A British Bride by Agreement Read Online Free Page B

hadn’t gotten
over the shock of being demoted by his father…
    “It’s the best for the company,” his
father said.
    Jonathan eased back in his office chair,
setting his hands behind his head. “How?”
    “You’ve done a good job at PD , but now I want to see how you handle the charitable
division.”
    “How can handing out money be that hard ?   Surely one of the
girls could do it.”
    “No, I want you to handle this.”
    “This is pay back for the soda deal in Brazil
falling apart.”
    “That was poor judgment on your part.”
    Jonathan leaned forward. “I was given
inadequate information by your field agents.”
    “A good businessman double checks his
facts before he invests thirty million dollars.”
    Jonathan settled back and steepled his fingers. He would not be goaded into an
argument with his father. If this is what it took to get to the top, so be it.
Jonathan’s eyes flickered over to a picture of he and
his older brother when they were fourteen and twelve. He knew it wasn’t his
fault his brother had died. “Three months and then I want to be moved out of
charity and back to development position.”
    “You’ll move back when I say you’re
ready.” His father strode out of Jonathan’s office.
    Jonathan got up and paced in front of the
row of windows that overlooked the city of St. Louis. Ever since his older
brother died, his father had been hard on him, as if Joshua’s death was his
fault…
    Jonathan grabbed a towel and left his
bedroom and headed for the in-house gym.
    “Mister Steller!” The driver stood at
the foot of the stairs. “Come quickly!”
    Jonathan ran down a wide staircase,
thinking of his mother, his sisters. “What’s wrong?”
    Orlando took a minute to catch his breath.
“I was putting the car away when I saw a gringo banging on Mrs. Banks door. I
stopped to see if there was anything I could do, and the man looked like he’d
been in one too many bar fights—really rough, you know. He told me if I was
smart I’d mind my own busin —”
    Jonathan sprinted toward the front door,
flung it open, and ran down the long gravel path to Emma’s cottage. As he grew
closer, he could see a large man pounding on the front door. Emma must be
terrified. Why hadn’t she called him?
    Jonathan caught up to the man in a
leather jacket who was still beating the door and jerked his arm away. “If you
have business,” he gasped for breath, “with Mrs. Banks, you go through me.”
    The guy smirked. “Are you her husband or
something?”
    Jonathan noticed the door inched open.
He could see Emma dressed in a white bathrobe and wet hair.
    “No, but I am in charge of her,”
Jonathan answered.
    The guy turned back to the door. “Aha,
lady, you finally decided to answer.” He took a look up and down at her
informal attire and headed for her. “Are you here to offer me a special deal?”
    Jonathan leapt and grabbed the guy by
the waist and tackled him to the ground.
    Emma screamed.
    Jonathan grabbed the papers from the
man’s grasp, stood up, and shredded them. “Now, if you want payment on any of
these accounts, you don’t bother this lady. Your demands need to be sent to
me—”
    “Jonathan, no.” Emma stepped
outside, gripping the collar of her robe and a book of poetry. “These are
legitimate bills that I need to pay.” She shot a fearful glance at the ruffian.
“It’s just I can’t right now.”
    Jonathan put his arm round Emma’s
shoulders and leaned in. “Go inside. I will be there in just a minute.”
    “I—I didn’t mean.” She started pacing.
“I wasn’t trying to—”
    “Emma.”
    She stopped pacing.
    “Go. Inside.”
    She shot a glance at the ruffian and
stepped back in the cottage.
    Jonathan strode forward until he was one
inch from the man’s face. “Have I made myself perfectly clear?”
    “Yeah.” The guy hobbled
around his car, rubbing his shoulder. “Mighty fine woman you got there.” He
gestured toward the cottage. “I wouldn’t leave