“Okay, so you made a mistake. You were caught off guard, and this manager used your friendship with Charlie to get information. Quite unethical in my eyes, but I know business is business.”

     His shoulders sagged. “Yeah.”

     “Do you really think you should be fired because of one screw up in the last—”

     “Four years.”

     “Four years,” she continued.

     “It was a big mistake. I probably deserve it.”

     She thought about his remark. “Be honest with me. You’re a person who worries a lot, right?”

     He grinned sheepishly. “That’s what my wife says. Yeah, I like to make sure all my responsibilities are taken care of.”

     “When you get up in the morning, what thought is always in the back of your mind? What is your greatest fear, the thing you worry about on a daily basis?”

     “Well, I guess that would be what just happened. Or what’s going to happen. Being fired.”

     “Exactly. What scares you the most about being fired?”

     He looked puzzled by the question. “I was afraid of not being able to support my family. Being called a failure. Feeling like a failure.”

     “Do you feel like a failure?”

     “No. I messed up, but I don’t think that negates the last four years of doing well.”

     “Exactly.” She leaned forward. “Do you realize you’re finally free? Your worst fear is about to be confirmed. You’re going to get fired. And you’re still okay with yourself. They can’t take away your own inner core. You can get another job. You can follow a dream you’ve always had. You can march into Logan’s office, free of your fear, and tell him why he’ll be making the biggest mistake of his life if he fires you. From now on, any job you hold won’t have a hold on you. Your wife and baby is what's most important. Now you’ll be able to give them more of yourself, because your work won’t be holding all the cards.”

     Jimmy stared down at the mat. She held her breath and hoped he understood what she said. She wanted him to be free of all the fear and stress he held close to his heart. If he realized there was a whole world out there and losing a job shouldn’t destroy his self respect. In fact, it could open up a new realm of possibilities. If he could only see…

     Jimmy looked up. He smiled. Her heart lifted at the look on his face. He understood. The deep lines of worry that normally creased his brow disappeared. A determined glint shone in his serious brown eyes. She’d gotten through to him.

     She smiled back. “Okay?”

     Jimmy nodded. “Okay.” He got up from the mat, swiping at the wrinkles in his slacks, straightening his jacket and tie. “You know, Logan is usually a fair guy. He’d probably give me a good referral. Or I could even go back to school. I always wanted to finish up my Masters degree.”

     “Anything is possible.” She watched him walk to the door, his shoulders set in a determined line. “Jimmy?”

     “Yeah?”

     “Do me a favor. Don’t forget about the deep breathing I taught you. Always focus. Never take life too seriously. And I promise to send you copies of the nutritional charts in the mail.”

     He laughed. “Thanks. My biggest screw up was not listening to you in the first place. If I’d just taken a couple of deep breaths to calm down, I probably wouldn’t have slipped. Next time I won’t make that mistake.”

     She watched him walk out the door. After a few moments she eased herself up from the mat. There was no way she would let Jimmy lose his job without a fight.

     She needed to think of a plan.

     “Mr. Grant?”

     Logan swivelled around in his leather chair. A tall man with silver hair stood in the door way dressed impeccably in a black suit and red silk tie. Green eyes stared back at Logan with an openly assessing gaze. The man’s shoes were polished to perfection, and a gleaming gold Rolex flashed from his wrist. Everything about the man shimmered with raw energy.

     For a moment Logan felt thrown by the striking resemblance Alexander Santell bore to his daughter. Logan carefully screened his expression to attain an element of blandness. Santell was a powerful adversary if crossed, and until Logan knew what game the man was playing it would be wise not to show any other thoughts that crossed his mind.

     “Mr. Santell, please come in. I wasn’t expecting you until six.” Logan stood to welcome the man.

     Santell strode across the room in long, graceful strides and reached out to grasp Logan’s hand in greeting. “I was able to wrap up my last meeting very quickly, and I thought it would be nice to talk to you alone before my lawyer and associate arrive for our conference.”

     Logan nodded, but couldn’t help but be struck by the powerful aura the man projected. “I see. Please, take a seat. Would you like coffee, brandy?”

     “No, thank you. Damn doctors are constantly on my case to cut my intake of caffeine and alcohol. I say if you can’t live the way you want why bother tacking on a couple of years?”

     Logan smiled, and sat back in his chair, settling himself comfortably. “I agree with you. There seems to be problems with everything we eat and drink today. I’m just waiting until they tell us the air we breathe has been poisoned for the last decade.”

     Alexander Santell let out a rich, booming laugh. They studied each other for a few moments, making mental notes. “So, have you thought about my offer?”

     Logan nodded and kept his expression bland. “I must admit I’m curious. My employees and I have been trying to secure a meeting with you for a while, but you’ve insisted you want nothing to do with a merger. Then, suddenly, the offer of a lifetime drops in my lap. Naturally, I’ve been interested in your change of heart.”

     Santell’s eyes narrowed. “And well you should. I don’t want my company merged with someone who trusts every offer thrown at him. I need someone who has the ruthlessness and business sense I’ve had since I was young. All the trade journals and even my fellow associates say, you’re the man of steel. I know quite well how you received your nickname. The real story, that is.”

