Hostile Takeover: Modern Girl's Quickie Read online

  Hostile Takeover

  Modern Girl’s Quickie

  Gina Drayer

  Crimson Heart Publications

  Contents

  Modern Girl’s Guide Series

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Epilogue

  Modern Girl’s Guide to Vacation Flings

  Vacation Flings: Chapter 1

  Vacation Flings: Chapter 2

  More by Gina Drayer

  Modern Girl’s Guide Series

  Vacation Flings (Matt and Beth)

  One Night Stands (Simon and Julia)

  Friends with Benefits (Peter and Megan)

  Kink (Kim and Cash)

  Office Romance (Jason and Kira)

  Modern Girl’s Quickies:

  Hostile Takeover (Holly and Mike)

  Networking (Jesse and Brody) ***Coming Soon***

  Modern Girl’s Guide Spinoff Series

  Martinis After Dark (Lee and Dylon)

  Tequila Sunrise (Mike and Sky) ***COMING SOON***

  For updated, giveaways and notification of sales, sign up for Gina Drayer’s Inner Circle

  1

  Be prepared.

  Preparation is often the key to earning the respect you need to negotiate on any level. Don’t slip up by not having your ducks in a row. Clarify your objective and eliminate any ambiguity about your ultimate goals.

  After months of listening to Holly Carver’s husky, bedroom voice over the phone, Mike was finally going to meet her in person.

  Unfortunately, he was going to have to ask her to leave.

  He sat in his office and watched her on the surveillance monitor as she paced the small conference room. The photo on Western Financial’s website hadn’t done her justice. She was gorgeous, curly hair pulled up in a conservative French twist, revealing the long line of her neck and the single strand of pearls she wore. And while the suit she was wearing was the very definition of demure business attire, every few steps he could have sworn he spied the top of a stocking through the suggestively high slit in her skirt. Everything about the woman screamed power and whispered sex.

  And she pushed every one of his buttons.

  As if sensing someone watching, Holly stopped her relentless pacing and glanced at the camera. Without looking away, she pulled out one of the chairs at the conference table and sat. Her perfectly manicured fingernails tapped out a steady rhythm on the polished wood.

  She waited.

  There was no use dragging it out. Mike pushed back from his desk, wishing things were different—wishing they’d had the opportunity to meet under different circumstances, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it now.

  He made his way down the hall to where she’d been waiting, knowing that any chance he had at ending these negotiations amicably was gone. And there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.

  “Holly,” he said, as he entered the small conference room. “I’ve been looking forward to finally meet you, but I’m afraid your trip has been wasted.” Mike took the spot across the table, trying to keep the conversation as friendly as possible. “This is all my fault. I called your office on Monday to explain that we are no longer interested in selling. I knew I should have spoken to you directly, but your assistant said you were unavailable. She assured me that you’d get the message.”

  Without saying a word, Holly stood and produced a bag from under the table. She started sifting through the contents, ignoring him completely. It was only after she’d found what she’d been looking for, a red folder with his company’s name printed on the outside, that she finally acknowledged his presence.

  “Oh, I got your message.” The warm, flirty tone he’d grown used to these past months was gone.

  “Then I don’t understand why you are here.”

  Holly leaned over the table, closing the distance between them, and pushed the red folder in front of him. Mike found himself leaning back in his chair, suddenly feeling at a disadvantage.

  “I have to admit, I’m a little confused myself, Mr. Brighton,” she said, taking her seat again. Her cool tone had turned downright icy, and she’d gone back to calling him Mr. Brighton, which couldn’t be a good sign. “When I called to schedule this meeting two weeks ago, you still wanted to sell.”

  “Yes, but—”

  She held up a hand to cut him off. “This isn’t like canceling a date, Mr. Brighton. We’ve spent months negotiating this deal, agreeing on a fair price. My team has audited your company’s books. My lawyers drew up a contract based on our conversations with terms that your lawyers approved, by the way. But now that I’m here ready to finalize the sale, you’ve suddenly changed your mind. After all that work, the hours we’ve spent, are you really saying that you’ve simply changed your mind and Brighton Security is no longer for sale?”

  Mike couldn’t look her in the eyes. Everything Holly had said was true, and it killed him to admit it. He’d actually come to really like Holly. They’d spent so much time on the phone over the last few months he felt like he knew her, so he wasn’t surprised that she was pissed. He actually expected worse.

  And the fact that she was just as sexy as her voice implied was just the final blow. He thought about asking her out for a celebratory drink after the sale was finalized, but now he was expecting a parting slap instead of a kiss he’d fantasized about.

  “I am sorry to have wasted your time,” he said, resigned. “Unfortunately, the decision is out of my hands.”

