Conviction (A Stand-alone Novel): A Bad Boy Romance (18 page)

"Then I propose we vote directly and begin to move past all of this," Mr. Anton said.

The board members all nodded and the vote proceeded. They actually wrote down their decisions on small slips of paper and placed them on a silver coffee tray. Autumn circled around and gathered them all before delivering them to Mr. Anton at the head of the conference table.

He took his time unfolding, smoothing, and tallying each vote. Finally, he stood up and cleared his throat. "It was a very slim margin. That leads me to believe the term 'interim' is still appropriate, and we will plan on a permanent decision sometime in the near future. As of today, though, Mr. Ayden King has been elected Interim CEO of Knight Holdings."

There was no raucous round of applause, only a few smiles of encouragement, and a few frowns of disapproval. In the yawning quiet, I took a deep breath and stood up to address the board for the first time.

"My first order of business as Interim CEO of Knight Holdings is to assure you our first focus is to get back to the business at hand. Jace Knight built a solid company. He had careful strategies in mind when he conceived the idea for this empire, and he kept those business tactics in place as long as he was here. I plan to honor him not only for his sterling reputation, but also for his sharp business acumen. I am here to support the hard work already in place, not tear it down."

The board members nodded, looked around at each other, and gave a light smattering of applause. It finally sunk in as the meeting adjourned, and we filtered out into the lobby.

Darla beamed from her desk. It was obvious she had listened in on the conference line. "Congratulations, Mr. King. Anything you need right away?"

"Actually, yes. I'll be taking Autumn out for the afternoon. We are taking the rest of the day to celebrate together."

"Yes, sir," Darla said with a pleased smile. "That's wonderful news too."

Chapter Twelve

Autumn

Ayden kept his cool until we got downstairs and into the back of the town car. Then he looked up at the ceiling and held his breath. I knew it was sinking in when he let out his breath in one long drawn out sigh.

"Congratulations," I said.

He reached for my hand as he tried to steady his breath. "So all that really happened? And did I declare to Darla that you and I were together?"

"Not in so many words, but I'm sure she'll put it together and spread the rumors before we pull away from the curb," I squeezed his hand and could not stop a giggle from bubbling up.

Ayden lifted my hand and laid a warm, lingering kiss on my palm. "That was quite an impassioned speech you gave in there. You know that is the only reason they voted me in. Without your support, I would be nothing."

I shook off the tingling stars his kiss was crowding into my head. "No, sir, you built your reputation on your own. All I pointed out was that Knight Holdings could use a new leader that strikes a little fear into people. Jace, god bless him, was too nice. He attracted people like David in droves."

"I'm sorry, where to?" the town car driver asked.

"Take Mr. King home first, and then drop me at my condo," I told him.

Ayden blinked his glassy blue eyes. "I'm glad you've got plans because I'm not sure I know what to do with myself. What are we doing?"

"I'm giving you a very small amount of recovery time before I'm taking you out to celebrate. Meet me at No Limits in an hour, Mr. King." I brushed my lips along his fingers tips and was rewarded with a shaky sigh of pleasure from him.

"Now that's a little black dress," the bartender told me with a wink. She pushed back her riotous red hair and grinned. "I know you didn't wear that to woo me so tell me quick, who's the guy?"

"Not too short?" I tugged at the sky-high hemline. "Not to low cut?"

We both glanced at my plunging neckline and then laughed.

"I don't think those words ever factor into a man's opinion," she said. "Still, on you it looks classy."

"Thanks, Cindy, I don't know how I got myself so nervous, but I am."

"Oh, I think I have some idea," she said and nodded over my shoulder. Ayden strode towards the bar and heads turned in his wake.

He'd forgone his usual black on black suit for a bold dark blue suit with a white shirt. The crisp shirt was unbuttoned one notch lower than usual. He'd added a dab of pomade to his hair that made the black waves shine and when the scent hit me, I felt my insides turn feral. I wanted Ayden King more than any man I had ever met.

"Here, honey," Cindy said. "I think we both need one of these." She plunked down two shot glasses and poured tequila.

"Got one for me?" Ayden said when he reached us.

