Winner Takes It All by Karen Mason Page A

rang, awaking
her from her little trance and she hoped it wasn’t Tim berating her
for leaving without saying goodbye that morning. When she saw it
was Michael, she felt rather shocked. They’d barely spoken since
Christian had set their challenge.
    ‘ How’s it
going sis?’ he asked and straight away Alex could hear he was upset
about something.
    ‘ You know we
can’t discuss business,’ she said. ‘It’s unethical.’
    ‘ I know that,
but I just needed to sound off. Fucking Wings Air have pulled out
of the deal.’
    ‘ Michael
should you be telling me this….?’
    ‘ I’m just so
annoyed. I thought it was done and dusted and along comes some
other company offering them more money and they accept
it.’
    ‘ What company
was this?’
    ‘ I don’t know.
Some American company called FreeTime, I’ve never heard of them.
I’ve got to start from scratch again.’
    ‘ You’ll find
something else,’ she replied, feeling just a little guilty that her
plans were going so well and yet her brother’s were falling apart.
This may have been a competition, but blood was thicker than
water.
    ‘ Where are you
now?’
    ‘ I’m on my way
to Liverpool. I’ve a few meetings to attend.’
    ‘ Will you be
back on Wednesday? I know we’re rivals and all that, but you’re
still my sister and I’d like you at my birthday party.’
    Alex had forgotten all
about it. Michael would be thirty one next week.
    ‘ Of course.
Where will it be?’
    ‘ Jem’s holding
it at her house. My flat’s too small.’
    ‘ Okay, Tim and
I will be there, I promise.’
    ‘ Glad to hear
it. Speak soon.’
    ‘ Yes, and chin
up Mikey, it’ll work out okay in the end.’
    Jack was waiting for her
in the Shogun outside Lime Street Station. Today he was more
casually dressed, in a t-shirt and jeans and like an idiot Alex
blushed, finding it hard to tear her eyes away from his muscled
arms. He drove off at speed, heading down towards the
docks.
    ‘ Where are we
going?’ she asked.
    ‘ I thought
we’d go to my office,’ he replied. ‘Well, when I say office it’s
actually one of me flats. I ain’t decided whether or not I want to
rent it out or sell it, so at the moment I use it as a
base.’
    ‘ Where do you
actually live?’
    ‘ St Helens but
it’s easier to be based here in the City. What about you?
Whereabouts in London do you live?’
    ‘ Hoxton, very
trendy, I know.’
    ‘ Well, if you
can afford it.’
    She went to say that she
split the rent with her boyfriend but something stopped her from
revealing this.
    ‘ I’m not some
spoilt rich girl,’ was what she did retort. ‘I work for everything
I earn.’
    ‘ Yeah, but how
many people are given millions by their dad to set up
companies?’
    His contempt was
beginning to get to her and however good looking and sexy he was,
she deserved a bit of respect. He hardly knew her and she’d already
offered him the chance of a lifetime. A little gratitude wouldn’t
go amiss.
    ‘ Look if I
offend you that much why don’t you just pull out of this deal?’ she
snapped. ‘I thought we could help each other, but all I seem to be
to you is a joke.’
    ‘ I’m sorry
Alex,’ he replied, although he hardly looked it. ‘You’ve got to
excuse my sense of humour.’
    ‘ I know you
think I’m some sort of rich bitch but I’m not. I have a lot resting
on my shoulders, like the future of my family’s company for
example. Also, if I get the job as head of Sheridans, there’s no
telling what opportunities I might be able to present you
with.’
    ‘ I’m not
banking on working for Sheridans Alex. I’m helping you with this
hotel and that’s it. I’ve got me own living to make.’
    His working class chip on
the shoulder was highly irritating and Alex was beginning to regret
involving him in this. But she knew she had no way out, she
couldn’t spend all her time in Liverpool and she needed someone who
was permanently based there to keep an eye on things. Besides, he
knew the