Garrick was going to need a whole lot of Bactine to heal that burn. Adam coughed discreetly to cover up a chuckle. Not that he was too worried about being overheard with Britney buffeting through the sound system. "This is Jillian Houston Ross," he said taking advantage of Hanover being momentarily dumbstruck to introduce her.

"Nice to meet you," she purred. One of those perfected model smiles graced her lips as she reached out and shook the owner's hand. Mike mumbled some kind of greeting and quickly released her, before she brightened the smile into mega watt territory for the twins. Adam rolled his eyes at her sudden change of demeanor.

"A pleasure to meet you both," she said bending ever so slightly so the dress parted giving a tantalizing glimpse of her breasts. The implication of her sultry tone would have been hard for a deaf man to miss, but the two twin bouncers merely nodded in her direction without ever taking their eyes off their targets. Adam was impressed. Not even a flicker of interest. He could use two guys that dedicated on his security staff, but he sensed a deep vein of loyalty and knew it would be futile to attempt to sway them away from their current employer. Hanover and Piskey, on the other hand, reacted exactly as he expected. Both their eyes went straight to the plunging neck line of her dress and took up residence.

"The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Ross," Hanover murmured addressing her breasts as he folded both his hands over hers. His touch lingered a bit too long forcing Jillian to snatch her hand away, disgust clear on her face.

A lecherous smile formed on his lips. "Are you perchance the daughter of HH Ross?"

"Yes, I am."

"Delightful! Your father and I go way back," he boasted.

"Is that right?" Jillian quirked an eyebrow. "Funny, he's never mentioned you."

Adam decided Hanover better add some aloe to go with his Bactine. Fuck, who was he kidding? If they continued on with this conversation Jillian would have him in the burn unit with her viperous tongue. It would serve the asshole right, but would be counterproductive to his plans. "Why doesn't everybody take a seat," he suggested tightly sending Jillian a warning glare.

Frowning at Adam, she lowered herself gracefully into one of the chairs positioning carefully so the split in her dress was shown at its best advantage. "I could really use that drink you promised," she hinted, smiling coyly up at him. Her voice so sweet it gave him a toothache.

"I could use another round as well," Hanover added, slapping his ass in a chair with a huff. Unaware or uncaring about the bouncer who was still hovering above him. His eyes never stopped for a second from playing in Jillian's cleavage.

"I think you and I need to talk," Mr. Briganti motioned to Adam. "You two stay put," he told the two bouncers as he walked a few paces away from the table. Turning to Adam, "Your associate's behavior has put me in an uncomfortable spot," he said stiffly.

"I apologize for that."

 "It's not your fault." Mike shook his head. "I have a feeling this was not where you intended to be this evening."

"No." Adam stared up at the stage as Britney ended her show by doing a set of gymnastic moves which cumulated in a full split. Mary Lou Retton would be proud. "This was the last place I intended to be," he muttered wincing slightly. "No offense."

"None taken."

"Is he a regular?" Adam asked nodding toward Hanover.

"This is a busy club, Mr. Steele. I can't keep track of every person who walks through those doors." Mike crossed his arms over his chest. "All I can say is if he is a regular, he won't be after tonight."

"Understood." His eyes zeroed in on the waitress. "The question is then, are you going to allow him to stay long enough to conclude our meeting?" he asked, turning back.

"I wasn't planning on it." Mike frowned. "I assume whatever you came here for is important." He lifted an eyebrow briefly assessing Adam. "Otherwise you don't seem like the type of man who would have bothered changing plans to cater to somebody else."

Adam respected the bluntness of his comment. "I'm informing him I've taken over his company and his board has voted him out." He leveled with the man. "After tonight, Hanover will be nothing but a penniless bad memory. I would travel to hell and back if that's what it took to be able to deliver the message personally."

A slow smile curved the club owner's lips. "Couldn't happen to a nicer guy," he barked a laugh slapping Adam on the shoulder. "Well, in that case, I think I should put the tab in your name."

