Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 58353 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58353 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 292(@200wpm)___ 233(@250wpm)___ 195(@300wpm)
"Derek," Marco snarls.
"It's fine," I say. Lifting my chin high, I stare Derek down. "You think I have nothing to lose? You're wrong. I have plenty at stake here."
"Like what?" he snorts.
"Like him." Smiling at Marco, I add, "Marco's happiness is my happiness. What he loses, I lose."
Marco's eyes well up with adoration. Heratio and Nathan can't tear their gaze away from us. Derek shatters the moment with a cruel laugh. "God, you two are disgusting. Whatever. Then I guess you do lose, because Marco isn't winning the vote. That's set in stone."
"Only because you tricked your brothers into thinking I was an anchor around his neck," I huff. "I'm not a scarlet letter. I'm not proof that his priorities are skewed. If anything, I'm proof that Marco has the capacity to love and care for others. He saved me when I had no one... took me in, kept me safe. He didn't have to do that. He's a better man than you'll ever be, Derek."
Pure rage contorts Derek's face. "You’ve proved nothing. Now shut up so we can do this." Squaring off with his brothers, he whips out a stack of papers from inside his jacket. The pen in his hand gleams like a bullet. "It's time. I'm voting for myself, of course. And I assume you're voting for yourself, Marco?"
Marco grunts. "Fine. Let's tally it up."
"Great," Derek agrees sarcastically. He clicks the pen. "Down the line we go. Heratio?"
Heratio looks green. I hope he doesn't vomit. "I..."
"Heratio," Derek threatens.
"Derek," he whispers. He can't look at anyone, just his shoes. "I vote Derek. Sorry, Marco."
I expected it, but still, my stomach roils uneasily. Marco is still as a frozen lake. His attention is fully squared on Nathan. Derek’s is too, and so is mine.
"Nathan?" Derek prompts. "Out with it."
Scrunching in his chair like he's trying to vanish, Nathan groans. "This sucks."
"Nathan!" Derek yells, waving the papers so they slap together. "Quit with the suspense. I know you're voting for me, you already said you would this morning. Remember?"
Nathan shrinks further into his cushion. Heratio, who had been tuning out, starts to squint. He's gone from resigned to confused. The only brother with an emotionless face is Marco.
Nathan lets out a long, shuddering breath. "I vote Marco."
Derek's pen slips from his hand and falls to the carpet. He launches forward, grabbing Nathan by the collar, yanking him from the chair. "What did you just say?"
"Leave him alone!" I shout, gripping Derek by his shoulder. He throws me off, fixated on Nathan. Marco and Heratio, working together, grapple Derek away from their other brother.
Nathan knocks his chair over as he backs away. His face is pale, but there's a stern angle to his frown. He stands taller. "I said I'm voting Marco. He’ll lead this company better than any of us can."
"You goddamn traitor!" Derek struggles to get out of the hold his brothers have on him. Marco and Heratio grunt, holding tight. "You swore you'd vote for me, Nathan!" He whips his head side to side. "You, Trey, Heratio...you said Marco was too selfish to be in charge!"
"Sorry, Derek," Nathan says. He straightens his shirt, fixing the rumples. "I changed my mind."
"Why?" Derek demands. Nathan looks at me. Derek freezes, and then all of them are watching me. I shift under their stares. "Because of her?" Derek asks in disbelief.
Nathan smiles fondly. "The way she jumped into the water to save me...she's a good person. If Marco loves her, he knows how to pick someone with good character."
"Oh, fucking please," Derek scoffs.
"Nathan, thank you," Marco says.
Derek struggles, wrenching side to side furiously. His teeth are showing in his grimace. "Fucking idiots. Do you get it? This is a tie. We can't have a tie! All of us lose if we do. Change your vote, Nathan."
"No!" he says. "Heratio, can't you change yours?"
Heratio inhales sharply before he lets go of Derek, moving back a step. Marco copies him, giving everyone room. "As much as I get why you changed your decision, Nathan... I just can't. I don't think you're a bad person, Marco, really. I just... don't think you'd run everything as smoothly as Derek."
Marco sighs, tilting his head. "I understand. It's okay."
"It's not okay!" Derek roars, throwing his head back. He's so loud a nurse peeks in at us. One glare from Derek sends her running. "I'm not changing my vote for myself. Nathan, I swear, if you don't do this, I'll break every tooth in your skull."
Nathan holds up his hands in defense. Marco moves, becoming a massive wall between Derek and Nathan. "Stop it, Derek. This is madness."
"This is our lives!" Derek argues. "You're so damn selfish you can't see it, but I'm the only one who cares. You'd sacrifice everything we built and for what?"
"I won't let our company be taken away," Marco says sharply. He inhales down to the bottom of his belly. When he exhales, his eyes become darker. "You'll never give up. I see that now. You're the one who would burn it all down just to keep me from winning. So fine, you win. I'll change my vote."