     Logan’s tone held a faint warning. “I don’t discuss my past, Santell, neither with my friends nor enemies. As you don’t fit in either category yet, I advise you to keep the topic to business.”

     Santell gave another booming laugh. “Yes, I’m sure you would. But what if this business contract happens to involve my daughter?”

     The mention of Chandler threw Logan for a few moments, before he quickly gathered his composure. A lazy smile curved his lips. “I had a feeling she’d be mentioned in this little chat. I assume you know we’re working together?”

     “Hell, yes, I knew the moment she walked into your office. What surprised me was the reason you accepted her offer. Every other company in the city laughed her out of the office. Yet, you agreed to the proposal. Your actions made me start wondering. Do you mind if I smoke?”

     Logan waved for him to continue as he reached for an ashtray he kept in the top drawer. The older man opened his jacket and pulled out a cigar. He clipped the tip, lit it, and drew the smoke into his mouth, sighing with pleasure.

     “God, the Cubans sure know how to make a cigar.” He paused, enjoying his smoke while Logan waited. “I wondered about the real reason you accepted her offer. Knowing your business savvy, I doubted it was for the classes. So, it came down to two choices. Either you were interested in becoming involved with my daughter personally, or you decided it would be good to have her working for you as leverage.”

     “Leverage?” Logan tapped the pen absently against the edge of the desk. “What kind of leverage?”

     The older man grinned. “You’re a smart man. The moment she walked into your office you must have known she was my daughter, once worked for me, and that we haven’t spoken on an intimate level in years. You must also know how desperately I want her to marry the right man. Hell, I worry about her constantly. Ever since she started this crazy yoga business I hoped one day she’d come to her senses. She needs someone to show her she belongs in my company. But since she won’t talk to me, let alone run it, my second option is to give it to the man she marries and hope she takes her rightful place. I have a feeling the man could be you.”

     Logan’s expression never changed. The steady tap-tap-tap of the pen was the only sound in the room. He gazed at the older man across the desk as the pieces of the puzzle finally fit together. Alexander Santell had made his first mistake by assuming he knew all the details of Chandler’s past. His more deadly mistake, was assuming he could manipulate Logan as he did his former business executive—namely Michael Worthington. The thought of the man who was once Chandler’s fiancee turned Logan’s stomach and made his gut wrench.

     “What if I don’t want to marry her?” Logan asked.

     A glitter of triumph lit moss green eyes. “Oh, I think the idea appeals to you immensely. Besides getting my company, you’d get my daughter. From my detective’s report the other night, it seems the two of you are on more intimate terms.”

     Logan dropped his casual demeanor. He leaned over the desk, every muscle drawn with tension. His fist clenched over the pen he held and he lowered his voice to a silky pitch. “Listen to me and listen well, Santell. If you ever send another person to track me or your daughter, I’ll destroy you. If you know me half as well as you think you do, you’ll realize I don’t make threats. I make promises.”

     The older man smoked his cigar. Slowly, he nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Point taken. It seems you’re more involved than I originally thought. Another reason to think about my offer. I miss my little girl, and I worry about her. I think you’d be a very good match.”

     “As good as the last one?”

     Alexander waved the question away. “That was a mistake from the beginning. Worthington wasn’t strong enough for her, and I regret the episode. He ended up ruining my entire relationship with my daughter. I admit I made a mistake when the deal of a lifetime was dropped in my lap. I needed to get my daughter married fast. I thought Worthington would be perfect for her. It didn’t seem like a bad idea at the time, since Chandler started to stray. I figured a marriage would help her settle down and focus.” He shrugged massive shoulders in an innocent gesture. “It would have worked if Worthington had been the right man.” Alexander pointed his cigar at him. “But I have a gut instinct about you, Grant. I think beneath your cool exterior, you have real feelings for Chandler. And I know you’ll make my company profitable.”

     Santell stood up and stamped out his cigar in the ashtray. “The flock should be here in a few minutes to go over the details. If you agree, I’ll deliver on my promise when the ring is on her finger.”

     Logan caught the triumphant expression on the man’s face and knew Santell thought the game was over. As an experienced player, Santell had recognized his hunger, and offered to feed it. Logan smothered a groan and cursed himself for letting his emotions about Chandler show so clearly. He’d gain a lucrative contract that would put L&G Brokerage over the top. And he’d finally possess Chandler, body and soul.

     All he had to do was agree to the deal.

     The swirling emotions ripped at his gut as he gazed at her father. Logan knew if he accepted the proposal, Alexander Santell would control him. If Chandler ever found out their marriage was based on her father’s business deals, he’d lose his chance at gaining her heart.

     “And if I don’t agree?” Logan asked.

     Disappointment glimmered briefly in Santell’s eyes. He shrugged again. “Then you don’t get the contract. And, because of my displeasure I may have to encourage my suppliers and business associates to put a little pressure on you. The contract with Weatherall was superb, by the way, but nothing like what I can do for you.” He turned to go, then stopped at the door. “Oh, I also forgot to mention that Chandler is quite sensitive to any ruthless dealings in business. It would be a shame to have to tell her all the details of your past, wouldn’t it?”

     Logan chuckled. “I heard you like to play hardball. Again, I warn you not to involve her in your little games. You’ll regret it.”

     Santell nodded. “Thank you for listening to my proposal.”