Read Online I Want To Be Yours by D.M. Mortier - Free Book Online Page A

then him at sixteen years old. They’d all had mild cases of it because of their previous vaccinations. However, because he had contracted the illness in his teens, it had rendered him sterile. That wasn’t quite how the doctor worded it, though. “Low sperm count,” he’d said.
    But Nico was a realist. He knew it all equated to the same thing. He’d never father a child of his own.
    How is this shit possible?
    Nico felt his emotions churning out of control. His eyes glistened with the crushing weight of it.
     
    It was well after six in the evening. Mari sat at her desk with a stupid grin on her face. Just the thought of holding a mini-Nico in her arms in a few short months was mind boggling. Boy or girl—they couldn’t help but acquire his most dominant traits: demanding, over-achiever, freakishly brilliant, and determined. She was giddy thinking of a little replica of Nico, and had difficulty concentrating on the brief still left to be completed on her desk.
    Richard walked in to her office.
    “Hello, Mari. I tried calling you earlier but no one knew where you went off to.” He looked at her inquiringly.
    Mari didn’t bother answering the unasked question. This was one piece of news that was only going to be shared when it became too obvious to hide. And by then, she would be working for another company.
    “Did you need something?” She sat back in her chair and smiled at him.
    Richard slumped in a guest chair in her office and stretched his long legs in front of him. Why couldn’t she have fallen for him? Mari thought, smiling at the boyish picture he presented, slouched like that in the chair. Richard was intelligent, very good looking, athletically built, and a pretty funny guy, for a lawyer. His rich, blond hair, hazel eyes, and always perfectly tanned skin had broken a lot of hearts over the years. While Nico had a rule against fraternizing among the executives, Richard had no problem keeping his sample pool to those in the lower ranks. No matter how badly the relationship ended, there was always another willing victim.
    “Nico called and wants an emergency team meeting here in London tomorrow. He and the rest of team will arrive first thing in the morning. We’ll decide one way or another to go ahead with the purchase of the bank in the Cayman Islands, or not. There are a few other scenarios coming up, along with current operational reports for review,” Richard informed her.
    Despite his playboy image, Richard was a brilliant lawyer and a very good friend. She was closest to him on the team now that Nico no longer played the role of close friend and confidant. Had the other team members noticed? Men were often so unobservant. She would be surprised if they had.
    “You know with all the drama surrounding Nico’s divorce, we have to all pull this deal together seamlessly to ensure continued confidence in our ability to hold things together.”
    “Yeah, I know. There’s no need to worry. Our shareholders are aware of our unique team dynamic, and as long as we maintain the status quo, all will be okay. Despite what’s going on in his private life, Nico hasn’t lost his focus. He’s still on top of everything as he usually is,” Mari argued loyally.
    “Ease up, kiddo. You’ll get no argument from me.” He grinned, holding up his palms defensively.
    “He has taken calculated risks that will pay-off handsomely at year-end, so those old cronies will have nothing to complain about.” She continued glaring at him. Mari couldn’t help but admire Nico even more for everything he’d accomplished in recent months, given the upheaval in his personal life. He was a consummate businessman, focused and driven to succeed.
    “Again, I agree.”
    “I have to finalize this report on my findings, but I think everything else is ready for review,” she informed him, needing him to take the hint and leave. She was anxious about the prospect of being in such close confines Nico again, especially after the