by Scott, S. L.
I ask, “What happened?”
“I did everything the right way by setting up an appointment with HR and letting him know I was taking the opportunity seriously.” She looks down at the file in her hand. “He wouldn’t take the meeting, and he told human resources to cancel theirs after they kept me waiting for two hours. For two hours, I sat inside those doors, making the receptionist uncomfortable with my presence as the family battle played out before her.”
“What an asshole.”
We waited until morning to take this next step. It’s a doozy for her. She drags the locket back and forth on the chain, and says, “You know what the worst part was? I actually believed him. He told me if I got the degree he wanted me to, the internships, and worked hard to pay my extra expenses, I would earn a place at the company. I did it all and still wasn’t accepted like my brother was without doing half as well.”
“You did it for you. Not him. You were proving you could. If he couldn’t see the value in what you had to offer, it’s his loss. But this will ultimately be his biggest loss of all. He’s about to lose his company, but more importantly, he loses you.”
“You’re an incredible man. You’ve given me your support from the moment we met. With you, I feel like my old self, a better version, and that feels damn good. So thank you.”
I gently massage her neck and then kiss her head. “I would have never let you slip into the competition’s hands. Not in business or personally. One of the things that first struck me about you was your obvious intelligence. As I’ve gotten to know you, I’m in awe of your gutsy attitude, your passion, your need to fight for what’s right. Your compassion for Chelsea is admirable. To help her wasn’t a choice for you. It was simply what you did. You, Winter, are an asset in so many ways, one I always intend to cherish.”
The elevator doors open, and Ethan arrives with Reegan, Aaron, and Lars.
Winter asks, “I’ve been thinking about last night. I stayed up all night reading and rereading every line in this document. My father’s signature means he acknowledged the agreement. Why would he do that?” I sigh, blowing out a bit of frustration. “I worry I might never know since my mother can’t tell me, and there’s no one else listed. Did you find out anything else?”
Ethan moves around to the front. “Once we knew where to look, we discovered more.”
“Of course,” I say, “skeletons aren’t meant to stay buried when covered in lies.”
Reegan hands Ethan an envelope. Ethan pulls the papers out and shows them to her. “Your mother and father started the company as partners and shared fifty-fifty. She worked there until she had children and then decided to stay home. Your father would run the day-to-day operations, but big decisions would be made jointly. The initial contract was amended when she took a step back to include that her approval was needed regarding decisions involving one million dollars or more.”
She takes the papers from him and smiles, pointing at her mother’s signature. “She had such pretty handwriting. It matched her heart.” After a quick pause, she says, “I’m catching the drift. Basically, he made decisions without her approval, which puts him in violation of the amended contract, giving me the right, as her designated representative, and the power to end his reign.”
“That’s correct,” Reegan says. “And since the profits have been squandered for personal gain, that’s how we double down on the claim. This contract gives you full ownership, including the debt, unfortunately.” He glances at Ethan and takes a step back. “And there’s a lot of debt.”
The silent exchange is not subtle, but then Ethan says, “Not more than the company is worth, though, so that’s good.”
I say, “They tried to have a sister and a daughter killed for whatever’s left. Life never meant anything to them.”
“My life never meant anything to them.” She presses to the side of me, quietly studying the company name in silver lettering on the bleached wood doors.
I take her hand. “This isn’t going to be easy, Winter, but you’re not doing it alone.”
Ethan steps toward the doors. “We should probably go in and take care of business while the element of surprise is on our side. Are you ready?”
“I don’t think my mom’s lawyer is coming, so I’m ready.” She lifts up on her toes and kisses me. “You’ll have my back?”
“Always.”
Winter hands the paperwork back to Ethan while holding the copy of the contract she found in the safe deposit box. She opens the door. The receptionist looks up in surprise to see the crowd, her eyes darting among us. “May I help you?”
She doesn’t even know who Winter is, for fuck’s sake. I have to remind myself not to punch her father’s and brother’s fucking lights out when I see them. Winter says, “I’m here to see my father, Ross Nobleman.”
“Oh. Um . . .”
“Winter Nobleman.”
“Is he expecting you?”
“No. He never saw me coming.”
She picks up the phone, but Winter is quick to cover her hand. With a smile, she says, “I want to surprise him.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Winter heads for the glass double doors and pulls them open. “Don’t worry. This won’t take long.”
Winter leads the way through the cubicles and past a row of offices with large windows. When I look back, Aaron is keeping the receptionist company. More importantly, he’s keeping her from giving a warning.
Winter stops at the door and knocks once before walking in. “Hello.”
Her father looks up and frowns. First, his gaze lands on the locket, then drifts from her to me, and to the others as we all file into his office. “Leave the door open,” I say.
“What are you doing here?” he asks. Wow. He just does not give a fuck. Crazy. If she weren’t so strong, I’d worry about her reaction, but my warrior is fierce. She’s weathered worse than the contempt on his face.
She moves in even closer, standing on the other side of his desk. “You couldn’t find what you were looking for. But guess what? I did. Right here in this memento. Mom has always been watching over me. Something you never did.”
