Page 34 of Master Debater

Willa had been talking to Kat but returned to the tail-end of our conversation right in time to hear that. Confusion crinkled her brow as she glanced from Jameson to me. “Wait, what? You have a sister? And you’re planning on taking down your uncles? I feel like I missed something.”

Was I imagining it, or did she sound a bit disappointed about that last one?

“I knew you were cut-throat in business, but…” She dropped her gaze and fiddled with the frayed edges of one of the holes in her jeans. “Sorry. I barged right into your conversation, and it’s totally not my business.”

I grabbed hold of her hand, intertwining our fingers and moving it from her thigh to mine so she’d look at me. It worked, so now I just had to figure out how to explain. Part of me wished she hadn’t heard, while another part of me couldn’t wait to unburden myself. “Rylee’s several years younger than I am, and it was almost like we were raised by different parents. She was the baby girl my dad didn’t think he’d ever have, and she had him wrapped around her little finger. Now that he’s gone, she thinks I should fulfill that role…”

After a quick sorting of information so I could pick what was necessary, what required editing, and how to shorten the entire story, I said, “Rylee’s always enjoyed living the high life a bit too much, but since losing our father, her goals seem to entail becoming my most frequent client. I get that Ry’s mourning, but it’s been three years. She’s going to have to grow up and take responsibility for her actions sometime.”

“I had no idea,” Willa said, her words soft. “I’m sorry, Nathan. That’s a lot to carry. It’s got to be hard on you, since you lost your dad too.”

What else was there to do but shrug. As Rylee had pointed out, it certainly hadn’t helped that our uncles were so quick to stab him, my family, and me, in the back. “As for my uncles, they were our family not by blood, but because together, Gil, Bobby, and my dad built their law firm from the ground up. The contract said I’d have a position in the company and become one of their shareholders once I passed the bar—owning shares in their law firm requires one be a lawyer.”

My gaze had drifted to the flames, my thoughts as destructive and fiery. I glanced up to find Willa listening intently, the flickering reflection of the flames softer and more inviting as it played across her pretty features.

“I was taking the exam the very next month, but Dad’s passing caused a gap. Using that loophole, they bought out my dad’s shares, removed his name from the firm, and told me they no longer had a position for me. It meant those shares my father intended to pass on to me so I could take care of the family if anything happened to him were all gone, just like that.” I snapped my fingers to punctuate the statement.

“How is that even legal?”

“Fine print, bullshit, and betrayal.” Out of the corner of my eye, I peeked at Jameson, who, for all his teasing, sat back and removed himself from the conversation. He was definitely listening, but I could only tell by the clench of his jaw that reminded me he’d been as upset as I’d been.

“It’s not like we’re financially bereft by a long shot. We had to sell off some of my dad’s possessions, and it stung to lose items that represented our time together. But it was just stuff. I could’ve dealt with my resentment and the loss of a secure job at a top firm if they hadn’t removed his name—his legacy. They’d come to the funeral and pretended to mourn with us, while behind the scenes, they were taking away our sense of security.”

“What assholes.”

“My sentiments exactly.” Between bites of our melty s’mores, I filled her in on my threat to take them down and caught her up on everything with Rylee’s case. We chatted with the entire group as the sun set and the embers died down, and then my friends began their goodbyes.

While standing on the tiny lawn of the duplex, Jameson clapped me on the back. “Later, Nathan.”

I shot him a warning glare he didn’t heed because he never did. “I wouldn’t dare tell you what to do…”

“Says the prick who’s about to try.”

“All I’m saying is that when it comes to reaching your business goals, you don’t have to choose that or a relationship. If it comes down to picking and choosing, just remember that business is fickle and changes on a dime.”

“Like love isn’t?”

“Love, huh?”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t act like you’re not alluding to it. Things are going well. She’s amazing and beautiful, and the sex…” I let loose a low whistle.

“In other words, she hardly needs her box of toys anymore.”

Like an old lady at church, I shushed the shit out of him. “I swear, dude. When I told you that, I didn’t know it’d turn into…” Damn, he kept trying to paint me into a corner. “She’ll probably die of embarrassment, and while I won’t use the word you want me to, I do care about her, so I will avenge her. Keep that in mind.”

“Yeah, yeah. Quaking in my shoes. All I’m saying is that being with the right person is far more satisfying than any deal.”

Ben leaned backward, into our conversation bubble, and whispered, “He’s not wrong, Nate.”

Great. Now they were ganging up on me. Their claim was far from a surprise, and why I dragged my feet over letting them meet Willa. Jameson had no memory of what it was like not to share everything with someone, or to want to keep parts of your life in neat little boxes, and Ben was well on his way.

Still, as they climbed into their cars and Willa came over to snuggle up next to me as we said goodbye, I could admit I was far from ready to say goodbye. Even if the only person I’d admit that to was myself.

Chapter 19

Nate

Instead of taking Willa up to my bedroom, I escorted her inside her portion of the duplex. I’d had two days to figure out exactly how I was going to reclaim the reins during our next sexual escapade, and it involved Willa’s headboard and the ties I’d jammed into my pocket before escorting my friends outside.

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