her, but Elle hasn’t had the best relationships and I want to spoil her for a while. Show her what it’s like to be won over. By the way, I met her ex last night.”

“Is he better than you?”

Drake raised an eyebrow as his best friend took a seat and stretched his legs out.