Cindy smiled and disappeared down the bar while he took in my dress. The tequila made me dizzy and impulsive, so I stood up and twirled.

"What do you think?"

Ayden caught my waist, his voice guttural, "I think if you want to stay for a drink you better stop teasing me."

His hand flexing on my hip was an almost forgotten thrill. I could not even remember the name of my last boyfriend, much less the disappointments, when Ayden was stripping me naked with his sinfully blue eyes.

"On the house, Mr. King. No one here is going to let you pay for a drink all night. We heard what you did for Jace," Cindy said. She placed the top shelf tequila bottle in front of him. "Honor to meet you, boss."

Ayden took one shot quick and sighed. "The manager is hovering behind me, isn't he?"

"Go shake some hands and have some fun." I turned back to the bar to chat with Cindy. He brushed back my hair and pressed a kiss on my cheek that drove my temperature up ten degrees.

"Be back soon," he whispered against my neck.

"Oh lord," Cindy exclaimed, when he was gone. "I think I should get the fire extinguisher too."

"It’s not funny! Are my cheeks on fire? What is wrong with me?" I screeched.

"There is nothing wrong with you, and a helluva lot that is right with you two together," Cindy declared. "I've known you through some questionable relationships, but this is one I can wholeheartedly approve of."

I shook my head to fan my hot cheeks. "You hardly know him. That's all based off his reputation. By the way, what do people think of that?"

"Proud. Everyone is proud. Jace was a leader to love, but Ayden makes people roll up their sleeves and work harder. They know they can do their jobs, and no one in the corporate world is going to trade it away. Not with that fierce force of nature as the head of the company," Cindy said.

"He's only the interim CEO," I reminded both Cindy and myself.

"Look at him. That man is ready to prove himself. He knows what he wants, and he's ready to get it. Speaking of, you need one more shot to cool off. Those are some red hot looks you're getting."

I took the prescribed tequila and caught Ayden's laser blue gaze from across the crowded nightclub. My insides sizzled though all he did was smile. I was glad the tequila spread a mellow warmth along my limbs to counteract the electric excitement of Ayden's attraction.

"That's right, boss. Let the rest come to you. You deserve another drink. Autumn can pour for you." Cindy winked at me and disappeared down the far end of the bar.

"Friend of yours? I love that you know everyone everywhere." Ayden said with a smile.

I remembered how many boyfriends had been intimidated about that. One even chastised me for it and said it made me appear slutty. Ayden's opposite reaction had me reeling for a moment before I held up the tequila bottle. "Another?" I asked.

"Yes, please and thank you. With that rat David finally in jail, I can relax." Ayden settled onto the bar stool next to me with a happy sigh.

"I'm surprised he got to you. I mean, he turned out to be a horrible person that did unspeakable things, but he was always so intimidated by you."

Ayden swiveled his bar stool to face me and inched closer until my legs were sandwiched between his. His laser blue eyes traced up my thighs to where the hemline of my dress rode too high. Then he licked his lips and took the second shot of tequila.

"David made me feel like I was still in prison," he confessed. "Every time I was around him, I felt the jockeying for position, the push and pull of dominance. It made me feel like I should always look over my shoulder when all I wanted to do was look forward."

He pinned me with a smoldering look that I felt to the tips of my toes. I shied away from his gaze because it sparked the need to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him until we couldn't breath.

"Oh, who's that?" The man across the room was like a frigid draft, and I felt the hairs on my arms raise up.

"What?" Ayden turned to look, but I stood up between his legs and distracted him. It was a night to celebrate, not send him into another fight no matter how creepy the man stared at me.

"Let's dance," I said.

Ayden stood up and slipped his hands around my waist. "I like the way you celebrate, Ms. Bishop."

"Just give me a second to tell Cindy something."

Ayden moved away to say hello to another one of the manager's VIPs. Cindy saw my look and came immediately down the bar.

"Do you know that guy over there?" I asked.

She glanced and curled her lip. "Oh, I don't like the way he's clocking you. Want him 86'd?"

"No, just help me keep an eye on him, okay?" I watched her nod as Ayden pulled me to the dance floor.

