"Three years, Julian," she said, tapping a silver pen against a thick legal folder. "That’s how long the merger has been stalled. Your board wants blood, and my family wants your territory. We are past the point of handshakes."
Julian leaned back, the amber liquid in his glass catching the dim light. He wasn't looking at the merger papers. He was looking at the way Elena’s jaw tightened when she was bluffing. 3 : A Proposal as a Pretext
"A small price for a billion-dollar empire," Julian said, offering his hand to help her up. "Three years, Julian," she said, tapping a silver