Delicate Negotiations

By Lili Grouse

ALEC HUNTER is a closer. When corporate mogul Jack Stone hires Alec to negotiate a deal with his ex-wife, Alec is confident he'll have the agreement signed in no time. After all, his charms have worked on numerous women in the past. Only, the former Mrs. Stone wants nothing to do with her ex-husband - or with Alec. While Alec struggles to negotiate with the fiery brunette, he is forced to re-evaluate more than just his business strategies.

DESIRÉE GRIMAUD has hidden herself away in the south of France ever since her divorce, and is perfectly happy with her life the way it is. Then, her ex-husband sends a lawyer her way. A man that threatens to turn her whole world upside down. She is determined not to give in, but will the handsome lawyer break down the walls she's built up and uncover secrets she's kept hidden for years?

*** Content Warning: Delicate Negotiations is an emotionally gripping tale that touches upon sensitive topics, including past abuse (physical and sexual). Reader discretion is advised.***

• Language: English
• Publisher: Grouse Hill Publishing
• Release date: Jul 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215566138

Lili Grouse

Growing up on a farm, Lili Grouse discovered her love of storytelling early on, making up bedtime stories for the calves, who were probably happier for the attention than the actual storytelling. In school, she was given a notebook to be used solely for writing stories in. She filled it up and asked for another - she was working on an epic, darn it. Of course, writing time in school wasn't enough, so she took to writing - and illustrating - stories at home on printer paper her father happily provided. Cut to thirty years later, give or take, and Lili Grouse is still at it. These days, her stories have less to do with strawberries going on adventures and searching for hidden treasures, and more to do with finding that elusive happy-ever-after. It is her dream to one day write for a living, but in the meantime, every minute not spent working, sleeping, or reading is dedicated to working on her passion.

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Table of Contents

Delicate Negotiations

UN

DEUX

TROIS

QUATRE

CINQ

SIX

SEPT

HUIT

NEUF

DIX

ONZE

DOUZE

TREIZE

QUATORZE

QUINZE

SEIZE

DIX-SEPT

DIX-HUIT

DIX-NEUF

VINGT

VINGT-ET-UN

VINGT-DEUX

VINGT-TROIS

VINGT-QUATRE

VINGT-CINQ

VINGT-SIX

ÉPILOGUE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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© 2021, 2023 Grouse Hill Publishing

All rights reserved

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

Originally published as Deserted Desire in 2014 © Lili Grouse

Cover design by Colleen Kelley, Magenta Quill Book Design

Cover image under license from Adobe Stock

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First of all, a big thank you goes out to fellow indie author Elle Fielding, who offers constant support and encouragement as well as inspires me through her writing. If it weren’t for her, I would not have gone through with revising this book and (hopefully) created a stronger story for you to enjoy.

Daisy, thank you for always making me feel like every chapter I send your way is worth reading, even when it’s flawed. You’re an amazing cheerleader.

I also have to mention the lovely hosts at La Muse Artists and Writers Retreat in the south of France, John and Kerry. This was not the project I worked on during my time there, but when I decided to revise Deserted Desire, it was the vibe and scenery of their small village and neighboring villages that I used as inspiration for the reimagined village Espoire.

Finally, thank you to my Instagram friends for all your support and encouragement.

You know who you are.

UN

ALEC HUNTER STUDIED the man sitting in front of him with the sort of detached scrutiny he had perfected over the course of a decade of practice. As a potential client, Jack Stone and his conglomerate was a catch for the firm. Thanks to a fellow Harvard alumnus’s referral, he was Alec’s catch. Alec just hadn’t decided yet whether to throw him back in the pond or not.

How may I help you, Mr. Stone?

Jack Stone rested his right leg on top of the other, creasing his tailored Italian suit. His steely blue eyes were calculating, and while he had creases around the eyes, there were no laugh lines in sight.

As you know, I have amassed a great deal of assets throughout the course of my life, both here and internationally.

Alec suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and point out that he wouldn’t be taking this meeting if Jack Stone wasn’t a billionaire. Alec had gotten a reputation for being a shark, and he only went after the big fish.

I have received an offer for one of Stone Enterprises’ subsidiaries, Jack said, planting both feet on the floor. It’s an eyesore and frankly, I’m happy to be rid of it.

So we are talking a standard business transaction? Alec leaned back in his chair, the leather squeaking softly. He had better things to do with his time than to take meetings with pompous business men for small time deals.  My associates will make sure the sale goes through smoothly for you.

