“A clean conscience,” she said. “I accept that I benefited from your father’s work. It was unknowing, but I did. Losing ten million is a blow. Losing something I built with great pride and care would also cause me great distress. But having served me my just deserts, I assume you’ll leave me alone in future.” She hoped.
He steepled his fingers and swiveled his chair, head cocked as he reassessed her. “Are you trying to protect Midas by handing me the keys to your company? Did he send you here to make this little gesture to distract me from going after Pagonis International? It won’t work. I won’t give up.”
She bit back a hysterical laugh. “I can see you’re very determined.” His ruthlessness was glowing like a neon sign. “The only people I’m trying to protect are the innocent ones.”
Her employees from top level to floor-sweeper were a tight, dedicated team. There was already an ache behind her breastbone at knowing she wouldn’t see them every day, but she was good at compartmentalizing. Showing this man how distraught she was wouldn’t help her case. In fact, he would probably use it against her.
She stood tall and aloof as she waited for his next move.
His head fell back as he regarded her through the screen of his spiky lashes. “Are you angling to stay on as CEO?”
“No.” She suppressed another choke of laughter. “My company is being used as a pawn between you and Midas. I refuse to become one myself. Take the spoils and fight your fight, but leave me out of it. Shall I have the paperwork drawn up?”
“Your eagerness to run is suspicious.” His gaze flickered all over her, leaving little burn marks everywhere it touched.
She had made a mistake. She preferred to stay in the background, but she had caught his full attention and it was deeply disconcerting, both because his antagonism was plain and because she was reacting to him in such an inappropriate way. Some girlish part of her was squirming, worried her hair was out of place or there was a drip of coffee on her blouse.
“What if I asked you to stay on as CEO?” he questioned. “What if I made that my condition for accepting your offer?”
Her heart skipped then stretched with longing. She had built her company with more than pride and care. She had put her soul into it. She didn’t care that her father had eventually decided Midas was the better businessman based on his stolen technology and named him president of Pagonis International. Ilona knew in her heart she outpaced Midas when it came to financial intelligence, marketing insight and management skills.
Much as it would kill her to walk away from what she had created, however, the idea of finally escaping the Pagonis tentacles was even more appealing. That 15 percent in Callas Cosmetics had kept her beholden to Midas after their father passed. If she gave up her company, however, she had no reason to continue associating with any of them.
She would finally be free.
Thanks to this man with the broad shoulders and glinting silver eyes and a sensual mouth that put shocking thoughts in her head.
“Tempted?” he chided in that infuriatingly seductive tone.
“No,” she lied. Her skin was still prickling, wondering if he found her appealing which was so stupid. “The idea of partnering with a man who hates me and wants to use me to exact revenge against my family sounds like a marriage best not undertaken. I suggest—”
“Marriage,” Leander cut in, sitting straight up with another screech of his chair. “Now there’s an idea.”