Chuckling, his eyes wandered back over to the waitress again. She stood ramrod straight, chin still up and defiant as ever. "I'd like to make amends for Hanover's digression against your employee." The words leaving his mouth before he put much thought into them.

"What are you suggesting?" Mike's gaze narrowed and the smile disappeared. Suspicion made his voice sharp.

Adam reached into his suit jacket and pulled out his wallet. Quickly, he counted a number of bills and discreetly handed them over to the owner. "I'd like her to have this for her troubles."

Mike's eyes widened. "There's probably a thousand dollars here."

"She earned it. Dealing with him couldn't have been easy."

"No, it wasn't," he agreed. "I've been keeping tabs on the security monitor." He handed back the money. "She'll never accept it."

"Excuse me?"

"She won't take the money," he explained again, rolling his eyes. "I know the girl. She'll consider it an insult."

"I don't see how." Adam pushed the money back at the owner.

"Trust me; she'll think you're trying to buy her off or something." He laughed at Adam's stunned expression. "I know, I know, but that's my bella." He shrugged still holding the bills out for Adam to take.

"I want her to have it," he insisted. His temper flared when the man just stood there wiggling the money at him. "She was injured by that asshole for Christ's sake!"

"Fine," he sighed. "I don't have all evening to try and explain why this is a bad idea to you." Mike folded up the money and stuck it in his pocket. "Try and wrap this up quickly would you." It was a statement, not a request. "I'd like to get that asshole out of my club."

Walking briskly back to the table, Mike nodded at the two bouncers who immediately backed off. "You have been given a reprieve, buddy," he hissed at Hanover shoving a finger into his chest. "But so much as wiggle one finger out of line for the duration of your stay, and you and me are going to have a problem, capeesh?" Not waiting for a response to his threat, he turned and addressed the rest of the table. "As far as your drink order is concerned, it's one hundred percent up to Trixie." Striding over he put his arm protectively over her shoulders.

A pang of anger shot down Adam at the contact and he fought the urge to tell the guy to get his hands off her. "All my wait staff has final say over who they serve or do not serve. If she decides to refuse service to this table, the club backs her up." The last part of his speech was directed straight at him. Adam nodded, not trusting his response, which was probably a good call when he almost growled at the guy for giving her a hug before walking off with his security team.

Brushing off the strange behavior, he stalked over to the waitress. Again, those damn eyes caught him off guard bringing him up short. Overly bright, guileless grey held him. An overwhelming need to take care of her washed over him. To protect. To make her his. MINE. That single solitary word crashed into his brain like a fucking locomotive, nearly dropping him to his knees with its intensity. An ache coursed deep through his body unlike anything he had ever felt before.

What the hell? He ran a mental check list of the feelings he knew. Happiness: check. That was an emotion he'll probably be relating to when this evening finally came to a close. Sadness: check. Not a likely candidate for this. Anger: check. He'd been rocking that feeling most of the night. Desire: check. He knew what that was. Arousal: double check. He had that one down pat since he was 13. But this? It was like a profound yearning. It was all those and so much more.

"Are you going to order or what?" Jillian's nasally voice broke his thought process as efficiently as if someone dumped cold water over his head. He closed his eyes for a moment before he lost his patience and said something she would make him regret.

Shaking his head to knock some sense back in it before he met the waitress's stare again, he cleared his throat and gave her a wry smile. "Would you consider doing us the honor of being our server for this evening?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake! It's not like you are asking her to marry you!" Jillian snorted. Hanover and Piskey giggled like a couple of school girls sitting at the popular table. Her piercing icy stare latched on to the waitress. "These gentlemen need another round," her finely manicured nail tapping the table at their empty glasses. "I would like a cosmopolitan," grabbing on to Adams arm, she gracefully rose from her seat and wrapped hers possessively around his elbow, "and he would like a scotch on the rocks. Lagavulin, if you have it. You think you can handle that sweetie?" the disdain dripping off her tongue with each word.

