Luscious Sins (Bend to My Will #7) Read Free Page B

best. I’ll be a call away, if anything comes up.”
    Once again, Jacob was appreciative of his strong team. There were still a few men on the board of directors who had worked with Vico, although most had retired. The current team was Jacob’s pick, and if he’d done one thing right, it was choosing each for their trustworthiness as well as capability.
    Leaving the crew in charge, Jacob grabbed his phone and left for the meeting. It was too humid out to walk over to Williamson Imports, so he caught a cab. The competitor occupied several floors of a Midtown building. Jacob had been to their New York headquarters many times, even as a young boy, when he had visited by Vico’s side.
    The receptionist knew him well. “Good morning, Mr. Rinaldi.”
    “Good morning, Helen. I think Sam is expecting me.”
    The middle-aged receptionist stood up to usher Jacob to the office. “That’s okay. I know my way.” He smiled at her, and she went back to her seat.
    The company was one of Rinaldi’s biggest competitors, despite the fact that Sam and his father had been friends for so long. In the early days, they’d helped each other out, and it seemed that neither had forgotten. Friendship, even in business, was valued by both families.
    The door was open and Sam sat at his massive glass and chrome desk. In the old days, he’d had a heavy oak desk, but slowly things had changed. The new office décor, sleek and modern, was just a sign of other significant progress into the modern world.
    “Jacob, it’s good to see you.” Samuel Williamson was formidable. Standing well over six feet, with wide shoulders, he cast an impressive figure. He kept his brown hair buzzed short, and he dressed well, though not expensively. Sam’s philosophy of life didn’t include flaunting wealth, although he had plenty of it.
    Jacob stepped up to the desk and shook hands. “Hi, Sam. Thanks for seeing me.”
    When Sam waved at the chair, Jacob took a seat. For a few minutes, they talked about family. “Vico and Sophia are traveling right now, but I expect them to be back in New York soon,” Jacob said.
    “I envy your father his freedom.”
    “Are you considering retirement?”
    Sam leaned back in his chair. “At one point it seemed like a possibility. I even discussed it with my management. But with the shape the company is in now, I have to put that off.”
    “I heard you were having some trouble.”
    Sam nodded. “There are no secrets in our industry, are there? And it seems that those that want to usurp our position as one of the leaders are all too quick to leap upon bad news. I’m sure they’d like nothing better than to see us go under.”
    Jacob crossed one ankle over the opposite knee, intending to take his time with this conversation, to be certain it stayed on course. “I don’t know who wants to usurp your position, Sam. I’m not aware of that. Of course, any company would be proud to do as well as Williamson, but that doesn’t mean they want to witness your company’s demise.”
    “I wish I could be sure,” Sam said.
    “Can I ask you something?”
    “I’ve known you most of your life, Jacob. Go ahead and ask.” Sam appeared calm, despite the subject of the discussion.
    “What is Daniel Kenyon’s current position with your company?”
    “You get right to the heart of the matter, don’t you?” Sam expelled a breath. “Dan would like to run the show, like you do at Rinaldi.”
    “But?”
    “I’ll just be honest with you. I’ve been at odds with my stepson. He doesn’t see things like I do, and it’s damn hard to get him to change,” Sam said.
    “So why did you put him in management?”
    “When I remarried, the relationship came with baggage.”
    “You’re referring to Dan?”
    “He can be a real prick. But…he’s my wife’s son.” Sam shrugged. “I’ve put up with a lot from him because of that.”
    Before launching into his objection to Dan’s recent attack on importers, Jacob took a deep breath.