I have reason to expect complications, Mr. Hunter, Jack Stone said, his voice cool and detached. Clearly, he didn’t appreciate being so easily dismissed. I was told you are experienced in conducting delicate negotiations.

Alec smirked and leaned forward, resting his arms on his mahogany desk. He could smell blood in the water. I’m listening.

Jack cleared his throat before speaking. Stone Enterprises was my mother’s. When she passed away, she left a third of the shares to my ex-wife. I have reason to believe Desirée is manipulating my younger brother to gain controlling interest. My ex-wife doesn’t know the first thing about running a company, let alone a whole group of them. I want her gone, Mr. Hunter. 

I take it your ex-wife opposes the proposed sale? Alec said, taking notes.

Yes. And she’s using my brother to stonewall me.

Why is she against selling off the subsidiary if it’s beneficial to the group?

For one simple reason. Because I want to sell.

So, you want me to compel your ex to sell her shares in Stone Enterprises to you? Not just close the sale of the subsidiary?

Alec played it cool, but inside he was salivating. Selling off a small subsidiary to a fixed buyer, without a due diligence process, wouldn’t amount to many billable hours, but a transfer of shares for the entire group... 

Jack leaned back in his seat, looking smug. I’m well aware of your reputation, Mr. Hunter. Convince my ex-wife that she is better off not having any connections to my family. I want my brother out from under her spell, and I want controlling interest in Stone Enterprises. The way it should have been from the start.

Alec studied the businessman anew. Clearly there was bad blood between Jack Stone and his ex, and it appeared he had a complicated relationship with his younger brother, as well. 

You will of course be generously compensated for your time, Jack added, as if that was even in question.

I assure you, Mr. Stone, Alec said coolly, my standard fee will prove costly enough.

Whereas many a Texan oil millionaire would guffaw heartily at the mention of Alec’s hourly fee, the clean-shaven European merely smirked. I’ll take that as a ‘yes’, Mr. Hunter. I’ll have my assistant forward the relevant documentation to your office.

I’ll have an Engagement Letter drawn up, Alec said and stood to shake Jack’s hand.

Stone’s handshake was firm and cold, much like the man himself. Alec made sure his handshake was equally strong before letting go. He pressed the buzzer button on the intercom and seconds later his assistant opened the door.

Yes, Mr. Hunter?

Miss Clarkson, if you would be so kind as to show Mr. Stone out and have a standard Engagement Letter delivered by courier this afternoon, please?

Certainly, sir, she said and held the door wide open to allow Jack to pass. Right this way, Mr. Stone, she said sweetly and closed the door behind them.

Alec walked over to his window to look out over the city. New York was cloaked in a winterly fog and he wondered when exactly spring was supposed to make its appearance. It had been a long and cold winter and not even the fireplace in his Upper East Side penthouse apartment had managed to keep him warm for long. Neither had any of his casual acquaintances. He longed for a vacation. Preferably somewhere where drinks were served on the beach by topless, tanned women. He’d have to ask his travel agent about that.

Alec sat back down at his desk and checked his inbox, forwarding some emails, deleting others. Once a suitable amount of time had passed, he pressed the talk button on the intercom.

Sandra, will you come in here, please?

Moments later, she opened the door and poked her head in. Yes, Mr. Hunter?

Did Mr. Stone find the elevators all right? Alec asked and folded his hands behind his head, stretching.

Yes, sir, Sandra said and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. You know, Alec, it wouldn’t kill you to take a walk once in a while.

And help inflate more egos? Alec raised his eyebrows to punctuate his rhetorical question. Men like Jack Stone already think they’re important enough. Why would I want to add to the illusion? Besides, I get plenty of exercise, thank you very much.

Ah, that reminds me... Melinda Berkley called, Sandra said in a sing-songy voice. I think she wants a re-match.

Ugh, Alec groaned and leaned back in his chair. Call her back and tell her I’ve given up on tennis. I’m hanging up my racket.

Done, Sandra said, making a tick on her notepad. And... the conference in San Francisco? Anita’s waiting for your RSVP...

Cocktails and networking. Alec sighed. You know I hate to miss out on a party, but I have a feeling this new case is going to require my full attention.

Sandra jotted something down on her notepad and headed for the door. She paused in the doorway. Oh, by the way... Darryl Finch called. He was not pleased with his severance pay – said you’d cheated him out of two million dollars.

