Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 88114 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88114 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
I grind my teeth. “Two years ago?”
“That’s right. I don’t know the details of how this situation came about, I only did the paperwork.”
I glance at Finn and he shakes his head.
I know that look—Finn thinks that whole situation reeks, and I agree.
Hugh does nothing without having at least a dozen different motives. He wouldn’t become my mother’s power of attorney without the expectation of getting something in return, and I’m not sure how he managed to make it happen under my father’s nose.
Unless Hugh and my father had an agreement.
“Essentially, what you’re saying is that I’m fucked.”
“Yes, essentially.” He sighs and smooths back what’s left of his white hair. “You’d have to get Hugh to give up your mother’s power of attorney first of all. Then you’d have to convince the board to fire him and hire you as the Hayle Construction CEO. And beyond that, there are all the other, uh, loyal members of the family that would need to approve your, um, ascension, so to speak.”
“None of which will happen.”
“No, I can’t imagine your cousin will simply hand over everything just because you moved back into the manor.”
“And there are no other legal recourses?”
He shakes his head. “I’d be more than happy to let another lawyer take a look at the pertinent paperwork, but I can’t see how you’d wrestle POA from Hugh in court. The documents are airtight. I should know, I drafted them.”
“I’ll take you up on that offer.” I glance at Finn. “Have our guy take a look.”
“Happy to.”
“Right, very well.” Albert sits back, smiling sadly. “If you’d been around the last seven years, this conversation might be very different, but from my perspective, I simply can’t see a way forward for you here. You can get control of your trust at any time by getting married, but beyond that?” He pats the arms of his chair. “I’m sorry I don’t have better news.”
“I appreciate you coming to meet with me, Albert. Why don’t you walk out and wait for Finn in the foyer? He’ll give you my lawyer’s contact information and we’ll get copies of those POA documents, all right?”
“Sounds good.”
The old lawyer stands. I shake the man’s hand and he heads out, mopping at his brow with a handkerchief, doing his best to ignore the sharp glare Finn gives him. When he’s gone, I slump back in my chair and release a long breath.
“My dad is a fucking bastard,” I say looking at the ceiling. “You know that, right?”
“Even dead, the guy’s still trying to fuck you.” Finn comes over the table and sits on the top. “What are you going to do?”
“Legal way won’t be easy.”
“Seems more impossible than anything else.”
I meet his eye and a smile ghosts onto my lips. “But we never were good at the legal way.”
“No, definitely not.”
“There are other means.”
“Less than legal ones.”
“There’s going to be a lot of work for the boys soon.”
“They’ll be happy. It’s been boring around here lately.” Finn hops off the table.
“Boring? You fucking bastard. I keep you all busy.”
“Oh, sure, intimidating grocery store owners, blackmailing state senators, running illegal gambling schemes, that sort of thing. But nothing so fun as installing our dear leader into the heights of corporate power.”
“I lied to Albert. I hate our banter.”
“And now you’re lying to me.” Finn pauses at the doorway. “He was right about one thing, though. You should get married.”
“Don’t start.”
“I’m serious.” Finn frowns at me, head tilted. “We could use the funds, but more than that, the lawyer’s right. It’ll make you seem more respectable and we’re breaking into the respectable world right now.”
“The Hayles family only seems respectable, but you know what they really are.”
“There’s a difference between a street crew like us and an organized crime family like the Hayles.”
“And that difference is marriage?”
Finn shake his head and sighs. “That difference is the sheen of respectability.”
“The trust thing is my father’s way of keeping me distracted. He wants me to agonize over this stupid marriage thing instead of pushing forward to oust Hugh.”
“Could be, so why let him win? Take the money. Make yourself respectable.”
“I’m respectable.”
“No, Kell. You’re fucking feared.” He leaves the room and I groan. The asshole sure does love to make an exit.
He’s right, though. The more I sit and think about it, the more I can see how taking a wife might be beneficial. And my mind keeps whirling around and around, imagining all the different potential women I might coerce into taking the vows, but only one stands out.
Only one seems worthy.
Only one might be fun.
She hates me and I hate her right back.
But she’s been living on these grounds for seven years, and she’s the only person that might actually be able to help.
Chapter 5
Tara
Kellen knocks on my door as the sun turns the sky pink and red and I’m thinking about cooking dinner. My TV’s on mute and I’m sitting on my easy chair reading a paperback book, some random romance novel with more steam than plot, which is how I like them. I frown at the door and squint at it like I might make Kellen disappear with my mind.