The Billionaire's Ruthless Intrusion (Billionaire Knights Book 1) by Nic Saint Page B

family will provide for you,” he pointed out gruffly. “As we have since you…” He wanted to use the word ‘ensnared’ but instead opted for the less corrosive, “…married my father.”
    “What Stuart means, Caroline,” interjected Kirsty softly, “is that once the company is no longer owned and controlled by the family, there’s no telling what might happen. Fortunes dwindle but a well-run business is like a gift that keeps on giving. It provides us with its prosperity in perpetuity.”
    Neatly put, Stuart thought, though he saw from the frown on Caroline’s face that she had trouble grasping the concept. Her next words attested to that.
    “I don’t understand. When I sell I get millions. Positively millions!”
    “Yes, but when you hold on to your share in the company you’ll get an even better deal,” Kirsty pointed out patiently. “Let me see if I can explain it to you.”
    Standing back, his hands folded behind his back, Stuart listened to how she explained the difference between a coin in the hand now and a business that kept on minting fresh coins year after year. The coin in the hand now might sound great, but money had a habit of running out after a while, whereas a prosperous business always kept producing fresh money, forever and ever.
    “Do you mean that Knight Enterprises is like a machine that prints money?” Caroline asked hesitantly, her grasp on economic concepts not very astute.
    “That’s exactly right,” confirmed Kirsty with a smile. “Just think of Knight Enterprises as the Royal Mint. As long as those printing presses keep on churning you will always be provided for. Isn’t that right, Stuart?”
    She’d turned to Stuart and he nodded solemnly. “Kirsty is right.”
    “And you will always provide for me?” Caroline asked uncertainly.
    “Yes, we will,” Kirsty said decidedly. “Won’t we, Stuart?”
    Without hesitation this time Stuart confirmed, “That’s right. We will always provide for you, Caroline. For the rest of your life you will never have to worry about money.” He crooked an eyebrow. “ If you refuse to give in to these Saudis.”
    Caroline nodded slowly, understanding dawning. “Oh, I see.”
    It was hard for Stuart to make a promise to the woman he held responsible for his father’s downfall, but there was no other way. Kirsty was right. It was either accept the burden of Caroline’s livelihood, or watch the business his family had built up over the years be sold off to the highest bidder.
    “Well, that’s all right then,” Caroline finally said cheerfully. “I won’t sell!”
    Kirsty reached out a hand and placed it on Caroline’s arm. “You’re doing the right thing, Caroline,” she said warmly. “And you won’t be sorry.”
    “But I will want all of this in writing, won’t I?” Caroline added shrewdly.
    Both she and Kirsty looked up at Stuart, who grimaced, and announced gruffly, “I will have the papers drawn up. You will have them tomorrow.”
    The moment he’d uttered the words, Caroline rang that infernal bell again, and cried, “That calls for a celebration!” And when her manservant showed up, she instructed, “Champagne, Norbert. And not the cheap stuff, either. Only the very best will do!”
    Great, Stuart thought. Already he was starting to regret his decision. Unfortunately, there was no other way. It was either this or the end of Knight.

Chapter 14
    G eoffrey was holding his engagement party in the same club he usually favored, coincidentally the club where Stuart had given him a stern talking-to about Kirsty. Stuart stood leaning against the bar and watched the cheerful moves of the crowd with a kindling eye. Ever since he’d been in the service he’d developed a dim view of a world where people could simply have fun without thinking of the men and women who protected their freedom at the cost of their own lives. He knew he’d always been the serious one, and the object of much mirth amongst his own brothers