The Broken One (Corisi Billionaires, #1)(60)

I sat there, cuddled in his arms as our breathing returned to normal. Safe in his embrace, I told him about what Erica had said and how it had led me to calling my father.

“And?” he asked.

I caressed his muscled forearm, buying myself time before answering. “I don’t know what I was expecting, but we didn’t actually talk about anything. He asked me how I was doing. I asked him how he has been. We could have been two people standing in line at the grocery store lightly catching up. I don’t know if I should move on and pretend we never had an issue or try to talk it out.”

He kissed the side of my head. “There is no right way or wrong way. Do what’s best for you and Ava, whatever that is. Your father will either come around or he won’t. Ava’s too young to protect herself, so my only suggestion would be to move forward carefully until you know where your father stands.”

I hugged him then. “You’re so wise.”

He smiled. “I have my moments. Trust me, I don’t have all the answers. In fact, sometimes I’m not sure I have any at all.”

“Want to talk about it?”

He took a deep breath. “I wasn’t sympathetic to the whole Bhatt situation, and that’s why I snapped when you asked me to meet with him again. The man I used to be would have helped him, or wanted to. Yet I felt nothing in the face of his distress, and that was a wake-up call for me. Is that who I am now? Is that who I will always be? I went to Italy, back to where our family roots are, hoping I’d find a piece of myself, I guess. I didn’t.”

“Because it’s not missing; it’s buried. You went through something that no one should have to. You survived it by shutting parts of yourself off. That’s what I think. It doesn’t make you a bad person, just one who doesn’t want to get hurt again.”

His arms tightened around me. “It’s that and more. I want to meet with Rakesh again, but I don’t know what to say to him. I don’t want to cut a deal that has a negative impact on my family.”

I raised my head. “Do you have your own money?”

He tensed beneath me. “I do.”

“Enough to buy your family’s investment out and move forward with the project yourself, allowing the risk to fall just on you?”

“Yes,” he said with growing enthusiasm. The kiss he gave me was euphoric. “I fucking do.”

To quote a brilliant woman, I said, “Bam, and that’s how it’s done.”

Sebastian laughed. “I don’t always understand you, but I’m falling hard.”

“Me too,” I said and pulled his face to mine for another kiss. “Me too.”

We sat there in comfortable silence for several moments. Neither one of us brought up my itchy comments from earlier.

I did raise my head, though, and ask, “Sebastian, what did you write in the note Rob was supposed to give me?”

He smiled. “Your move.”

“That’s it?”

“Would it have taken more than that?”

I chuckled. “You have a very healthy ego there.”

“Thank you.”





CHAPTER THIRTY



* * *



SEBASTIAN

Three weeks later, my father and I sat in the last place I would have expected us to be, the Bhatt family living room. Rakesh’s father had joined us in a wheelchair with a blanket over his lap. Though he was pale and thin, the smile on his face warmed his eyes.

My father was seated on a chair near him. They’d spent the last hour swapping stories of opening their first stores, the long hours, raising children American while trying not to lose too much of their own culture. They’d both married in their hometowns, both moved their families to the US looking for more opportunities for their children. They both had family and friends they still missed from “the old country,” but they considered themselves American now.

They might have come from different parts of the world, but they were cut from the same cloth. Rakesh and I stood off to the side, both respectfully quiet, as we’d been raised to be.

No warmth met me from Rakesh’s eyes when he looked at me, and I understood. His first impression of me had not been a good one. He didn’t know that the offer we’d brought to his family had been initiated by me.

I’d gone from Heather’s office to my own and called a meeting with all three of my brothers, as well as my father. I’d offered to wipe the slate clean with my personal income. If loss were to be incurred, it would be by me and me alone. Without hesitation, Mauricio refused to consider my proposal. He said we rose and fell as a family, and if I thought this deal needed changing, that was what we’d do—together. He’d punched Gian in the arm with enough force to make him wince, but smile. His meaning had been clear: all of us. Christof had nodded his approval.

And my father? He’d never looked prouder.

After that, our lawyers had written up the necessary paperwork for a partial acquisition of Bhatt Markets. They would retain their store name and continue on with us in a sort of partnership. For five years, we’d have the deciding vote on how they did business, but with our support we were confident we could grow their brand. It was Heather’s idea to add a buyback clause that would be offered only at the five-year mark. The family would have a chance then to buy control back, as long as my family was paid in full along with a healthy percent of the profit. If done right, both families would come out the other side having benefited from the deal. Not charity. Not shark tactics. A mutually beneficial business deal that both families could live with.