“Weown the other half,” she corrects. “And I want all of it. Thankfully, they’re an easy target now. When I manage to establish a business relationship with them, there will be nothing holding us back from attaining everything they have.”
“That’s what you wanted to do with Oscar?” She simply nods as I stare at her, my heart thundering in my chest. “So you were never… in love with him?”
“There’s no room for love in business.” For the briefest moment, a hint of humanity flickers in her expression. “Your grandfather taught me that. But yes, I was planning the same with Oscar through a joint venture.”
“And then he went to jail. And three years later, he died.”
“He was acting out.” She shrugs. “Becoming a threat.”
My blood runs cold.Did she just…
“Are you saying—” I stop myself, but the words hang there, accusing and heavy.
“What I’msayingis… you would know more and be more involved in what I’m doing if you paid attention to the business. I’ve tried to teach you for years. How come you have so many questions now?”
Because I’m trying to save Novalee and my former best friend from getting killed too.
Because I’m terrified of what you’ll do.
“I don’t know,” I lie. “Maybe I finally want to be more involved.”
Her eyes glint with suspicion. “You do?”
“I’ve done nothing with my life so far,” I say, forcing conviction into the words. “I have a legacy, and I want to start acting like it.”
She studies me for a long moment before a smile softens the edges of her expression. It’s gentle, almost maternal, a rarity I can’t remember ever seeing from her. “That’s all I ever wanted.”
She steps past me, her hand landing lightly on my shoulder, the brief touch unexpected. It lingers in my mind, stirring a mixture of unease and something dangerously close to yearning. A connection I thought was lost or maybe never even there.
“I’ve waited for this day.” She strides toward her office. “I always knew it would come. It just took longer than I expected. And it took a pretty little thing to get you there, but I’ll take it.”
“That’s not?—”
“It’s fine, honey.” She cuts me off with a wave of her hand, not bothering to turn around. “There are worse reasons to start. Wanting to impress her isn’t a weakness. But you’ll learn, soon enough, that power offers far more than the fleeting attention of a woman.” I have barely a second to process her words before she stops in the doorway of her office. “Oh, and Nicholas.” She turns to look at me after all. “Levi tried to get into the penthouselike a fumbling amateur. And then your littlegirlfriendhad to run from security after she dragged him out. I don’t know what game they’re playing, but they’re aftersomething, even if they’re not very good at it.”
“I didn’t know—” I start, but she cuts me off again with a dismissive wave.
“Of course, you didn’t,” She parrots mockingly. “Because you’re not paying attention. And that girl of yours? She’s just as entangled in their games. You might want to rethink whatever it is you think you’re doing with her.”
My fists clench at my sides. “Rosie isn’t like them.”
“That’s sweet. Naïve, but sweet.” Her laugh is low, humorless. “Be careful, honey. I’d hate for you to get caught up in their mess.”
I stand frozen while the sound of the door to her office clicking shut feels like the final nail to my coffin.
Am I really going to do this?
Can I even pretend to be the son she’s always wanted to protect the people who wronged me?
Fuck.
The thought keeps repeating, looping like a bad track in my head as I head down the hall to my room. My body is screaming for rest even as my mind races ahead, dragging me through a thousand worst-case scenarios.
Inside, I kick off my shoes, ignoring the ache in my feet and legs. I strip off my shirt, wincing as the movement pulls at my sore muscles, the fabric dropping to the floor with a soft thud as I move to the dresser and grab a towel before heading into the en-suite bathroom.
The sound of the shower turning on echoes in the small space. Steam rises almost immediately, filling the room, but it doesn’t feel comforting. It’s suffocating, the same as everything else.
I step under the spray and let the hot water cascade over me, scalding my skin, but I don’t adjust it. Maybe I deserve it.
