The phone slips through my fingers, clattering on the wood floor, and I follow suit, crumpling next to it. This isn’t the way it was supposed to be. This can’t be real. But it is, and that realization almost shreds me from the inside out.
A wave of dizziness hits me as my breaths come in gasping, choked pants, and a sob rips from my chest as my heart shatters into a million pieces.
39
ASHER
Iflick the lighter and give it a toss. The puddle of gas beneath the front door of the mansion bursts into flames. Seconds later, a plume of fire engulfs the entirety of the lavish porch, and I watch with hollow satisfaction as the flames grow, trailing their way up and inside the house. Consuming, raging. Much like the fury that now seems to permanently reside in my soul.
The fire and destruction before me only partially assuage it.
Maybe I might feel more satisfied if Henry and Charlotte were here so I could see not only the looks on their faces as their house goes up in flames, but their reactions to the fact that before I sparked those flames, I sent my men inside their house to loot and raid it like common thieves. They removed everything of worth, and it’s all been donated or sold off. An almost smile tugs at my mouth as I think of the profits I’ll make from his valuables and how I’m going to give them to the “poors” Henry so despises.
Not that he’ll ever know.
Henry realized I knew he was Sergei’s main accomplice within Langford Holdings and that he had been betraying myfamily for decades. Alan was just Henry’s little bitch boy. He hadn’t known half of what Henry was up to; he’d just followed orders like a good little foot soldier. Once Henry realized that I was onto him, he took Charlotte and ran to Europe.
But he didn’t get far.
I got the call an hour ago.
He and Charlotte were picked up by my men in Portugal. Henry tried to run and was killed in the process. Charlotte is currently pissing herself as she’s being flown back here. I don’t have anything on her legally, and I haven’t ordered her death, even though I should. Not only did she use me for information to put me in jeopardy with my own board, but she knew about the car chase that took place almost six weeks ago. The night of the charity event, she didn’t come to speak to me out of a sense of nostalgia. She was tailing me and heard me tell Robert that we were leaving early. She only approached me to delay me so the cars could get into position. It’s not sentimentality or kindness that keeps me from killing her, I simply think that what awaits will be far worse for her in the end.
The life insurance she should have received at Henry’s death has been collected and distributed to his and Charlotte’s least favored charitable causes. Homelessness and drug addiction centers. I also convinced the insurance company to drop the homeowner’s insurance on the house that’s burning in front of my eyes.
She has nothing left—and she won’t be able to get even a shred of it back. I’ve blacklisted her from ever working in the state of New York or with any company that wants to remain in my favor. And since there are so few companies that I don’t have the potential to use my influence over, she’ll never work for anything more than a small business again. There will be no more high society lifestyle for her. I’ve stripped her of every dime, every connection, and destroyed her home. I can’t decide if she or Henry is the lucky one in this scenario.
No matter. They’ve both gotten what they deserve, along with Janet and Senator Sanders. Janet was not directly involved with Henry, but with everything that happened, I convinced the rest of the board to vote her out, so she’s now one less thorn in my side. Unfortunately, I could never prove that Conrad worked with her, so he and his idiot son are still kicking around Langford Holdings.
The good senator was arrested a week ago on multiple counts of fraud, espionage, and so many other charges that I can’t keep track of them. He certainly got around. But fortunately, or unfortunately, someone in his circle decided he was better silenced than dragged through court, potentially outing accomplices, and he was murdered in his prison cell. His funeral is in two days.
“We’re almost done,” Declan says, stepping up behind me. He’s been instrumental in all this. I couldn’t have accomplished everything I did these last weeks without him and without Sterling working his hacking skills from London. “TDC Oil is all but finished. I just got a notification that their COO is considering our offer.”
I nod. “Good.”
It’s a shame that several of TDC’s oil sights and refineries have had such tragic accidents one after another of late. It’s also a shame that the FBI is investigating them for their involvement with the Russian mafia. Langford Holdings is now in negotiation to buy TDC Oil since its stock prices are at an all-time low, and funny enough, the sabotage to their refineries and oil sights won’t stop until we own them.
Irony is a real bitch.
“Any word on Yegor?” I ask.
“Nothing yet. He’s still a slippery bastard, and the Russian government is protecting him.”
“Sergei?”
“Rumor has it that he’s getting ready to jump ship. He’sspooked by the death of his friend Senator Sanders. His wife is already in the Caribbean, and Katrina is set to meet her there soon.”
“They can stay there, but I want Sergei dead.”
“We’ll make it happen.”
“I want it done as quickly as possible. Grandfather’s memorial is in a week. I’d like to bring everyone responsible for his death to justice by then.”
“And when it’s all over?” Declan asks, clapping his hand on my shoulder. “What then?”
I turn away from the inferno and head for my car. “Then it’s done, and I can move on.”
“And does moving on involve Ella?”
