Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22588 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22588 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
“You’re not going to tell my parents or my brother, are you?”
“You’re still worried about that?”
“You’re the first person I’ve told, and I think I’m doing the right thing, you know, helping people.”
George took a bite of his steak and sat back. “I know of the companies you’re a silent partner in. In fact, six months ago, I even approached the tech guys you helped, in the hope of having them join my tech firm, and they refused. Their silent partner had faith that they would be able to take their latest project the whole way.”
Anna-Beth gasped. “That was you?”
“Yes.”
“They didn’t tell me the name of the company, I had no idea. Really?”
George nodded. “I was disappointed but I also respected them for their decision. I have to say, though, Anna-Beth, you’re looking tempting, and not because you’re wearing one of my robes either.”
He saw her cheeks heat. “Tempting in what way?”
“I love to find talent, to bring it into my company, let it flourish, and allow it to expand. What you’re doing is what I want to start. I’ve been working on it for months. Consider it like a division of my company that goes out, finds talent, and we work to build on it. If it fails, the company helps, we fund, and we help to build,” George said.
“That doesn’t sound like something a large company would do. Usually it means taking all the credit, swallowing up the product, and turning it into something else. Trust me, I have seen how that works,” she said.
She had watched so many people nearly get destroyed because of it, through her own parents’ company.
“I know exactly what you mean, but … I think you have a real eye for seeing something in others.”
Anna-Beth frowned. When it came to work and business, she was used to being criticized for her ideas and what she would love to see. Now that George was saying she did, it was kind of unnerving.
“George, I help people that I know have been treated incorrectly. All the businesses I’ve helped were at some point connected to my parents.” She nibbled her lip.
“Exactly, have you ever thought that the reason you went to help them wasn’t just because you felt bad for them, but maybe you saw a vision? You’re not losing money, Anna-Beth. You’re making a fortune.”
“I don’t know,” she said. “I try not to go into much detail.”
“Okay, how about this? Tomorrow, we go to my company, I show you some of the ideas that have come our way, and we’ll see what happens?”
Anna-Beth sat back and looked at him. “You’re giving me a chance?”
“Yes.”
“You actually believe I can do this?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea why you have this much doubt inside you when you have already proven time and time again you know what you’re doing. You’ve not squandered your trust fund. You’ve invested it, and have seen a return.” He reached out and she loved when he touched her hand.
Staring at him, she waited.
“I’ve just been lucky, George. I … I don’t want you to get too excited.” She’d been told time and again how useless she was. Her parents, especially her father, had called her many names to say how much of a pain in the ass she was.
He shook his head. “I don’t believe that. I believe you have this gift, this way of seeing something more. Give me a chance,” he said.
“I don’t need to give you a chance.”
He moved and knelt beside her. For a split-second, she kind of hoped he was proposing to her, but she also knew that was not going to happen. They were having sex, amazing sex, and that was all it was.
“Trust me,” he said.
“I trust you.”
“Good.” He gripped the back of her neck. “Because I am always right, and I’ve got a good feeling about this.”
Chapter Eight
George knew Anna-Beth was nervous. He’d been working on several other emails and projects as she looked through the stack of ideas presented to his company since he put out the silent call.
He’d been discreet as he didn’t want other large firms to know what he was doing. By the time they were aware, and hoped to copy, he wanted to be so strong, no one could rival them.
Every now and then, he glanced over to see that she’d placed the files into three different groups. She was dressed in one of her signature dresses, she’d already toed off her sneakers, and her feet were underneath her ass on his sofa.
Last night, he’d spent most of it making love and fucking her. He needed to get her out from under his skin, and the only way to do that was to fuck it right out. At least, that was his theory.
He didn’t like the guilt crashing over him at the thought of what her brother and parents were doing. They didn’t understand her, and he hated that they’d put this seed of doubt in her mind and made it impossible for her to believe in herself. That made him hate them even more.