I’m offering him potentially billions of dollars in business. Without Bison as a competitor, he’ll be able to get a foothold much easier. He’ll be able to actually expand and grow.
It’ll hurt Bison, but we have other options. We can concentrate on North America and Europe and Australia, start getting into the South American markets, hell, even invest in Africa. Losing Asia won’t kill us, but it’ll hurt.
I don’t know how I can spin this to the company, but it doesn’t matter.
So long as I can have Carly, free and clear, I don’t care.
“All of Asia, and the investigation goes away,” I say softly.
“All of Asia,” he repeats. “How can I be sure?”
“If you catch a whiff of me entering that market, just start the investigation all over again.”
“And what if you try entering years from now?”
I shrug. “It’s a risk you’ll have to take. And besides, years from now will be too late and you know it.”
He nods thoughtfully. “This is a big deal. Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
He nods again. “Very well. She must be worth it.”
“I didn’t realize it at first, but she really is.”
He smiles and holds up his drink. “To the deal.”
“To the deal.”
We clink glasses and I feel a weight lift off my shoulders.
Niko sips his beer and stands. “Agent Long won’t bother you again,” he says. “Good luck, Davis.”
“Thank you, Niko.”
He nods and leaves, walking swiftly toward the door.
I sit there and drink my beer. I savor it, because it’s the first beer I’ve ever had as a completely free man.
Once I finish, I pay and leave. I call Avah on the way back to the house, let her know what I just did, and that I won’t be coming back in.
“All of Asia, huh?” she asks. “Did you at least offer him China first?”
“Of course. I’m not an idiot.”
She sighs. “This is gonna hurt.”
“I know. But we’ll survive.”
“We always do.” She laughs softly. “She’s a lucky girl, you know that?”
“I hope she thinks so.”
“She will. Bye, Davis.”
“Bye, Avah.”
I hang up the phone. I slip it into my pocket. I hurry back to the house.
* * *
Carly is sitting in front of the television, watching some movie and chewing her nails when I walk into the room.
She looks up. “I thought you were working?”
I shrug. “I’m done for the day.”
“Oh.” She sits up a little bit.
“Come here,” I say softly, holding out my hand.
She hesitates, but gets up. She walks over to me and takes my hand.
I pull her along behind me, leading her out the front door. We walk a block to a nearby park.
“I love this place,” I say softly. “I come here a lot when I need to think.”
“It’s cute. I love the parks in Philly.”
“I like watching the people, the families. Sometimes I wish I had that.”
“Yeah?” she asks, cocking her head.
“I did something today,” I tell her. “I solved our problem.”
She frowns a little. “Really?”
“Really. I gave something away, and now… well, we can get divorced, if you want. I’m not going to be deported.”
She’s quiet for a second. I stare at her, trying to read her expression, but it’s difficult.
Finally, she meets my gaze. “I don’t know,” she says. “I don’t know if I want to get divorced.”
I grin ear to ear. “I don’t either.”
She looks surprised. “Really?”
“Really. I’m in love with you, Carly. I made a deal with Niko to make sure I could always keep you safe.”
“Davis,” she says softly.
“Be my wife for real. We can be together, and if you want to end things, I’ll still give you the money I owe you. Every single cent, I swear.”
“Davis,” she says again.
“Just think about it. We can have fun, I mean, we can have a lot of fun, and if you can just—”
“Davis!”
I stop talking. “Yeah?”
“I love you, you idiot.”
I lean forward, take her hair, and kiss her.
I kiss her deep, full, hard. I need her, so hungry for her. I’m starving for her.
I’ve given up a lot of money, a lot of power, to have this. I don’t need her to know that. Hell, I’d rather she never found out. I don’t want her to feel guilty.
But that’s what she means to me. I love her so much, I’m willing to let Bison suffer.
I need her. I want her as my wife.
I can’t let her go, and I’m willing to sacrifice for her. I’ll sacrifice anything for her.
“Me too,” I admit. “And now we can do it for real. No more Agent Long. No more problems.”
“How?” she asks.
“Don’t worry about that. Let’s just say, I made a deal.”
She sighs. “I love you, Davis.”
“I love you, too.”
We kiss one more time, and I feel complete. Finally, after all this time, I feel complete. I never knew I’d find it in her, right here, right now.
But here I am, feeling better than I ever thought I would.
16
Carly
One Year Later
It’s a beautiful day in Philadelphia as I walk through the park.
I’m smiling, practically whistling. I feel light as a feather.