  No matter how much Mike wanted to sell his family’s company, he was stuck. When his father left him controlling interest in the family business, he’d felt stuck. He’d never wanted to run the family business. He’d assumed a quick sale would be a win-win for everyone. He only had to talk the minority shareholders into selling. His uncle and the employees were ready to sell. He, on the other hand, couldn’t sell his shares without the board chair’s approval. And per the bylaw, that person was and would be for the remainder of her life, his step-mother.

  He hadn’t thought it would be an issue since her position was more honorary than functional, but when he’d approached Heather, she’d outright refused. So even though everyone with actual shares in the company had been willing to accept Western Financial’s final offer, Mike couldn’t sell his shares without his step-mother’s approval.

  “I wish I had better news, but my hands are tied.”

  Holly leaned back in her chair, casually crossing her legs—long and well-sculpted legs—and sighed. She looked down at the menacing red folder and back up at him through her long lashes, a predatory smile gracing her red lips. That look scared him even more than her icy tone.

  “You see, Mr. Brighton, that’s where you’re wrong. You have many options here. You can agree to the terms already negotiated.” She opened the folder and pulled out a document. After sliding the paper across the table, she sat back, examining her well-manicured nails and continued as though she were ordering lunch. “Or we can do this the hard way. As of this morning, Western Financial is the majority shareholder in Brighton Security.”

  “What?” Mike looked down at the document. It clearly showed signed documents from his uncle and the employee union, transferring their shares to Western Financial. But that didn’t change the facts; he still couldn’t sell his
shares. “I don’t think you understand the situation I’m in,” he tried to explain.

  “Oh, I’m sure I do,” she said with a sad shake of her head. “I’ve dealt with enough small businesses to spot a family drama.”

  She started to collect her things, but instead of leaving, Holly pulled out another paper. This one had a list of companies with various statistics listed after their names; closing dates, liquidations, auctions, layoffs.

  “What’s this?” he asked.

  “You’re right. I can’t force you to sell your shares, but as majority owners, my employer can intervene in the operations. For starters, they’ll likely fire you as acting CEO. And once they’ve replaced you, they'll have managing control of the company. In the past, I’ve seen layoffs, asset sales, and in some cases, they might even close the doors until this matter is resolved.”

  A cold lump formed in his stomach. Forget trying to get lucky. Holly Carver had pretty much castrated him. Things had gone from bad to worse, and there was nothing he could do about it. And there was no one to blame but himself. He was the one who’d called in the wolves, after all.

  While he was still reeling from her bombshell, Holly stood up and ran a hand down the front of her skirt, straightening the form fitting fabric. She rifled through her purse, ignoring him. Which was probably for the best. No need to have an audience to his meltdown. He couldn’t decide whether he was going to puke or flip the fucking table.

  “I understand what’s going on, really I do,” Holly said. “This isn’t how I want things to go.” Mike thought she was just going to leave. There wasn’t much more to say, but she pulled out a card and gave him a sympathetic smile. “Please talk with your step-mom and let her know what’s going on. From what I’ve heard about her, I believe she’s a reasonable woman. I hope we can work this out.”

  “You seem to know an awful lot,” he said, trying hard not to sound bitter, but what the hell? If she already knew what was going on, why did she even bother with this farce of a meeting? “And since you know so much, it won’t surprise you to hear that Heather was very clear that she didn’t want the business sold for any reason. Talking with her isn’t going to change anything.”

  Holly let out a sigh and tossed the card onto the table. “Call me this weekend, if anything’s changed.” Just before slipping out the door, she hesitated. After a few seconds, she turned and said, “You seem like a nice guy. I’ll put everything on hold until Monday. If nothing has changed, I’ll go over what will happen next. Please think about your options. I don’t want this to get ugly.”

  Ugly wasn’t the half of it. Once he talked to his step-mother, he was sure his life was going to get ten times more complicated. He didn’t want to be on the wrong side of a Holly Carver deal. He’d picked Western Financial specifically because of Holly’s ruthless reputation. She had the highest success rate among all of their brokers and always closed her sales. That’s what bothered him most. He knew that she wouldn’t just walk away. And still, Mike found himself oddly attracted to the woman. He couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like to meet her at a bar instead of a boardroom.

  It was stupid to even think about. Despite their late night chats, she was only interested in closing this deal. And he had to deal with this mess—a mess he’d created.

  Mike spent the afternoon trying to get ahold of his step-mother, all to no avail. This was a mess. He wanted to yell at his uncle for selling his share, he knew that wasn’t right. Hell, they both thought it was a done deal.

  With time counting down, he headed down the hall to his Uncle Joe’s office, hoping he knew how to get ahold of Heather.

  After some soul searching and a drink to steady his nerves, Mike had convinced himself that coming to Holly’s hotel was his best course of action. She’d only given him a weekend, but he and his uncle had come up with a plan, and he knew it would work.

  Joe was going to talk to Heather and get her on board, but Mike needed to make sure whatever Holly had planned didn’t interfere with the delicate persuasion game he and his uncle were going to have to play.

  2

  It’s okay to ask.

