Aidan turned to the pair of us. “No Aurora?”
“She’s in my ear,” I said dryly.
“I’ll let you take point on this conversation.”
Luc’s brows about rose to his hairline, but it was Finn who demanded, “What?”
Aidan ignored him. “You know the most about this… situation. Find his pinch point andpinch.”
“What the fuck is happening? I know you can’t talk and that I’m on mute, but holy fuck I did not expect this!”
It was hard to ignore Rory’s shrieking in my ear,orTinu’s squalling, but I had to.
Luc didn’t have much time to do anything other than nod because stomping sounded down the grand staircase toward the entryway where we were gathered. Then Graham Brackton Jr. yelled, “What the hell’s going on?”
Luc ignored him and the rest of us, and like he’d been born for this, likewewere the motherfucking kings of this city, he strolled along the hallway, blanking the homeowner entirely.
“Where are you going?” Brackton screeched, but Luc maintained his silence and just opened every door.
Once he’d uncovered the room he sought, he strolled in. The rest of us waited for Brackton to race after him before following, in time to catch my brother seating himself behind Brackton’s desk.
I hid a smirk when Brackton looked like he was about to lose his shit, but the punk didn’t strong-arm Luc out of the fancy desk chair. It seemed more likely he’d stomp his foot and toss a rattle out of his crib.
“I demand to know what’s going on here! How dare you sit behind my desk?!”
Luc rocked back in the seat and rested his hands on his belly, managing to portray the epitome of calm when I knew he had to be riled up as fuck. “A wise man teaches his heir the moves he’ll have to make once he’s long gone. It seems as if you’ve been left in the dark.
“I’ve been there, Graham. I know how it feels for a bloodline to inherit the sins of the father.” His gaze finally locked on Graham, who gulped at Luc’s statement. “Unlike yours, mine was an innocent.”
“My father was a good and decent man,” Brackton argued, but he shuffled on his feet, betraying his anxiety.
“Stan, Aidan Jr. just emailed me. He says that Brackton Sr. consulted with Finn O’Grady under the financial arm of Acuig—the hedge fund, Silverston and Grayback.
“According to this email, seventy percent of the family’s fortune was invested in KinoBit. The crypto exchange.”She paused then laughed.“Which is also Acuig-owned.”
“We both know that’s bullshit, Graham. Your sperm donor was the opposite of decent, but I applaud your need to defend him.
“If you follow in his footsteps, however, you and I are going to be direct enemies. You don’t want that, Graham. Trust me.”
Deciding to wade in, I strolled behind the desk and joined Luc. “Did you know that seventy percent of your family’s fortune was invested in KinoBit?”
“Cryptocurrency is a safe bet. Anyway, who the fuck are you? Do I know you? From…” He snapped his fingers. “…Russu. That’s right. You’re…” His lips parted. “Valentinis.”
His hand snapped up to cover his cheek just as his eyes flared wide.
“The men in this room can and will tank KinoBit. Unless you’re willing to play ball.”
Brackton’s pallor turned pastier. “Why are you doing this? He died. I’m in mourning?—”
“You’re not in mourning,” Luc scoffed. “At least, if you are, it won’t be your father’s death, just his money.”
“Mymoney.”
“There you have it.” Luc laughed. “Your money. For now. Until it’sourmoney.”
I dipped my chin at Finn O’Grady, whose expression was a blank canvas. “Acuig operates the hedge fund that owns KinoBit, Brackton. We have your money by thecojones.”
“You’re insane,” he wailed. “This whole thing is. Look, I’ve had enough of this. I’m going to call the cops unless you get out and?—”
