All In by Simona Ahrnstedt Read Free Book Online Page A

settled on a black oil painting that an enthusiastic interior decorator had billed a fortune for. The décor at Hammar Capital’s offices was primarily the product of an expensive and visionary interior design firm that had been given very loose reins. But they often had clients here and occasionally a big party, and all the stainless steel and glass always impressed everyone.
    His lunch with Natalia De la Grip yesterday hadn’t given him anything. And he was booked up for the whole next week with meetings from morning to night. So he didn’t actually have any more time to squander sitting around thinking about her. But every once in a while a memory from their lunch would come to mind and he would dwell on it. A look that stuck with him, a memory of her pale skin and figure.
    â€œAre you still there?”
    David nodded, even though, of course, the man on the phone couldn’t see the gesture. “Sorry. I’m here,” he said.
    â€œDo we need to meet, or is my money in good hands?”
    The man on the other end of the line was Gordon Wyndt, one of Hammar Capital’s biggest investors and one of David’s few really close friends.
    Hammar Capital had considerable equity of its own. Against all odds, David had created one of the most powerful venture capital firms in the country, but for really big deals they still depended on leveraging their network of wealthy venture partners. And Gordon Wyndt, a sixty-year-old British-American tycoon, and just like David a self-made man from simple beginnings, was the richest of all and the least risk-averse.
    They had met when Gordon was teaching at the Stockholm School of Economics and David was a student. They had e-mailed each other sporadically, and when David studied at Harvard, they had gotten in touch again and stayed in touch over the years. Despite the difference in their ages and their very different personalities, they had become friends as well as business partners. More than once, David had given Gordon tips about stocks or companies worth investing in, and when David started his own business, Gordon had been the first to invest.
    â€œWhat’s actually going on?” Gordon asked. A dog yapped in the background, and David remembered that Gordon’s most recent wife was fond of little dogs.
    â€œA big deal. I’m just a little nervous,” David responded cagily.
    Gordon sniffed. “You don’t have a nervous gene in your body, and you love the thrill of the chase. There’s something you’re not telling me.” Gordon disappeared for a little while and David heard him babbling to the dog. David rolled his eyes.
    Gordon returned. “It’s fine. As long as you know what you’re doing. And don’t run off with too many of my billions.”
    â€œMy team is in place in Stockholm,” David said. “The Swedish financial crowd will be heading off to their summer places soon. Everyone plays tennis, drinks, and sails. Everything runs at low speed over here.”
    That was their weakness, taking time off. That would be their downfall—because David never let up.
    â€œI’ll meet the last of them in the next few days—brokers, fund managers, a few big shareholders,” he continued. “I have a good feeling. The two biggest AP funds are in. And you, of course.”
    He wondered how many brokers and managers he’d given his presentation to in the last year. Two hundred? At least.
    â€œDid you get anyone from the owning family on board?” Gordon wondered.
    â€œNo,” David replied. He regretted that he had confided in Gordon that he was going to try to win over one of the De la Grip siblings. He hated admitting he’d failed. “But it doesn’t matter,” he said curtly. And that was true. He had never been dependent on anyone from the inner circle at Investum, not really. They were game pieces he could do without if he had to. The oldest brother, Peter,