Chapter Two

Miles Hemingway glanced around the Everest mansion, taking in the opulence and extravagance around every corner. Daniel Everest loved to show off his money, that was abundantly clear. And sad. No wonder the man needed to make alliances within the tribes to further his goals. He needed the money to keep up his appearances. Heaven help him if he came across weak or lacking. Average. The fact that he was willing to sell his own daughter to the highest bidder suited Miles’ whims and fantasies, however; fantasies he jerked off to since high school envisioning Lainie in her cheerleading outfit. This deal with Daniel Everest was the culmination of many lonely nights hoping to finally have a few moments alone with Lainie—willing or not. Now, he would have a lifetime.

“Lars, Miles,” Daniel Everest said, reaching out to shake their hands. “Glad you could make it. Please, join me in my study, and we’ll have a drink while we talk over the details of our companies working together.” He turned, leading the other two men through the house toward his study.

More showmanship. The fact that Daniel needed the Hemingways’ trucking business meant that Lars had the upper hand, and Miles intended to make sure his father squeezed every concession he could out of the desperate man before joining forces.

Lars stepped in behind Daniel, and Miles brought up the rear, still soaking in the Everest home. He wasn’t jealous of what the Everests had, but rather, more in awe of the need to show off their wealth. His family never saw the need to put on airs the way Daniel did, being more subdued in their tastes and ambitions. It had actually surprised Miles when his father approached him with Daniel’s offer. Knowing his father, Lars probably assumed it was the only way to see his son married off. Miles couldn’t really blame his father for having those thoughts. Miles was, after all, a pretty awkward kid growing up and becoming an adult hadn’t improved him much. He knew it, accepted it. He just didn’t understand the social cues as well as everyone else, which kept him sitting by himself during lunch at school, or always being picked last, if at all, for teams. He never had a date, at least not one he didn’t have to pay for, and he really had no ambition outside of the family business. His father saw him as hopeless, a momma’s boy who never really saw a need to venture out into the world. Why should he? He was an only child, which meant he would invariably inherit his father’s trucking business, anyway. He was set for life if he just held on until his father passed, and now, he had a hot little piece of ass to hang on to while he waited. Things were definitely turning in his favor. It paid to be patient.

“Will Lainie be joining us?” Lars asked as they entered Daniel’s study, his neck almost twisting his head off as he strained to take in his surroundings. They had been here just under a week ago, when Daniel first brought them all together so that Lainie and Miles could meet. Of course, that meeting hadn’t gone as smoothly as it perhaps should have. Another awkward moment in Miles’ life, one in which Lainie Everest would pay once they were mated. In his defense, he was only trying to get a better scent of his future mate. It was something their animals did all the time, sniffing around, taking in the other’s scent. He had seen it acted out dozens of times. Of course, Lainie didn’t really take his attention as he had hoped, especially when he stuck his nose in her ass in front of their fathers. She responded with a knee to his groin before she stormed out of her family’s house. He hadn’t seen her since, but then again, he hadn’t tried. It was Daniel’s responsibility to make his daughter comply. Miles could wait, had waited.

Daniel walked over to the wet bar along the north wall and started to pour everyone a glass of whiskey. “Not today, I’m afraid. She’s on duty.” When he finished pouring the drinks, he turned around, handing each of the others a glass before taking his own in his hand. “But that’s all right. We don’t really need her to work out the details of our arrangement.” He raised his glass in a toast. “Here’s to a new partnership between families.”

Miles raised his glass, as did his father, but somehow, he felt as if Daniel Everest was not exactly telling them everything. “When will I get to see her again? I didn’t exactly make a good first impression. I’d very much like to rectify that.”

His father laughed as he lowered his glass from his lips, his portly stomach shaking with his mirth. “But she sure did. That girl has spunk. We happen to like spunk. Don’t we, Miles?”

Miles smiled, nodding. “Spunk can be fun…in doses.” Small doses. Miles didn’t want a woman who questioned everything he did or who always fought to exert her own will over his. He wanted a woman who did as she was told and served him without question. Of course, that was after the wedding. For now, he still needed to keep up appearances. There would be plenty of time later to make Lainie quite aware of her place in their relationship. “I’d still like to talk to her and make amends.”

Daniel just smiled at him, still putting on appearances, but Miles knew better. Daniel may have more experience at being sneaky, but Miles was still much better at it. “I’m sure there will be plenty of time for the two of you to do what engaged couples do,” Daniel said, acting as if he was ignorant of such things. Miles doubted the man was ignorant of anything. “We have much more important things to settle for now.” Daniel turned to Lars. “Shall we get started?” He then gestured to some burgundy plush chairs in front of a fireplace. “Let’s sit, shall we?”

They moved over to the chairs, Miles bringing up the rear, giving way to the older men. He knew he should be paying attention to what the others discussed—it would be his business one day after all—but he really didn’t have any interest in the affairs of their businesses or the merger they discussed. There was plenty of time to wait on being burdened with such mundane things. Only one merger interested him, the one where he could merge his body with that of Lainie Everest. It was a major step above watching videos in his bedroom when his parents went to sleep.

Running a hand through his greasy, dark hair, he glanced over at the other two men, deep in conversation about parking some of the Hemingway trucks at Everest Paper. “The last time we were here, Lainie said she told you she wouldn’t marry me,” Miles said as he focused his attention back on Daniel, interrupting their conversation. No sense allowing the elders to get too far along the path of their own needs before he found out whether his needs would be met or not. “Is that why she’s not here?” He tried to appear casual, ignoring the stern look from his father.

His father shifted in his seat as he continued to glare at him. “Miles, what have I told you about interrupting people? I’m sure it’s just as Daniel said.” Lars turned back to Daniel. “I’m sure he wouldn’t waste our time by bringing us here when he didn’t have his daughter’s agreement. Isn’t that right, Daniel?”

“Of course not,” Daniel said, settling back in his chair, giving the appearance that all was well. “I wouldn’t think of it.”

“My apologies, father,” Miles said, doing his best to look apologetic. “But, before we align our family’s obligations along with theirs, we should at least know whether the deal we struck is going to be honored.” He turned back to Daniel. “It didn’t sound like she has any intention of marrying me, regardless of what you’re saying.”

Daniel waved off his statement, but Miles could tell by the way the man squirmed in his seat that whatever was about to come out of his mouth would be a lie. “You know how women are before a wedding, all nerves and jitters. She was just having a moment. She’ll be on board. She knows her family obligations. Nothing to worry about.”

“Of course, there isn’t,” Lars said. “We never doubted it. Did we, Miles?”

Miles just smiled and nodded but chose to say nothing. Daniel was lying out his ass. Lainie meant what she said the other night, her anger and vehemence quite evident in her voice. Miles’ father was allowing Daniel to lead him down a false trail, but Miles was quite aware of the man’s duplicity, and would not permit himself to be sidetracked from the true reason he was even sitting there. They promised him Lainie Everest, and he would have her. One way or another.