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“I’m very sorry for your loss, Mr. Kincaid.”

“Thank you for calling.”

I ended the call and stared at the phone.

Then I laughed. I leaned back in my chair and let it out until my eyes watered. Catherine and Leonard Kincaid were dead. They would never threaten me again. They would never mention Caroline, complain about my mistakes, or remind me that everything I had belonged to them first.

I opened the cabinet beneath the bookshelf and poured myself a scotch.

Leonard had spent his entire life telling me the family empire was everything.

Now it belonged to me.

I raised the glass.

“Rest in peace, you sanctimonious fucks.”

Chapter 7

Samantha

Our favorite restaurant was nearly empty, leaving us tucked into our usual booth near the tall windows while golden light stretched across the table between us.

Leanne had spent most of lunch telling me about an agency in New York that wanted to meet with her again, but somewhere between our entrées arriving and her stealing half the fries from my plate, the conversation inevitably shifted back to everything happening at Preston.

“Have you heard from Jerry?” I asked, reaching for my water.

Leanne looked up from her plate. “No. Why?”

“I haven’t either.” I frowned, tracing my finger through the condensation on my glass. “He hasn’t been in class all week, and he hasn’t called me back. I left him two messages.”

“Maybe he’s busy with the internship.”

“That’s what I thought, but my dad said he hasn’t been showing up there either.”

Leanne’s expression changed slightly. “Okay, that’s weird.”

“Right?” I leaned back against the booth. “Jerry skips class sometimes, but he doesn’t skip work. Especially not that internship. He’s been trying to impress my dad since he got it.”

“Maybe he took off with some girl.”

I gave her a look.

“What?” Leanne laughed. “It’s Jerry.”

“That part I would believe, but he would tell somebody. Or at least brag about it afterward.” I smiled, but the uneasy feeling remained. “I don’t know. It’s just weird. Nobody seems to know where he is.”

Leanne reached across the table and touched my hand. “I’m sure he’s fine, Sam. He probably went somewhere and forgot the rest of the world exists.”

“Maybe.”

I wanted to believe that. Jerry could be irresponsible, and God knew he could be obnoxious, but disappearing without telling anyone didn’t feel like him. He had classes, the internship, friends. Still, there were a hundred explanations that made more sense than the horrible possibilities my mind kept trying to invent, so I pushed the worry aside.

Leanne watched me for another moment before a knowing smile slowly replaced her concern.

“Speaking of men who haven’t disappeared, you’re glowing.”

I groaned immediately. “Don’t start.”