Russian Roulette: Family secrets [2021 version]

Ch. 39: Please tell me I can buy sextoys?

"Is he in?"

Nina smilingly looked up from her computer screen and greeted Mackenzie with a wave. "For you, yes. For other human beings who value breathing, no."

"Is it that bad today?" Mackenzie laughed at Nina's honest way of telling what she would walk into.

"A courier came with some documents for him earlier. He's been on a rant, tearing the place apart since."

"Should I bring coffee to calm the wild beast?"

"I'd bring a stun gun, but that's just me." Nina winked at Mackenzie and let her walk to Gareth's office unannounced like she always did.

Unannounced and unarmed.

Politely, Mackenzie knocked before she opened the door and walked in. She knew she did not have to; Gareth had told her she could enter at all times. Normally, she did, but it felt prudent to knock when he was in a fit. As much as she loved him, she would get pissy if she walked into a flying stapler or something.

"Is it safe?"

Gareth was on the phone, talking fast in maybe Dutch or some Germanic language Mackenzie did not speak. Without stopping to catch a breath, he kept talking and waved her in, pointing at the sofas.

No flying stapler was a good start.

Whatever had his knickers in a wad, it had Gareth worried. But he did not seem angry; he did not furiously ramble with undertones of death and destruction. He concentrated, with his brows knitted together while he thought like mad and talked faster than she thought possible.

It was all nonsense.

Gareth listened to the man, trying to explain why they had looked into his companies. The acquisition company in Holland had, supposedly, been hired by an anonymous third party to look into several of Gareth's companies. They had found it strange because Gareth's companies did not stand subjected to possible share buyouts.

After getting hired twice to look into his companies, they had contacted Gareth about it. They had sent him reports and everything they had, which Gareth had spent the morning going over.

There was nothing wrong with the reports. His companies were strong and legit; a simple search online would have revealed that Gareth held a majority in all companies, and he had not once sold any shares. Why somebody wanted thorough reports on companies they could not have, made him irritable.

And it had made the Dutch company wonder.

"I need a name," Gareth snarled in Dutch. His patience was running thin with the conversation. They had contacted him and then they were dancing around.

He hated that.

Gareth was not one of those who claimed his time was more valuable than others', he just claimed it valuable to him, and being bullshitted was not something he took lightly.

Shit or get off the potty!

He did not have time for the song and dance routine. He wanted facts and they should be presented promptly at his demand.

"Giovanni Campo of Banca Campo."

Oh!

Oh?

Gareth had not considered someone like Giovanni at all. Why the hell would he have any interest in his companies? None of his was for sale, he was not looking for investors, or had any extensive talent searches going for key jobs. The only major thing pending was the Niehauser deal, which was dragging out; not that it was a bad thing, with Phoenix having been out of commission for so long.