Page 41 of Layne Closure Ahead

Sitting back with an aura of collective ease around him, Eric laced his fingers in front of him. “I don’t think I was very clear over the phone. You’re getting my help in bolstering your team of men which seem to have been dwindling in numbers over the last six months. Not to mention, investing my money in fixing the financial woes it seems that you have gotten into. For me to do that, I’m going to need you to provide me with account information and get me authorized to manage funds.”

Her brother’s face faltered slightly as he realized that things were not as he had imagined. Liam’s hand rubbed over his jaw as he pondered how he could twist this around selfishly.

Layne spoke up, interrupting her brother’s slow turn of the cogs in his head. “Li, this isn’t the fuckin’ middle ages. You’re not getting a lump sum payment for bringing a woman to market.”

“Did I fuckin’ ask you? You shouldn’t even be here anyway,” he snapped back at her.

Eric straightened up in his chair. “Look at it this way, she won’t be spending a dime of your money, she will be spending mine on whatever she pleases. That’s savings directly in your pocket. You’ll even get to sell her house once she moves in with me, or keep it for yourself, whatever you choose.”

There was no hiding the immediate attitude change on Layne’s face at the mention of moving in together and giving up the home she had earned through all her hard work. “What?”

She stepped over to Eric’s side staring him down. He looked up at her and grinned. “You look so surprised, I figured it was understood that eventually, you’d be living with me under the same roof. It would look a little strange living separately, don’t you think?”

A partial laugh mixed with disbelief came bubbling out of her. Before she could verbally lay into him for the assumption on his part, he quickly reiterated himself.

“I said eventually.” As if that was supposed to soothe her temper.

Liam interjected, “Yeah, Layne, he said eventually. Don’t get your panties in a twist.”

“Shut the fuck up, Li.” Besides, she didn’t have any panties on to get in a twist.

Eric steered the conversation back to his original points of interest discussing timeframes for getting him access to all that he required to sort things out.

While the boys discussed the finer details, Layne’s thoughts wandered to Joey’s role in all of this. He still needed Layne’s help in gathering some key pieces of information out of Ellis for his contracted job. Based on everything he had told her, there were one too many skeletons hiding in Eric’s closet.

When her mind lingered back to the present, Liam was talking very animatedly on the phone. “What the hell do you mean I’m not authorized on the account?!”

She blinked a few times wondering if she had heard him correctly.

Liam continued to berate the poor representative on the other end of the line before he hung up in a fluster. “Bitch.” He looked over at Eric with instant regret that he had lost his temper without thinking about how it would look.

Clearing his throat, Liam shifted in his seat. “They must be having some sort of shitty system error. I will get things sorted and everything to you.”

“I hope for your sake, it gets figured out quickly.” Eric pushed himself up out of his chair after taking a peek at his watch. “Based on that, I think we’ve discussed everything we can for today. I will be in touch by the end of the week so we can finish wrapping up everything here.”

Layne’s eyes remained critical while assessing each of the expressions tugging at her brother’s face. She only drew her eyes away when Eric took her hands in his. He lifted them both to his mouth where he affectionately laid a kiss on each set of her knuckles. “We still need to schedule that celebration we talked about.” He gave her a wink.

“Of course.” She was too bothered by what she had heard from that phone call to argue. “I will see you to the door and we can talk about it soon.”

Layne left the office with Eric to accompany him back to the front door. A few minutes later she returned to the office, closing the door behind her, and staring at her brother who was sitting there with his hands buried in his short auburn hair.

“What the hell was that about?” She stared at him.

Liam looked up at her with the gravity of the situation finally hitting him and showing in his eyes. “How should I know? The dumb bitch said I wasn’t authorized to discuss details on the account!” His words were getting defensive.

“Goddamnit,” she sighed and tried to think through all the potential reasons for their access to be restricted. “Did you have the right account number?”

“Yes! Do you think I’m stupid, Layne?!”

“How are you even just now finding out that you aren’t authorized on the account? Haven’t you been using it?”

There was silence.

Her tone grew stern. “Liam?”

He finally responded in a hurry of words. “There hasn’t been a reason! I’ve been busy. Besides, the money has been going out as fast as it’s been coming in.”

Layne threw her hands up in the air. “Are you kidding me? Busy fucking off?!”

---