The Billionaire's Secret: Billionaire Obsession (Tycoon Billionaires Book 5) Read Online Free PDF Page A

than Astrid’s apartment, and the furnishings were certainly more expensive. Adam, Dylan, and Graves were standing at the head of the massive board-table, dressed in their designer suits, casually chatting and laughing. If only they weren’t all so bloody good-looking and charming, she might stand a chance of feeling less intimidated.
    They fell silent as she walked in. Graves gazed directly into her eyes and fear spiraled up her spine. Surely he wouldn’t try to assault her here…
    But really who knew? She’d recently discovered that he’d been arrested last year on charges of paying an assassin to murder his accountant, for refusing to commit fraud on his behalf. All charges had been dropped, but she wouldn’t put it past him. His aura was nasty – and it emanated from him now, smothering the confident air she was trying to fake.
    “Morning, Ms. Lawrence,” Dylan said, smiling politely. “We were beginning to wonder whether you’d changed your mind about coming today.”
    She dropped her laptop case on the board-table. “Good morning, gentlemen. My apologies for being late. Shall we begin?”
    The three men swaggered to their seats and she suddenly felt as if she was in a room with three hyenas. She forced herself to relax. She could handle them.
    Hopefully.
    “So, how are you getting on with discrediting my company?” Graves asked.
    Astrid steeled herself. He had a horrible habit of trying to humiliate her in front of Adam and Dylan like a school bully. She wasn’t going to let him. “It’s not my intention to discredit anyone undeservedly,” she said, holding Graves’ eye contact. “I’m here to protect the welfare of the people of this country, and I will do that to the letter.”
    “I’ve no doubt,” Graves said.
    “You’re almost ready to file your report,” Adam said. “What will you be telling the department?”
    “I’ll be telling them that I believe this technology is unsafe. And there’s been a cover-up of an accident at the plant. I believe Mr. Graves hasn’t been truthful with the American government or with your company, Mr. Quinlan. I would strongly suggest that you don’t invest in this technology. By all means pay for an independent second opinion, but I think if you invest in Mr. Graves’ company you’ll not only lose a lot of money – because we’ll be shutting him down – but you’ll also lose your reputations as wise and powerful businessmen.”
    Adam threw her that cocky grin of his, which derailed her for a moment. For some reasons, he reminded her of Jake… It was probably just because he was so prominent in her mind and she wished he’d left his number. But he’d made it clear he wasn’t interested, so she needed to forget him…
    “On what grounds, Ms. Lawrence?” Adam asked, dragging her back to her job. 
    Astrid sat tall and focused on Adam and Dylan. “I want you both to know that Mr. Graves followed me home in his car last night and assaulted me in the street.”
    Graves guffawed. “What bullshit!”
    Adam and Dylan gazed at her with concern about this revelation.
    Astrid ignored Graves and continued. “He tried to pull me into his car. He said everyone has their price and he wanted to find mine. He wants me to falsify my report to grant his technology the green light. I just wanted you to know that. Obviously this point has nothing to do with the fact that I believe his product is totally unsafe – and the serious allegation that he’s paid off a wounded worker – but it’s pertinent nonetheless. This is the sort of man we’re dealing with here.”
    Adam and Dylan seemed shocked. Dylan leaned aggressively toward Graves. “Is this true?”
    “Certainly not.”
    “Deny it all you wish,” Astrid continued. “Your harassment of me in the street aside, I’ve received an email from a reliable source that the wounded factory worker wanted to claim compensation but he was silenced by Mr. Graves’ company with a payoff. And possibly with