Ayden's wide shoulders kept the rhythm as his hands snaked around my waist and pulled me close. I could feel his muscles flex and undulate as he danced us to the middle of the floor. I should not have been surprised by the sleek control he had over his body, but the sexy ease of his dancing surprised me.

"Not bad for an ex-con, right?" he grinned down at me as we danced.

Our bodies slipped into a groove and the whole packed dance floor spun away. All I knew was his flat stomach against me, the intoxicating smell of his soap, and the blazing fireworks his fingers caused, as they trailed up and down my arms. It could have been two minutes or two hours by the time the song ended and Ayden decided we needed another drink.

Cindy was waiting. "Sorry to say but your guy over there got worse. Definitely not your average gawker."

"What guy? Gawking?" Ayden's black hair flashed as he looked around.

"It’s nothing. Thanks, Cindy, but I can handle it myself," I bit out between pursed lips.

"Sorry, honey. I know you can handle these things, but you don't need to. I'm sending security over," Cindy glanced at the creepy man again and grimaced.

"What kind of policy is that? We can't just say we don't like the guy's looks and kick him out," I countered. "Let's just wait and see what he does."

"No. No thanks. I'm not really a wait and see kind of guy." Ayden followed Cindy's eye-line and stepped into the crowd.

I grabbed his arm and used my whole body weight to haul him back. "It’s no big deal. It happens, especially at clubs like this. Jace trained his security guards to keep an eye on oglers. Nothing is going to happen."

"He's made you uncomfortable, and I'm just going to let him know that's got to stop," Ayden said. His clenched jaw was anything but civil.

"Sorry, Mr. King, I shouldn't have said anything. Autumn's right. Plus I've seen her castrate whole groups of guys with a look. There's no need to actually go over there and talk to the creep. Let's have another drink and forget about it. Problems like that are definitely below your pay grade," Cindy tried to convince him.

I could not hold him and had to let go of his arm or be dragged through the press of people. Ayden sliced through the crowd and headed straight towards the unfortunate man.

He was still staring at me with a ghoulish hint of a smile that flipped my stomach. "This is not good," I whimpered.

Cindy agreed. She sent one of her bar backs out into the crowd to eavesdrop on Ayden and the creepy man. The young man slipped through the crowd slower than Ayden as he collected empty glasses, but he was still nearby when the two collided.

"Okay, that's really not good. Everyone in a four foot radius stepped back except your creep show there," Cindy said.

Ayden's body language was beyond threatening. He stepped right up, toe-to-toe with the man and got in his face. The man tried to brush him off, actually daring to step to the side and peek over at me. Ayden grabbed him by the collar and hauled him back.

The bar back reappeared with wide eyes. "I think it’s a little more than just ogling you that's the problem," he said.

"Why, what are they saying?" I asked.

The bar back shook his head and gave the men one more terrified look before he disappeared.

Cindy wisely poured one more drink as we watched the exchange, and I was smart enough to take the shot even though my hands were shaking.

* * * * *

Ayden returned to the bar still bristling from his encounter with the stranger. Cindy took one look at his face and found other customers to check on.

"So, was that worth the energy?" I asked, still annoyed that he had gotten involved at all.

"I'm not just going to stand by and let some creep make you uncomfortable," Ayden muttered. He poured another shot of tequila and knocked it back.

"You were in his face for a long time. What was he saying?"

Ayden shrugged his stiff shoulders. "I don't know. A lot of nonsense. Turns out he just wanted a job, and he knew of you from word of mouth."

I gritted my teeth against a shiver. The idea of that pale-eyed man asking people about me felt as pleasant as falling into a dumpster. "His plan was to walk in here and make me uncomfortable until someone talked to him? Not the best way to impress a potential boss."

The man appeared one more time on the opposite side of the dance floor. He was heading for the door with security watching closely, but he still paused and looked at me one more time. Then, thankfully, he left.

It took some time before the pulsing music, partying crowd, and tequila warmed over the ice on Ayden's features. He started to relax, and the knot in my own stomach finally loosened. The man was gone, and we had lots to celebrate. After another tequila shot, I was even willing to admit that it felt good to be so instantly protected against any perceived threat.