Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 42461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42461 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 142(@300wpm)
“We have to stick together,” Brissy insisted.
“Mrs. Pearl. I promise you, I’ll figure this out,” Royal vowed. “You’re not leaving Windeville, and no one will lose their jobs. Royal wiped her tears with his thumb.
“I’ll be upstairs in my room for a while,” Royal said, taking a step back. “I need to make some phone calls.”
Royal ascended the stairs two at a time. He went into his room, yanked his cell phone out of the nightstand drawer and powered it on. With muscle memory he dialed the number for Global Crown.
“Royal! You bored of the small-town living already?” his ex-boss blurted.
Stone rolled his eyes. Charles was always too darn loud for no apparent reason.
“I need your help,” Royal said, cutting to the chase. “I’m not sure exactly what you can do but this town I’m in is in trouble. A winter festival that they rely on every year has to be cancelled due to inclement weather and they’re looking at major losses.”
There was a brief moment of silence on the other end, then his boss’s tone grew more serious.
“Okay, I think we might be able to help. The firm might invest in…where is it you’re at again…Wynn, Winds…”
“Windeville,” Royal gritted.
“Yes, Windeville. Help you stabilize things there.”
Royal let out a long-held breath.
“But Royal, there’s one condition.”
Fuck. In finance, there was always a caveat, a quid pro quo.
His stomach tightened. “What is it Charles?”
“I need you to come back to Manhattan, right now. Maxwell and I have been working with one of your prior clients—that you abandon without good cause—who only wants you to broker this deal and advise on the stakes.”
Fuck you. I had damn good cause.
Royal already fucking knew who it was. A man that got his way no matter what.
Charles acknowledged Royal’s fear. “It’s Sinclair.”
Royal’s heart sank.
Roman Sinclair the Tenth, real estate developer, and billionaire. And first-class prick.
He’d hoped to never go back to that city, to stay far away from everything that had almost destroyed him. But Windeville needed money, and the quickest way to secure the funds was through his connections.
“I’ll come back,” he said reluctantly.
They spoke for a few more minutes, finalizing the arrangements. Royal agreed to fly back within the hour, and Sinclair was willing to send his personal helicopter and have it waiting for him at the small airstrip just outside town.
Royal hung up and let out a furious curse before he found Jojo standing at his door.
“You’re really going back?” she asked.
He met her gaze, the weight of his decision settling in.
“I am,” he sighed. “Hopefully not for long. Please tell Bo…Stone, that I’ll call him as soon as I can.”
Jojo gave him a sympathetic smile but didn’t say anything else.
It took Royal about forty-five minutes to make some important calls before he grabbed his garment bag and luggage and began stuffing in the clothes he needed to step back into the corporate world. When he was done, he hurried down the stairs and straight out to his SUV, the snow still falling and biting at his cheeks.
He searched for Stone, but he didn’t see him. He called and didn’t get an answer, so he sent a text.
Royal: I’m gonna call you as soon as I can.
Royal drove as fast as he could over the icy roads—so thankful he had a 4WD jeep—to the small airstrip. The helicopter was already there waiting when he arrived.
As he climbed inside and the blades began to spin before the chopper lifted off the ground, he took a deep breath, promising himself he’d be back as soon as he could.
Back to Stone.
Stone
Stone pulled up in front of the bed and breakfast, he and his truck were both running on fumes. The day had dragged on like a slow-motion nightmare. Cleaning up, fixing what could be fixed and hauling out what couldn’t had him aching in places he didn’t know could ache.
But he knew who could make him feel better, who could take it all away so he could rest. He needed rest. Needed to be in Royal’s arms so he could give him that comfort and reassurance that everything was going to be okay, even though deep down, Stone knew it wouldn’t.
But at least he had someone who could help him bear the heavy burden. He wasn’t alone anymore. Royal said he’d be there. He knew he was fallen hard and fast for the man who’d appeared in his life when he least expected it, but when he needed
Stone’s heart hammered, and his eyes stung. He stared up at the warm glow of the bed and breakfast, relief already beginning to settle over him.
Maybe he’d stay there for the night instead of driving all the way back to his cabin. He’d let Myra feed him, then he’d take a long hot shower—maybe with Royal—then he’d curl up in bed with him.