Grey eye's flicked to Adam's at first in shock, but then anger sparked making them burn brightly. The beauty of them took his breath away and all he could do was gape. "I think I can manage that." The waitress response was soft, but filled with contempt. The lilting sound of her voice made his heart skip a beat and those damnable eyes never wavered from his. Everything about her seemed to stir something deep inside of him and he was at a loss as to what to do about these unfamiliar feelings.

"See that you do," Jillian huffed, looking down her nose.

"Yes ma'am," she retorted. Giving Adam one last glance, she turned on her heel and headed off towards the bar. He followed her progress noticing a slight limp before he lost all ability to think at the sight of her perfect ass swishing away.

"Ma'am?" Jillian gasped. "Did the little shit just call me ma'am?" Her offended shriek penetrated his sexual fog.

"What the fuck was that?" Adam snarled towards Jillian causing her to take a step back.

"I was just trying to..." she stammered.

"I know what you were trying to do," he interrupted through clenched teeth. His anger making his hands shake as he removed himself from her talons. "Get your hands off me," he whispered darkly for her ears only. "Treat her rudely again and you'll be sorry. I expect you to handle yourself with more decorum. Do I make myself clear?" Jillian nodded.

"Calm down, Steele," Hanover interjected standing up and escorting a shocked Jillian back to her seat. "Ms. Ross was way within bounds," he said giving her a sneering smile. "The little tramp has been nothing but trouble since the moment we sat down. You saw the scene she caused." He snorted, patting Jillian's hands while salivating over her breasts. "Now you just calm yourself," he cooed to her.

The whole evening was making him ill, he thought as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair trying to calm his anger. He never lost his temper...ever, at least not in front of clients and never in the front of the likes of Hanover. Adam always preferred to play it cool while his opponent floundered and raged. And now he was the one acting like a raving lunatic. Those grey eyes and the woman attached to them were causing a serious upheaval of all this carefully laid plans.

He'd spent far too long working this deal to let it just slip away now. He watched Garrick simper and coddle Ms. Ross. Worthless piece of shit that he was, Hanover's company had somehow accidentally come up with a software solution which would benefit technology across the globe and the stupid son of a bitch was settling to make a quick buck by selling it to the government who'd certainly put a lock down on it to keep it for themselves. Fortunately for Adam, the Senator Hanover decided to put his faith in was knee deep in fraud and was on the road to ruin. Press reports already releasing the news of his resignation were circulating through the news. If Garrick made a deal with him, it was worthless.

"Sit the fuck down Hanover and let's get this meeting over with." Deciding then and there the best solution was to forget about the girl and focus on what he had come to accomplish. Yanking out a chair, he sat down next to Jillian who seemed to be relieved to be free of Garrick's attention. Served her right for her behavior, he stewed. If she didn't get her shit together he would be sorely tempted to leave her here with him.

"Our drinks haven't arrived," Hanover settled himself in his chair, leaning back; a picture of self satisfaction.

"I'm not here for pleasantries."

"Ah, that's right. The great Adam Steele, recluse of the business world," he mimicked. "I'm surprised you graced us with your presence. Rumor has it you rarely have the nerve to confront your competitors. You prefer to send your lackeys in to do the job instead. Much easier to trample over a man's livelihood if you don't have to actually face them isn't?"

Adam shrugged. "Depends on whether or not I find the opponent worthy of my time."

"Then I should be honored."

"Don't be. I'm not here for you."

Hanover laughed. "No, I suppose you're not." He leaned in. "Let me cut to the chase."

Adam remained relaxed in his chair. "I wish you would."

"I know why you are here. I know you intend on taking over my company I've spent my life building through blood, sweat and tears."

"Save the rhetoric, it bores me."

Hanover's face turned red. "Fine, you want it straight up you son of a bitch?" His fist slammed the table making the glasses jump. "I'll give it to you straight! I'm not going to stop you from trying to buy me out, because you'll actually be doing me a huge favor. But, it's going to cost you a whole hell of a lot more than you planned on." He dug roughly into his jacket pocket and pulled out a manila envelope throwing it on the table with a flourish. Piskey grinned like an orangutan but remained silent. "I sold what you are after you dumb ass and if you don't give me what I want, you can kiss any fucking profit you thought you were going to make goodbye." Jillian gasped and turned wide eyes to Adam. "I apologize young lady for my foul language," Hanover simpered. "You shouldn't be subjected these kinds of situations."