His feigned innocence doesn’t bode well for him. “That necklace is a piece of junk.”
“Junk that’s worth a lot . . . worth everything really. To you and to me.”
Trying to intimidate her, he stands, presses his hands to the desk, and raises his voice. “What are you getting at, Winter? Say it and get out.”
She pops the paper open in front of her and holds it so he can see for himself. “The truth always comes out, and it has. You need to vacate the premises in five minutes or I’m calling the police.”
Snatching it away, he reads. “What is this?”
“Your execution.”
He balls up the paper and throws it at her face. Fuck him. I rush to knock him on his ass, but Lars and Ethan grab my arms, holding me back. “She can handle this,” Ethan says.
Her father laughs. “Yes, keep your animal under control.”
Winter hasn’t moved. She never even flinched when the paper hit her. What kind of life has she had that she doesn’t even react to his hostile act? “Winter?”
She angles back. “It’s okay. It’s just taking him a minute to process that his life is over. I’ve had years to get used to his absence. I can spare him the time to realize what he’s losing.”
Nobleman laughs again, but it never reaches his eyes. He knows he’s in trouble. He looks at me, and says, “You can have her, Everest. She’s no good just like her mother.” Directing his hate back to Winter, he adds, “I married her for money and got it all, every last cent her family left her.” He grabs his jacket and slips it on. “You coming in and claiming the company means nothing. A contract I signed under coercion will never hold up in court.”
“And how exactly were you coerced?”
He takes his phone from the top of the desk, and replies, “She caught me in bed with another woman, a you
nger more beautiful woman.” Winter’s indifferent expression slips, but he continues, “She was going to die anyway.”
“Shut your mouth.” Her voice is steady, but I see how her hands tremble. God, I want to help her, but she’s a warrior, and this is her dragon to slay.
“What’s the big deal? She wasn’t meeting my needs. That’s grounds for divorce. I saved her the embarrassment.”
Winter rushes toward him, but I catch her before she makes it across the top of the desk. “It’s okay, sweetheart. He’s not worth our energy.” Holding her around the waist, I can feel every heavy breath of hers. I hold my mouth to her ear, and whisper, “Tell him the good news.”
A knock on the door draws our attention. Aaron appears with an older gentleman in a gray suit. The man says, “My apologies. Traffic is brutal today.” He holds up a file. “I brought the contracts, and my signed affidavit confirming that both parties were in their right mind when they signed the agreement.”
Her father looks as if he’s seeing a ghost. Guess he is in a way. His past. It’s come back to haunt him. This is how karma should work.
Calmer, Winter says, “My mother may have put up with your shit, but she ensured I wouldn’t have to. As her designated representative, I have the right to take the company away from anyone mishandling it.”
“You can’t do that.” He has the balls to cackle.
“I can. And I am. You may have seen me as a nuisance, but my mother raised a warrior. Your five minutes is up. Get out.”
Their eyes stay locked for a time, but the chicken shit turns away first and starts rummaging through his desk.
Reegan clears his throat. “That’s company property.”
A vein bulges in her father’s forehead as he glares at him. He finally walks to the door. “You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.”
“I look forward to it,” Winter replies, following him out. “If you can afford one.”
Braden comes running down the hall. “What the hell is going on?”
“You’re fired,” Winter says, and then snaps.
“You can’t do that!”
Reegan holds up the balled-up paper. “She can as the rightful heir and owner,” he says.
Her father grabs Braden by the arm, treating him like the toddler he is. “Come on. There’s so much debt that no one is getting paid, much less her.”
He catches up to his dad, a worried wobble to his tone. “I don’t understand. Why does she get the company?”
“Shut up, Braden.”
Her brother circles back and charges Winter. “Fuck that bitch!”
Just before he reaches her, I hold up my hand, letting his throat meet my palm. I push back and then squeeze. “Assault is a violation of your bail.”
Grabbing his arms and yanking them behind his back, Aaron subdues him and slams him down on the ground. “Oops. He fell.” I suppress a laugh. With a knee to his back, Aaron says, “Call the police.”
While Ethan makes the call, I walk over, putting the toe of my shoe right under Braden’s nose. “Better get used to this position. Have fun in jail, fuck face.”
Winter stands alongside me. Although we’re all enjoying the power play, she squats down and tilts her head to the side to match his. “The worst part is I can’t even shed a tear for you anymore.”
“I don’t need your fucking tears.”
“How about my help?”
His expression morphs. Pitiful. He actually looks hopeful. “You’d do that?”
Winter stands back up. “No. You’re an asshole.”
Her father hightailed it before Braden hit the carpet. It’s okay. Jail will sort him out as well.
She walks away and we follow, but Winter stops outside the door, looking around at the employees. “Are you all right?” I ask.
“He’s such an asshole.”
“He is.” Braden Nobleman makes me thankful for my brothers. Sure, we give each other shit, but we always have each other’s backs.
“You know,” she adds, her nose scrunched. “I thought I’d feel more satisfied, but no matter how much I wish he cared, he just doesn’t, and that’s the harsh reality.”
