A Clandestine Corporate Affair(54)

And she feared there wasn’t a damned thing she could do about it.





Fifteen





Nathan was in the conference room with his team going over the final schedule for the television spot that would begin shooting the next day, when a call came in from Adam.

“I need to speak with you,” he told Nathan, and something in his tone said it wasn’t going to be great news. Maybe there had been a development in the investigation.

“Can it wait?” he asked. “We’re almost finished in here.”

“No, it can’t.”

Okay. “I’ll be right in.”

He told his team to finish up without him then took the elevator up to the top floor and walked to Adam’s office, a knot in his gut. He hoped this didn’t have anything to do with Jordan, and that they hadn’t discovered more evidence to incriminate him. Seeing Jordan on Christmas Day, watching him play with Max, had given Nathan hope that he and his brother might repair their damaged relationship. Of course, he still wasn’t sure what had damaged it in the first place. But things didn’t seem as tense now as they used to be.

“Go right on in,” Adam’s secretary said.

Adam sat behind his desk, his chair turned so he was facing the window. He must have heard Nathan come in because without turning he said, “Close the door.” When Nathan did, he said, “Have a seat.”

Nathan did as he was asked. He was a little surprised that Emilio wasn’t there, too. And why wasn’t Adam saying anything? After a minute of silence, Nathan asked, “Am I supposed to guess why I’m here?”

Finally Adam turned to him, face stony. “I’ve had some disturbing news today.”

“From the investigation firm?”

Adam shook his head. “From another source. But it relates to the investigation.”

“Is it about Jordan?”

“No, it’s about you.”

Nathan’s pulse skipped. “Me?”

“I’ve been told that you have ties to Birch Energy. That you have a connection to the owner’s daughter and recently had a meeting with Walter Birch himself. Tell me that they’re wrong.”

Son of a bitch.

It was Jordan. It had to be. This was his idea of a fair fight?

Nathan clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palms. If he was going to explode, he couldn’t do it here. And he had no choice but to tell Adam everything. “I did not have a meeting with Walter Birch. We both spent Christmas Day at his daughter’s place.”

Adam’s brows rose. “Why?”

“I’m in a relationship with Ana Birch,” he said. “And we have a son.”

Adam looked truly stunned. “Since when?”

“I only recently found out he’s mine,” Nathan said. “About a month ago. Before that I hadn’t actually seen or talked to Ana in a year and a half.”

“So you weren’t in contact with her at the time of the accident,” Adam said.

“No, I wasn’t.”

Adam looked relieved. “This source didn’t outright say that you were the saboteur, but it was heavily insinuated.”

Thanks Jordan. So much for brotherly devotion. “Don’t think for a second that I don’t know who this ‘source’ is. Besides Walter Birch, my brother is the only other person who knows about my relationship with Ana. He was there on Christmas during this so-called meeting.”

“This person seemed genuinely concerned, Nathan.”

“He’s not. He just wants to win. And apparently he’ll do anything to make it happen. Including making false accusations against his own brother.” And after Nathan had defended him. Well, never again. They were finished. As soon as Nathan was done with Adam, he and his baby brother were going to have a talk. Probably their last.

“How serious is the relationship?” Adam asked.

“We’re planning to get married. But that will in no way diminish my loyalty to Western Oil.”

“I believe that, but convincing the rest of the board won’t be so easy. You can’t deny that there is a clear conflict of interest.”

“Are you telling me that my job is at stake?”

“As long as I’m president, your job is secure. But if the rest of the board finds out it could take you out of the running for the CEO position. In fact, I can almost guarantee it.”