Pity, he almost sounded sincere if it wasn't for the fact he was addressing her tits. "May I?" Adam indicated the envelope lying on the table.

"By all means," Hanover answered pushing it over to him still focused on Jillian.

Idiot, Adam mused. Sliding his finger under the seal, he pulled out the contracts and briefly glanced at them before refolding them back into the envelope. Bringing Jillian hadn't been such a bad idea after all, he thought as he put the envelope into his jacket. Hanover's distracted attention on her caused him to make a major mistake, and Adam now possessed all the evidence he needed safely tucked away in his pocket. Pulling out his cell phone, he started sending a series of texts and e-mails which would put the final nail in Hanover's coffin.

"Trying to see if you can put a stop to the sale?" Garrick gloated. "I sincerely hope you don't. The severance packages and what you will pay me for those contracts will let me retire extremely comfortably." He sat back in his chair as if he was on a royal throne. "I'm thinking tropical."

"He's a rude son of a bitch ain't he?" This from Piskey who apparently found his balls. Adam ignored him and kept typing away until he sent the very last of his communications.

"You are watching a desperate man, Tom. It isn't everyday Mr. Steele gets trumped."

"I do believe the correct term for this particular situation would be check-mate," Adam said quietly, slipping his phone back into his pocket.

Hanover laughed. "Feeling a bit like a pawn are ya boy? Don't worry, one of these days you'll be able to maneuver your king and keep up with the big boys."

Leaning back in his chair Adam crossed his legs and hid a smile behind his steepled fingers. "There are times when a well placed pawn is worth more than the king. I believe this is one of those times."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Apparently you don't play chess. If you did, you would have known you've been defending a bad position for months which ultimately always ends in defeat."

"What kind of bullshit are you trying to pull?" Hanover sneered fidgeting in his chair.

"I didn't have to pull anything. As much as I loath to admit it, you did most of it for me. All I needed to do was patiently wait for you to make the wrong move. Which you did."

"You're talking riddles and waisting my time."

"Allow me to enlighten you then," Adam smiled coldly. "You're company has already been absorbed into Steele Industries. The ink on the paperwork is drying as we speak. Frankly, it wasn't much of a challenge. Your board all but begged me to buy them out. After, of course, they unanimously voted you out. Apparently they haven't been pleased with you." Adam clucked his tongue. "You've been a very bad boy haven't you Garrick.

"I don't know what you're talking about. My board wouldn't ever vote me out."

"Ah, but they did. Especially when my team found some very interesting information which we graciously shared with them." Adam watched him sputter. "I'll cut to the chase. Your company is gone. Your board knows you have been embezzling for years. All your off shore accounts have been found and as of," Adam looked briefly at his Rolex, "five minutes ago, every one of your assets have been frozen pending federal investigations thanks to these contracts and the evidence contained with in." He watched as Hanover's face turned white and splotchy. "You really should pay more attention to what's going on in the world. If you had, perhaps you wouldn't have turned to a Senator who is now ass deep into his own scandal and singing like a canary to save it."

Adam turned to Piskey who looked as if he was about to vomit. "I also know you are the one who drew up these documents and I wouldn't be too surprised if the feds come knocking on your door."

"How...how...when..." Hanover stuttered and struggled to speak. "You knew about the contracts before you even got here?"

"Like chess, having insight and knowledge allows you to know what move to make." Adam shrugged nonchalantly. "I will go to great means to accumulate those two things."

"What? Did you have me fucking followed?" Hanover shouted, his facing turning an unnatural shade of puce.

A slow smile curved Adam's lips. The kill. It's what he lived for and what made all of the hours of work worth it. "Check-mate."

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope to have updates every other week, so keep coming back for more.

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