The Sandstone Affair (An Erotic Romance Novel) Read Online Free Page A

Janice managed to save from Blake. I don’t know what to do with any of
these but there has to be a way. The phone jars me out of my focused state. “Julia Sharp,” I say, hoping it’s not Janice
again calling me from the laundromat or Burger King. “It’s Mark,” he says with that deep beautiful
voice. I can see him in my mind’s eye and my body begins tingling in response
to the very sound of him. “What do you want?” I say far too rudely for
my own good. “Meet me at the fourth level of the parking
deck at Monroe and Seventh Street around nine o’clock tonight. Come alone.” “Do you want me to wear a cloak and carry a
dagger?” I respond sarcastically. Mark just hangs up the phone leaving my
attempt at humor hanging in the air like a bitter pill. Part of me thinks I
should nip this in the bud right now and stand him up. That will back him off.
Yet another part of me that resides noticeably lower in my body, wants to meet
him and see what he can do. I arrive about ten minutes to nine, and I’m
the only car parked on this level. Mark pulls up in an Escalade at nine on the
dot. He’s such a careful and exacting man. He gets out of the driver’s seat,
opens the passenger side back door, and walks around to the driver’s side,
getting in the back. I look around, and climb in the back. “Close the door, genius,” Mark says with a
smile. “You’re not very good at this sneaky stuff.” “Before Sandstone Ventures came along, I
didn’t have to be,” I retort as I pull the door closed. What is it about him
that makes me want to rebel and obey all at the same time? “Where’s Jose?” I ask. I had never seen Mark
driving himself before. “At this point, it’s better if no one knows
that we’re meeting.” “Even Jose? I thought you trusted him.” The
older man always had a smile and a joke for me whenever he drove us to visit
Glenvale. Mark’s silent look is answer enough to that
question. Mark turns on the map light in the back. It’s
a surprisingly roomy vehicle for a single man to drive around in. Maybe it’s
his mobile office. He reaches into the door side pocket and pulls out a folder
with copies of the same documents Kenneth Allen gave me. “Have you read these?” “Yes,” I reply, unwilling to admit I can’t
make heads or tails out of most of them. “Then you know what the problem is, right?”
Mark speaks in a clearly controlled focused manner. It’s hard to sound
professional in the back seat of an SUV in an empty parking garage, but he
pulls it off nicely. “I know I lost my company, and it’s a
problem,” I respond petulantly, and then remember he doesn’t have to help me at
all. “Honestly, I really don’t know much about what they say. It’s all legalese
to me.” “They say you have thirty more days, four
weeks, to save your company.” “Thirty days?”
    “That’s how long you have to file a
rejoinder. About four weeks. If you don’t find a reason to file, or don’t file
on time, Lynx Magazine’s assets, talent, stories and resources all become the
property of Ladies World.” “What do I need to file?” “You need evidence that you were wrongfully
put out of the company because of corruption, personal gain, or by an
inappropriate system, and you want the matter legally reviewed. If you have
evidence, a judge can stop the merger to Ladies World. But you need real proof,
not just theories and venom.” “I don’t have it. Do you?” “No, but I have a plan. It’s going to take
almost all thirty days, and it’s risky for me, but I think I might be able to
find something you can use to file. However, I’m going to need your help and
I’m going to need you to trust me.” “I must trust you, I’m here aren’t I?” “I mean you need to trust me with more than a
passing glance. You need to trust me body and soul, to give your whole self to
me and rely on me to do what’s right.” “Here we go again with a lecture on what I
need. Can you please stop