Crazy Thing (The Brighton Family #5)

Chapter 16

16

DARIUS

“ T hat’s too high, and you goddamn know it. He’s injury prone, and he doesn’t even get along with your coach,” I bite, practically shouting into my phone as I lean back in my office chair.

My priority for today is working on closing a deal for the Sin Valley Saints. It’s the hockey team that I co-own with a group of fellow billionaires. But even in this co-ownership arrangement, it seems that most of the day-to-day business matters fall to me.

Usually, these types of deals are negotiated by a hockey team’s general manager. But I’m trying to set the Saints up for success. So I’m determined to negotiate a fair trade with this hard-ass on the other line.

Ronan plays for this team. Securing him the captain position is the main reason I even got involved to begin with. Heaven knows I had to jump through a million and one hoops to get around the league’s conflict of interest rules just to hold a stake in this venture. That’s why this particular business holds a high rank on my priority list.

I’m working on acquiring a new player, a left winger who should be a great asset to the Saints. That is, if he can manage to stay healthy. It’s always a risk.

The Dallas Mountaineers didn’t accept our initial offer—let’s be honest, it was a low ball offer to scope them out—and as expected, they’ve now countered. But this trade offer is way too fucking high. I won’t pay that. I couldn’t, even if I thought it was a fair deal. Because at that rate, it wouldn’t fit within our team’s cap space.

They’ve got to lower it. Otherwise, no deal.

The man makes a bunch of weak arguments in response and I laugh in his face. What a joke! This guy is not even a higher-up in the Mountaineers organization, just some chump from their back office.

“Oh, come on. He wants off your team, and we’re your best option,” I snap at him. “Go talk to your general manager, meet us at the figure I named, and then you’ll have yourself a deal.”

The man tries again. “He’s an all-star play—”

I interrupt him mercilessly. “All star or not, the price has got to come down. Look at his stats. He’s barely been putting up his usual numbers lately. In the last three games, he’s spent more time in the penalty box than on the ice. He’s not worth what you're blabbering on about,” I bark, stretching the truth a bit and ignoring the knock on my door. “I’m already offering you a fair price and a second round draft pick next season. We’re not paying a single penny more.”

My office door swings open, and Ziggy walks in with my lunch. She sets a sad looking sandwich on my desk. Then she shoots me a look.

That look says it all—Ziggy’s been eavesdropping on my conversation. And now she’s judging me as the greedy and selfish bastard she thinks I am.

“Look, we’re making you the best offer you’re going to get. Offer expires within the hour, so take it or leave it,” I spit out before ending the call.

Ziggy is setting a stack of files on the edge of my desk when I glance up at her. “We’re going to have a working lunch,” I announce.

In response, she scowls at me. “Fine.”

Then she ventures out to grab her own lunch container, before rejoining me in my office. She lowers into the chair across from me, on the other side of my desk, her yellow notepad resting on her lap.

We’ve been working together in my quiet little office for almost a week now. Even after the injunction victory, things have remained tense between us. Ziggy seems to hate all that I stand for, and I’m annoyed by half the things she does.

Yet, somehow we seem to be getting things done together. In fact, ever since she started working as my assistant, I’ve felt more productive than I’ve been since…well, since forever.

She opens her container and I peek at the hearty-looking stew inside. Shit—that smells good. Especially compared to my lame sandwich. In any case, I don’t wait for her to finish eating before I start giving her a new list of tasks to work on.

“I know that hockey team will be reaching back out any minute now to take the trade offer, so when that comes through, I’ll need you to follow up with our team’s legal counsel to have all the documents thoroughly reviewed.”

“Okay.”

“Make sure they know to expedite it.”

“All right.”

“And then as soon as the final paperwork comes back, you’ll need to prepare all the official materials for the league’s final review. We need to make sure it’s ironclad. Otherwise, the league won’t approve it.”

Ziggy only nods.

“Oh, and while you’re waiting on the team’s lawyers to do their part, I need you to contact my private investigator and personal lawyer. See if they can finally locate this mysterious waterfall owner. Something weird is going on there, and I need to get the full picture if we’re going to stop the sale permanently.”

“‘Kay. Will do.”

I stop to stare at Ziggy. Her continued curt and abrupt responses are out of character. Even for her. I consider letting it go, but I’m not in a sweep-it-under-the-rug kind of mood today.

“What’s your problem?” I ask.

“Nothing.” She keeps her eyes downcast, pretending to scribble notes on her notepad.

“Well, whatever it is, I can tell that you’re judging me. So let’s hear it, Fairy Girl. What’d I do now?”

She continues to refuse to meet my eyes. “I’m not judging you,” she says tersely. “Judging you is not in my job description, and I’m only here to do my job.”

I snort. “Bullshit.”