  The biggest mistake you can make is not asking for what they want. A negotiation can be about more than just one thing. Don’t be afraid to use it as an opportunity to gain something you want. Get to the point and ask for what you really want. You’d be surprised how often you get an honest answer.

  What the hell was wrong with her?

  In the four years, she’d been in corporate acquisitions, Holly had never given a seller breathing room. Weeks ago, after talking with the employees and the other shareholder, she found out about the family divide. It had just been a matter of time before the deal went south. That’s why she made the backroom deals. Sure, it cost the company a little more, but it gave her leverage.

  Leverage she’d normally use.

  Any other company, any other seller, and she’d have ousted the minority owners that same day and started the reorganization herself until they finally gave in. It usually meant a month or two on site, plenty of angry phone calls and fruitless lawsuits, but it got the job done.

  Frustrated, Holly slipped out of her negotiation clothes and turned on the shower. Although they were business appropriate, she knew the power of sex appeal. Most of the men she’d dealt with were easy. All it took was a little leg, a shirt a size too small, and a pretty smile. Usually, by the time the introductions were over, she had them eating out of her hand. They never expected the ruthless business mind she had hidden behind those red lips and flirty eyelashes.

  And that’s just the way she liked it.

  However, her normal process had gone to hell with Mike Brighton. God, she’d broken her cardinal rule and got to know Mike. Now he was under her skin.

  This acquisition had started out like all the others. There were lots of hand-holding and reassuring calls. The problem was that Mike wasn’t like most of the other CEOs and owners she’d dealt with in the past. He was easygoing and fast to joke. Instead of talking business, he always had some funny story or some random fact to share. Their phone calls started to run long and became way too personal.

  She’d like to blame it all on him, but it wasn’t his fault—at least, not entirely.

  Holly had enjoyed talking with him. It was a nice break from the way she was usually treated by the guys in the office. It got to the point where she started finding reasons to call him. When she made arrangements to come to Cleveland, she’d even suggested going out for an informal signing dinner; just the two of them.

  Sadly, it was the closest thing she’d had to a friend in years. But Holly didn’t earn her corner office by making friends. Even smoking hot friends like Mike Brighton, with his easy smile and sexy bedroom eyes. Their video conferences hadn’t prepared her.

  His company profile photo was recent, but didn’t paint the whole picture. He had hair the color of winter wheat right before the harvest and stormy blue eyes. They were bluer in person. Both those features would be attractive on any guy, but when paired with the boyish smile… And she hadn’t expected him to be so tall or fit.

  Holly shook her head, trying to clear her mind. There was no use going down that rabbit hole. Instead, she called down for room service and then stepped under the hot spray of the shower, vowing to keep things with Mike strictly business from this point on.

  She could give him the weekend. It didn’t change her plan. She was already scheduled to stay in Cleveland for the next month to work on the transition. The sale didn’t need to be final for her to start, and if the extra time meant a straight purchase and not a hostile takeover, it would be worth the hassle.

  She was just rinsing the soap out of her hair when there was a knock at the door. It figured. The one time she wanted room service to take a while, they were fast.

  “I’m coming. Give me a sec.”

  Holly stepped out of the shower and wrapped up in one of the hotel robes. She checked the tie one more time befor
e opening the door. But instead of her dinner, Mike Brighton stood on the other side of the door.

  “You’re… Uhm,” he said, his eyes tracing a path down her nearly-nude body. He shook his head and diverted his gaze to the ceiling. “I’m sorry. I can see this isn’t a good time. I’ll come back later.”

  He’d lost the tie, and that once crisp business shirt was unbuttoned showing the white undershirt that molded to his well-defined pecs. Holly had to resist the urge to reach out and soothe his nervousness. She let out a frustrated breath. What was she going to do with this man?

  “Of course it isn’t a good time. Do you think I sit around in my hotel room ready and waiting for a business meeting? I get time off, Mr. Brighton.” She punctuated the last words. He didn’t need to know that she’d planned to spend the night going over contracts and answering emails. Her job demanded that she was able to conduct business on the road. She was not the type of person who just took time off.

  Still, she did take the time to unwind while on the road, and he was interrupting. Taking all of him in, she had a hard time deciding whether she minded or not.

  “I realize that,” he said. “I just…” He scrubbed a hand over his short hair and grumbled a profanity under his breath. “You dropped a bomb on me this morning, and I just needed some time. I have a plan in motion, but I wanted to talk to you about it.”

  “And you couldn’t have picked up a phone to call me?” she asked, unable to keep the irritation out of her voice. The long day of travel was finally catching up to her, and she wasn’t in the mood. The cold air conditioning from the hall washed over her still-damp skin, and Holly shivered. If he was determined to have this conversation tonight, she wasn’t about to do it in a robe. Holly held the door open wider and waved him in. “I’d rather not have this conversation in the hall. If you hadn’t noticed, I’m wet and naked.”