“Maybe the grand finale will give you peace of mind.” I take her hand, and we start walking.
“What’s that?”
We make it outside the building just in time to see them being led away by the police. When her father sees her, he yells, “You slut! You’re having me arrested?”
She shrugs. “Oops.”
Curse words are slung her way as we walk down the sidewalk toward the car. “How did that feel?”
“Very satisfying.” She smirks. “Even though it was her husband and son, I think my mom would be proud of me.”
I kiss her hand. “She would be so proud of the woman you’ve become. And let’s face it, I’m a catch, so she’d love me, too.”
Giggling Winter is one of my favorite sides of her. “Okay, movie star. You win. You’re quite the catch, and I fell for you the moment I saw you fake eyeing those macarons in the window.”
“You caught that, huh?”
“I caught you, which is better than any cookie.”
I chuckle. “Is this how life is always going to be with you?”
She winks. “Pretty much. Is that okay?”
“Pretty okay indeed for practically a stranger.”
“I can live with pretty okay.” I hold the door open for her as she climbs in, and asks, “What about awesome?”
“You’re right.” I pop an imaginary collar. “Awesome just feels better.” I climb in, and Lars shuts the door behind us before loading in the front.
Rolling her eyes, she laughs. “You’re nuts, you know.”
“Nuts for you.” I shake my head at myself. “That was so bad.”
“It was, but you’re still just as charming.” She rubs my leg. “So what do we do now?”
“I have a few ideas.”
41
Winter
I didn’t expect to spend June in Paris, but here we are. Again, I can’t say by choice. Kurt McCoy’s trial has lasted for almost two weeks. While his lawyer dragged me and whatever reputation I had through the mud, I had to sit there and take it from him, like I always did.
This time though, I will win. Just like how I won Nobleman Inc. I was traded to clear my father’s debts and to be used for Kurt’s deranged pleasure. His deceit was spun wide enough to trap us all in the McCoy’s web. All for money.
Sitting here as the officers lead Kurt away in handcuffs and chains, we’ve learned that what he had done to the Everest family and me was again only for shipping slips and cargo holds. He couldn’t care less about avenging his cousin. Guess all the McCoys were raised under the same umbrella of hate.
Hearing the details stated so blatantly, so coldly, made me nauseous. Singer stayed for a few days but flew home to spend time with her mother. Since she’s pregnant, the trial was too upsetting for her and being in the vicinity of a McCoy made her ill as well. Ethan stayed to see the trial through.
Twenty-five years in prison for the attempted murder of Chelsea. Ten tacked on for torturing me last November. The US has filed to try him for a list of additional crimes. We’ll see if they win the extradition.
My father’s and brother’s trials start next week. I’m not sure how I’ll feel, but I’ll be there in the front row to watch their demise. Yeah, I’m not above hoping for a little revenge myself. I’m still working on the anger issues I have when it comes to my ex-family.
I look at the hand that clings to me and give it a squeeze. Chelsea gives me a tight smile, but it’s a victory that should make her smile. “Guilty,” I repeat the verdict.
She’s a changed woman these days. After she was cleared of conspiracy, she began taking a couple college courses and works part-time at the Everest Foundation answering calls. It’s a job she takes seriously and has already helped other women get the help they need.
Lars, sitting on the other side of her, asks, “Are you rea
dy to go?”
She nods. “So ready.”
We give each other a hug, and she says, “I’ll see you back in Manhattan. Lunch soon?”
“Yes, I’ll see you then.”
She’s strong and never looks back at Kurt when she leaves. I don’t think I’m weak. I’m just too in love to hide it from anyone, especially him. He stares at me as I give Bennett a kiss. But like any other time I kiss this man, nothing else in the world exists.
“Did you just kiss me to show me off to your ex-boyfriend?”
He’s quick, another thing I love about him. “I did.” We don’t lie about anything anymore, not even who ate the last fry. I wholeheartedly admit I’m addicted to those delicious little carbs.
“I’m good with that. Let him live with that image of us for the next thirty-five years.” Bennett takes my other hand and stands. “I still don’t think it’s long enough.”
“If he’s made to serve the full sentence, it will do.” And it will, too. I don’t want to wear this anger around my neck anymore. I need to trust the system, and, as Bennett says, karma to finish her job.
While we walk out of the courtroom, Ethan says, “I’m flying back tonight. Are you staying a few days or heading home?”
I look at Bennett, and ask, “What do you want to do?”
“I think we’ll stay a few days.”
* * *
Sitting on the rooftop of Le Meurice Hotel under the summer sky, I sit back and enjoy the show. The Eiffel Tower sparkles like the stars above, and the most handsome man I’ve ever seen with the kindest soul sits across from me.
The champagne glasses are empty, but Bennett doesn’t refill them. Instead, he says, “I have a surprise for you.”
As if right on cue, “Dream a Little Dream of Me” begins to play, filling the sultry air, and he takes my hands. Twirling me out and bringing me back in. He catches me, and we begin to sway to my favorite song. “You know how to romance a girl.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet.”
“You always were a force of nature.”
“And you were a force to be reckoned with.”