Alec shrugged. He should have read the fine print. I’m sure he can afford to get his eyes checked with the money he did get.

So when he calls back...? Sandra raised her eyebrows, awaiting Alec’s instructions.

Tell him we can recommend a nice hedge fund solution. He’ll double his severance pay by the end of next quarter. Then draw up some papers for me to look at. I’ll be expecting a handling fee, of course.

Of course, Sandra chuckled and headed out of his office.

Alec turned his attention back to his computer and pulled up the file Sandra had compiled for him on Jack Stone. She’d done a standard background check on him and prospect research on Stone Enterprises.

Alec reviewed the share ledger, cataloging ownership dating back to the founding of Stone Enterprises. At least as far back as it had been a registered entity in the U.S. From the summary Sandra had made over the key points in the Stones’ history, Stone Enterprises started out as a gesellschaft registered in Germany with the Stein family as shareholders. As its holdings grew, Stone Enterprises was incorporated in the state of New York and the assets transferred into subsidiaries to that company. Subsidiaries that were scattered all over the world. Desirée Stone was sitting on one third of a multi-billion-dollar corporation. Chances of her giving that up were slim to none. And since she was listed in the share register, it stood to reason that the will had gone uncontested. Jack Stone’s lawyers had botched it. Grafton & Coates stood a good chance at acquiring all of Stone Enterprises’ business if Alec could make the sale of the subsidiary go through. Convincing Desirée Stone to sell her shares would have to be a secondary approach. Everyone had buttons to press.

DESIRÉE GRIMAUD LIFTED her brush from the canvas and stepped back to get a better view of her work so far. Everything became clear when seen from a distance. 

You look disappointed.

Desirée looked over her shoulder and smiled at her former brother-in-law. It’s my thinking face. I would think you’d recognize it by now.

I’m starting to see it more and more on Juliette, Zach said and glanced over at the little picnic blanket on the lawn between Desirée’s cottage and studio. Her daughter was playing with her dolls and talking to herself.

I thought you were having tea? Desirée said, noting that the plastic tea set lay discarded at the edge of the blanket.

"We’re out of pâtisseries," Zach said, deadpan, and Desirée laughed.

I’ll put it on the list for next time. Are you heading off?

I was planning on it. Unless you need me to stick around while you finish up?

Desirée shook her head and cleaned off her brush. I’m done for today. Thanks for keeping an eye on her.

Please, it’s a treat. She’s staying with me next weekend, right?

If you’re sure it’s no trouble.

Of course not, Zach said and kissed her cheeks. I’ll call you tomorrow after the board meeting, keep you up to speed.

Thanks, Zach.

She followed him out of her studio, a spacious glassed-in porch attached to a single bedroom house. It was heated and air conditioned so she could work there year-round, and she had full view of the back of her cottage and her garden.

"Juliette, dis au revoir à Tonton," she told her daughter, drawing Juliette’s attention away from her dolls.

The girl’s long, deep brown hair was a ringer for Desirée’s, but the wide eyes quickly filling with tears were ice blue, not brown. Her legacy from the Stones.

Hey, now, Zach said and crouched down to Juliette’s level, I’ll see you on Monday, and then next weekend you’ll have a sleepover at my house.

"You don’t have a house. You have un appartement."

Zach laughed. "Right you are. So clever. Just like Maman," he added with a wink at Desirée.

Desirée just rolled her eyes. The older Juliette got, the more inquisitive she became. Someday soon, she’d have a lot of tricky questions to answer. But not yet. Desirée picked Juliette up as she started sniffling, and together they waved Zach off.

Not yet.

THE PAPERWORK JACK Stone had delivered to Alec’s office came in a thick manila envelope stamped Confidential. Inside was a copy of Margaret Stone’s will, a detailed record of the group’s holdings and key figures for each entity, as well as the latest annual report for the subsidiary Jack Stone wanted to offload, shareholders’ agreement and several other agreements including patent and trademark registration certificates pertaining to the Carcassonne subsidiary.

In addition, there was a CD marked vDD, which Alec surmised contained the data room documents for a future due diligence process. He would put one of the other partners in charge of going over the material in preparation for the process of sale.

There was also a divorce settlement agreement dated five years ago. Alec picked up the will again. It had been drawn up and witnessed just a few months after the divorce between Jack Hans Stone and Desirée Stone (née Grimaud). Did Margaret Stone pick a side in the divorce? What had motivated her to bequeath a third of her shareholdings to her former daughter-in-law?

