In Total Surrender Read Online Free PDF Page A

she said, seemingly having no problem with his continued silences.
    Yes, payments. The son’s . . . disappearance . . . had changed matters, and Andreas had covertly purchased and consolidated Pace’s debts so that he could pull the company and family under his control at any time. If Garrett got ahold of the company, Andreas would crush him in one final fell swoop.
    He examined the woman across from him. Andreas should have given Garrett the opportunity, then done it already. That he had not yet taken that path irritated him on a fundamental level that he did not wish to examine.
    He shook the dark thoughts away. The Pace fund numbers would be out in a month. Once they became public knowledge, events would explode. Andreas was already anticipating the direction of the eruption and had his pieces in place.
    “I have a payment schedule plotted out here. You will make less in the short term, but I have”—she coughed and he narrowed his eyes—“it will benefit you greatly. My father has put quite a bit of thought into this and believes that the increased payments on the back end will repay you fully with significant interest. Our company will be fully solvent in a year.”
    It would fit Andreas’s plans for the company to be dead in a year and to take Garrett to the grave with them. He could still do it. He had their debts.
    “In a year?” he asked, watching her expression. He found himself unaccountably interested in the thoughts of someone else for once. “How?”
    Brilliant, upward turn of lips, eyes open and expressive. “The fund needs to be diverted and divested, of course. Then the books need to be updated and our expenses better tracked. All of which Christian was doing, and now Father is completing. We need to show that the structure is sound and future growth is inevitable. Sound enough to remove us from the danger of Lord Garrett’s machinations.”
    Lies mixed with honesty . Not interesting usually. From this woman, very interesting.
    “Lord Garrett’s machinations?” He watched her closely. “Do you have proof of such?”
    “I have a sound feeling on the matter.”
    “Feeling? Feelings have no place in business.”
    “No? Then when one man throws a punch at White’s because of business dealings, there is no emotion involved?” She looked at something in the corner behind him. “Or revenge? Does that not spring from emotion?”
    He stiffened. He couldn’t help it.
    “Does it?” He tapped a finger, then stopped the telltale sign, focusing the darkness. “And in addition to a piece of these potential future profits I will get—you?”
    “Yes.” She gave him a soft smile.
    “You propose to whore for me?”
    He had chosen the words deliberately. Her smile slipped, and she looked at him for a long moment, and for the first time he had no idea what was going through her head.
    “No. I did not mean it in that manner, though I see now how you might have interpreted such a thing from my words.” Bloody head tilt. “Is that what you require? I don’t know that I’d be very good at it, as I lack the necessary experience.”
    “Then why would I want you?”
    “You have no love for Lord Garrett. I am willing to share information with you. I kn—” She smiled suddenly. “That is, we would like immunity for his sons but will help you with the viscount himself.”
    Coldness swept him. The beautiful curve of her lips was almost enough to make him miss the slip. But that hadn’t been what she had been about to say. It was the part of her answer he most needed to address. But saying anything further would only bring attention to it.
    It looked like he’d finally need to send in some cleaners to the Pace household.
    “And I can offer other services,” she said. “I have a good head for when to make deals, for instance. For discovering the intentions of others.”
    He couldn’t help himself, the overwhelming darkness breaking to shards for a moment. “You? You are good at discovering