Page 99 of Billionaire Lumberjack's Bride

Shit.

Something’sverywrong.

The other seven board members watch me as I approach the opposite end of the table where Marty used to sit. I pull out the chair and lower myself into it slowly while Lyla takes one in the corner of the room, back away from the table. Whiskey settles next to me, his lips curled back in a low snarl as he keeps his gaze locked on Marty.

Marty lowers his hands, and I catch a peek of a bandage wrapped around his forearm where Whiskey bit him. He leans forward slightly, a sinister grin on his lips. “Silas, how nice of you to join us.”

The tension is so thick in the air that you could cut it with a fucking spoon. Each board member darts their gaze between him and me, but no one dares say a word.

They’re waiting to witness the showdown, and they aren’t about to stick out their necks until they see how things pan out.

Marty raises his good hand. “Should we start the meeting? Since everyone’s here?”

I shake my head. “Everyone’s not here. We’re waiting on Ronald.”

Every single board member shifts restlessly, avoiding eye contact with me.

Fuck.

Marty tilts his head slightly. “I’m sorry, Silas. Ronald won’t be joining us today. We received the devastating news that he passed away yesterday evening. Heart attack. He went quickly.” Hetsksand shakes his head as that sense of dread that started early threatens to strangle me. “To lose both your father and him in such a short period of time…tragic.”

He’s trying to get me to back down.

To quit.

To run.

I swallow thickly, the tight tie making it more difficult than normal, then raise a challenging brow at him. “Quite. Let’s start the meeting. There is a lot to discuss.”

And I have been left hung out to dry.

I don’t know if Ronald ever went to the FBI or anyone else with the information he had, nor do I know where he kept it. So, I can’t go look for the evidence I’m going to need to support any accusations I make today, even if I manage to hold off any decision from the board.

The only thing I have is my word, and I am going up against a man with more power than God and board members who are loyal to him and Father.

I knew this was going to be a battle; I just didn’t realize it was going to be D-Day.

* * *

LYLA

Watching Silas stare down the piece of shit who brutalized him for so many years and tried to intimidate him to keep him from claiming what’s rightfully his while I have to sit off to the side and stay out of it takes every ounce of self-control I have in me.

The man truly is a monster.

Heenjoyedtelling us Ronald was dead.

I saw the gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.

He truly relished watching us as we learned our plan had gone completely to shit and was waiting for us to crumble under the realization that no help was coming.

Now they glare at each other from opposing ends of the long conference room table while the silent board members wait for the fireworks. Whiskey waits, too—for a command from Silas. One word and that dog will launch himself across that table and latch onto Marty’s throat like he so badly wants to. And I’d pay to see it.

If I had any money.

But I can’t worry about my continued financial woes when Silas has been left hanging without any of the evidence Ronald was supposed to provide or the backup of law enforcement he had promised.

We don’t even know if he evermadeit to the FBI in the first place, but given the smug grin Marty wears, my guess is he made sure nothing incriminating ever saw the light of day. Then he ensured Ronald wouldn’t be a problem again. The only reason Silas and I are still alive is probably because he didn’t have time to send anyone after us since our little confrontation on the mountain.

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