Davis is sitting on a bench just ahead. He looks up as I approach and grins.
“Afternoon, wife,” he says.
“Afternoon, husband.” I sit down next to him and stretch my legs. “Fancy meeting you here.”
He grins and puts his arm around me, pulling me against him. We kiss briefly then watch the park as people walk past.
This is our normal afternoon ritual. We get lunch together then sit in the park for a little while, people watching, relaxing, enjoying each other’s company. I take a little stroll around the perimeter while he kept the bench locked down.
He sighs a little and checks his watch. “Avah wants me back soon.”
“I know, I saw.”
“It’s driving me crazy.”
“Don’t be so dramatic.”
“Come on, she’s been on me lately.”
I laugh and kiss him. “Get over it.”
He grumbles. “Fine, fine. But still.”
“But nothing. She’s opening a new branch. It’s a big deal.”
“I know, I know. At least I have you to keep things going in the home office.”
“Exactly. Aren’t you lucky?”
He grins at me. “Of course. I think that every day.”
I laugh and we kiss again, this time slowly, savoring the moment.
After Davis made his deal and immigration went away, we felt our whole world open up. We started slow, getting to know each other more, sleeping in the same bed, going to movies, to dinner, really just acting like a normal couple.
And after a few months, we realized it’s real. It’s not going anywhere.
So I came to work for Bison. I’m technically a product developer, but mostly I work with Davis to keep things moving smoothly.
It was a rocky start at first. People resented the boss’s wife coming in like that, but soon everyone got used to it, and now things are good.
They’re better than good. They’re great.
All that stress, all that worry. It’s all gone.
Because of him.
I know what he did for me. He didn’t want me to find out, but Avah got drunk a couple months back and spilled the beans.
He gave up billions of dollars for me. He gave up an entire
market, just to keep me. It’s hard to believe that someone would do something so huge, but he did it.
And I know he’d do more. He’d sacrifice more. Because he loves me.
I trust him. I trust that he loves me, more than I ever thought I could.
It’s like the past is gone now, like it’s missing. It’s like that never happened.
I used to hate him so much, but it’s like I hated a totally different person. This Davis, this man, he’s someone new.
Someone special.
“Come on,” he says, standing up. “Let’s go back to the office.”
“Do we have to?” I ask.
He shrugs. “Not really. I am the boss, after all.”
“Maybe we could just go home. And, you know.”
He raises an eyebrow. “I know?”
“Work on that…. Thing we discussed.”
“Oh, you’re being coy.”
“Come on, stop. You know what I mean.”
He bends down and helps me to my feet. As I get up, he pulls me against him. “You mean, you want to go back to our house and fuck until I get you pregnant?”
I blush a little. “That’s it.”
“Good girl.” He kisses me softly. “Sounds good to me.”
“Come on, idiot.” I grin as I grab his hand and we start walking slowly back home.
My heart’s beating fast, like it always does at the prospect of sleeping with Davis. You’d think I’d get tired of it, but no, not even close. Every day he seems to surprise me.
“Your mom called, by the way,” he says. “She wants to visit next week.”
“Okay,” I say. “That’s fine.”
“Think we’ll have some good news for her soon?”
“I hope so.” I squeeze his hand.
My mother and I made up a few months ago. It wasn’t easy, but she came to terms with what my father did. They’re still together, but I’m not sure that’ll last long.
I haven’t spoken to my father since that night at dinner. I don’t plan on ever speaking to him again.
And I’m okay with that. Sometimes, parents are just bastards. And I don’t have time for bastards.
“You know, I love you,” Davis says to me. “You know that, right?”
“Of course.” I smile at him and glance down at the ring on my finger. “I know it.”
“Good. Once you’re pregnant… maybe we should have another wedding.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Another?”
“Sure. A real one, this time. Family, friends, the whole thing.”
I laugh lightly. “I’d love that.”
“Good.”
I kiss him and lean my head against his shoulder.
My husband, my man. He takes care of me, gives me what I need.
He makes me happier than I ever thought possible.
There’s nothing in this world I want or need. I could go back into acting if I wanted, but I’m too content with him to bother. I don’t need anything more, except for a baby.
And he’ll give me that, too. Sooner or later, he’ll give me that.
I never imagined this would be my life. I never pictured being happy with him like this. I always thought I’d hate him. I was in this for the money.
Now, I’m in this for the joy he gives me every single day.
I couldn’t ask for anything more.
THE END
* * *
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