The Wrong Brother's Temptation novel Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Connor

13

55 vouchers

The intern Sienna hated so much had booked a hotel for me and sent me a string of messages along with the driver details, hotel address and the address of the alpha I was supposed to meet among a dozen other

messages.

I ignored most of it and walked outside the airport to see a car waiting outside arrivals and the driver holding my name on a signboard. I got in it directly, still in yesterday’s suit, because the meeting was at nine and sitting in a hotel room for three hours thinking about Sienna was not a viable option.

“The Harrington estate,” I said, and the driver nodded and pulled out. The drive to the estate was two hours either way so I didn’t want to waste my time going to the hotel.

Not wanting to let my mind drift elsewhere, I pulled up the files related to the man I was supposed to meet. I hadn’t bothered finding out anything about him yet and now was a good time to do so.

The tycoon, Charles Harrington, was sixty–something, and self–made. He was the strongest and oldest alpha in London, some even called him the King of London. It turned out that Alpha Asher had been waiting for ages to grab his attention and spent several years trying to get into business with him.

But the Harrington alpha had cancelled on us twice in eight months and the one time he finally agreed to meet us, I was the one to have cancelled the meeting.

No wonder it hurt the bastard’s ego.

I spent some more time reading about him and lost track of time until the driver turned off the main road and through a set of gates that I registered vaguely.

A huge building or should I say a mansion stretched on the land but my phone buzzed and I quickly checked my messages to see if it was Sienna.

It was yet another reminder from my assistant. I debated sending sienna a text but figured she must be asleep and exhausted from yesterday, besides she had asked me to focus on work so that’s what I was going to do.

I looked up and outside the window again and noticed that it was larger than the Ashford estate back home. If the Ashford estate was a mansion, this was nothing short of a palace.

Manicured lawns rolled out in every direction and a huge fountain was in the center of the circular drive. nestled among shrubs with a variety of flowers.

Old trees lined the edges of the visible garden, and the estate itself seemed to be made of rich, polished marble.

I’d never been here before. The file confirmed it was my first visit. And yet standing outside looking at the fountain alongside a line of trees against the grey London morning, something pulled at the edges of my memory that I couldn’t catch.

The front door opened before I’d reached it and a man in his forties in a dark uniform appeared, with a smile.

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15:19 Thu, Jul 23

Chapter 75

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55 valichers

“Mr. Ashford,” he said. “Welcome. I’m Hadley. Mr. Harrington’s head butler.” He stepped back to allow me in.

The entrance hall was straight out of a movie with high ceilings, expensive art on the wall and a staircase that went up like it aimed for the sky. Everything here screamed old money.

“Mr. Harrington will be with you shortly,” Hadley said, leading me through to a sitting room off the main hall. “He apologizes for the delay. May I offer you tea? Coffee?”

“Coffee,” I said. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” He gestured to the seating arrangement that consisted of two plush sofas facing each other across a low table, a fireplace, and massive curved windows looking out onto the side garden.

“I believe you just landed in the city. Would you need to change or freshen up? I can get a bath arranged for you.”

“I’ll just wash my face I guess”

“Please make yourself comfortable in the guest bedroom should you feel the need to lie down or just relax.” He said before pointing me to one of the massive doors on the right and left.

On second thought, I didn’t want to appear bedraggled so quickly went to the guestroom to wash my face and put on a new set of crisp clothes that I had packed just in case.

The coffee arrived with cookies and I accepted it because it would be rude to say no, then went by the window to enjoy it.

I sipped on the rich coffee while letting my gaze roam over the garden and saw a stone bench beside one of the big trees and the feeling of familiarity returned, stronger this time.

I was still working out what that meant when the door opened.

Alpha Harrington was a broad man, white–haired, and wore an expensive suit that made my clothes look decent ish. He came in with his hand already extended, and I turned from the window and crossed the room and shook it.

“Connor Ashford,” he said, looking up and down at me. “I’ve heard a great deal about you. Sit, please. Hadley tells me you came directly from the airport.”

“I didn’t want to waste your morning especially after the last minute cancellation yesterday,” I said, which was diplomatic and also true.

“A man who doesn’t waste time.” He settled into the opposite sofa. “I respect that. I had some last minute stuff creep up on me as well in both our previously arranged meetings so I owe you an apology for those.”

He said without sounding apologetic.

“Not at all,” I said.

“Your father is doing well?”

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15:19 Thu, Jul 23

Chapter 75

13

35 Vouchers

“Very well. He sends his regards.” I smiled.

Alpha Harrington nodded. Hadley appeared with a tray of sandwiches and coffee, set it down and disappeared again.

We chatted a bit about the weather and I slowly let the conversation flow to the deal and how he would benefit from partnering with our pack.

He grilled me for three hours, testing me with tricky questions about international laws, pack borders and tariffs that I answered efficiently.

By the time he had exhausted his brain coming up with any question he could possibly think of, I knew Harrington was going to sign.

I could feel he had already made his decision but just was not jumping at the opportunity right away. The cancelled meetings had been leverage, not disinterest. He wanted the deal on his terms and he wanted to know that I understood that very well.

I was in the middle of laying out the adjusted terms, when Harrington said. “You know, Connor, the truth of it is you’re not actually here to please me.”

I stopped.

“I’m sorry?” I said.

He smiled and set his coffee cup down.

“This deal isn’t mine to close,” he said.

“Not really. I have a policy, you see. Business relationships are longer than individual negotiations. I’ve found over the years that the instincts of the people I trust most are worth more than any due diligence my lawyers can produce.” He took a deliberate pause before continuing. “So I let them meet the people I’m considering doing business with first. Their opinion matters more than mine.”

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