The Corporate Raider's Revenge / Tycoon's Valentine Vendetta: The Corporate Raider's Revenge / Tycoon's Valentine Vendetta

Laney closed her eyes briefly, fighting for control of her fury. “You had an agenda. You used me to get information. I was your ace in the hole, the weapon you planned to use against my father.”

“Listen, you only confirmed my suspicions about Royal. I’ll admit that. But you can’t deny we had a good time on the island.”

Laney didn’t want to think about being with him on the island. She was certain every word that came out of his mouth was an out-and-out lie. “I can’t recall. I’ve blocked out those memories.”

Ty scoffed at that, his mouth twisting into a crooked smile. “Now who’s lying?”

Laney calmed herself. She took in oxygen and sat at her desk, keeping her chin held high, refusing to give him any more satisfaction than she already had. When her head continued to throb, she sighed with impatience. “What do you want?”

Evan took a seat across the desk from hers. “I want what I’ve always wanted. To buy out The Royals.”

“No. Meeting over. You may show yourself out.”

“You’re not cut out to run this company.”

“Don’t tell me what I can or can’t do, Mr. Tyler.”

“Damn it, Laney. I’ve seen you naked half a dozen times. Call me Evan.”

Laney inhaled sharply and frowned. “So kind of you to remind me. But it doesn’t change anything. I’ll never sell the company.”

“It’s in trouble, Laney. You know it and I know it. Your father couldn’t fix it and I doubt you’d get even close. It’s not a reflection on you personally. It’s just plain fact.” He stood then, his shoulders broad, his eyes focused on hers and she met his stare with a hard one of her own. She disregarded his handsome face and the truth to his claims. “Don’t be a fool, Laney. The hotels are losing money. They’ll go under if you don’t do something soon. I’m offering you a way to save them.”

“My answer is no.”

Evan shook his head as if she were a schoolgirl misunderstanding an easy mathematical problem. “I’m leaving my offer on the table. I’ll be back.” He strode to the door, then turned to meet her stare, an unexpected earnest look in his eyes. “And just for the record, I remember everything about the island.”

Four

Laney watched Julia scoop up a pile of fries and wolf them down one by one without blinking. They sat at a seaside café on Saturday afternoon. Her stomach squeezing tight, Laney looked at her veggie sandwich and wondered if she could manage it.

“You haven’t taken a bite yet, Laney.” Julia picked up her patty melt oozing with Cheddar cheese and finished it off. “And I’m all done. You’d think I was eating for two.” She laughed. “Me and you.”

Laney closed her eyes briefly and put a hand to her stomach. “No, you’re not eating for two. I am.” She glanced at her friend and tried to smile.

Julia’s face paled. She put the down the Diet Coke she was about to sip. “W-What?”

Laney pushed her plate aside. “I think I’m pregnant, Jules.”

Shock registered on Julia’s face, which she tried very sweetly to hide. She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “You think you’re pregnant, but you’re not sure?”

“I have all the symptoms. I’ve never felt like this before. Not even when I ran away from the wedding and Justin. The queasiness, the lack of appetite, and there’s the fact that I missed my period. I made an appointment with my doctor for next week.”

“Oh, I thought you and Justin had decided to, uh, refrain, before the wedding. Are you going to tell him?”

Laney shook her head. She abhorred thinking about Justin. She hadn’t had sex with him in the weeks prior to the wedding. She’d been so busy with the final arrangements, the wedding planner and spending time with her bridesmaids, that she and Justin had decided to spend their last few weeks apart before the ceremony.

Now, Laney could add Evan Tyler to her list of men she’d rather forget. Both men had deceived her. She popped a Tums in her mouth. It helped with her shaky stomach and other rocky emotions. “I would, if it were his baby.”

This time, poor Julia couldn’t hide her shock. Her sculpted auburn brows rose, making four crinkle lines appear in her forehead. Lines, she’d normally go to great lengths to avoid creating. Julia opened her mouth, but no words came forth.

“It’s pretty bad, I’m afraid.” Then Laney unloaded the entire story to her friend about her time at the Wind Breeze Resort and the mystery man who’d turned out to be a scoundrel and her father’s competitor. She left nothing out. A lifelong friendship meant spilling it all, even the smallest of details.

“Oh, wow.” Julia gazed out to the Pacific Ocean trying to come up with something positive to say, Laney presumed. But they both knew this was as hopeless, as hopeless could get.

“I know. Believe me, I’m just as shocked. We used protection.”

“So, what happened? I mean, how did it happen?”

“Well, there was this one time, in the shower…and, damn it, we really were careful all the other times.”

Julia sank deeper into the tall wicker throne seat, her arms braced on the rests. This had always been their favorite beachside café. As young girls, they’d lean back and pretend they were island queens—eating lavish foods, sipping exotic drinks, with the world at their feet—and share their innermost secrets. Now, Laney was grateful she had Julia to confide in and that part in her life hadn’t changed.

“Why didn’t you tell me all this the minute you got back from Maui?”

“I don’t know.” She ducked her head slightly. “I’m sorry. It’s just with everything happening at once at Royal and then my father dying, I just couldn’t bring myself to share this. It seemed…trivial and self-indulgent.” Her time with “Ty” the mystery man, had been anything but trivial. It had been glorious. But it hadn’t been real—none of it.

“No one would ever describe you as self-indulgent, Laney. You wanted to hold on to those few good memories, and after what you’d been through with Justin, I can understand that. So, what are you planning to do now?”

“Nothing. I’m not going to do a thing.”

Julia blinked. “Oh-kay.”

“I can’t deal with this right now. I have a company to run. I have to keep focused. I can’t let—”

“You might have a baby to think about, honey. That’s important, too.”

“I know. I’ll take care of the baby.” Laney patted her stomach with a protective hand. If she were pregnant, she couldn’t fault the new life growing inside her. The child was innocent and would receive all the love she had to give. “I’m coming to terms with that. I’ll love this child. Believe me. I’ve always wanted children.”

“Oh, I know you will. There was never any doubt about that, but what about the father?”

“I really can’t stand thinking about him. He most likely caused my father’s heart attack. He’s about as heartless as they come. I’ll deal with him later when the situation forces me to come to a decision.”

Julia nodded in agreement. Thankfully, she had her best friend’s support in that.

“Right now, no one knows but you and me. I’d like to keep it that way.”

Julia’s lips lifted as she reached for her hand. “Laney, that’s what we always do. Keep each other’s secrets. But when the time comes, I get to throw you the biggest baby shower. Promise?”

“Promise.” Laney leaned back in her Queen of the Island chair, closing her eyes and thanking heaven for best friends.

Later that week, Laney rubbed her tension-filled forehead just as Preston Malloy walked into her office. “Preston, please close the door.”

She waited until he sat before sharing the news. “I just received word that there’s been a flood at The Royal Phoenix.”

“How bad is it?” he asked with a calm that Laney wished she could absorb into her own chaotic life. Preston had a good head for business and had become her life preserver in the face of very choppy waters. Over their business dinner the other night, he reassured her that the San Diego computer glitch wouldn’t happen again. He’d taken additional, but costly measures to see that they had a backup reservation system for all the hotels. Laney had approved the requisition immediately.

“It’s bad. The entire first floor just had renovations. All the new carpeting and furniture was involved. I need you to check to see if we’re covered by insurance. You might have a fight on your hands. The insurance company hasn’t been too happy with all the claims we’ve filed this year. The Phoenix manager says a faulty pipe burst during the night. That’s all I know right now.”