Binding Agreement- Book 1 of the Tipton Dynasty

Do We Have A Deal?

(Damon's POV)

I was finally allowed to go back to work by my father a few days after being home to take it easy. It was relieving to get back to my business. I wasn't one to take it easy and it was driving me crazy. I couldn't take just sitting around any longer while everyone else went about their business. Kaydence returned to work taking it easy as directed by Dr. Hyde and Sterling went back to school. I was pretty much on my own and I hated it.

"Are you sure you're good Damon? I don't mind taking more of the workload right now if it helps." My vice President, Remington Simms, spoke as he walked with me to my office. He was a little younger than me. He had light brown hair and brown eyes to go with it.

"I'm fine." I reassured him. "I will still have you do a little more work as I ease myself back into things."

"Okay. Well I'll be in my office, just let me know if you need anything." Remington spoke once more before he left my office.

The door shut behind him and I patiently waited for my next guest to arrive. Truthfully Remington was taking on a little more still as I needed to really focus on who it was that tried to kill me. I couldn't actually relax until I knew the truth and had the person dealt with. I had a family I had to take care of and I couldn't let this person continue walking the streets. It puts all of us at risk.

It bothered me how much one person was affecting me and my family. I was losing sleep because everytime I had a dream it seemed to become a nightmare. The only thing I could do is embrace how I felt and use it to focus on finding the culprit. Once I found this motherfucker I wouldn't think twice about having them killed. It was the only punishment that would fit their crime.

The phone on my desk rang and I picked it up. "What is it Stacey?" I asked.

"Mr. Moore is here to see you sir. Do I let him in or have security send him away?" My secretary answered.

"Let him in." I responded and hung up the phone.

As I waited for him to enter I took a cigarette out of the pack I had picked up this morning. I lit it up and began to inhale the hot smoke, letting it fill my lungs and then I let it out. I wasn't much of a smoker. I picked it up when I thought Melissa and Sterling had passed, it was a really stressful situation and I needed to relax. I quit when I came back to the company, but now here I am in a stressful situation. It was easy to pick the habit back up to help me cope.

The doors to the office opened and Justin made his way inside. I could tell he was a little standoffish. He didn't know why I had called him here. He shut the door behind him and proceeded to come closer.

"What's this about? I haven't done anything but what I'm supposed to." He immediately began to defend himself.

I inhaled more of the smoke from the cigarette and then let it back out before I responded. "Have a seat. I just want to talk right now."

He seemed reluctant at first. I understood why he was, it seemed I scared the shit out of him more now after the punishments I made him endure. Finally he sat down in the chair. I could tell by his demeanor he still had his guard up.

"You're smoking?" he asked as he looked at the cigarette in my hand.

"Yes. It doesn't concern you what habit I pick up." I responded with a slight hint of coldness. I didn't have to answer to him for my decisions.

"Does your wife know?" He asked. "Because she hated when I would smoke. She actually cares about you so I'm sure she'd lose her shit if she knew."

"She doesn't." I answered. "No one else besides you knows, so if she does find out then I know to come and take your other hand." I shot him a sardonic smile.

"Fair enough." He responded. "Why am I here Damon?"

I finished the remainder of the cigarette and put it out in the ashtray. "You're here because I want to offer you a deal."

"Why me?" He looked slightly puzzled. "We don't exactly get along."

"That's true." I leaned back slightly in my chair. "But you've proven you can be as cruel as I am. That's what I need."

He thought for a moment before finally speaking again. "What kind of deal?"

"I need to know who shot me. I know you're cleared because I gave you a ride that day. I did double check though and your doctor stated you never left the meeting. Therefore I know you're clear." I began to explain.

"Why don't you have Grandfather or your wife help you?" He asked.

"Kaydence doesn't need the stress, she's already got enough on her plate. As for my father, he would tell me to let it go. I think we both know that's not the type of person I am." I answered.

"That's true. But if I help you then what do I get out of this Damon?" He questioned further.

"I know you're here for another reason. Not to just get treatment for your disorder." I noticed him shift uncomfortably in the chair. I was right.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He tried to play it off as there was no other motive but I knew better than that.

"You're here to try to find out who your real father is." I spoke once more. He shifted uncomfortably in the chair once more.

He let out a sigh before answering. "How did you know?"

"Because Justin once I knew you were returning I had eyes watching you everywhere. I know everything you're up to. But you don't have much more time before my father sends you back out of Nashville." I knew he was running out of time, he would begin to get desperate if he really wanted to find out who his father was.

"Yeah. I know." His tone held a sense of defeat.

"So help me find out who tried to kill me. I'll keep you here, in secret of course because Kaydence wouldn't be thrilled about this arrangement in the first place. In return I will help track down your real father for you. On top of that just to be nice I'll get a few companies out of Nashville to actually consider you for a job. You can start trying to get your life back." I offered. "Do we have a deal?"

He thought again for a moment and then spoke his answer. "We have a deal."