Chapter 17 One Week Later
POV Scarlett:
I stared at him in disbelief.
“You lost it? What if you gave me something? Are you sure it broke?”
“I don’t have any diseases!” he growled. “And yes, princess, I’m sure—the damn condom broke.”
He tried to approach me, but I stopped him.
“We’ll figure it out—we can go to the hospital if you want. But trust me, I’m clean.”
“Fuck that—how am I supposed to know? Let me grab my crystal ball from my purse and I’ll tell you whether I believe you or not. Oh wait, I didn’t bring my purse,” I mocked, and he tried to hide a smirk.
I extended my hand toward him, trying to calm myself and think of a solution.
“Let me see the condom. Maybe it didn’t even break.” I took a deep breath—and that’s when I felt something running down my thighs.
“My cum dripping down your legs—is that answer enough?” he said.
I glared at him. Was he seriously making jokes about this?
“Idiot. I hope you didn’t give me anything.” I took the tissue he handed me and cleaned myself as best I could. “I don’t have anything—I’m clean,” I said, not wanting to make him worry unnecessarily, though he didn’t seem to care much.
“So am I. But if you want, we can go to the hospital.”
His concern made my anger ease a little.
“There’s no need. I’ll trust your word,” I said—and it was true.
“If anything happens, you can call me. My name—”
“No names. Tonight, I just wanted to remember what it felt like to be someone I haven’t been in a long time. So let’s leave it at that.”
He stared at me for a moment, then nodded.
“Before I go, can I do one thing?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He moved toward me, his hand gripping my neck as his mouth claimed mine again. Without realizing it, we were lost in each other once more. And without caring about the consequences, I gave myself to him again.
After our third round, we said goodbye without a word. I picked up my phone and money from inside my boot, called a taxi, and left—feeling absolutely incredible.
(...)
POV Damian:
I arrived at the company earlier than usual. I’m anxious—today, at last, our new acquisition will be finalized, and in three months, we’ll host the welcome party at the Chicago branch. Because of other commitments still pending in Detroit, we won’t be able to move up the celebration or head there to begin training yet. These past few days, we’ve given our best to close this deal. We always knew how much our father dreamed of conquering Chicago, and today, after I sign the papers, we’ll be able to call him and tell him that we did it.
Finally.
Our investment firm will now stand alongside other giants in the market. What my father started thirty years ago is bearing fruit today. We’re already among the one hundred largest investment companies in the United States. My brothers and I know how important this achievement is for our father, and we couldn’t be more fulfilled knowing we’re giving him this moment. It’s what we work day and night for—to one day place our company on the podium among the top three.
I entered my office knowing today would be a great day for the company, but even more for our family. I smiled, proud of my brothers; without them, I wouldn’t have made it. Knowing they trust me and my decisions gives me even more certainty that without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Without them, I wouldn’t be half the businessman I’ve become.
I sat down, turned on the computer—there were a few urgent emails to answer—but a brown envelope on my desk caught my attention. I remembered Tasha leaving it there yesterday along with my mail, but I was in a rush to resolve the final details of the acquisition, so I’d left it for later. Which reminds me—Liam and I can’t keep overloading Tasha. She’s been promoted and shouldn’t still be doing secretarial work. We need to hire two secretaries as soon as possible.
Picking up the small envelope, I looked for the sender’s name and frowned when I found none. No one ever sends me anything without identifying themselves—and I was surprised that Tasha had accepted it and placed it on my desk. I decided to toss the envelope into the back of the drawer. I’d open it later. Right now, I had more important things to do than worry about its contents.
Noah popped the champagne, and we smiled, holding out our glasses for him to fill. I had finally signed the papers—the Chicago branch was ours. I could hardly believe that after months of negotiations and countless meetings, we’d done it. I signed the documents with my parents watching everything over a video call. They were in Barbados, enjoying a new honeymoon as they traveled around the world. The trust our father placed in us only proved he was right—we were more than ready to carry on his legacy.
“A toast to the Chicago branch, and to the many more we’ll conquer,” I said, my voice thick with emotion.
My brothers clinked their glasses against mine, their smiles reflecting the same joy that filled me. We were in my office—it was long past working hours—but we wanted to stay and celebrate here, in the place where our father had spent countless hours working and building an empire.
Being sons of the great Arnold Blackwell is a source of pride. He gave us the best education possible, shaped us into strong men while respecting each of our personalities, never demanding more than we could give.
What our father taught us goes far beyond running a multimillion-dollar company. He gave us lessons for life—principles we’ll carry wherever we go. Our father made us want, someday, to build a family like the one he built. And the woman I choose to stand by my side—I hope she’ll be as much a partner to me as my mother has always been to him.