When she can’t hold her tongue anymore, her head finally shoots up. “Fine! I see the way you’re handling this hockey player acquisition, and all of it makes me question whether I can trust you with the waterfall situation.”

My brows dip low as I shake my head in confusion. “The two are completely unrelated. I don’t see your point.”

Ziggy practically growls in frustration. “Oh, come on. It’s obvious that all you care about is money. Profit. Your bottom line. And I can’t yet figure out how buying the waterfall will be profitable to you. So that makes me think that you have something else up your sleeve. ”

I cross my arms, suddenly feeling defensive. “The waterfall deal is different.”

“Oh, really? How is it different?” she counters.

“The waterfall has memories for me.”

Ziggy laughs.

I glare at her across the desk.

Then she laughs some more, clearly unable to help herself.

That just annoys me. “So, that’s funny to you?”

She shrugs. “You don’t exactly come across as a sentimental, dewy-eyed man.”

“If you must know, the waterfall is where my father used to take my brothers and me fishing when we were kids. It’s where we taught my sister to swim.” My eyes fall to Ziggy’s lips. “It’s where I had my first kiss.”

Her cheeks grow red, and she hops up to her feet, suddenly finding her notepad very interesting. “Are we done here? I need to get back to work. I have to follow up with Mr. Laurier, and there’s a delivery of—”

I push forward despite her excuses. “I’m sure you have memories of your own there. Or did you push those memories to the back of your mind?”

More red rushes to her cheeks and I know I’ve got her cornered.

“Repressed memories aren’t good for you, Fairy Girl.” I hold back a smirk.

And Ziggy tries to hold her chin high. “What are you getting at, Darius?”

“What am I getting at?” I hike an eyebrow. “I’m getting at the day we kissed. At the waterfall . Are you going to keep pretending like it never happened? Because I feel like it’s a big ass elephant in the room every time we’re alone.”

Her delicate nostrils flare as she speaks through gritted teeth. “The nerve of you to bring that up.”

I rise out of my chair, rounding my desk to stand right in front of Ziggy. “The nerve? Why ‘the nerve’? We should discuss it. Get it out in the open. It’s getting in the way of our work.”

“I don’t know about you, but it’s not getting in the way of my work,” she balks. “I’m fine. Completely fine.”

I exhale, willing myself to be nicer. To be more patient. To quit pissing her off. “I hurt you, Ziggy. All those years ago, we were kids, figuring things out, and I hurt you. But now that I’m older and I look back on everything, I feel like shit for what I did. And I’m…I’m…” My voice drops to a whisper as I take a small step closer. “I’m sorry.”

Ziggy looks away, swallowing noticeably. “That was a long time ago.”

I reach out, touching her cheek with the back of my fingers. “Don’t pretend like it doesn’t matter, Ziggy. You still hate me…and I understand. I deserve that.”

“Look, I was never the type of girl you were attracted to,” she says bitterly. “No need to apologize for that. Everyone has their type, and I’m not your type.”

That’s not true. She’s all wrong. I probably shouldn’t say this, but I need to clear the air. “For some reason, you think I don’t find you attractive—”

Ziggy scoffs. “For some reason?”

“Right.” I drop my head. “Look, I just want to let it be known that you’re gorgeous, Ziggy. A woman like you…you are one of a kind. ‘Beautiful’ is too tame a word for what you are…You just take my breath away every single time I see you. ”

She stares up at me, her forehead crinkled. I watch as her mouth opens and closes, like she’s unable to find the words she’s looking for.

Standing this close to her, I don’t know what comes over me. The next thing I know, my lips are on hers.

I’m kissing Ziggy Beaumont. For the first time in over a decade. And I’m instantly fifteen again.

She sighs against my lips and I’m taken back to that afternoon we spent next to the waterfall with the sun peaking through the canopy shadows.My eyes fall closed and my senses are saturated by nothing but her.

Ziggy’s lips part and I steal the opportunity to taste her. Fuck. She tastes like lemons and dreams and—

The moment I begin to move my tongue against hers, she pulls away.

My eyes blink open and I’m greeted by nothing but fire and contempt.

“You are my boss.” Ziggy takes a step backward. Then another. “I’m not doing this with you. I’m not.” She hugs her notepad to her chest. “Now, Mr. Brighton, is there anything else we need to discuss before I get back to work?”

I’d like to discuss bending you over my fucking desk and sticking my head under that multicolor skirt of yours.

I shake my head, clearing my throat. “No.”

Am I disappointed? Sure. But I can’t say I’m surprised. After the way I hurt her the last time we kissed, I’m not surprised that Ziggy won’t let herself fall back under my spell. She doesn’t trust me.

“I’ll get back to work, then.” She stomps out, slamming my office door shut behind her. I stand here, wordless like the idiot I am.

Well, that went well.