of man to walk away from an open invitation.”
Probably sensing just how close she was to losing it, Mitch stepped in before she said something that would derail any possibility of finding a reasonable solution to the situation.
“Taking out that loan was hardly an invitation.”
Kayne shrugged his shoulders, the motion smooth and negligent. “That’s the problem with doing business with friends. Taking out a private loan with a personal acquaintance instead of a bank is always risky. Less legal oversight governing the contract.”
Alyssa’s jaw ached from the pressure to keep her mouth from overriding her brain. She’d had plenty of practice swallowing her words, but for some reason the ones she swallowed now were more bitter than any others.
They’d tried to get a conventional loan and none of the banks would back them. Why would they, when the business was already in the red? The bank’s algorithms and number crunchers couldn’t take their upcoming success into account. They were weeks away from a huge influx of capital when their first app sold. And they had another that would be ready within the next two months.
Both she and Mitch had already been tapped out, savings gone and mortgaged to the gills. They’d only needed a few months’ operating capital to make it through, though, and everything would be fine. They’d been so close....
When Mitch had suggested going to a family friend for the money, someone he trusted and had known for most of his life, it had seemed an obvious solution. Sure, it carried more risk, but they’d felt fairly safe and confident in taking that chance.
Hindsight was definitely twenty-twenty.
Apparently, the connection Mitch had counted on had been outweighed by blind greed. According to their sources, Beckett had purchased their loan for almost a fourth more than the face value of the contract.
They were supposed to have six months to pay off the loan. More than enough time to bridge the gap. However, Kayne had decided to activate an escape clause, which allowed him to call the loan due at any point during the term. And he was pulling the trigger.
They had less than two weeks to come up with a huge chunk of change or Beckett Kayne would legally own V&D, including all their intellectual property—specifically, the app he so desperately wanted. She had no intention of letting him have Watch Me.
Not only would it gall her to lose the technology to the man, but they desperately needed the funds from selling the app to keep V&D moving forward.
A few days ago, Alyssa would have said there was no way she could hate Beckett Kayne any more than she already did. She’d have been wrong about that, too. Frustration and desperation warred inside her.
Her hands clenched into tight fists beneath the table as she tried to reign in her emotional turmoil before it bubbled up and spilled out all over the place like a destructive, scorching flow of lava.
“You can’t tell me that in all your years as a businessman, you never took a calculated risk?”
His churning gaze zeroed back on her. “Of course. The difference is, I made damn sure the reward was worth it.”
Realizing this line of discussion was getting them nowhere, Alyssa cut to the chase. “What do you want, Kayne?”
“I would have thought that was obvious.”
A frustrated sound buzzed in the back of her throat. “I’d rather you spell it out for me so there are no misunderstandings or false assumptions.”
The smile fell away, taking the facade with it and leaving behind a piercing expression that had a tremor racing through her body. For the first time since he’d walked in the door, Alyssa felt like maybe she was getting a true glimpse of the man. The problem was it scared her spitless. Beckett Kayne was a bloodthirsty animal with his prey clearly in his sights.
“Watch Me. I want it. Exclusively.”
“You’re making a mistake.”
“I seriously doubt it.”
Alyssa crossed her arms beneath her breasts and stared him down. “I assure you, you are. You think you’ve got us backed into a corner. You’re already counting your win. Don’t forget we still have time to come up with the funds.”
His shoulders rose and fell on a negligent shrug that had her teeth clacking together. She didn’t have the luxury of reacting, not if she wanted to save her company and the work she’d poured her heart and soul into for the past eighteen months.
“Call off your attack dogs. Get your offer together and let us review it along with the others we’re expecting in next week. We’ll even give you a few extra days if you need them.”
“Why would I do that, Ms. Vaughn? Long before you can formalize any offers and arrange payment I’ll have what I want. For the bargain price of a few months of your operating capital I’ll own not just the app, but your entire company.”
Dread flooded her mouth, it tasted bitter and vile, but she choked back her reaction. She would not let Beckett Kayne see her sweat.
“I will not let you destroy V&D. We’ll have the money in time, and when we do any chance you had for procuring the app disappears.”
Something sharp flashed through his blue-gray eyes. “You’ve made it clear I have no chance anyway. You forced me to play dirty, Ms. Vaughn. You don’t have the luxury of crying foul now that you’re the one sitting there covered in muck.”
Alyssa wheezed out a breath. But she refused to let his words derail her. She leaned across the table, closing the space between them. “I’m giving you one chance to do the right thing, Beckett. We both know calling that loan due four months early is a dirty move.”
Surprising her, Kayne matched her movements, leaning against the edge of the table and deep into her personal space. His stare was hard and indecipherable.
“It isn’t a dirty move. It’s a smart move. You strike me as an intelligent women, Ms. Vaughn. Something tells me you’re perfectly aware of my reputation. Do I look like the kind of man who’d care even if it was?”
Silence and tension crackled between them, making everything inside her contract.
Something hard and hedonistic glittered in his eyes. The corners of his mouth twitched. Her own gaze dropped to the movement. But once there...she couldn’t look away.
His lips were lush, perfect, with a hint of harshness. Not the kind of man who’d be soft and safe in bed. She wanted to press her mouth tight to his and find out. Would he devour her? Nibble and tease? Demand her surrender or leave her drowning in a sensual haze?
She sucked in a sharp breath, the sound exploding into the quiet room. Everyone heard it. They had to, and no doubt knew exactly what it meant...that she’d been waylaid by the pull of Beckett Kayne.
With a satisfied smirk on his face, Kayne dropped back into his chair.
“I am doing the right thing, Ms. Vaughn. I’m acquiring the cutting-edge technology that will take my company worldwide, by any means necessary and open to me. I learned a long time ago—the hard way, I might add—that there are no friends in business.