He picked up the latest minutes from the annual shareholders’ meeting for the French subsidiary. Desirée Grimaud had been present only by proxy. More specifically, through Zachary Stone. Perhaps there was some truth to Jack’s claim that his ex-wife was involved with his brother. Either way, he needed to set up a meeting.

He pressed the talk button on the intercom. Sandra, get me Desirée Stone’s contact information.

Moments later, Sandra poked her head in. You mean it’s not in there? She pointed at the thick envelope on his desk.

If I wanted to be a detective, I’d have skipped law school and gone straight for the online P.I. degree.

Clown College would have made for a better fit, Sandra quipped and Alec narrowed his eyes at her. I’ll have it for you tomorrow. I have Pilates in less than 30 minutes.

Is this what I pay you good money for? Alec scowled.

"No, you pay me good money to keep women away from you – not to find them."

Smart alec.

"I thought Alec was your name?" she shot back and closed the door behind her.

Five minutes later, he had the contact information in his inbox. An address in France and a cell phone number.

What? No home number? he fired back.

Either unlisted or non-existent. Late for Pilates now.

Alec smiled to himself and dialed. He leaned back in his chair and waited as the signals went through. First impressions were key, and he had a great phone voice.

There was a click on the line and Alec readied himself to begin his introduction. Then a metallic voice – in French, no less – rattled off a long string of words, ending with a beep. Voicemail. Frowning, Alec left a message.

Mrs. Stone, my name is Alec Hunter. I’m with Grafton & Coates in New York and I would like to discuss a legal matter with you. Please call me back at your earliest convenience. You can reach me at... Alec rattled off his contact information and hung up the phone. That should do it.

DESIRÉE WIPED HER HANDS on her floral print apron, the flour leaving white clouds on the resilient fabric. Her cell phone had died sometime during the night and was now charging on the kitchen counter. A buzzing sound indicated she had a message waiting and she walked over to it.

In the tree outside her kitchen window, the finches were chirping, no doubt hoping to get a taste of the pastry now sitting in the oven. Spring had come early this year, and Desirée enjoyed the added warmth of the sun streaming in through the windows of her little cottage.

She picked up her cell phone and saw she had a missed call from an international number. Desirée frowned. Who would be calling her internationally? Intrigued, Desirée called up her voicemail service.

After the message had finished playing, Desirée hung up the phone, setting it back on the counter to let it finish charging. What would a New York lawyer want with her? The only connection she had to New York was her ex-husband, and they hadn’t spoken in five years. What was Jack up to?

Desirée put her baking utensils in the sink and started cleaning up. Meanwhile, the cogs in her brain were turning, trying to make sense of the mysterious message. Well, if the big shot lawyer wanted to talk to her, he’d have to work a little harder at his presentation. She didn’t owe Jack Stone anything, and the further away she stayed from his world, the better for everyone involved.

DEUX

ALEC HUNTER... A FEMALE voice said languorously, and Alec felt a frisson of foreboding go up his spine. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be solicited for new donations while attending a charity event, but it always annoyed him. He put on his best smile and turned around.

Mrs. Berenger, he said smoothly and brought the older woman’s gloved hand to his lips. Elisabeth Berenger always wore gloves these days. He suspected she was self-conscious about her bony, liver-spotted hands that used to be adorned with diamonds. Pleasure to see you again.

My dear boy, Mrs. Berenger fussed, it’s been far too long. I didn’t see you at last month’s costume party at the Dixons’.

Oh, I look awful in a mask, Alec said with a chuckle. I’m sure you looked stunning, though.

Oh, tush, Mrs. Berenger chuckled. I’m an old woman. My granddaughter on the other hand... she trailed off with a glint in her eyes.

Alec smiled broadly. He was very well acquainted with Mrs. Berenger’s granddaughter, but he was sure the older woman wouldn’t appreciate hearing the details of their latest encounter. Especially since they’d gotten better acquainted in Mrs. Berenger’s linen closet during dessert at the annual Berenger Ball last November.

I’m sure she is a very lovely girl, he said smoothly. However, I’m afraid I’ve kept my date waiting for far too long. Will you excuse me?

Of course, but-

So nice to see you again, Mrs. Berenger, Alec said and kissed her hand again, eager to get away before she could bring up the topic of donations.

But... Mr. Hunter...

Mrs. Berenger’s voice faded away as Alec wound his way through the throng of people in the room. Another bullet dodged.