Melody Anne's Billionaire Universe: Her Billionaire's Bargain (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read Online Free Page A

amount of cousins we were raised around is ridiculously in the twenties.”
    She stopped a speared piece of food halfway to her mouth. “Oh, my. That is big. Everyone in business?”
    After two bites of the tender meat, Zac nodded. “Yes, in one way or another. My sister Hannah runs my father’s company, and even my younger brother, who is more laid back and bohemian, owns a large gallery in Durham.”
    “I’m sure your parents are proud of all three of you.”
    He shrugged. “It’s been years since I looked toward my parents for approval of what I did. I think my father probably had dreams of all his children working with him at Powers and Powers Corporation, but it wasn’t for me.”
    “Possibly too much like him to work for him, mister owner of Zac Acquisition & Development.” She saluted him with her wine before she drank.
    Giving her a nod, he acknowledged her words. He was impressed how perceptive she was. Most people always just assumed that Zac started his own business to prove something to his father. However, he loved his dad, Jake Powers, was a formidable businessman, but a great parent as well.
    Zac did something that he never did, he started talking about himself. “You know for years while I was in high school and college I worked for my father in one capacity or another. I wanted to be content, but I always felt as if I should be at the helm. Now, logically I knew that one day I possibly could have been running the family business, but—”
    “It never seemed like enough.” She added as the waiter entered and removed their plates and brought in their main course.
    When the man left, Zac agreed, “Exactly.”
    “My father offered to set up my first contract for me. You know use his connections to get me started. However, I turned him down. From the first to the last contract I earn with Zac Acquisition & Development it will be because my team and I acquired it.”
    “Is that the reason you went with placing your first name on your company?”
    “Yes. The name Powers in Seattle and Durham, as well as a lot of places around the world opens doors. When people hear Zac it takes some investigative work to determine that owner of ZAD is the son of Jake Powers.”
    She took a small bite of her steak. “It feels good to watch your business succeed. Have something to pass on to your children.”
    Gazing at her, he pondered his words. Just like his father he did want to pass on his company to any offspring he had…once he decided he wanted them. He wondered if Kourtney desired children, marriage. She appeared to be close to thirty years old. Old enough to have been married with kids if she wanted.
    There was no engagement ring on her left hand, which didn’t mean anything in this time and age, but Zac doubted if she had a boyfriend he would have allowed her to have dinner alone with him.
    The few bites of lamb in his stomach soured some as he thought about her leaving him that night and curling up in the arms of another man. He refused to peel apart those feelings. It was easier just to keep this meeting on a superficial level.
    Swallowing the bite of the lamb chop in his mouth, he refocused on her comment. “Is this where you’re going to make your pitch about your own store?”
    Feigning shock, she stretched her sultry shadowed lids and said, “Not at all. I mean my little bitty cupcake stand could never be compared to the conglomerate you’ve grown your own company to.”
    “Touché. However, just for the record, I don’t consider small business owners insignificant. The reason I pay more than top dollar for their establishments and what they own.”
    They ate in silence for a moment then she said, “Your offer was generous.”
    “Are you going to take it?”
    “No.” She smiled and humor danced in her gaze.
    If he wanted to he could pull a million and one things out of his pocket to convince her to take his offer, including adding just the right pressure and coercion to get her to bend to