If the company hadn’t been in trouble, we wouldn’t have gone to Colorado. Colson wouldn’t have gotten sick. He wouldn’t have…
My chest tightens painfully and I gasp out a sob, but then a hot wave of rage explodes through my chest, burning away the fear that had been choking me moments ago.
“You…” My voice trembles as I look up at them. “You killed him…YOU KILLED HIM!” I scream the words as years of buried grief erupt inside me. “You motherfuckers! My brother died because of you!”
All this time I blamed myself. I thought Colson died because I didn’t say no to him that night, but it wasn’t me.
It was them. They set the events in motion that lead to his death. Sure, he could have still wanted to go outside. He could have still gotten sick. If not then, then some other time. Still, all these years I blamed myself when the catalyst to the events was far worse.
“You’ll pay for this!” I shout, shooting forward but Leon is faster and places a hand on my chest, slamming me back down onto the couch. Snarling, I spit at him.
He just laughs — a short, brittle sound. Aubrey doesn’t react. She simply reaches down and unzips the messenger bag still sitting on the coffee table.
“I figured you’d be reluctant,” she says. “So I brought some assurance of your compliance with me.”
My heart pounds harder as she pulls out a narrow document box. She places it carefully on the table and flips the lid open.
“What is that?” I ask, heart hammering.
Leon is watching eagerly now, the knife still loose in his hand as he leans forward like he’s about to witness a show.
Aubrey pulls out several papers and manilla envelopes, and my stomach drops.
That’s the Holloway letterhead.I knew it.
My hands tremble as I look down at the stack.
“These are…”
“The missing files from Holloway’s main office,” Aubrey states.
My pulse roars in my ears.
“You stole them,” I whisper.
“We secured them,” she corrects coolly.
Leon grins beside me and my rage only intensifies.
“You think this will destroy us?” I give her a feral smirk. “You think releasing those will take Holloway down?”
Aubrey’s lips twitch and irritation flashes in her gaze.
“It would cause significant damage.”
I let out a bark of humorless laughter.
“Fucking idiots,” I snap. “Holloway is bigger than your petty attempts at sabotage. You might cause problems, but you won’t destroy us.”
Leon scoffs. “You still don’t get it.”
I ignore him, keeping my gaze on Aubrey.
“If you release those,” I continue, my voice shaking with rage, “it’ll hurt clients, yes—but it won’t end the company. We’ll rebuild. We always do.”
Aubrey studies me for a moment, then she exhales like she’s exasperated.
“You’re right,” she shrugs.
