Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 106150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106150 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 531(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Dev glanced at me, but I could only shrug again. Rowe had just given Dev more information on this topic than he’d ever given me… though, to be fair, I’d been too mesmerized by the man to think about his business.
“And why not develop this project in-house at Sterling Chase?” Dev wondered.
“Good question. Great question. I actually, um, initially thought it would be a good fit for Sterling Chase. Did you know—fun fact—I founded the company because I created a prototype for a stoplight communication system that reduced the arrival time of first responders to emergencies? ETC is a killer innovation… Well, you know it, obviously.”
“Of course we know,” Dev said dryly. “Brilliant idea you came up with.”
Rowe nodded, and just like last night when he’d started speaking passionately about fashion, once he’d warmed to his subject, all of his stuttering and hesitation disappeared. “It’s an amazing tech. Recent studies have shown that response times are down by nearly thirty percent in municipalities that use the… our… system. Fatalities from auto collisions due to emergency response have gone down by nearly ten percent.”
I frowned. Those specifics weren’t a secret, but they weren’t exactly available on our website. Rowe had done some research. I felt a frisson of mingled worry and excitement race down my spine.
“But as great as all that is,” Rowe went on earnestly, “there’s so much more to be done. So many other brilliant ideas out there to improve lives, if someone would just look for them instead of… spending their time sending out rude, terse form-letter rejections.”
I wanted to tell him that people were looking for them. That Sterling Chase was, right then, working on technology that would help tremendously. But I held back. That was proprietary information, and it was none of his damn business.
“Of course, our company is already exceptionally busy right now.” Rowe slipped back into his “quirky billionaire liar” voice, so different from his genuine excited tone that the effect was jarring. “So many great ideas, so little time, right? Like that app that interacts with your coffee maker to make sure your cup is brewed before you wake up. Really thrilling stuff.”
I opened my mouth and shut it again. I wanted to inform him defensively that the CaffApp had been a highly profitable endeavor, and it did improve people’s lives, and it was none of his business which projects Sterling Chase chose to contract for… but the words got stuck in my throat because a tiny part of me agreed with him.
“Now, I know I could simply ask you, as my loyal board of directors, to intervene and push my project through, but that hardly seems fair. That’s why I’m suggesting that the inventor take his project elsewhere. To Justin Hardy, perhaps, or anyone else you believe might be interested.” Rowe gave Dev a bright smile. “With Sterling Chase’s personal recommendation.”
The look of outrage Dev shot me should have sent the barn up in flames. “Bash, I need to speak to you a moment. Alone.” He shoved me back toward the main area of the barn. “Now.”
Before I turned, I saw Rowe’s smile turn to panic. “But… shouldn’t you look after Trigger? He’s not in his cage. What if he bites someone?”
Cage?
“He’s a free-range horse,” Dev said, rolling his eyes, though Rowe couldn’t see. “Feed him an apple from the bag on the table, and the two of you can chat.”
He dragged me away from Rowe and around the corner toward the trainer’s office before hissing at me, exactly as Silas had the night before, “What the fuck?”
Since my insides were screaming the same question, I had no answer. “I know.”
“Sterling Chase’s personal recommendation? He’s using you to gain access to people who can invest in his little project, and you’re helping him. I don’t care how hot a piece of ass he is, Bash—”
“Stop! It’s not like that.” I paused, then admitted, “Not entirely like that. And I’m not helping him do anything—”
“Silas said you spoke to the guy for twenty minutes last night. You showed up with him today. You don’t think people noticed? You don’t think that gives your little liar credibility?”
Christ. I remembered the way Constance Baxter-Hicks had looked at me holding Rowe’s hand and groaned.
“I brought him here to figure out his game,” I shot back, temporarily glossing over the other half of my plan for the day. “If he’s targeting our business, shouldn’t we figure out how and why?”
“Sure. What did he say when you confronted him?”
“I…” I opened and closed my mouth like a fish.
“Right.” Dev folded his arms smugly.
“He’s… I just… I like being around him.” It felt like I was confessing a dark sin. “He’s kind and ridiculously innocent. He lies through his teeth, but even that is amusing. He makes me laugh. He makes me want to make him laugh. He’s… beautiful. And I keep putting things off because I… I want more time with him.”