S H A D E S

Motives

Time was my greatest enemy. Since leaving the building intended for the New York headquarters of Iconic, I was a mess. Perched at my kitchen island, I poured out my fourth glass of wine, finishing a second bottle with the help of my dearest friend, Jacqueline Jones. A pretty little brunette and about the only friend I had who'd survived the last ten years after university.

Together we'd plotted to conquer the world of men, and were well on our way. While my interests and talents resided in marketing and communications, Jacqueline had a head for numbers and was scaling her way through the stock exchange.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" She lifted wine soaked eyes to me and I smiled. Jacqueline never had much of a head for alcohol, but God love her she did her damndest to keep up.

"Not much of a choice. The Board voted against me; the deal is done whether I want to or not. Having me sign is a mere formality and the unfortunate position of my pay grade." Between us, Tristan's document lay like a tombstone sealing my fate. I'd yet to bring myself to go cross-eyed over the terms and condition of the Iconic and Shade Enterprise merger. What was the point? I knew what they were almost chapter and verse. My bravado in his office had been nothing more than a glorified stall tactic. Nothing more.

Jacqueline swirled her chardonnay in her glass, lips pursed in a frown. "Pretty unfair, if you ask me."

When I'd come on as CEO of Iconic, I knew the company was in bad shape. A tough economic climate had punched holes in our hull like Morse code. I'd been given the wheel of a sinking ship and was asked to make her float.

And I had, for almost five years. But now, like the Titanic, we were taking on water and sinking by the head. The only way to save the company was to merge, and I knew it.

I sighed into my wine, and tried not to sulk. Sulking accomplished nothing but presaging wrinkles. "Such is life. But the merger is the least of my worries."

"What do you mean?"

I exhaled heavily, debating how deep into this I wanted to go, then decided if there was anyone I could open up to, it was her. Jacqueline kept quiet, letting me work through the mess of my thoughts without interruption, then remained quiet a good deal longer, piecing it all together.

"So, you don't want to get tangled up with him?"

"Want and should are two different beasts." I arched a brow at her. "I want him...I want him bad. In ways I don't remember wanting a man. Ever. But it would be messy, in light of the merger. Added to the fact that I just don't know if I can trust him. Or his motives."

"Well," she said after what felt like a decade. "It's no good to sit around and play the guessing game. You need to get the truth out of him yourself. In person."

"Just like that?" I snorted. "Just call him out on it? Balls to the wall sort of thing?"

Jacqueline's hazel eyes gleamed deviously. "Why not? Men aren't afraid to be blunt with each other, why should we have to mince words because we're the fairer sex? I say you tell him to meet you tonight. Dinner at say...Thebergé?"

The threads of Jacqueline's mischievousness took root in my mind and I felt the warm flush of thrill to accompany the warmth of wine. "They're impossible to get a reservation. I've been trying for months." I pointed out.

"Even for Tristan Shade's assistant?" She batted unassuming lashes with a giggle. "I am sure the owner would hand over his firstborn if Tristan asked him to."

"Shouldn't we meet behind closed doors?"

"That's what he'd want," Jacqueline countered with a wrinkle of her nose. "And expect. Your office, his office, wouldn't make a difference. It's safe. A meeting in public will throw him off balance. And puts you in the power seat. Which is where you need to be if you want to maintain control."